With so many of our SSSers enjoying holidays we were a small but quite productive group last Saturday.
Our most productive SSSer as usual set up her sewing machine and overlocker with minimal fuss and after some careful cutting out, she was off and sewing. In next to no time a pair of purple dance pants for her daughter were complete and it was on to the next project, sheer (or should this be shear?) poetry in motion.
Creativity must run in the family as her next project was to bring to fruition a dress design which her daughter had sketched out complete with colour and pattern scheme. Originally the plan had been to use knit fabrics but unfortunately the colours and precise patterns were not available in this fabric so there was a little adjustment required to enable its construction in non-stretch fabric. A paper pattern was adjusted and the top of the creation popped into existence. Then there was the issue of the best way to face the neck. After a full group discussion, a plan of attack was decided upon and the project continued to progress. We're looking forward to seeing this designer original when it is complete. Hopefully the young designer (and the construction engineer) are happy with the result of their collaborative effort!
One of our regular SSSers is a trainee patchworker and she bought along her first completed project; a wonderful table runner which is a potpourri of blues with a couple of brownish tones thrown in for balance and interest. When she showed us photos of its place in her home it fitted just perfectly on the warm toned wooden table which highlighted the splashes of brown in the sea of blue which enhanced the blue tone of her walls. She had used the stitch in the ditch method of quilting and the number of points in the pattern were certainly headache inducing!
Spurred on by her success with the runner she is now embarking on THE quilt which will be a medley of blues and lavenders. She had sewn a couple of tiny pieces together but understandably was having difficulty envisaging how this would develop into the quilt of her imagination. With cutting board in place and cutting wheel in hand, she embarked on the mammoth task of cutting the multitude of strips that would one day be a beautiful quilt. After much careful cutting, her back started to complain so she was on the lookout for another project which did not require standing and bending over the table.
Fortunately another SSSer had a project which she had prepared earlier and unfortunately required disassembling on a grand scale. Being a strong believer in the therapeutic qualities of unpicking, our patchworker generously offered to begin this huge un-project! A great opportunity to sit and socialise. It was amazing how quickly the binding left the quilt. Eventually the project will have a much better outcome due to this generous un-picking! The SSSer is certainly very appreciative of our patchworker's de-constructing skills. We look forward to the day when this project is re-constructed in a more traditional and effective manner.
Another of our SSSers is persisting with her cross-stitch project. While it is a portable project it is difficult to stitch and count while joining in the social aspects of SSS. Hopefully the counting was accurate and there'll be no pulling-out required post-SSS.
Looking forward to seeing how these projects have progressed and what other projects have popped up to contemplate at our next SSS on Saturday 31 October at 1.00pm at the Community Meeting Room at the Gordon White Library.
Happy stitching.......
Monday, 28 September 2015
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Time to catch up on many things crafty!
It's the last Saturday of the month which means it's time to bring out those projects and get working on them!
See you there at 1.00pm at the Community Meeting Room at Gordon White Library this Saturday!
See you there at 1.00pm at the Community Meeting Room at Gordon White Library this Saturday!
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
Another SSS done and dusted!
We had four very enthusiastic participants this Saturday.
Our supermum was creating yet another costume for those lucky girls of hers. This time metres of various blue floaty fabrics and lace were being converted into a beautiful party frock which strongly suggested a Frozen theme. Another of her princesses was going to be the proud possessor of a royal gown. This super sewer always makes great use of her SSS and the dress was well under construction by the time pack-up time came at 4.00 pm. We look forward to seeing photos of the final result.
One of our regulars is turning her crafty hand to patchwork and, after creating a table runner in a variety of bluish shades, has quilted the project by stitching-in-the ditch thus emphasising the shape of each individual piece of fabric. After the stitching is done, all of the ends need to be neatly tied off which is certainly a therapeutic activity and this certainly kept her busy at SSS. This project now needs to be trimmed and then the binding sewn on. We look forward to viewing the final product. This SSS regular also brought along several more KKAs which she has knitted, sewn and stuffed in her 'spare time'.
Crocheting is the current passion for another of our SSSers. She divided her time on Saturday between adding length to a rug in two shades of green which is a present for a lucky family member and crocheting these delightful delicate flowers in every shade of purple, lavender and lilac imaginable. This bouquet of flowers will soon be added to a cushion cover as a cascade of purple flowers tumbling down as decoration.It sounds a fabulous idea and it's another project we're looking forward to seeing when completed.
Another of our regulars is working on the KKA project. Knitting up the Knitted Knocker is fine but she's not so keen on sewing them up, so she brought along a knitting needle with four Knitted Knockers suspended from it and found that sewing and stuffing them is really quite satisfying and not really that onerous at all. They just look so good when complete. Altogether that is another eight from SSS ready for delivery. However, as there are more KKAs in progress on the needles already, we might wait until they are complete before our next delivery.
