It was wonderful to have our Friend of Mackay Libraries, expert in all things textile, along to assist with the various projects. Our FOML had rather optimistically brought along a folder of possible projects including a beautiful Raggedy Anne style doll. Despite having paper, ruler and pencils on hand to start developing the patterns, I'm not sure the project moved much past the 'look-at-and-ponder' and show to others to 'look-at-and-ponder' stage.
Our regular who introduced us to the Knitted K--ckers Australia kits, is persisting in knitting these protheses for a worthy cause. Though a smallish project there are a few tricky bits and there was much discussion on how to knit through the parts where stitches like to break free and slide off the slippery needles, much to the consternation of the knitter! Our group has completed four protheses to date with more progressing on the needles.
One of our regular pop-ins was actually able to stay and work on a project this time much to everyone's delight. Book Week is on the horizon and when you have primary schoolers that means a book character costume is on order. She had a delightful pattern for an Alice in Wonderland costume and made great progress on this project. There is going to be a very lucky, very cute Alice in Wonderland starring in this year's Book Week thanks to the persistence and skill of this SSS sewer.
One of our newer SSSers is working on regaining her confidence and skills in dressmaking. Her next project is a wonderful winter skirt to go with her red boots. With a bit of advice and assistance from our resident expert, she now has all the pattern pieces cut out and has a game plan for the next part of the project. We are looking forward to seeing how the skirt develops. The colour combination was very eye-catching and the style very complementary to a pair of boots.
Our regular cross-stitcher/puller-outerer is walking on the wild side and experimenting with her second "beginners" quilt kit. Obviously the kit-makers have moved so far beyond beginner quilting that they have forgotten what beginning is like! After looking at the cutting out instructions from many angles without any degree of comprehension there was a conference with our resident expert in all things textile who has quite a number of quilts to her credit. She also looked a little puzzled by the instructions but eventually worked out which fabric was which and how to cut up one of the fabrics. There has been the outline of a game plan sorted but just getting started could be a long-term project in itself. This beginner quilt could be sometime in the making and certainly far beyond the 6 to 8 hours mentioned in the instructions!
It was wonderful to see so much creativity and productivity at SSS. Our SSSers continue to comment on how wonderful it is to work on the large tables we have available in the GWL Community Meeting Room. The tables can be moved around quite easily, making tasks like cutting out patterns and quilt pieces more manageable.
Looking forward to seeing how all of these projects progress.
Looking forward to seeing you at our next SSS on Saturday 25 July at 1.00pm at Gordon White Library's Community Meeting Room! Bring along your project and all the bits you need to make it happen or just come along and check out our library's craft books and magazines for inspiration!
Tuesday 30 June 2015
Tuesday 23 June 2015
We're socialising and stitching this Saturday!
Just a reminder that we'll be meeting this Saturday to sew, knit, crochet or whatever crafty or textile techniques you are into. Just bring along everything you need to continue with your project and settle in for a lovely stitch and chat!
After one of our members introduced us to the KKA knitting kits, I have been doing my best to encourage folks to give them a go. I will bring a couple of kits along on Saturday and if you're short of a project, enjoy knitting and would like to give this worthwile project a go, just bring along some 3.75 mm and 3.25 mm knitting needles and we'll see how we go! (They were on sale at a store that has a name a bit like K M... if you can't find a spare home at home.) I find the kits a bit fiddly to start and the whole project is a lesson in mindfulness but they certainly look cute when they're finished!
Looking forward to seeing you and your projects this Saturday at 1.00pm at the Gordon White Community Meeting Room.
After one of our members introduced us to the KKA knitting kits, I have been doing my best to encourage folks to give them a go. I will bring a couple of kits along on Saturday and if you're short of a project, enjoy knitting and would like to give this worthwile project a go, just bring along some 3.75 mm and 3.25 mm knitting needles and we'll see how we go! (They were on sale at a store that has a name a bit like K M... if you can't find a spare home at home.) I find the kits a bit fiddly to start and the whole project is a lesson in mindfulness but they certainly look cute when they're finished!
Looking forward to seeing you and your projects this Saturday at 1.00pm at the Gordon White Community Meeting Room.
Wednesday 3 June 2015
Cooler weather brings out the crafty ones
We had a lovely roll up on Saturday with four new sewers coming along to talk about many things sewing. Several of our regulars were not able to attend due to other commitments but fortunately a couple of our regulars were on hand to welcome our new stitchers.
One of our regular stitchers worked on some embroidery and then enjoyed a bit of therapeutic pulling out. Then it was time to concentrate on trying to develop a pattern of overlapping circles for her next project.
