March Making at the Museum

The Chertsey Ladies made 3D folded windmill blocks today

and showed off some foundation pieced projects

and some felt Christmas ornaments

A Finish at the Farm

The Broom Farm ladies have been busy creating, but as usual I've been too busy chatting to take many photos!

K is working on a cross stitch embroidery, L and A are making skirts (yes, dressmaking of sorts, but making it up as we go, no pattern to follow!) and G has just started on a bag, having finished this lovely cushion:

Super Spiders

This is one of M, O & M's spiders.  One will go onto the outside of the bag, and another one will go inside as a 3D spider.

We ask M, (age 4) to tell us how many legs a spider has - that was no problem - 8!

We then showed him how we planned to use the pipe cleaners to make these legs (ie two legs per pipe cleaner) and got him to work out how many pipe cleaners we needs for 8 legs - well done M, 4 - just right!

Sewing at school

We started a new Family & Community Learning project at school:  We have decided to make patchwork quilts for the SCBU unit (Special Care Baby Unit) at Wexham Park hospital, and Story Sacks for our own Foundation Class.

M,O and M have chosen a story about spiders

N,O and N have chosen The Lion King - some great drawings here, N and N

We have used the rotary cutter to cut bags and looked at how to stitch them with, or without a sewing machine

G (with mum, C) has chosen a Princess book, and E has chosen a book about Aliens and Underpants - some great sewing ideas there!

 Each group has looked at its book and taken key words and pictures to decide what they want to make to go into the story sack.

L, A and S have decided to make a quilt

Broom Farm creations

Only four ladies today at broom farm, but lots achieved.

G has finished her first quilt, and has started on a lacy cushion cover,

C is working on a patchwork quilt and also on a crochet blanket.

A has almost finished making a beautiful sparkly Cinderella cape for her daughter,

And A is working on an appliqué cushion cover

Bunting and Blankets at Broom Farm

 A new year and a new term at Fun With Fabric has also seen some new students signing up at Broom Farm.  There are still some places left if you want to join us.

K is working on a long standing project: hand quilting some hearts that she started when she was at school!

C is crocheting Granny Squares:  She and her some have joined a scheme where they send money each month to a child in Ethiopia to 'adopt' them, and she wants to send the blanket to the child that is allocated to them

L is making bunting.  She has made some before so we are looking at different methods

G is making a quilt for a friend's baby .  She is using a single piece of fabric, and has stitched around some of the printed squares to quilt the fabric to a fleece blanket

A is making a dressing up cloak for her daughter: we are using a bought one as a template but making the new one wider and longer

Benta@SLIKstitches.co.uk

Snuggly Scarves

The first 2013 Children's session at Chertsey Museum saw us starting with a fleece scarf, and adding whatever we could lay our hands on in order to personalise it:

We had great fun

Benta@SLIKstitches.co.uk

Felting at the farm

One of the best things about teaching at Broom Farm, is when one (or two) of the ladies has learnt something new, and then come and show the rest of us.

Karen and Maggie learnt how do do dry felting at the weekend: A Christmas pudding and a plump little robin

Jane has now finished her Sewing Stuff bag, so has returned to her sampler quilt that she started years ago on a different course.  These drunkard path blocks are progressing

And Catherine has knitted this lovely stocking, and has lined it with fabric to stop little fingers catching on the wool inside

 

Benta@SLIKstitches.co.uk

Bag at Broom Farm

Jane has been working on her 'sewing class' bag for a while.  Today she stitched the lining pieces together and we were able to assemble and finish it.  We used the method where the inside-out outer bag is put inside the inner bag and stitched all the way round the top.  I remember the first time I did this, and Jane was the same.

I don't get it

I don't get it

Then - ohhhhhh! as the whole lot is pulled through the hole in the side and becomes a completed bag.  I think there is a little bit of magic in how it works!

 Well done Jane

Benta@SLIKstitches.co.uk

Bracelets at Broom Farm

Maggie showed us how to make bracelets today.  I forgot to get a photo of a finished one, but I did get the method, and I promised I'd load the photos

Start by attaching a centre string to a firm object (today it was bulldog clipped to a box lid).  Cut a second length of string (bah, can't remember the lengths, try 2 foot)

Start with the second string under the centre string and start to knot: the left end of the second string goes OVER the centre string,

.    

Then the right end of the second string goes OVER the left's tail

Then the right end goes UNDER the cross over, and comes UP into the C shaped loop

That is one knot.  The next knot is the opposite.  After a few knots, add a bead on the centre string, and do the appropriate knot after the bead, continue

When you have reached the end, cut the ends close to the final know, and melt with a lighter flame to stop it un-knotting.

To be able to fasten the bracelet around the wrist: place the two end strings together as they would be on your wrist, take another 'second' string and knot it over the two ends, weaving a sort of cocoon for about an inch.  Finish off as before.  The two end strings can now be adjusted to allow the bracelet to slip on or off


Some of the other projects being worked on . . .

Lynn quilting a Christmas wall hanging, and showing us her crocheted animal collection

Catherine making bunting

Jane working on her sewing bag

And somehow Maggie's squares didn't get photographed!

Benta@SLIKstitches.co.uk