Taking into account all the projects that are approaching completion we should have a very interesting 'show and tell' next SSS.
Keep those projects progressing and we'll meet on the last Saturday in September, the 26th at 1.00pm in the Community Meeting Room at Gordon White Library.
Our supermum was creating yet another costume for those lucky girls of hers. This time metres of various blue floaty fabrics and lace were being converted into a beautiful party frock which strongly suggested a Frozen theme. Another of her princesses was going to be the proud possessor of a royal gown. This super sewer always makes great use of her SSS and the dress was well under construction by the time pack-up time came at 4.00 pm. We look forward to seeing photos of the final result.
One of our regulars is turning her crafty hand to patchwork and, after creating a table runner in a variety of bluish shades, has quilted the project by stitching-in-the ditch thus emphasising the shape of each individual piece of fabric. After the stitching is done, all of the ends need to be neatly tied off which is certainly a therapeutic activity and this certainly kept her busy at SSS. This project now needs to be trimmed and then the binding sewn on. We look forward to viewing the final product. This SSS regular also brought along several more KKAs which she has knitted, sewn and stuffed in her 'spare time'.
Crocheting is the current passion for another of our SSSers. She divided her time on Saturday between adding length to a rug in two shades of green which is a present for a lucky family member and crocheting these delightful delicate flowers in every shade of purple, lavender and lilac imaginable. This bouquet of flowers will soon be added to a cushion cover as a cascade of purple flowers tumbling down as decoration.It sounds a fabulous idea and it's another project we're looking forward to seeing when completed.
Another of our regulars is working on the KKA project. Knitting up the Knitted Knocker is fine but she's not so keen on sewing them up, so she brought along a knitting needle with four Knitted Knockers suspended from it and found that sewing and stuffing them is really quite satisfying and not really that onerous at all. They just look so good when complete. Altogether that is another eight from SSS ready for delivery. However, as there are more KKAs in progress on the needles already, we might wait until they are complete before our next delivery.
Taking into account all the projects that are approaching completion we should have a very interesting 'show and tell' next SSS.
Keep those projects progressing and we'll meet on the last Saturday in September, the 26th at 1.00pm in the Community Meeting Room at Gordon White Library.
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
We'll be sewing this Saturday!
Just a reminder to bring along your latest project and necessary manufacturing equipment this Saturday at the Community Meeting Room Gordon White Library at 1.00pm.
We might even fit in a bit of socialising too!
Looking forward to seeing what you have been up to!
We might even fit in a bit of socialising too!
Looking forward to seeing what you have been up to!
Monday, 27 July 2015
Sewing, designing, knitting, cutting out, pulling out and of course socialising!
The weather might have been great outside but we still had a great turn up for folks keen to create and socialise.
One of our regulars had a variety of projects to work on: there was the beautiful quilted patchwork bag completed and in use to show everyone; the patchwork table runner showcasing braid quilting had met a design hiccough in the middle and required some patient unpicking; there was the Inspiration Folder to be put into some sense of order (all of those printouts from the internet really need to be categorised so they can be referred to and utilised at some future date and of course the rest of us had to have a look because you can never have too much inspiration!); the Knitted Knock--s needed to be finished off completely and those loose ends tucked away so that they are now ready for delivery; and there was that therapeutic pulling out that you did for one of the other regulars whose quilt needs a bit of modification. Quite an achievement for a Saturday afternoon spent socialising!
Another of our creative members was working on a couple of projects too. There was the tea cosy that needed embellishment before it was ready to be put into service keeping the tea scalding hot on these cool winter days. Maintaining the 'keeping warm in winter theme', there was the cosy winter blanket that was being personalised and decorated with wool embroidered flowers stitched free hand and inspired by various illustrations from back issues of the Embroidery & Cross Stitch to Create magazine (available in the library!). It's quite difficult to capture the fragile wispiness of flowers like the bottle-brush when embroidering in wool. It is a wonderful way of making a serviceable item into something creative and quite special.
One of our members who is relatively new to sewing spent most of the afternoon agonising over the best way to cut out the lining of her winter skirt. Sometimes it is just so nervewracking making that first cut! It's a bit like abseiling; trying to back out over the edge is so difficult but once you're over that, you're committed and have no choice but to keep moving. After you have started to cut, a sort of acceptance seeps in and you just continue, knowing that the commitment has been made and what ever situations arise as a result will just have to be dealt with. Converting a length of fabric to something wearable, while exciting, can be quite daunting as well. Will I get the pieces cut out correctly? Will I sew the jigsaw together properly? Will it fit? Will it suit me? Sewing clothes is not for the faint-hearted!
