What a way to spend the second last day of winter - working on a project along with others who share a similar interest! Bring along whatever you need to start, continue or even finish your current pet project!
Once spring has sprung the creativity really starts pumping so looking forward to the projects that emerge!
See you on Saturday at 1.00pm at Gordon White Library's Community Meeting Room all set for socialising and sewing!
Thursday, 28 August 2014
Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Well, what a social, sewing Saturday!
At 1.00pm I was sitting all alone with my knitting this time - we use the term 'sewing' in a very flexible manner - it incorporates a thread-like material so it counts! I knew our resident expert in all things textile, fabric, sewing and so on had sent her apologies and was off gallivanting again so I was starting to contemplate a rather unsocial Saturday when our cutter-outer extraordinaire breezed in complete with cutting board (of course), scissors and fabric, so immediately things looked brighter and far more social of course!
Then our purse-maker arrived complete with attempt number one of a purse that she was not happy with. After much social input, she embarked on a fatter version of purse number one. The pattern was adjusted, the fabric was cut and version number two stitching was commenced. We were all curious about how the 'closer' was going to be attached so the craft magazine was browsed, commented upon and construction continued.
Next to arrive was our youngest yet - seven-weeks old! - mum came too of course. A colourful child's quilt accompanied them which mum endeavoured to stitch in between catering to bub's needs. Our cutter-outerer transformed into baby-minder par excellence so that mum could sneak a few extra stitches in. Mum assured us she was getting far more achieved on the sewing front at SSS than at home as at SSS she was toddler-free.
A couple of trips from the car brought in a sewing machine and overlocker and then social sewer number five had arrived all prepared to work on the next pretty little girl's outfit that she had designed. She proudly showed us a photo of the completed version of the project she was working on at last SSS. It certainly looked fantastic and all were impressed. We were not able to view the actual product as her lucky niece had already received it as a present!
After a trip into the library to sort her latest selection of library borrowings our next social sewer arrived ready to continue with her crocheted granny squares which are going to be used to complete a rug for charity. Seating arrangements were adjusted and SSS was now very social indeed!
Unfortunately we had to finish earlier than usual as I had to catch a flight so reluctantly we packed up our projects.
We smile, socialise and sew next on Saturday 30 August at 1.00pm at Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room!
Happy stitching and looking forward to seeing how the projects are progressing next SSS!
Then our purse-maker arrived complete with attempt number one of a purse that she was not happy with. After much social input, she embarked on a fatter version of purse number one. The pattern was adjusted, the fabric was cut and version number two stitching was commenced. We were all curious about how the 'closer' was going to be attached so the craft magazine was browsed, commented upon and construction continued.
Next to arrive was our youngest yet - seven-weeks old! - mum came too of course. A colourful child's quilt accompanied them which mum endeavoured to stitch in between catering to bub's needs. Our cutter-outerer transformed into baby-minder par excellence so that mum could sneak a few extra stitches in. Mum assured us she was getting far more achieved on the sewing front at SSS than at home as at SSS she was toddler-free.
A couple of trips from the car brought in a sewing machine and overlocker and then social sewer number five had arrived all prepared to work on the next pretty little girl's outfit that she had designed. She proudly showed us a photo of the completed version of the project she was working on at last SSS. It certainly looked fantastic and all were impressed. We were not able to view the actual product as her lucky niece had already received it as a present!
After a trip into the library to sort her latest selection of library borrowings our next social sewer arrived ready to continue with her crocheted granny squares which are going to be used to complete a rug for charity. Seating arrangements were adjusted and SSS was now very social indeed!
Unfortunately we had to finish earlier than usual as I had to catch a flight so reluctantly we packed up our projects.
We smile, socialise and sew next on Saturday 30 August at 1.00pm at Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room!
Happy stitching and looking forward to seeing how the projects are progressing next SSS!
Thursday, 24 July 2014
We're sewing this Saturday at Gordon White Library at 1PM!!
Just a quick reminder that it's this Saturday!
Bring along your project and all the bibs and bobs that you need to continue on with it!
If you're not sure what you want to work on, there are plenty of craft books and magazines for various crafts to inspire you and to help get you started!
See you there with your stitching!
Bring along your project and all the bibs and bobs that you need to continue on with it!
If you're not sure what you want to work on, there are plenty of craft books and magazines for various crafts to inspire you and to help get you started!
See you there with your stitching!
Monday, 30 June 2014
The chill inspires!
Well so much for the fun foray into all things digital and technological! Despite best laid plans the podcast never made it to air this Saturday! We were just all so busy having fun! It would have seemed churlish to interrupt the flow of creative ideas!
