Two cappuccinos later...

No, I didn't wear the mask to the coffee shop!

Fusing fabric the healthy way!

For sometime now I have been wanting to do something spiral using the techniques within this book. Fusing Fabric by Margaret Beal

BUT before I begin I need to have a respirator/breathing apparatus device for Health and Safety purposes as the fabric will give off fumes. I will also need to be in a well ventilated room!

SO

I've just nipped out to the local builder's equipment hire shop to buy this...

It's not pretty and I apologise for the hideous model, but if it keeps me safe I don't care what I look like! Off now to meet up with some girlfriends for a coffee at the local family run coffee shop.

Rainbows gladden the heart

Yesterday, while preparing the evening meal we had a spot of thunder and lightening and afterwards a lovely rainbow.

Thought I'd share it with you.

I'm toggled out!

So for once after cooking Sunday lunch I did what I planned to do! The Darlings were doing their own homework, DH was clearing up the kitchen, while clearing up a mess at work over the phone, AND I retreated to my workroom to complete the buttons and toggles.

I needed to make buttons made with cores. I used "Funky Foam" shapes and for the triangles I used foam board.

"Funky Foam" Shapes

Button One

Machine Stitchery to add interest to the fabric

Square and Rectangle Foam Shapes covered with the Machine Stitched Fabric

Square and Rectangle Buttons with embellishments of beads and ribbon

Button Two

Circular Foan Foams covered with Fabric Ink Pen Drawn Spirals

Circular Buttons with Fabric Embellishments

Button Three

Foam Board Cut into Triangles

Covered with Shop Bought Fabric

Wrapped with Threads and Embellished with Beads

Toggles

I coloured a piece of Vilene with silk paints, probably not the correct thing to use but they coloured it and that was all I needed as the toggle shape was more important to me and all the colour had to do was be in the colour scheme! I added fabric and thread to some of them.

So there you have it, what I did this afternoon - I think the Button Chapter is well and truely put to bed.

Absent without Leave

It's been a bit of a week...the last post although started Sunday evening has only just been posted as I either can't get on the computer due to the other occupants of this house being on it, or visiting parents needing me everytime I sit down at the computer, or not having time to sit at the computer as I am finally returning the house back to normal as P-in-L have returned home.

I did however get some things done on the course work front!


I need to add to the button collection as I have bought the "Covered" button kits but hadn't used them. So I took some fabric that I had printed on and embroidered into it following the shapes of the printed pattern

Fabric with the circles drawn on showing the area I need to embroider

And here are the finished buttons I completed on Monday evening at the Quilting Groups AGM!

We had a Sewing B while the official business was going on. I did take some hand quilting to do as well!

I had some tassel ideas as well...

I hadn't made an example of tassels with embroidered heads, so I did...

And while I was making the Bead Sampler I remembered I had bought some large beeds to make some tassels with bead heads, so I made them as well...

I still have some more buttons and toggles to make to complete the chapter, so that's what I'll now be doing this afternoon.

While you're in the hole, dig a little deeper...

So yesterday morning I went down to the local council offices, where the Council were selling composters and "Green Cones" at very cheap prices. Having read the leaflet earlier in the week we decided to go for a "Green Cone" as we don't do enough gardening to justify something that generates compost as we hardly use it. Well, occassionally I 'll have a burst of planting, but then crafting will take over again and the garden is left to it's own devises - Mother Nature seems to do a good job so why compete?

The "Green Cone" rots down ALL food waste and that includes meat and bones! And if installed correctly should not smell or attract vermin! So says the leaflet and the website.

By the way this is by no means an advertisement and as it has just been installed I cannot say whether it works or not!

So here we are this afternoon installing our "Green Cone". DH was instructed to dig a deep hole, and make it a little deeper...and a little deeper until the bits of the cone that are supposed to be underground were!

This is the hole having it's drainage checked

This is DH checking on the drainage!

How it arrived

How it looked once put together, with DH's Parents as the audience!


Putting it in the hole

Filling in the gaps

Finished!

Putting in the first load

I have been putting in the organic waste throughout the week and sprinkling it with the "accellerator" as instructed. We decided not to put any meat waste in until we see that the plant waste is rotting down nicely. As only a week has gone by I can't say that how well it is working but I'll keep you all posted!

