Country Roads Inchies

I can now share my "inchies" project.  Quite a while ago now I went to Spindle Cottage Workshop in deepest Digby Fen and, with other members of Country Roads Quilters, did a workshop with Wendy Snape Coyne on inchies.  These are tiny fabric and thread collages that can be made into items of jewellery or used to decorate cushion, notebook covers etc.
First we took a variety of fabric pieces and ironed them onto Bondaweb, all the pieces cut accurately so that they butted up to each other.  For this project I used pieces of fabric leftover from the Country Roads Quilt.

Then it was time to have fun with decorative stitches and some interesting threads to stitch down the fabric and add interest and texture.

Some very accurate measuring, stitching and cutting followed and then some zigzagging to end up with lots of "inchies", one inch squares of textile deliciousness.

Each inchie was then glued to a brooch back.  At this point I discovered that the brooch backs were not quite one inch square!  So fudging followed!

 

I then used a permanent marker to write names on the inchies and gave these name badges out to the members of CRQ with their membership card/programme for the new year.  I'm pleased to say they were very well received.

The members of CRQ have been busy too, and at our January meeting we were delighted to have 33 quilts to hand over to Project Linus.

Stitching Weather

Although the recent weather has not been as bad here as in other areas of the country it has still been staying in and sewing weather.  

I caught up with some of my purchases from Festival of Quilts, firstly making this gorgeous Yuki bag from Japan Crafts.  You might notice it contains a few chocolates, ready for Christmas!

I then worked with the Donegal tweed fabric I bought from Fabric Affair.  My original plan had been to make a double sided throw but instead I decided to simply bind the length of tweed and use the squares for a different project.  It's so soft and warm so if the weather gets worse I know where I'll be!

Next, some secret piecing and stitching, I'll share more of this in January.

And finally, I started another Project Linus quilt.  It's currently a pile of pieces waiting to be pressed and joined, hopefully I'll share a picture in a few days.

Here's hoping the weather is not too bad where you are and that you have avoided storms, flooding, snow, earthquakes, tsunamis, wild winds and torrential rain and managed to keep safe, warm and dry.

Catching Up

I've mainly been doing household sewing recently, even though I say "I'm a creative textile artist, I don't do domestic alterations!".  I made these cushion using some of my wonderful indigo-dyed fabrics. I must stop anyone in a white shirt from leaning on them.

I have been keeping up with the JQ Challenge and have finished the first four, with a little purple in each.

January

February

March

April

For the next four months the focus colour is green and do I have disassembled this silk obi and will use some of the green areas as well as some other small pieces of green kimono silk I have.

The "Inchies" workshop was fun but I don't think I'll be making many inchies although I can see myself going to the previous stage and making more pieces like this:

Today is a beautiful Spring day so I'm going to make the most of it and put some new plants in the garden, agapanthus and allium.