A little gift for a blog friend

I love how quilting brings together people from different parts of the world.
Over the past few years I have followed many quilting blogs and feel attached to many quilters whom I know I will very probably not meet in person.  We do, however, have "conversations" via email and their blogs so, in a weird way, I feel I "know" them, am interested in their projects and what is going on in their worlds.

So, as a little "Thank you" to a lady whose work and zany humour I very much admire, I sent a little gift:

and the other side.................

 

I added a little hand stitching and pretty buttons for embellishment.

 

Inside I popped a few of my 3" 9 patches.

Spiderweb Cushion

At the end of last year I made a Spiderweb cushion for one of my quilting friend's special birthday ( one of those ending in 0 ). 

As a Group we had made Lynne a Spiderweb quilt, using the colours she loves and uses a lot in her house, Cream and Autumn shades.  It was a pattern I had wanted to do for a long time and was thrilled when another member of our Group suggested this as an idea for Lynne's quilt.  I worked out how much cream on cream fabric we would need for the centres of the blocks and there was enough for the binding too.  Then the whole Group brought strips of fabric in the Autumn colours we had chosen:  yellow, gold, orange, tan, brown, red, lime and various greens.  We had a real variety of fabrics, some old, some quite new but together they looked fabulous.  We chose a meeting when we knew Lynne was away and all picked lots of strips from the piles, making sure we had some in every colour.

As the Spiderweb block was an unknown one to many of the Group I made some sample blocks using white Kona cotton for the bases and pastels and brights for the strips.  I had fun making them up to various stages of production so I could demonstrate the method to the rest of the ladies. 
In the UK we have a great children's TV programme called "Blue Peter" where presenters show the viewers how to make various art and craft items.  They always have a completed one to show the children what they are aiming for and always say: "This is one I made earlier". I felt rather like I was a presenter on Blue Peter and indeed, did have "one I had made earlier" as well as several blocks in various stages of completion.  I must have demonstrated it OK as everyone managed to complete their blocks ( without too much hassle I hope!).

As a Group we finished the Quilt and it was handed round to each member to do some of the hand quilting in cream Perle cotton, put on the binding, hand stitch it down and finally embellish with little red buttons in the spiderweb centres.  We all agreed that the red buttons "made" the quilt!

Unfortunately I was in New Zealand by the time it was Lynne's birthday on 11th February so couldn't see her face when she opened her gift.  However I have had several email reports from other Group members who said she was "stunned" and a lovely "Thank you" email from Lynne.

I left the cushion I had made to be gifted to Lynne when the quilt was given and I know she liked it from her email.

 

I was really pleased as this is the first time I have put a zip in a cushion and it turned out well.

The zip is at the bottom  of the cushion.

 

When I am back in the UK I will continue to make the Spiderweb cushion I began as a demonstration.  Should make a pretty quilt.

My first Zippered Pouch

A week last Saturday I made my first Zippered Pouch, following a tutorial on Make it Perfect.

I followed the instructions to the letter, working with my iPad beside my sewing machine!

I have only ever put in a couple of dress zips, back when I was 21 - a very long time ago! - and had a try at dressmaking.  I hated sewing then, sewing machines were alien, and I had never dared try to put in another zip.

However, I love all the Zippered pouches that pop up on Flickr and discovered this excellent tutorial so decided to give it a whirl.  It is for my very best friend Barbara for Christmas.  She enjoys making jewellery and we have a great Bead Shop in town so I thought I would make the pouch and put some lovely beads inside.  In one afternoon I made this:

 

I have no idea why this photograph has turned itself sideways! It appears perfectly normally on my file and on my Flickr page!

 

I added a few little flower embellishments that I had in my stash and I am really pleased with it.  Tomorrow I am off to the Bead Shop to choose some pretty beads to put inside.  And then that can be another gift finished and mailed on its way.

 

I am joining in with Clare's Thursday Brit  Linky.  Very late this week as the day after I made the pouch I went down with a horrible bout of Norovirus and spent over two days in bed.  Then I was extremely tired so was working very slowly and trying to catch up on things I should have done whilst I was ill.

 

Gradually working my way through various lists.  My lovely husband offered to have some of the tasks delegated to him to I am pretty much back on track.

 

Hoping to make a patchwork tote bag for my little granddaughter as an added present for Christmas.  I bought some good-as-new Beatrix Potter books at the Church Christmas Fair which I will put inside the bag.  Not much time this week, working round too many social engagements.  However, I am determined to make a bag for her, so watch this space.