The Family's Football Supporters are happy!

Three generations of Football supporters ventured out to Northampton Town today to return to the club where family folk lore says a fourth generation member once played. DH and Son took Grandpa to see the Mighty Cobblers win 2-0 against Oldham. Grandpa's team - Bolton Wanders won 1-0 and the other Football Supporter in our Family - West Ham also won, so Happy Families all round! Believe me when I say we know when they've all lost! And when West Ham play Bolton "it's merder"! (aka Hart to Hart!)

I, on the other hand, dislike football and tolerate it were necessary. So inbetween being mine host to my mother-in-law and Daughter, and cooking four course meals, I have been trying to create the images for the Wales Quilt which hopefully will be in the Challenge Quilt section of the Quilt Show in June.

Now who can tell me the rules as to the showing of quilts that are bound for quilt shows before the actual date of the show? If a quilt is posted on the blog, or shown at a show and tell, does that mean it's not allowed to be accepted? Please clarify as I would like you to follow the development of this Trapunto/Boudis quilt as it is made, but won't if it means I will be disqualified!

Here's a teaser - I'm off to gather images of daffodils and feathers...

I know what I would rather be doing!

So it's Friday, technically the last day of the Spring Holidays. We started this fortnight with a trip to see the Grandparents and we end this holiday with a visit from my DH's parents. So today is spent tearing around the house, dusting, vacuuming, changing beds, moving all the sleeping arrangments around, cleaning bathrooms and shopping for the food to cover the length of visit - Wednesday.

All the jobs I would usually do on the Monday, once the Darlings have returned to school, are to be rolled into one half day. Yes, I could have done most of it yesterday but a quilting idea got the better of me and I spent most of the afternoon creating a pattern for a Trapunto/Boudis(?) type quilt - you all know the one where you sew a pattern and then pad out the shapes you have created with stuffing and string/thick cotton thread. Well I know what I would rather be doing at the moment, but tidying needs to be done.

And why I am I sitting here blogging?

Good question...

It's my Birthday and I'll...

Go to the Farm if I want to!

and here are two new arrivals who appeared this afternoon!

After present and card opening, we travelled to Bocketts Farm, near Leatherhead and spent a full day on pregnant ewe watch - well Daughter did and quickly informed us once a ewe went into labour! We saw a Ewe which was carrying twins give birth to her first lamb, but were busy watching the farm's first black lamb of the season being born and missed the second twin being delivered successfully. It's a wonderful spectacle to see and great for teaching the children about new life, although Son prefered to be in the Playground Barn on the wavy slide!

One of the highlights of the visit to the farm

has got to be the pig race

and they're off!

Lester Piglet, Grease Lightening, Delroy Trotter and Bullet Babe, to name a few, raced up the track to a big bowl of treats - Delroy Trotter won!

Not to feel out done this duck decided to show us his shepherding skills.

Now goining to put my feet up before the evening festivities begin...

Inspirational Blog - what little old me?

Katinspace has nominated me as an inspirational blog - well I'm rather overwhelmed as I didn't realise that my blithering amounted to much and you all visited to see how not to do it!

So I shall have a think and will nominated my 10 Inspirational blogs soon.

Thank-you so much for thinking about me. I loved the bit about "a great mix of 300 different art projects underway at anyone time". Yes, that's me and you were only able to count 300? I must have forgotten to mention the other 200 projects!!!

Just as well the Cobblers were away to The Blues!

I dread to think where my birthday weekend bonanza would have been if DH and Son followed a different sport - I could be in Augusta, USA - but my chaps follow football - Coca Cola League One to be exact and that meant a glorious two days away in Sunny, (and it was!) Southend on Sea. Daughter and I don't follow football and spend the away matches - should we go with the boys - wandering the shopping centres for trinkets and searching for Quilting shops. We found a wool shop, where I bought a crochet book and sparkly threads to make some christmas decorations for the bazaar stall in November - (project 301! :> lol).

We were able to catch up with Son's Godfather, who lives just outside Southend and spent a lovely evening reminising about our past lives before the Darlings, of University and the stuff life throws at you.

Today we toured Hadleigh, Leigh on sea, Westcliffe on Sea and back to eat at Southend before travelling a part of the M25 we don't usually use and crossed the QE2 bridge, seeing some of the ships we had watched going passed Southend earlier - well they might not have been, but it made Son happy!

