Happy Birthday Shirley........

This week we had 22 ladies in attendance but the group went home fairly early, I think it was just a bit too chilly in the hall.

 Kath  (above left) was getting some advice from Rozanne on a lovely quilt top that she started last year and is now determined to get finished.

Jill was showing off because she has made a start on her Christmas gifts already! 2 table runners underway. She also brought in a bag ( below) that she and a couple of others are making.

Cath was working on a bed runner (below) that she is updating with some embroidery to give it a lift.

Louise was seeking some help on the colours she has chosen for for this quilt top (below).

It was quite a change to see Gladys (below right) at the sewing machine this week, she is usually in the 

" knitter's corner ".  She was getting some help from Pam with a Dresden Plate design.

Pam also showed us a Rail Fence with a twist that she has just finished after putting it on one side since last year.  All the free-motion quilting was done on the small machine she brings along to the group.

After a long absence it was lovely to see Gill again, unable to come on a regular basis at the moment, we look forward to when she can make it back.

Cath & Sheila moved into the sunshine for a while to get warm.

Linda has been working hard and finished a floor quilt for her grandbaby (who isn't with us yet). It is totally reversible with jungle animals on the front and Noah's Ark on the back.   Just a couple of weeks work!

Linda's baby quilt with detail below

The reverse of Linda's quilt

Christine is making a couple of large bed cushions in pink (below)

 Carol has just started embroidering a pre-printed table cloth that is really cute with geese & flowers.

And last but not least Happy Birthday to Shirley (centre) who brought in cake for everyone. 

 Bye for now, Yvonne

Russian needlework.......

Twenty eight ladies attended this week's meeting, including Elena who arrived with a beautiful crochet and ribbon embroidered table cover, which she told us is made in colours typical in Russian needlework   The base fabric is a mocha coloured waffle textured cotton, with coordinating crochet cotton.  The ribbon embroidery uses regular ribbon stitch and a type of french knot which Elena says is very typical in this type of Russian work.  The cloth was made by Elena's mother and given to her as a gift.  Elena says she has numerous cloths all made in a similar style in many different shapes and sizes.

An area of Elena's table cover above, with detail below

Elena also brought in more of her unique glass bead tree creations and explained she hopes to generate interest in this Russian style work, by demonstrating and taking commissions of her work at two of our local country craft markets.

Elena (right) and Elsje discussing an order for Sue (standing)  for the white tree (above Centre).  All the materials for these works of art are sent over from Russia as Elena is unable to find these materials anywhere here in Spain.

Yvonne brought in a small quilt she made in 2001, entirely hand stitched.  The applique is needle turned and embellished with embroidery stitching and the quilting is done in tiny stitches  Yvonne says she made this in the days when she seemed to have more time to sit and hand stitch, whereas now she's taking part in various workshops and challenges, some through the internet,  so she limits her hand stitching to embroidery embellishment, with the majority of  her work being pieced on the machine. 

Yvonne's quilt with details following

Gladys above, continues with finishing off the donated crochet square blocks for the raffle blanket, while Rozanne, below right, learns from Carol how to braid yarn.

Jenny trying to fathom out from the instruction manual, what the problem is with Pam's machine

 The  saga of Pam's overlocker that won't stitch properly goes on!  The overlocker was given to Pam a while back and will not stitch correctly, so it's been in to the repair shop and is waiting a new foot to replace the old one which had burrs on it and was thought to cause threads to break continually.  The existing foot has been sanded to remove the burrs so the thread no longer shreds, but additionally as it stitches the machine un-threads itself.  Anyone who has an ovelocker knows just what beasts they are to thread, with the three or four threads needing to be threaded in the correct order or the machine will just not form the stitch correctly, so having to continually stop and re-thread the whole machine while working, is no fun.  Jan has previously looked at the machine, Pam has spent countless hours with it and now Jenny spent all morning trying too!  Maybe the new foot when it arrives, will miraculously sort the problem out Pam.  If not you might just have to admit defeat!!

Jenny's completed sampler quilt

Jenny continues to gain more expertise from the machine embroidery digitizing live webinar course in which she is taking part with an online tutor in Australia.  Above is her first digitized applique design, which Jenny says she has kept simple while she masters the technique.  Also Jenny is mastering the art of digitizing her own quilting designs in-the-hoop and is pleased with her first attempt at all over quilting in-the-hoop, seen below stitched out over a piece of Jenny's latest hand ice-dyed fabric.

