Sunday 20 March 2016

Kintting & Stitches/ Sewing for Pleasure Show

I couldn't not buy these could I, from my favourite charity shop?
At £1.50 a packet, 6 packets, Laura Ashley fabric from at least 30 years ago!
According to the pkt, 6 packs will make a single cover - fancy that.
Larger hexis than I have stitched with so far and I may well cut them down yet, will think on that however. before making a rash decision.
Which reminds me I have some pre cut LA blue fabric squares I was given when I was pregnant with my ( now 32 year old) son - somewhere ... shame they wont match!




I wasn't going to go to the Knitting & Stitches show at the National Exhibition Centre. It would be cheaper if I didn't go, well you know, my not having any success with my will power at shows. 
Although I had wanted to browse sewing machines because I was thinking of buying a model that would enable me to have an extension table with it for doing a little more patchwork.
So, I made a last minute decision to go with our stitchy club on the coach on Saturday.
Must admit longer journeys on a coach are less comfortable for me now, either my bums widening or coach seats are narrowing ( Ha! as if - ) and the seats are set so close together for those of us with longer legs and gammy backs -
Anyways, I sat and hexi'd an ottoman pincushion together just got to fill it with crushed walnut shells now.
The ottoman pincushion below is a delightful pattern by Karen at http://faeriesandfibres.blogspot.com  which is available on Craftsy.
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/other/ottoman-
pincushion/182091

(7) Name: 'Quilting : Ottoman Pincushion
 
Must find a local source for walnut shells that doesn't involve postage though! I paid as much in postage as I did for the ground shells AND that's within the UK too!
I wonder if crushed oyster shells would work as well, they sell that in our local big pet store? Anyone tried it by any chance?

Okay so I am proud to say that I did not succumb to buying any fabric!
Trumpets now sounding - can you hear them?
I did buy 3 sizzix dies mind you, the 1/2" and 3/4" hexis and a triangle one too.
And a book.
And one of those mini coat hanger like gadgets, where you can make several woollen pom-poms all at the same time.
Clearly a gadget I will have to use a lot now, pom-poms anyone?
And I bought a couple of patterns, both had sold out so they will post them to me.
AND, yes I bought another sewing machine.
Well as it happens I am giving one of my machines to my son in laws Mum who wants to learn to sew and use a machine.
So the timing was right to find one with a wider throat and/or an extension table - cough, cough....
I'm not a prolific quilter so what I got is ideal for my use at home and the fact that its heavier than my Janome and Brother, which are great for workshops, means it will be more stable on the table lol 
Delivery on the 30th : )
It looks a bit like a 1950s coffee machine in a way to me. Its very fluidly- curvily-designed chasis is unusual to be sure.
And last years limited edition model was in black which would have been wonderful!
Its a Singer One - voila - fingers crossed its not a pig in a poke!
It doesn't sing, dance, make toast or compute algorithms but it should be fine for me.
Product_full_700x520-5229c9ef9fb4fc0c59c3f6f2dada2dee193a4fac

http://www.singerco.com/products/2251/one

Anyway now I must catch up on some Splendid blocks.
Oh and the selvedge bag, that then almost became a machine cover, is now a bag - for my hair dryer and tongs!
Must take a picture, it hangs quite nicely with the gadgets tucked inside. Its way too jazzy for me to use as a shopping bag - what was I thinking!!
But it got me thinking and Mary Anne your right, who needs a carrying handle hole in a machine cover anyway - so I must make myself 4 covers now for the new and other 2 machines.
Maybe I should make one for the one I am giving away too, first - scrappy bag here I come!
Oh and do you know having made this for work - it took me ages to see what was wrong with it lol then had to remake it lol



duhhhh


 






8 comments:

  1. Lol....your world sounds a lot like mine, no I am with you coach seats have definitely gotten more narrow and closer together, and they are definitely skimping on airline seat belts. Lucky you on the charity shop find, that is exactly the thing that gets my heart racing. In fact all in all I can fully imagine your whole day out.....it gets replicated here on the other side of the world.....every single craft show. I am famous for it! Thanks for the giggles.

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  2. Ps......ummm, cannot for the life of me see the error in your work. Please illuminate me. Lol.

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  3. What a great find on the Laura Ashley fabric--lucky you!

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  4. What a wonderful find. Good shopping. NEC too far for me unfortunately (or fortunately for my bank manager)

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  5. What a fun day you had, Lyn. Hey, if it makes you feel better that you didn't buy any fabric, that's all that matters...never mind that you probably didn't have TIME to look at fabric after all the other good stuff you bought! just kidding, sounds like the planets were aligned perfectly for you. The new machine is gorgeous and life's too short to not go for things we really want. Love the pincushion and the Laura Ashley hexies....I can't see what's amiss with Jill either...xo

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  6. Phew. I thought I was losing it when I couldn't see anything wrong with 'Jill' - I'm not the only one. Do please enlighten us? As for the hexxies - why couldn't you use the blue you already have as a 'background' and treat the new ones as flowers? And re the oyster shell question - are you using them for weight or for sticking needles/sharpening? If it's strictly for weight - then the oyster shells would be fine. I think (at least here) you can possibly get walnut shells at the pet food stores too.

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  7. what a shame I was at the NEC when you were. Machine looks good and loving the pin cushions too, glad to have found this blog you commented on mine but could not reply as you were a no reply blogger so tracked you down.

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  8. re stuffing for pin cushions, I used fine sawdust and the pin cushion was made years and years ago and no pins gone rusty, now cannot get any as have not come across any joiners where I am now living, think the walnut shells are very pricy and have only found them at creative grids web site

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