I took loads of photos, lots of clouds as they were amazing and some interesting walls - I could see quilts and other textile creative stuff where "normal" people see bricks and mortar! Unfortunately Blogger seems to be having second thoughts about allowing me to show you these. Maybe tomorrow...

Friday Night

Well it's the end of the first week of the holidays and we've...

visited the Grandparents,

shopped 'til we dropped,

Daughter's been to the Theatre with her Guide unit,

Son has nearly mastered the James Bond theme from the new music book that arrived on Thursday,

I visited the local quilt shop without too much hassle from the children - I had to go this week to redeem my loyality cards as the shop in closing at the end of the month!

we've visited the swimming pool where the children swam and I reviewed my course work in the coffee bar over looking the pool,

revision and homework has been started,

we've kept watch over the frog spawn as it has magically turned from small dots into wriggling black squiggles with fuzzy little gills,

Daughter has cooked the most tasty vegetable and cheese puff pastry pasties

and we have had the most luxurious lie-ins 'til 8am, a good two hours of extra restful sleep.

Next week we have the farm visit, a trip into London, a massive clean-up of the house and a visit from the In-Laws at the final week-end... oh and it's my birthday on Monday

Lots to look forward to and evenings to fill with coursework and quilting.

Have a relaxing week-end.

1000

I've just reached my 1000 visitor!

WoW, I find it amazing that little old me can get people around the world to read my blog!

Well I hope I can keep it interesting enough to keep you all coming back.

Thanks for Visiting

Bead Edging Sampler

Here is the bead edging sampler which I will be attaching to the back of the bead sampler. Then I will have an all-in-one Bead/Edging Sampler. I will probably make a protective bag to cover it while it is not on show.

I couldn't help myself and just had to add abit more to the Bead Sampler before I packed away the beads, I also felt that it required some embroidery to emphasize the spiral. So here it is and it's officially completed!

Reply to Daniela

Daniela has suggested that I turn the Bead Sampler into something, maybe a bag. I hadn't considered using it as anything other than a sampler as I intend to attach the Bead Edging Sampler on the back to hide all the stitching. The plan was to hang it on the wall once it has been seen by Sian. It is rather heavy and needs the frame to support it or it collapses with the weight!
I did enjoy working with the beads and I intend to put beading onto the accessory I will be making in Chapter 10.

Spring Holidays has just begun and my big Darlings are now home from school. Son has a Theatre Group Performance tonight were he plays a Photographer/Bank Robber. It's all a big secret so we can expect a surprise! Holidays are a double edged sword as we don't have to rush in the mornings and have lovely lie-ins but I have to be "Red Coat" Entertainments Manager and keep them busy during waking hours! Unfortunately for them, SATS are next month so revision is expected from a number of days. Son has come home with past papers to do, Year 6, and Daughter, Year 9, has a revision list as long as her arm for her subjects! I personally think it's ridiculous but what can a parent do but support the child and the school while the Government expects too much from both, leaving a regimented education with hardly any scope for expression and fun. Rant over now to relax and have fun...

Bead Sampler Part 2

It has taken a week to complete the sampler, but I feel it has been worth the time because I have enjoyed myself and I like the result. I enjoy buying beads, abit like a child in a sweet shop! Although once home I wonder what I will do with them so, similar to the Fat Quarter stash, I occassionally take them out and enjoy looking at them! It has been fun to spread out the bead stash and wander if this bead will go with that bead etc, and I now know - should I need to use beads in the future - what sort I would put together. One of my favourite sections is the pale green seed beads and the moulded shell shapes. Go and have a good look at the completed sampler and tell me which section you like...

So here is what I did...

I wanted to have the beads forming a spiral so I made some drawings.

I collected together all the pink and green beads I have bought over the last year.

I machine stitched the design on to the fabric and layed out the beads to see how they would look together.

Sewing down the beads...

Nearly there!

Completed! Can you see the section I changed?

The final piece is very heavy and has been put on an embroidery hoop to keep it taught. I intend to tidy up the edging fabric - similar to Suffolk Puffs, (Yo-Yos) - by gathering the fabric with stitching and then back the hoop with the bead edging sampler to hide the fabric. Leaving me with a double sided sampler for chapter 8.