One of our regulars decided to cut out yet another project! We're going to have to check what she is doing with all of these cut-outs! This time she was using an actual pattern not a much loved item from her wardrobe! She utilises a delightful technique of placing plates upside down on her pattern to keep it in place on her fabric rather than pinning. It is certainly much quicker but I don't trust myself to be able to cut out the patterns without the pieces moving! Maybe I just need sharper scissors! Looking forward to how these pieces come together!
I was delighted when a newcomer announced she had been following our progress all year on our blog! (It makes one feel a bit warm and fuzzy to know that folk are following our progress and I'm not just talking to myself in blogland!! Please feel free to add your thoughts so we know you are there!) Finally the stars aligned and she was able to join us in person not just spirit! A couple of trips to the car and the sewing machine, overlocker and associated accessories were in place ready for action! As our tables are a great size and on castors so that they can be placed in the best lighting, they are ideal for for cutting out and sewing up projects. There's plenty of room to have the sewing machine and overlocker out ready for action. For a self-confessed beginner she produced a delightful little skirt for some lucky little girl.
Our crotchet expert continued to work on squares which are destined for a quilt for some charity organisation - I've forgotten the details - will try to write them down next time! It's a great way to share one's skills with others who are not having such a great life experience at present! Apparently this social sewer is interested in crazy quilting too. One of the library books on this topic could help stir the creative pot!
Our 'FOML expert in all things fabric', thought she'd get some time to work on her digital scrapbook as her deadline for this project is fast approaching! However.... our regular cross-stitcher decided to walk on the wild side and buy a beginners????? quilt project kit. She has always had a yen to try a quilt and somewhat naively thought a kit might a good starting point! For someone who has sewn most of her life this was a foray into a surprisingly completely alien world! Thank heavens for our 'FOML expert in all things fabric'!
The kit was rather full of surprises! The fabric was not cut into the required pieces! The instructions for cutting the pieces was written in 'quiltese'! Shock! Horror! Quilts are worked in imperial measurements - such things as inches, quarter inches, eighths of inches - not a decimal in sight! The list of necessities that were not included in the kit was a source of dismay. 'FOML expert in all things fabric' now morphs into 'knight in shining armour' and makes mercy dash home to her quilt factory and brings back such necessities as an iron, a cutting board, a cutting wheel, a tape measure to mention a few.
'FOML expert in all things fabric' now translates the 'beginner' quilt instructions. Cross-stitcher now quite cross-eyed and completely beyond working in imperial measurements! Quite dismayed to learn that quilting requires precision! Cross-stitcher now needing to channel Peter Brock's advice - 'always bite off more than you can chew and then chew like mad!' Eventually after some therapeutic ironing and some origami style folding by 'FOML expert quilter', cross-stitcher calmed and set on track to start cutting six-inch squares the quilter's way - a seriously sharp wheel not scissors! Apprentice quilter now applying much grunt and carefully cutting first strips and then squares. Concentrating....concentrating... oops! loss of mental application and off the cutting wheel skews! Now definitely not a square! 'FOML expert in all things fabric' now 'expert in all things psychological'! Apparently this is not the end of the world and there is still the definite possibility of a quilt at the end of these squares, not-so-squares and strips!
OMG! It's past 4 o'clock! Do we really have to pack up?
Certainly looking forward to the next instalment in what appears to be the beginning of a quilt-making saga! It was so much fun to be part of such productive and creative socialising on Saturday! If you'd like to join us - we meet next at Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room at 1pm on Saturday 26 July. Just bring your project along or bring your library card and borrow some of the great craft resources to get you started.
I might just borrow a couple of 'Handmade' magazines just to keep the inspiration flowing!
Make the most of this amazing weather and keep on stitching!
One of our regulars decided to cut out yet another project! We're going to have to check what she is doing with all of these cut-outs! This time she was using an actual pattern not a much loved item from her wardrobe! She utilises a delightful technique of placing plates upside down on her pattern to keep it in place on her fabric rather than pinning. It is certainly much quicker but I don't trust myself to be able to cut out the patterns without the pieces moving! Maybe I just need sharper scissors! Looking forward to how these pieces come together!
I was delighted when a newcomer announced she had been following our progress all year on our blog! (It makes one feel a bit warm and fuzzy to know that folk are following our progress and I'm not just talking to myself in blogland!! Please feel free to add your thoughts so we know you are there!) Finally the stars aligned and she was able to join us in person not just spirit! A couple of trips to the car and the sewing machine, overlocker and associated accessories were in place ready for action! As our tables are a great size and on castors so that they can be placed in the best lighting, they are ideal for for cutting out and sewing up projects. There's plenty of room to have the sewing machine and overlocker out ready for action. For a self-confessed beginner she produced a delightful little skirt for some lucky little girl.
