Vintage Sarah

Now that the hectic last week of school is behind me, I've had a chance today to catch up on blogland. Not alot of sewing done this week but all the pressies are in , just need wrapping and then its time to relax.  Christmas Eve will find me in the kitchen listening to carols on Classic F.M. and making stuffing, bread sauce and more mince pies.
I'd like to just tell you about a giveaway I've entered at Sew me. To celebrate Sarah's blogiversary she is giving away some delicious vintage fabric.

sewmeblog.blogspot.co.uk

The title doesn't imply Sarah is old, just the fabric is old style. Thought I better make that clear as Sarah may never speak to me again.

This will probably be my last blog before christmas, so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

           Love    Ruth xo

Birthdays, Buttons and Brooches.

This week I celebrated my birthday with the three people I love most in the whole wide world. My husband and two daughters.
I don't know if it's because my birthday is so close to Christmas and therefore an expensive time of the year or I'm getting older and birthdays just remind me how old I'm getting that I don't really enjoy them. Anyway, my husband  took myself and the girls out for a lovely meal. We intended on going to Nandos but ended up at Avoca where we had a lovely time sitting in a beautifully vintage atmosphere where the food was delicious.
Sorry no photos though.

This week we finished our last class of the year where we had been making buttons and brooches.
This was a really great class, learning some finishing techniques . The first class was like going back to school and playing with fimo. However, I loved this class and have put fimo on my xmas list.

Some of the fimo buttons.


Next we made Suffolk Puffs and filled it with toy stuffing.



It took more stuffing than I thought . It makes a nice brooch, don't you think?



Appliqued brooches finished of with some of my fimo buttons.

 

This week we finished of the course with these brooches, perfect for decorating bags or pouches.

 

I made these candy stick mice to give as wee gifts to my class at school. I got the idea from a Prima Christmas magazine.
Great for hanging on the tree.
With only a week before school finishes, this should be a fun week at school!
Watching a nativity play, kids performing one on Tuesday and Wednesday , party's and topping it off with the pantomime on Friday. ( Oh yes it is )
Roll on Friday.

                      Ruth xo

Stockings Galore

Couldn't think of an imaginative title for this blog .
Anyway, I decided it was time to renew the girls stockings and as Peter and I didn't have any, make some for us. So since August ( yes that's when I started Christmas sewing) I have been sewing stockings.

Once again sorry for the photo, photograpy is not my strength. Hope you manage to see the stockings. I loved making these and they look great hanging above the fire place, waiting to be filled

Whilst I was off from work a few weeks ago suffering from vertigo I took to doing some blog hopping and discovered Sew wonderful life. There I discovered some lovely minature stocking bunting. The pattern is available on Punkinpatterns.
This afternoon I decided to have a go at making them.

The wee stockings measure approx 4-5"

 

I cut the backing out in this lovely sparkly felt.

 

Sewed the two pieces together and Bob's your uncle ,lovely stocking bunting.

Hope your Christmas preparations are going well.

 Love
          Ruth xo

Sweetie Love

One of the tricky things about learning new skills is being able to continue at home and make things on your own without the support of your class mates or your teacher.
This was my challenge this weekend when my eldest daughter requested a LOVE cushion for her youth leader who is having to give up her role as leader due to health problems.

So away we went to my favourite fabric shop and together we chose some lovely polka dots and floral fabrics.

I'm not really very good at selecting fabrics and matching colours and patterns, but with the help of the assisstant and another customer we came up with the above combination.

As I had only made the cushion once, I was a little nervous if I could repeat the mitred corners again.
I shouldn't have worried too much because Judith's instructions were as always clear and precise.

Sweetie Love.

Love the back.

It's amazing how different something can turn out depending on your colours, pattern and fabric.

I have called this one Sweetie Love.

I absolutely love it and hope the recipient will enjoy it as much as I did making it. 

 

I still have one more cushion to do before Christmas. Those of you who know me well will know what colour  I intend to do it in, but I wonder if you can guess what I will call it.

No prizes, just a bit of fun.

Hope you've had a sweet weekend.

Love Ruth xo

Funky Love

A couple of weeks ago we finished our Applique class.
You may get bored with me saying how much I love learning new skills, I get so excited! For me that is the main reason  for attending class. Judith always knows when I'm enjoying a particular class, as she hears squeals of delight coming from my direction.
This class was no different, especially when it came to the mitred corners in this cushion.
The joy when I actually follow the instructions and it works!!!!!!!
The needlecord I had stashed away since my Dutch days. I knew it would come in handy sometime.(Apart from making a skirt too).
The letters were scraps(soul blossoms) I had left from another cushion I had made.

