Busy January, New and Old Activities

I made a New Year's resolution to spend less time using the internet and social media and more time in my studio. As I've given up organising my own craft fairs, I've found a few to do this year as a trader and I now feel so relaxed about my sewing.  My other resolution was to be more creative - by this I mean to make more things from scratch, rather than rely on the Pfaff embroidery unit!

I've been caught by the bag making bug and joined the Bag of the Month Club - the January pattern was the 'Ring Sling' by Samantha Hussey - Mrs H - I loved this pattern and this was my first real attempt at bag making and I was pretty impressed with my effort, even though I do say it myself.

This bag has been very closely followed by these:

Absolutely Blooming

The Lily Bag by Quilting Antics

And today, the Sedgeford by Charlie's Aunt, Emma Brennan

The snow caused TextSet to cancel our meeting this month but I've been working on one of my pieces which I've called 

'Flowers for Bees'

This is a positive approach to man's impact and I view it as a 'preventative' approach to the decline of bees.  I cut strips of fabric, stitched them together again and then cut out decreasing circles and stitched those back together with sari silk waste couched over the seams - these will form large, stylized flowers.  I plan to pleat and pad them but need to experiment more.  I've created a patched background for these flowers and have stenciled bees and flowers onto it (but haven't taken a photo of that.) The added advantage of this piece of work is that it recycles fabrics that have been found in charity shops or are samples from upholstery books.

Lastly, this is just for fun and how much have I been enjoying this - just like being a little girl and doing a jigsaw - a rooster collage with a Facebook group - Collage Quilt along with Emily Taylor - there's a lot of tracing and cutting out to do but it's strangely relaxing and comforting - he is pinned ready for securing before stitch and quilting.

Till next time - Carry On Stitching!

The future depends on what we do in the present

Mahatma Ghandi