October 2018

Most of our members had other things on this month so our blog post for this month comes to you all via technology.

This chain stitched piece is Susan's second quote embroidery. This time the quote is from the artist Lloyd Rees. Susan likes the quote as a reminder of how wonderful the universe is, and the joy of living that is easy to forget. The piece is worked totally in  chain stitch as a solid fill, using colours from her collection.

Sheila had finished Robyn's activity from last month and turned it into a Journal cover.

    

Robyn has been working on a Kantha pouch flap, started at a workshop with Helen Nott.

Sheila had attended the same annual stitching retreat at Ferndale as Robyn  last weekend. Helen Nott presented a workshop using supplies from our cupboards. Sheila took some samples removed from Colour Streamers brochures and attached them to the base fabric then added more squares in stitch. It will be turned into an envelope pouch for sewing supplies. 

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This insertion stitch sampler is another UFO being finished by Jenny, inspired by the work of Effie Mitrofanis. Jenny hopes to add stitching to the panels in between the insertions, but is yet to decide what to turn the piece into.

This little bobbin lace book mark is also by Jenny. It is her third attempt at this pattern by Olwyn Scott, and features double eyed spiders which have yet to be mastered. This one is worked in Gutermann Sulky Cotton No 30 with  two strands of Gutermann quilting cotton as a gimp down each side. 

A little crocheted cot sized blanket made by Jenny. Jenny had purchased three yarn cakes on impulse to make something out of. The yarn was equal to a 10 ply, and one of the thickest that Jenny had used to date. After completing the squares, there was barely enough yarn left for a border, so a navy 8 ply from her stash was used with the remainder of the yarn cakes to create the edge. The squares are from a pattern in the Shepherd Baby Shawl Collection 1 book, they have been sewn together. The blanket has now been donated to charity.

After looking in her stash to find some yarn to create a border for her blanket, Jenny decided to use the same navy acrylic to make a hat. No pattern was used, just cast on six stitches, knit in rounds increasing in every second row until big enough, then decrease until it fit her head circumference, and work a ribbed band. The finished hat is in the beret style. This was another spur of the moment decision to make one for an upcoming trip away where the weather will be colder than home.

Sheila is participating in Inktober this moth for her daily practice. She is doing self portraits in ball point pen

A bag of goodies  received by Sheila for attending  the Bernina birthday celebrations. The party had lots of fabulous machines on display, demonstrations of the capabilities of the machines, and displays of machined textiles and postcards. An enjoyable celebration including Cake and champagne.

Our little group may have all been busy with other things on our meeting day this month, but we have still managed to create.  Come back in November to see what we get up to over the next month.

May 2017

Our meeting this month was held once again in Wendy's home, with  five of our members attending. First up was some yummy morning tea provided by Kathleen and Jenny. Then with clean fingers and hands, we began show and tell.

Kathleen had finished a quilt which utilised her squares from last year. Adding in some other shapes as well as the squares, Kathleen went through her stash to see what colour fabrics she had that would work. The fabrics were machine pieced, then hand quilted around the shapes.

Annette had been working on another robyn. This time in blackwork, still using the same greeting card as inspiration. Annette is trying to use the blackwork stitches to capture the contemporary stylised mood of the greeting card.  

Robyn had been working on this  small surface stitched piece which will be made into a phone/Opal card bag.

This clam-shell piece is Kathleen's problem piece. Using lovely soft colours and the clam shell shape, Kathleen is making this quilt for her Mum. With ideas from our group members, Kathleen will now  finish it to be a knee quilt so it doesn't need to be too long.

This little cardigan is one that Annette has made using variegated wool for Morris & Son's. The ruffles on the sleeves need to be removed as the Young Lady for whom it was made  bites at the ruffles when she wears it.

Jenny had been knitting more hats for winter. This one uses left over yarn form a jumper that she made last year. Jenny made use of the beginnings of a circular shawl pattern to begin this hat with double pointed needles. She then knitted out to the width she wanted, then decreased back to her head measurement and made a rib band. The hat is flat, a beret style which Jenny loves.

This is another hat that Jenny has knitted using the same idea as above, this time in a blue colour which she found in her stash. It is an 8 ply pure wool from Lyncraft.