Our crotchet expert continued to work on squares which are destined for a quilt for some charity organisation - I've forgotten the details - will try to write them down next time! It's a great way to share one's skills with others who are not having such a great life experience at present! Apparently this social sewer is interested in crazy quilting too. One of the library books on this topic could help stir the creative pot!
Our 'FOML expert in all things fabric', thought she'd get some time to work on her digital scrapbook as her deadline for this project is fast approaching! However.... our regular cross-stitcher decided to walk on the wild side and buy a beginners????? quilt project kit. She has always had a yen to try a quilt and somewhat naively thought a kit might a good starting point! For someone who has sewn most of her life this was a foray into a surprisingly completely alien world! Thank heavens for our 'FOML expert in all things fabric'!
The kit was rather full of surprises! The fabric was not cut into the required pieces! The instructions for cutting the pieces was written in 'quiltese'! Shock! Horror! Quilts are worked in imperial measurements - such things as inches, quarter inches, eighths of inches - not a decimal in sight! The list of necessities that were not included in the kit was a source of dismay. 'FOML expert in all things fabric' now morphs into 'knight in shining armour' and makes mercy dash home to her quilt factory and brings back such necessities as an iron, a cutting board, a cutting wheel, a tape measure to mention a few.
'FOML expert in all things fabric' now translates the 'beginner' quilt instructions. Cross-stitcher now quite cross-eyed and completely beyond working in imperial measurements! Quite dismayed to learn that quilting requires precision! Cross-stitcher now needing to channel Peter Brock's advice - 'always bite off more than you can chew and then chew like mad!' Eventually after some therapeutic ironing and some origami style folding by 'FOML expert quilter', cross-stitcher calmed and set on track to start cutting six-inch squares the quilter's way - a seriously sharp wheel not scissors! Apprentice quilter now applying much grunt and carefully cutting first strips and then squares. Concentrating....concentrating... oops! loss of mental application and off the cutting wheel skews! Now definitely not a square! 'FOML expert in all things fabric' now 'expert in all things psychological'! Apparently this is not the end of the world and there is still the definite possibility of a quilt at the end of these squares, not-so-squares and strips!
OMG! It's past 4 o'clock! Do we really have to pack up?
Certainly looking forward to the next instalment in what appears to be the beginning of a quilt-making saga! It was so much fun to be part of such productive and creative socialising on Saturday! If you'd like to join us - we meet next at Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room at 1pm on Saturday 26 July. Just bring your project along or bring your library card and borrow some of the great craft resources to get you started.
I might just borrow a couple of 'Handmade' magazines just to keep the inspiration flowing!
Make the most of this amazing weather and keep on stitching!
Thursday, 26 June 2014
Last Saturday of the month means it's Social Sewing Saturday!
Why is it that as the weather cools one wants to get sewing! The chill seems to bring the creative juices to the surface! The mind begins to whirr and the fingers begin to itch for a needle and thread!
I heard a great show on By Design on Radio National back on 31 May and am hoping to share it with you all tomorrow! It's all about downloading your paper patterns and printing them at home!
It will require some technological dexterity and that will be a monumental challenge but nothing ventured nothing gained! I do have some of the paper patterns that were prepared earlier!
In case you can't get to Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room, tomorrow at 1 pm here is a preview.
Looking forward to seeing what projects are going to pop up for viewing and discussion!
See you all tomorrow!
Just itchin' to do some stitchin'!
I heard a great show on By Design on Radio National back on 31 May and am hoping to share it with you all tomorrow! It's all about downloading your paper patterns and printing them at home!
It will require some technological dexterity and that will be a monumental challenge but nothing ventured nothing gained! I do have some of the paper patterns that were prepared earlier!
In case you can't get to Gordon White Library Community Meeting Room, tomorrow at 1 pm here is a preview.
Looking forward to seeing what projects are going to pop up for viewing and discussion!
See you all tomorrow!
Just itchin' to do some stitchin'!
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
May's second Social Sewing Saturday
There were a few projects on the go on Saturday. We had a follow-up on one of the projects from our early May meeting. Unfortunately the wonderfully made-over skirt did not meet with daughter's style-guide so mother is now engaged in therapeutic unpicking which despite utilising a quick-unpick is never quick! Discussion among fellow sewers brought up a few solutions to the problem so we look forward to viewing the next model.