Above, Elsje who joined us about three weeks ago continues working at her dress-making.  Elsje came to Spain from Belgium about twenty two years ago and lives in Alcaucin, heard about our group through Linda a couple of years ago, but has only just managed to make time free on Tuesdays so she can join us.  Elsje says what a lovely friendly group we are, and how willing everyone is to share their diverse knowledge and skills  helping each other to learn.  Thank you, Elsje on behalf of  the Group members!

Carol trying desperately to avoid the camera, and Helen enjoying a chat above, with Carole below, starting another Scrappy Illusion quilt, this time for her grandson.  Carole says she just loves the way this quilt is designed and how easy it is to make up in whichever layout style you choose.

Lesley and Sarah made it again today, three weeks in a row girls!!  Hope you manage more visits so you can finish your current projects. 

A Seasonal cross stitch sampler completed by Lesley

 It was good to see Shirley back from an extended three month trip to the UK, Shirley says it's great to be back and sleep in her own bed and catch up with her stitching friends.  We also had a surprise visit from Bridget with a box of books after a clear out at home to make space for new ones.  Some of these have been absorbed into our Group library and others taken by Group members after making a donation to the charity we support.  While she was here, Bridget says she even managed to get a few stitches done on her project, though she spent most of the time catching up with Group members and looking at all the work being done since she last came to Viñuela.

Bridget on the right, with Chris 

While with us Bridget showed me her new "toy",  an iPad which she loves and used to take these two photos.  Above a rare moment when I sat down and chatted with Yvonne, and below (from left to right), Sue, Rozanne and Shirley.  Thanks for the photos and books Bridget.  Hope we see you again soon.

I won't be at the meeting next week, and as I forgot to ask nicely to Yvonne if she would take photos there may not be a blog!  But I will be back the following week, when we intend starting work proper on the Group charity quilt.  One sample block has been made up to show participating members what they will be working on, and invited them to come forward if they are interested in taking part.  There is a large group interested so the quilt shouldn't take too long to make.  Helen (Bush) has drawn sixteen lovely designs of butterflies with scatterings of flowers and leaves which will look lovely on the cream background fabric chosen for the quilt.  Helen has also offered to do any embroidery needed on the butterflies and flowers, an offer which I am sure we will be taking up!

I hope you have enjoyed reading what our members have been up to this week, see you next time, Rachel

Better late than never!!

Sorry ladies, I´m very late with this weeks blog, I won't bore you with the reasons because they are not very good ones!  Instead I 'll just get straight on with photos and updates.
I think attendance this week reached an all time high, with twenty eight regular members and three new ladies all being creative in their respective fields of work.
 A local Spanish lady spotted us taking photographs outside the hall the week before, and came over to see what we were doing.  Rosa used to pop in and say hello when we were in the old hall in the village and didn't realize we had moved into this new building.  She lives just along the road so asked if she could come and join us on Tuesdays.  We were delighted to welcome her and she arrived this week with her trolley full of her own work to show us.  Like many Spanish ladies of her generation she makes beautiful crochet items.  She showed us a very large table cloth.  It was too big and delicate to photograph easily, but the one below is a smaller example of her work.

One of Rosa´s crochet table covers

A little pin cushion made by Rosa, sitting on another piece of Jill's ice-dyed fabrics

Rosa also brought along this little pin cushion (above) made from a CD and empty fish can, and the lightweight top (below), which Rosa explained she has made from strips of 50mm wide purchased cotton lace, sewn together horizontally for the body, with two separate tubes added after being made up in the same way, for the sleeves.  Rosa would like to learn how to dress-make and left the meeting this week telling us she will buy a pattern and bring it next week with her fabric and hopes Vanessa will help her learn. Rosa will only be working by hand in the meetings, as she says she can't bring her machine along to class like other members.... she owns an ancient treadle machine but says it stitches beautifully.

Rosa's cotton lace top

This week we also welcomed Elena who is Russian and was introduced to us by her friend Elsje who herself only joined us last week.  Elena makes intricate beaded ornaments replicating trees and flowers.

A beaded bonsai tree (above) and beaded branches waiting to be made into a tree (below)

Back with our regular members, Kath brought in a finished quilt for her friend Sue,

Kath's finished quilt

while Jill is making progress with her striking circles quilt (above) and Lesley (below) is adding more to her Cotswolds-themed cross stitch piece.