Funky Love


 

The back



 

I'm trying to source some red needlecord so I can make one for Abi.
Hope you are having a great Thursday.
                           Ruth xo

Big Kiss

Suffering from vertigo as I am at the moment, means that I am able to catch up with some sewing and work my way througth my list of stuff to do. It takes me all morning to get up and regain my balance , so since I can't drive , I can't work either.
Bad time of the year to take off I know, what with nativity plays and excitement of christmas building, so I certainly don't want to add to the stress of  a staff member fainting and going dizzy.
Anyway, since we are still in Novenber, I thought yesterday I would have a go at the big kiss for Bee Blessed.

Big fat sloppy kiss.

I really enjoyed this block. It got me thinking it was time I got busy doing Rebekah's memory quilt.
So when I have finished with Christmassy things, that is what I will do.
         Kisses
           Ruth xo

Aran finish

Two years ago I started knitting myself an aran cardigan.

I was determined that I would get it finished before the year was out.

Everything else has been put to the side in order for me to focus on the grand finish.

Last week, I am proud to say I actually finished it.( yippee)

I am for the most part really pleased with it, but am a little disappointed on the length.

It could do to be a little bit longer but I have to say it will be nice and cuddly warm during these cold winter  months.

Not the best photo, but you get the idea.

 

In detail.


 

There is something very satifying about making your own things.
Now onto my next item, something for my youngest daughter. Mind you, it will be a simple , straight forward stocking stitch jumper.

Hope you are keeping warm.
                 Love
                       Ruth xo

Bespoke Skirt

I don't know about you but over the years I have found it very frustrating when shopping for skirts.
a) I  can never find the style I like  and b) when I do, the waistband is always too big.
I have sewn quite a bit over the years and especially when the girls were small. However, I didn't know how to make up my own pattern.

So you can imagine my delight when Judith put on a Saturday skirt workshop.

I had some petrol blue needlecord that I had bought in Holland many years ago and knew it would make a lovely A -line skirt.

Hard at work.

Our teachers" hard at work."

Pattern piece all cut out and ready to place on fabric.

Finished A-line skirt.

The whole day was  lovely and relaxed with lots of laughter, fun and cake.
I think you will agree  the skirt looks great.
I can't wait to go out shopping and look for some more fabric . My next one will be brown to go with my brown boots.
Thanks so much to Judith and Heather  for a great workshop.
You can check out a few more of the skirts here.
It's back to porridge tomorrow, so hope you have a great week.
                      Ruth xo

Practice makes perfect

Haven't been doing much blogging lately but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy.
At our Thursday evening class, we are currently learning how to applique. Judith has taught us three different ways,  needleturn and reverse needleturn, free motion quilting  and satin stitch applique, so I have been busy practising.


 

Sample of reverse needleturn and needleturn.

 Sample of FMQ .

Sketching.

My favourite 'Satin Stitch' 

We are honing our skills by making a cushion with mitred corners. More of that in a few weeks when I get it finished.
I love learning new techniques and skills and then applying them to my own projects. 
It's been half term week here, so i've enjoyed some lovely walks kicking leaves whilst walking the dog.
Hope you are having a great weekend.

               Ruth xo

Positively Pretty Pouches

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since I blogged and it's been that long since I've been in my sewing room. Taking on extra hours at work and family life has got in the way of my sewing.
There is also another reason and that is that I started knitting an arran cardigan for myself 2yrs ago and I have promised myself I would get it finished this year, hopefully before Christmas. So I have been doing that. I am now on the right front, then the collar and button band. Here's hoping!!!!!

Last week we finished our pouch classes. It was good fun as always, although for some of us the zips got the better of us. However, we all finished triumphant. Hurrah!

Here's my selection of lovely pouches.

2 pencil cases, 2 make-up bags and 1 project pouch.

The Suffolk Puff  adds the finishing touch.

A Cath Kidston esq ,fabri.c

I enjoyed this project pouch  the most. I'll use this for my E.P.P.

Pencil case no 1.

Pencil case no 2.

Lovely ribbons bought today.