Robyn is in the process of knitting a scarf from cotton yarn. The Willow leaf Scarf pattern is from the book 'Dyeing To Spin & Knit' and will be space dyed when completed.

Jenny has been making crochet Granny Squares using a pattern she found on Pinterest. The center flowers are from a single ball of Norro yarn that she bought on holiday some years back, and the blue is left over from her stash. The granny squares were meant to be made into a bag, however the problem exists that there is not enough of the Norro yarn to complete the number of squares required, nor may there be enough of the blue left in the stash to complete the project. So Jenny has added another colour of Norro ( also from her stash) and has decided to add some mustard to the mix to give the bag some life.

Our little group still  needs to be creative with our meeting space. Next moth will will be coming to you form the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW. 

April 2017

Our meeting this month was held at the Australian Museum here in Sydney. The idea was to view the exhibition "Transformations: Art of the Scott Sisters".

Three of our members met at the museum coffee shop for morning tea. The coffee shop is now located on the  4th floor of the museum with stunning views over Hyde Park and the city.

Following morning tea, the three of us spent much time viewing the wonderful drawings of the Scott Sisters, awing over the very fine detail contained within each one. It has opened our eyes again to the tiny life  that resides in our gardens.

One of our members had to leave early, and the remaining two enjoyed lunch on the balcony of the coffee shop in glorious sunshine, followed by a walk through the City.

As were were all on public transport, show and tell can be a little difficult. So show & tell this moth is once again brought to you via technology and emails.

Gerri has completed her work on the veil and it is now in Ulladulla in it's rightful place. 

Jenny had knitted herself a hat using leftover yarn from a cardigan. She had been on the lookout for slouchy hat patterns and found this one, 'Springtime in Philadelphia', free on Ravelry. The hat was supposed to be made in a fingering yarn, which is about a 4ply in Australian yarn. Jenny's yarn was an 8ply Morris Empire, a 100% merino yarn, and 3.75mm needles were used to make it a bit tighter. It's still a little big, just how Jenny likes them.

This is the beginning of another hat of Jenny's. The brown hat above needed to be more 'slouchy', so with this one Jenny has used the beginnings of a circular shawl pattern. It will be knitted out to the desired width, increasing every alternate row,  then decreased until her head circumference is reached. Then a rib band will be added. The yarn is left over Crimson 'Savanah yarn (70% wool 30% alpaca) which Jenny bought last year from Bendigo Woollen Mills and use to make this Jumper.

As our Guild building is still undergoing renovations, I'll wonder where we will meet next month and what we will get up to. Please join us in late May to check us out.

June 2014

Our meeting this month brought nine of us, and as usual there was show & tell a plenty.

Robyn was continuing on her piece from last month, adding some petals and more spirals  to her corn pad flower.

Sheila had made this fabric post card, inspired by a sketch of  the Miner's Memorial in Broken Hill. The postcard is hand panted, then free machine embroidered.

Wendy was continuing on this piece, using threads from an impulse buy. The piece used stitches that she enjoys working and is time well spent.

Sheila had been making bags, using up some of her fabric. The blue one above has been hand printed, then stitched in running stitch. The red gingham check one features recycled English Pieced hexagons with added stitching.

Gerri's "Love Life" beaded cross stitch piece. The piece features a neighbourhood scene and has given Gerri hours of enjoyment.

Next we have a variety of winter warmers, especially for the chilly weather of this week, and the weeks ahead.

Susan's granny square blanket is being worked in Payton's Gem, a 100% cotton yarn. Nine years ago, Susan was given 21 balls in 5 colours. What to do with it? The granny squares are joined together with a double crochet in white.

Annette had been knitting socks in a 4-ply yarn from Turkey. The socks are very comfortable & very warm.

This cloche hat is also by Annette. Knitted in 12 ply wool on circular needles, then felted in the washing machine. A very quick knit and very warm.

These gloves were made by Jenny, using her own  de-constructed version of the pattern  found in  " A Gathering of Lace" by Meg Swansen. Knitted in Paytons Embrace, a 2 ply yarn of  90% Merino , 10%  Silk, the gloves feature a moss stitch cuff.

There was also more chat about our collaborative piece. All will be revealed in the next few months, so please keep visiting to find out more.