July Mini Mania Reveal

 The end of another month bring the reveal of
Number 6 Mini Mania Challenge
We have used the Mini Ferris Wheel tutorial that was posted some time ago on SewScatterbrained blog

 The pattern used 112 paper pieces - the squares measure 1"

 This is Ann's bright and breezy piece

 Sandy also had bright circles on a lovely taupe background

 Becca  over at Macaron Quilts has got sucked in joined us this month and has had fun and games with her hexi's. I love her dotty border

 Dee of (Deeroo Designs)- who appears to be the rebel of the group - has inverted the background and has used her low volume fabrics in the circles.

 Jo -So SewJo has some zingy colours and has appliquéd hers onto a spotty background

 And Lynda has also appliquéd her piece, this time onto a dark background. I think that this makes the whole piece pop!

 Now, I have gone for a more sludgy subtle colour-way  this month. I like the earthy tones and I have used the Moda Shirtings for my low volume background

 

This was another fun project but I maybe should not have left so much to do at the last minute!!

August's Mini Mania Challenge

 will be a Paper Foundation Pieced block  and will measure 12" finished.
" Vintage machine & notions "from Charise Creates

photo from Charise Creates

There is also a "put it together" pattern here

I first spotted the pattern over at LR Stitched

Newcomers are always welcome to join our little group  
Its just for fun.
No one checks up on you
You keep your own work


Have a lovely Weekend!!

Playing Catch Up

Even though I did get a bit of a head start on this months Mini Mania project. I seem to have got distracted with other things but we have the reveal tomorrow. So Tuesday was a head down and get on with it day.

fabrics selected

papers covered

lots of them

I had completed the background pieces and it was just a case of finishing the jigsaw


Needless to say, mistakes were made and some unpicking was done.

3D effect!!??

But before I went to bed it was complete.  Probably a good job as we were in Lincolnshire visiting DD in her new home and Thursday was a visit down south for my quota of Granny cuddles.

We will reveal all later on tomorrow as some of our members are across the water.

On Saturday we will be given the pattern for August and it all begins again.
pop over here if you fancy joining our little group


I have also added some extras to a Swap project that I am due to send off in October. This is all done so I am ahead with that one!

 SIL sent a pic of this ...... I think he may be teasing .....

A Mixed Week

With lots being done.
I have finished a couple of Noodehead's  Open Wide Pouch

before the zipper were trimmed

And a couple of One Hour Baskets

that were supposed to be for the sales table at our Group Exhibition is September but I may have commandeered one myself!

a little collection of Jo Morton fabrics

And I have stitched hundreds well, dozens of bunting triangles that now have to be attached to the tape - again for our sales table

 Darling Daughter popped over last weekend and selected some fabrics to make a baby quilt for SIL's cousin - baby due in November - and the quilt is nearly done!

It's nice to see she makes as much mess as me!

But more importantly .......

Ta Dah!!!

I have finished my first crochet blanket!!!
After years of wanting to learn how to crochet and never having the proper time, you may remember that I visited Yarndale last September and did a mini class learning to crochet a bowl - which I did - Yay!

Most people would learn to do Granny Squares or something like but not me - in the new year I started on my blanket using Lucy's Attic 24 Cosy Stripe pattern. I had lots of the Stylecraft Special DK which is an acrylic yarn that is really soft and supple and is very easy to work with.  With a bit of help from my friends in a local crochet group that I have pushed into been invited into joined! I have found the whole process a relaxing TV project.

It might not be perfect - but then neither am I!
                         

I stayed up quite late to finish the last border because today our crochet ladies all trollied off to Fibre East 
a show dedicated to yummy yarns

                  

There was just a Festival of colour!

I have plans to make  this shawl  and it uses a Lace weight yarn


And after dithering and dathering between some of the FABULOUS hand dyed yarns I chose this one

Alpaca, Silk and Cashmere - so soft!

 But I think before I attempt this I will have a go with some 4ply and this pattern   which has had much attention in a Crochet Along a couple of weeks ago  . The pattern calls for Double Knit but if it is completed in 4ply it will make a much lighter lacy item.
 It now looks like some more of the crochety gals may be having their own Crochet Along             
A couple of colour-ways of 4ply have been purchased, though one may be used for socks.

There was lots of vendors with some lovely displays

Back in September I coveted one of the lovely pottery yarn bowls but persuaded myself that it would be a silly purchase.
But I was egged on today by some very naughty ladies and sucummed to this beauty

Isn't it pretty!

A Jammy Week

 I seem to have misplaced my MoJo as far as sewing is concerned.
I'm not sure if it's because I have so many things on the go or what,  but a little zipper pouch that should have taken an hour to make up,  took me all evening and I'm still not very happy with it.
I used  Noodlehead's pattern  which is really simple but something just wasn't working for me.
I had cut 6 out ready to sew but I have put the others on the "to do" pile till I have found my "go"

 I did manage to nab some shiny redcurrants and fat gooseberries from my group and my very nice friend brought strawberries and blackcurrants from the farm shop in Kings Lynn,   so I decided to have a jammy session

all prepared ready for the cook

So I now have more jam than we will ever be able to eat but I think the family may very well help me out with that.

Have a little trip out in the morning but am determined to crack on with the sewing machine at the weekend

Have a great one!

A Lot of Nothing Really!

That's what this week has been about, except for the fact that I am nearly at 3000 visitors to this little blog!

I can share the finished photos of the June Mini Mania project

Lynda's

Jo's

Mine

 These all measure 6" x 8"

Then Jo added another one that she had done 

Jo's

Ann's

Just waiting to add Sandy's Mini to the collection

And Dee's

 This size finished 11" square

And so onto July"s Challenge
 Come on Over if you're up for a bit of fun!

I did get my two chickens finished (from the willow weaving course)

 

 And made a batch of Strawberry jam which has gone down well in some households

Little Miss 'O' came on Wednesday to stay for a few days whilst Daddy whisked Mummy away for a last minute trip to Amsterdam. Lucky Mummy!

Auntie 'S' & Uncle 'L' came on Friday afternoon as they don't like to miss out on all the fun.
Saturday morning saw us walk to Stanwick Lakes via the old railway line, which is a distance of about 2.5 miles without traffic, save for a few cyclists and other pedestrians.
Little Miss has a little trike that we are able to push along and she plays at steering and can happily watch everything that is going on.

Uncle L in charge

 This area has been developed extensively over the past few years and is the result of the gravel extraction that has been carried out right along the Nene Valley

 It is lovely to be able to walk in the countryside just minutes
from the front door.

Down the Lane

Along the old railway line

The old railway bridge over the river

We just HAD to peek through ALL of the gaps!

So a round trip walk that should have taken about two and a half hours (including the coffee at the Lakes) took us around FOUR and a half hours!!!

But it was a lovely day and resulted in this

on the two hour journey to deliver this bundle of scrumminess back to her parents.

Today the weather has been changeable with one great downpour of rain which the garden is badly in need of.  Because we have had a couple of weeks away from home the garden was left to tend for itself and some of the plants have been badly affected by the lack of attention

But not the Hollyhocks 

I know he's not a tall man - but they are GIANTS!!

They will have to be sorted out in the autumn, before they take over completely!

My crochet blanket just needs a couple more rows before it's final reveal but I already have plans for the next hooky item.
I am trying to decide between to crochet   patterns 

 Both are to be found here

 I want to buy the yarn when I visit Fibre-East  in a couple of weeks.

I may just toss a coin!!