Another of our social sewers has taken on the task of creating teapot cosies for an assortment of teapots for a soon-to-be-opened restaurant! The measurements were taken but somehow the carefully-considered system of measurement was found to be open to a variety of interpretations when it came to the design phase. There was discussion as to whether a teapot cosy should cover the whole pot and be removed in its entirety for pouring or should the cosy leave the handle and spout out in the cold but stay put for pouring. The dilemmas of design! That's is not even taking into consideration colour, fabric, construction and the collection of shapes and sizes that need to be accommodated! It'll be interesting to watch this project progress!
Another of our regulars has been involved in the Knitted Knock--s Australia project but has had to interrupt this project after a SOS from her daughter who has added a rescue greyhound to her menagerie. This poor creature is not built for the chilly winter mornings and is in desperate need of a jumper. Apparently ordinary dog coats cannot accommodate the big chest, tiny waist and long body length of a greyhound! A search of the library catalogue brought up a couple of books on stylish dog coats but none for greyhounds. 'Ms Google the Knitter' brought up several options but on closer inspection these were somewhat lacking in the finer detail so now the beginnings of a greyhound poloneck off the internet is being attached to a cute pattern for a dachshund (from one of the library books)which of course is requiring considerable alteration. Winter could be over by the time the project is completed but there is always next year?
Another SSS passed quickly but very productively and socially! Looking forward to the variety of projects that present at next month's SSS!
If you enjoy sewing or associated crafts, bring your project along including all the bits of gadgetry required to progress the project, to the Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room on Saturday 29 August at 1.00pm!
One of our regulars had a variety of projects to work on: there was the beautiful quilted patchwork bag completed and in use to show everyone; the patchwork table runner showcasing braid quilting had met a design hiccough in the middle and required some patient unpicking; there was the Inspiration Folder to be put into some sense of order (all of those printouts from the internet really need to be categorised so they can be referred to and utilised at some future date and of course the rest of us had to have a look because you can never have too much inspiration!); the Knitted Knock--s needed to be finished off completely and those loose ends tucked away so that they are now ready for delivery; and there was that therapeutic pulling out that you did for one of the other regulars whose quilt needs a bit of modification. Quite an achievement for a Saturday afternoon spent socialising!
Another of our creative members was working on a couple of projects too. There was the tea cosy that needed embellishment before it was ready to be put into service keeping the tea scalding hot on these cool winter days. Maintaining the 'keeping warm in winter theme', there was the cosy winter blanket that was being personalised and decorated with wool embroidered flowers stitched free hand and inspired by various illustrations from back issues of the Embroidery & Cross Stitch to Create magazine (available in the library!). It's quite difficult to capture the fragile wispiness of flowers like the bottle-brush when embroidering in wool. It is a wonderful way of making a serviceable item into something creative and quite special.
One of our members who is relatively new to sewing spent most of the afternoon agonising over the best way to cut out the lining of her winter skirt. Sometimes it is just so nervewracking making that first cut! It's a bit like abseiling; trying to back out over the edge is so difficult but once you're over that, you're committed and have no choice but to keep moving. After you have started to cut, a sort of acceptance seeps in and you just continue, knowing that the commitment has been made and what ever situations arise as a result will just have to be dealt with. Converting a length of fabric to something wearable, while exciting, can be quite daunting as well. Will I get the pieces cut out correctly? Will I sew the jigsaw together properly? Will it fit? Will it suit me? Sewing clothes is not for the faint-hearted!
Another of our social sewers has taken on the task of creating teapot cosies for an assortment of teapots for a soon-to-be-opened restaurant! The measurements were taken but somehow the carefully-considered system of measurement was found to be open to a variety of interpretations when it came to the design phase. There was discussion as to whether a teapot cosy should cover the whole pot and be removed in its entirety for pouring or should the cosy leave the handle and spout out in the cold but stay put for pouring. The dilemmas of design! That's is not even taking into consideration colour, fabric, construction and the collection of shapes and sizes that need to be accommodated! It'll be interesting to watch this project progress!
Another of our regulars has been involved in the Knitted Knock--s Australia project but has had to interrupt this project after a SOS from her daughter who has added a rescue greyhound to her menagerie. This poor creature is not built for the chilly winter mornings and is in desperate need of a jumper. Apparently ordinary dog coats cannot accommodate the big chest, tiny waist and long body length of a greyhound! A search of the library catalogue brought up a couple of books on stylish dog coats but none for greyhounds. 'Ms Google the Knitter' brought up several options but on closer inspection these were somewhat lacking in the finer detail so now the beginnings of a greyhound poloneck off the internet is being attached to a cute pattern for a dachshund (from one of the library books)which of course is requiring considerable alteration. Winter could be over by the time the project is completed but there is always next year?
Another SSS passed quickly but very productively and socially! Looking forward to the variety of projects that present at next month's SSS!
If you enjoy sewing or associated crafts, bring your project along including all the bits of gadgetry required to progress the project, to the Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room on Saturday 29 August at 1.00pm!
Tuesday, 30 June 2015
Sewing very socially on Saturday!
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!
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, 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.
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