 

These ribbons were bought today. I have no idea what I'm going to do with them but just decided it was time to start a ribbon stash, you know for those rainy days?!
Actually got up into my sewing room today and decided to give it a tidy up; it had become a bit of a dumping ground of late.

Hope you have had a good Saturday
                            Ruth xo

Memory Quilt

I have never been so nervous putting the washing machine on as I was today.
I have finally finished my youngest daughters quilt, sewn in memory of her Grandad.
I put four colour catchers in and hoped it would be enough.
This quilt has been six months in the making  and a steep learning curve.
I loved to see it on the line dancing in the breeze.


Every block tells a story.



It looks well on Abi's bed.

Love this Pippi block - reminds me of Abi!!!.

A very wonky house.

Love this butterfly made from Dad's Laura Ashley pillow case.

The heart of the quilt - LOVE.

It even provoked a comment from my elderly neighbour who saw it hanging there.
I brought a pile of Dad's shirts back with me in Feb, the red particularly provokes a memory as he was wearing this last May ( 2011) when he celebrated his 90th birthday.
The dress in the Pippi block was actually material I used to make a dress for Abi when she was a nipper, so something from her too.
Abi's favourite  block is the log cabin, mine is the Pippi. I wonder what yours is?
Now to start big sis's Star memory quilt. Could be awhile.

  Bye Ruth xo

Bee Blessed

A Saturday afternoon at Bee Blessed is always to be enjoyed, especially when we haven't met for a couple of months. So last Saturday was no exception.
It was lovely to see folks again and catch up with each other.  But what is most exciting is to see how the quilts are coming on.
We had a few donated ones which are gorgeous, they just needed finishing off.

Isn't this just fab.

The back is just as stunning-beautifully quilted.

Here you can see the back in more detail,using a varigated thread.

They had been quilted by Judith's friend Janette( hope I spelt it right).
I will look forward to handing this over to Judith on Thursday. I think the fuscia border finishes the quilt of nicely. My eldest daughter who does not like pink in any shape or form actually really likes this quilt. However she would change the border to a green or blue, so it's a good job she's not getting it isn't it!!!!
I'm sure that whoever gets this quilt will love it.
Hope you have had a good Monday.
                          Love Ruth xo

E.P.P.

Back in February my sister and I were in England attending my father's funeral. Despite it being a sad and difficult time, it gave Liz and I the opportunity to catch up. (She lives in Austria). She was doing some English Paper Piecing and I fell in love with colours,shapes and effect it gave. I remember it as a child but never tackled it.
Since then quite a few of my sewing friends have also taken it up, so I thought I would get in on the act too.
Last month my lovely, crazy sewing friend Marion(we get in trouble in class for giggling) was over at the Birmingham show and found these fantastic templates that makes the whole E.P.P experience easier.  So I thought I would show them to you.

The different templates. They can be folded in the middle to get another shape.

Cut the hexie out as per usual, but look you don't need to do as much sewing.( sorry the photo isn't very sharp, but I think you can still get the idea.)

The flip side of the hexie's.
 



Don't they look lovely?
I really love these reds and it set me thinking, I would love to make a quilt using E.P.P.
However ,although I love red at the moment, I don't have a lot of different fabrics. So this is when I get down on one knee and put a request out to all you lovely bloggers- If you have any RED scraps about 2 1/2"-3" square could I ask you to send them to me OR Judith.She has very kindly said that you can post them to her as most of you will no doubt have her address.
I want to keep the centre hexie a solid red, but the other 6 anything floral, checked. polka dot(my fave), vintage ect. I will connect them together with a white colour path. I think it will look stunning. What do you think?

The templates are from Hungary. Check them out on www.foltvilag.hu
They also have lovely wooden buttons.


Bye for now.
Ruth xo








 

New sewing room

I knew that once I got back to school time would be scarce and I was right.
With my eldest daughter studying for her GCSE's this year , it was full on from the first day. Not only that, but I have taken on some extra hours in the form of a "after school club" . Consequently the first week back has been rather tiring with not much sewing done.
My lovely husband decided it was time to sort my sewing room out and create more space. so whilst the sun shone , Peter was putting shelving up and sorting out.
He has done a great job , so here's hoping I can get more energy of an evening to sew.

A make shift ironing board, but it works.

Found these shelves in the bargain basement at Ikea..
 

All ready for me to get cracking.

Treated myself to this magazine in town this morning. It was a little expensive, but has some great ideas.



Hope you have had a great week.
Happy sewing .
 Love Ruth xo