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.

A Busy Day Now the Rain Has Stopped

This morning was still a little murky so I hit the sewing straight after breakfast.  The quilt in the foreground was already finished and this morning I finished the other two with the exception of hand stitching the binding on the reverse and adding the labels.  These are all for Project Linus.  They will be collected at Country Roads Quilters in January along with the many, many others members have been generous enough to make.

While I was having lunch there was a knock at the door and a guy standing there with a big box, exciting eh?  It was the roses I ordered from Peter Beales in September.  Fortunately, the day has brightened up considerably and it is perfect planting weather.  All that digging has left me ready for a nice cup of tea and a slice of courgette and lime cake!  Tomorrow, assuming it continues to be dry and bright, I shall plant tulip bulbs around the roses and then sit back and wait for Spring.

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.