Another of our regulars worked on her knitting for a while before having to leave early. At the Sarina Craft Show she had discovered these wonderful knitting kits which enables knitters to knit 100% cotton protheses for cancer survivors. The kits have a great name but I dare not use it as, when I used it in an email, our work email monitor had conniptions - let's just say the name goes something like 'Knitted Kn------ Australia'. At least she was able to relax and spread the word about these wonderful kits in the cool comfort of the Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room before having to re-join the hurley burley of life beyond the sewing circle. We're looking forward to seeing how this project develops.
One of our newcomers brought along some mending projects which are easy to ignore in the home but become worthy projects when stitching in a social environment. Mending is just a lot more fun when you have other sewers to chat with about projects. The creative juices begin to flow and one becomes inspired to develop ideas and possibilities and begin something new.
Another of our newcomers is crocheting a wonderfully warm fluffy two-tone pink blanket. This project has a deadline which is fast approaching so SSS provided a fun environment in which to be encouraged and to work that little bit more to meet the deadline. SSS also provided the opportunity to chat about proposed embroidery projects once this fluffy project was complete. This sewer brings a great breadth of sewing experience to our group which will certainly contribute to the ideas pool when other's projects stall or hit those pesky creative blocks.
Another of our new SSSers has a wide experience of sewing and being a newcomer to town was encouraged by a family member to attend as an opportunity to meet others with similar interests. We look forward to seeing what projects are forthcoming.
An interest in sewing those practical yet personal gifts brought another of our newcomers along. She was experimenting with various tiny lavender-filled cushions made from a diverse range of colourful fabrics. Her selection of delicate Liberty prints evoked much admiration from the other sewers. There was discussion about the most appropriate seam type to use when sewing such tiny projects in such fine fabrics and the tried and tested French seam certainly gained a lot of favour. There was a lot discussion about the various pros and cons of overlocking compared with zigzag and how to get the best from both techniques. We look forward to seeing how these liberty prints sew up.
Another regular has been laid up for a while and now has a small tapestry and a rather cheeky cross stitch project to show for it.
Hopefully this cooler crafty weather continues so that inspiration progresses to project and leads to all of that satisfaction that comes with creating.
Looking forward to checking on project progress, or otherwise, at our next Social Sewing Saturday at 1.00pm on Saturday 27 June.
One of our regular stitchers worked on some embroidery and then enjoyed a bit of therapeutic pulling out. Then it was time to concentrate on trying to develop a pattern of overlapping circles for her next project.
Another of our regulars worked on her knitting for a while before having to leave early. At the Sarina Craft Show she had discovered these wonderful knitting kits which enables knitters to knit 100% cotton protheses for cancer survivors. The kits have a great name but I dare not use it as, when I used it in an email, our work email monitor had conniptions - let's just say the name goes something like 'Knitted Kn------ Australia'. At least she was able to relax and spread the word about these wonderful kits in the cool comfort of the Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room before having to re-join the hurley burley of life beyond the sewing circle. We're looking forward to seeing how this project develops.
One of our newcomers brought along some mending projects which are easy to ignore in the home but become worthy projects when stitching in a social environment. Mending is just a lot more fun when you have other sewers to chat with about projects. The creative juices begin to flow and one becomes inspired to develop ideas and possibilities and begin something new.
Another of our newcomers is crocheting a wonderfully warm fluffy two-tone pink blanket. This project has a deadline which is fast approaching so SSS provided a fun environment in which to be encouraged and to work that little bit more to meet the deadline. SSS also provided the opportunity to chat about proposed embroidery projects once this fluffy project was complete. This sewer brings a great breadth of sewing experience to our group which will certainly contribute to the ideas pool when other's projects stall or hit those pesky creative blocks.
Another of our new SSSers has a wide experience of sewing and being a newcomer to town was encouraged by a family member to attend as an opportunity to meet others with similar interests. We look forward to seeing what projects are forthcoming.
An interest in sewing those practical yet personal gifts brought another of our newcomers along. She was experimenting with various tiny lavender-filled cushions made from a diverse range of colourful fabrics. Her selection of delicate Liberty prints evoked much admiration from the other sewers. There was discussion about the most appropriate seam type to use when sewing such tiny projects in such fine fabrics and the tried and tested French seam certainly gained a lot of favour. There was a lot discussion about the various pros and cons of overlocking compared with zigzag and how to get the best from both techniques. We look forward to seeing how these liberty prints sew up.
Another regular has been laid up for a while and now has a small tapestry and a rather cheeky cross stitch project to show for it.
Hopefully this cooler crafty weather continues so that inspiration progresses to project and leads to all of that satisfaction that comes with creating.
Looking forward to checking on project progress, or otherwise, at our next Social Sewing Saturday at 1.00pm on Saturday 27 June.
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