PATCHWORK PALS

  27 th   April saw our first workshop- Know you Sewing Machine. The tutor, Pauline along with 12 attendees worked together to get to grips with their machines.   Juliet and Joy arrived early to put the tables up and start the hot water for tea and coffee, most important!  Pauline certainly knew her stuff!  Everyone learned something, Pauline helped everyone with tips/tricks from looking after their machine to using their attachments and feet, helping everyone through their manual- very soon everyone was creating pin tucks.    The project was not finished in one day but everyone went away much more confident and read y to complete it using their  instruction leaflet.   This is an example of one of the bags the ladies were working on, everyone enjoyed making the box windows (they have fabric behind them) using cut work.  Cutting out the windows. Adding the coloured fabric behind the window.  This is a second side of the bag show...

 Lots of lovely projects on the go today! Pat displayed her Butterfly cushions, her summer hat and some heart shaped cushions which the group are able to make to help those recovering from breast surgery.  We are happy to make these cushions for anyone that lets us know they need one, Pat is seeing if we can work in collaboration with a shop that deals with Mastectomy patients. Pat is still busy making butterfly squares and is thinking about making up a quilt, but watch this space!  She might change her mind!! Our newest recruit Karen was busy making a very large quilt – her first ever project, but she is really organised!  These are the first strips being sewn.  We look forward to seeing this grow. Joy is still playing with her Batik leaf quilt.  It’s always good to have time to play. Sharon wanted to learn a new skill and managed to shorten her jacket sleeves.  She was very pleased with herself on completing the job as she hadn’t tackled anything lik...

This was the first session for the Saturday group at the WI Hall and it all went well.  There were lots of crafters present - so lots of photos to share! Marlene was contemplating how to cut up her leftover fabric to make a baby quilt - she was hoping to keep all the little animals. Sharon is constructing her Memory Bear.  This was not the easiest of tasks as she was using two materials for the body parts and getting them to cooperate was a little tricky! Julie was working on the base of her Camden Bag which is going to look fabulous when finished. Sheila was making a quilt from scraps for Linus. Carol has nearly finished both her bags.  She is just assembling the fastenings in the middle using magnetic clasps.  Check out the machine embroidery embellishments around the handles! Anne was putting the finishing touches to this beautiful quilt (sorry we didn’t get the pattern name). Pat (Harvey)  is creating a modern baby quilt.  It’s so different and very col...

Pat and a few fellow patchwork pals recent attended a retreat in Buckinghamshire and it sounds like everyone had a great time. Here are some of the projects that Pat managed to get done during the time away.  She made great progress on her Village Quilt.  There is no pattern as such, the houses are made using strips of fabric and are made from oddments that Pat has collected over the last four years.  The windows were scraps donated  by some of the other ladies on the retreat - so will be a lasting memory of a very happy time. Pat also managed to get a butterfly cushion made for a friend who is not very well at the moment.  We’re sure she’ll love it. And finally a lovely hat with cupcake lining - just in time for going out in the sunshine! If anyone else from the retreat would like to share what they worked on, then please feel free to email Jenny / Germaine at swfpatchworkpals@gmail.com and they’ll add it to the blog.

There were a few ladies missing today - some were at a retreat.  We hope you had a good time and can’t wait to see what you got up to!  For those of us that were there, everyone was very productive. Sharon’s quilt top is now all sewn together and she has begun hand quilting it.  Clementina also brought along her new friend!  (Sorry - I didn’t get her name!) Joy had completed her Wave cross stitch and had it framed.  It looks amazing.  Her seahorse is also coming along nicely. Sandy and Val were busy working on their quilt appliqué projects. We had a visit from Maureen who popped in for a cuppa - with her turkeys!!   It was also lovely to welcome back Sarah who we hadn’t seen for a while.  She’s working on an embroidery project - be great to see her progress.   Juliet was cutting out some pattern pieces, Germaine was busy leaf making and Jenny was cracking on with a couple of cross stitch projects . Marillyn had been super-productive. ...