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