Lesley's daughter-in-law Sarah, is seen (above) cutting the sashing for her son's Thomas the Tank Engine quilt, with Gwen alongside her, trimming off the edges to a slashed bag she's making using some gorgeous fabric (below)

Seats and tables were at a premium this week as can be seen from the  following photos , maybe we will have to start a waiting list for new members soon!

New member Elena at the top of the table, with Vanessa in red, Rozanne hiding behind Elle and Kath (nearest)

The regular knitting circle, (clockwise left to right) Sue, Sheila, Margaret at her machine, Maureen and Margaret

Row-by-Row participants

And at the other end of the hall the Row-by-Row workshop is nearing the end.  Christine thinks that most members will have made their final  strips in another two weeks, and will then just have to join the strips to each other and add a binding to finish off their quilts or wall hangings.

If you head over to our website www.vinuelasewandsews.eu  after this weekend's update, (hopefully Sunday night) you'll be able to see many of the row components made by those taking part in this workshop.  There are too many to show here, and I don't want to upset anyone by only showing a few of them!!  I´m really looking forward to seeing the completed projects, and I think they will make a striking display at our exhibition in the autumn.

That's it for this week, thank you for stopping by, see you next week, Rachel

Welcome to another new member......

We welcomed another new member this week at our meeting.  Elizabeth heard about our group from neighbour Linda Hood.  Elizabeth enjoys dressmaking and spent the morning making use of our large tables to cut out her new project.

Ann advising Elizabeth (standing )

There was a variety of work going on this week, the Row-by-Row girls had a break from their project and brought in other work for a change.  

Jill is working in beautiful batik fabrics to make a circles quilt

Last week I mentioned  another project Jill is working on, making yo-yo's for a quilt, so she brought these in to show us.  Jill says she is really hooked on making these, so I'm not sure how big this quilt will end up!

A striking blue wall hanging also made by Jill recently

Another completed project by Jill

Jill was really excited when she showed us the results of some "ice-dyeing" she did during the week, this piece of fabric is one of several.  

And the t-shirt markings (below) are fascinating when we were told that the t-shirt was just crumpled up and placed in the bottom of the bucket below the tray of fabrics, where the melted ice and dye powders collect. It's such an unpredictable way of dyeing, and very easy to do.

Ann brought along the component rows of her Row-by-Row quilt, after pointing out that although I have been photographing the workshop progress, hers are the only ones not featured so far.  Well I'm very sorry Ann and I make amends here!!

Modules from Ann's project

Actually I hadn't photographed any of Louise's modules either, so hers are here too (below).  This is the first time Louise has attempted patchwork, and she says she's really enjoying it.  Judging by her attention to accuracy and detail I think we'll be seeing more patchwork quilt projects from Louise in the future.

Modules from Louise's project

It was good to see Sarah and mum-in-law Lesley back with us this week

Gladys (above) is one of the Group members who have volunteered to finish off the ends and join some of the unfinished crochet squares donated to the group by Sue Stead's family after her death last year.  We intend to raffle the resulting blanket at our exhibition later in the year.  Gladys is seen struggling here as she forgot her glasses when getting ready to come to the group today!

Maureen (above) is also working on a rug to be raffled at the exhibition.  Maureen is using yarns kindly donated by Maggie's family after her death also last year.  These crochet and woven rugs were popular at our last exhibition so we hope they prove as popular this year, and help to raise funds for local families in need.

Good to see Cath back from her trip seen here (right) chatting with Kath

And Carol visiting from Edinburgh too after a long abscence

Christine and Merlyne, making use of precious sunlight from the window 

Helen brings her own light, much needed for this intricate gold work

Jenny  (above) is braiding with the use of  a clever polystyrene frame, while Carol  (below left) continues to work on Savannah's fleece blanket while chatting with Yvonne who continues to quilt her sampler quilt.

Tiny booties, knitted by Carol

I will be asking Gladys for a copy of this pattern for sure, I think he's adorable!

That's it for another week here in Andalucia, I hope you've enjoyed seeing what our  members have been up to this past week or so, don't forget to pop over to our website, where the Stitching Corner has been updated along with additions to members galleries, and a new video has been put up.  This time  it's the embroidery techniques of textile artist Gilda Baron.  Till next time have a creative week.  Rachel