Delegation from Clece and clients......

At our meeting this week we had a visit from representatives of the local branch of Clece, ( www.clece.es ) a company who is retained by Spanish Social Services to provide care in the community for vulnerable children and adults.  The carers  brought along six local elderly clients, who shared and enjoyed snacks and soft drinks with members of our group, and showed an interest in what we do in our meetings.

Two faces we haven't seen for a while came this week too, it was good to see Chris and Michele.

Chris is continuing with her Scrappy Illusions project which has taken a backseat for over a year while she has made several projects for her grandchildren and taken them over to the US on visits to see them.  Sue popped in with her daughter, to give us the receipt for the Group donation together her own donation, to "the biggest coffee morning" charity event to raise funds for MacMillan Nurses, which she visited while on holiday last week.  Sue said our donation was gratefully received.

Rozanne left, admiring Vanessa's lap quilt.

Vanessa brought along the sandwiched lap quilt top she is working on, to seek advice on how she should approach the quilting.  In the end Vanessa decided on using the shape of a leaf petal found in one of the fabrics of the quilt, and was pleased to find a plastic template in just the right size in one of the Group's template kits.  She spent the session hemming the binding in place while thinking over what design she would lay out and draw before stitching on the quilt top when she got home.  I'm sure that by next week's meeting, Vanessa will have the quilt finished.  Vanessa told me this week, she wished that the Group met four times a week, not just once, as she enjoys her new found hobby so much!

Pam and Ann continue to work on their donations to charity.  This week they were making pretty toiletries bags.

On the theme of charity donations, Sheila has been busy knitting over the last few weeks, knitting for a charity in Africa, called Greenfields Africa, which provides Mama Bags to pregnant African women .  To qualify for a mama bag, the mum is required to attend 3 ante-natal clinics during the pregnancy.  The project not only gives the babies dignity and comfort, it also ensures that pregnant women are tested for AIDS and diabetes and have access to childcare information.  You can find out more by following this link: http://www.gfafrica.com , should you be interested in knitting and donating to this charity too.

The cardigan above uses up leftover yarn from a jumper Sheila knitted for her own granddaughter

A selection of cardigans Sheila will be sending to the Kenyan and Ugandan women for their babies

Here, Margaret and Shirley (left) are finding something hugely funny while translating the instructions on a knitting pattern!

While Carole concentrated on her latest drunkards-path style quilt, Helen has added to her Christmas-themed projects by making a further two hangings, and is seen here explaining to Eleanor, that after seeing Ann's version of the wall hanging, she decided to add little gold bows to decorate the gift boxes on her own project as she thought they enhanced them so well in Ann's work.

Helen has also made a mantle-piece cover to match the hangings and had her husband worried as he thought he had now to make a fireplace on which it could be displayed!  Helen assured him this wouldn't be necessary as the mantle cover and wall hangings have been made to be given as gifts.

Now that Linda has finished her recycled-shirts king-size bed quilt shown above, she is working on something a little smaller!  Linda's wall hanging is made using the stained-glass technique, and is layered up with wadding and backing fabric, now just waiting to be quilted.

 Linda is looking for ideas on how to quilt the wall hanging to enhance the motifs to their best advantage, and she is thinking about hand quilting very close to all the "lead" around the motifs, before free-motion stipple quilting the "glass" areas of the project.  This should make the butterfly and cone flowers stand proud of the panel.

While walking around the room I spotted this clever little thread tidy hanging from the table where Tricia was working.  

The bag is held on the table by the top, and appeared to have something heavy, maybe a ceramic tile, stitched into the fabric, from which the bag itself hangs down over the table edge and while Tricia is working she just drops any scraps of thread etc, into the bag.  This saves having to scrabble around on the floor after a sewing session, picking up all the loose threads.  Clever idea Tricia.

I'll finish off this week by saying hello to you Helen, maybe you are reading this while relaxing on the train travelling to visit Chris. Good to hear the infection is cleared up and Chris has been moved back into the rehab ward.  Your friends here in Viñuela miss you and all shout a big hello to you both!!

                                                                                                                                    Rachel