Another favourite blouse is waiting in the wings to be replicated. The much-loved top was pulled this way and that in an effort to flatten it and draw an outline onto some pattern paper which hopefully heralds the beginning of a new 'favourite' blouse.
There was much envious discussion about a member's visit to a delightful fabric store on the Sunshine Coast. This sewer's heaven often features in Dressmaking with Stitches magazine so there was a distinct green tone to the discussion.
A newcomer was hard-pressed to believe that enthusiastic sewers cart their sewing machines along on SSS to continue working on their projects.We assured that this certainly was the case. To tide her over, she had brought along some knitting and some crochet and worked between the two projects as her fancy took her.
Another newcomer thought she'd sample the social part of SSS first and came along to socialise and thus become inspired. I'm not sure whether it's a reflection of our group or not but she seemed to think that a crazy patchwork project to use up some of her scraps might be a good starting point.
Our resident cross-stitcher soldiers on with the outlining of her project. As regards time consumption the kit has certainly been a worthwhile investment. It looks set to occupy her for some time yet. SSS seems to be the only gap in her timetable when progress on the project can be made.
I heard a great program on Radio National on Saturday morning discussing downloading and printing patterns from the internet. Unfortunately I reached my destination before the program finished so I'm investigating whether there is a possible podcast of the program which we could listen to at our next 'sewcialise'.
Our next opportunity to sew and socialise is at 1pm on Saturday 28 June at Gordon White Library's Community Meeting Room.
Happy sewing or unpicking - both are great for the soul!??
Another favourite blouse is waiting in the wings to be replicated. The much-loved top was pulled this way and that in an effort to flatten it and draw an outline onto some pattern paper which hopefully heralds the beginning of a new 'favourite' blouse.
There was much envious discussion about a member's visit to a delightful fabric store on the Sunshine Coast. This sewer's heaven often features in Dressmaking with Stitches magazine so there was a distinct green tone to the discussion.
A newcomer was hard-pressed to believe that enthusiastic sewers cart their sewing machines along on SSS to continue working on their projects.We assured that this certainly was the case. To tide her over, she had brought along some knitting and some crochet and worked between the two projects as her fancy took her.
Another newcomer thought she'd sample the social part of SSS first and came along to socialise and thus become inspired. I'm not sure whether it's a reflection of our group or not but she seemed to think that a crazy patchwork project to use up some of her scraps might be a good starting point.
Our resident cross-stitcher soldiers on with the outlining of her project. As regards time consumption the kit has certainly been a worthwhile investment. It looks set to occupy her for some time yet. SSS seems to be the only gap in her timetable when progress on the project can be made.
I heard a great program on Radio National on Saturday morning discussing downloading and printing patterns from the internet. Unfortunately I reached my destination before the program finished so I'm investigating whether there is a possible podcast of the program which we could listen to at our next 'sewcialise'.
Our next opportunity to sew and socialise is at 1pm on Saturday 28 June at Gordon White Library's Community Meeting Room.
Happy sewing or unpicking - both are great for the soul!??
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
Second SSS for May this Saturday at Gordon White Library!
Doesn't this glorious weather churn the creative juices and awaken the need to sew? Looking forward to seeing and chatting about what this dip in temperature has inspired you to stitch.
Our resident expert FOML is off gallivanting at present so we'll have to sort our own sewing dilemmas this Saturday. Sometimes even talking out loud about a sewing hiccough can create a solution and I'm sure we'll manage somehow.
If you're keen on sewing and you haven't been to SSS, just bring your project and the necessary equipment along and join in. We have good lighting, a selection of power points and a number of good-sized tables if you are only at the cutting out stage of your project. If you need some inspiration the library has a great selection of craft and sewing magazines to browse through as well as a great selection of craft books to help generate ideas or develop skills.
Looking forward to seeing you sewing on Saturday 31 May, at 1 pm at the Community Meeting Room at Gordon White Library.
Nothing quite like stitching one's way to happiness.......
Our resident expert FOML is off gallivanting at present so we'll have to sort our own sewing dilemmas this Saturday. Sometimes even talking out loud about a sewing hiccough can create a solution and I'm sure we'll manage somehow.
If you're keen on sewing and you haven't been to SSS, just bring your project and the necessary equipment along and join in. We have good lighting, a selection of power points and a number of good-sized tables if you are only at the cutting out stage of your project. If you need some inspiration the library has a great selection of craft and sewing magazines to browse through as well as a great selection of craft books to help generate ideas or develop skills.
Looking forward to seeing you sewing on Saturday 31 May, at 1 pm at the Community Meeting Room at Gordon White Library.
Nothing quite like stitching one's way to happiness.......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)