Pin Box Pincushions

I thought I would show you how I make these little pincushion boxes.
I use the brown papier-mache boxes that you can buy from craft stores. I paint them with a water based paint and leave them to dry.
You will need 2 pieces of fabric for the top and bottom of your pincushion, Filling, A button and a glue gun.

Using lid as pattern draw circle on one side of fabric

stitch on line the two pieces of fabric and trim back to near sewing line.

Slitting the back stuff with polyester filling

sew button onto pincushion

Glue the pincushion to the top of box using a hot glue gun

Hey presto a lovely gift for any of your sewing buddies.

If I haven't explained myself very well just leave a comment and I will get back to you.
Happy stitching.
Sue

Like Minds

Do you have a friend that seems to have a like mind. Well I do and I often refer to her as my PIC on my blog. Which means my Partner In Crime.

I meet PIC when she walked into my quilt shop the second day it was open and we didn't stop talking as we realised we had so much in common.

As we got to know each other better we found out we had both made a quilt and a needlework sampler the same. Well almost the same as we both put our own little twist into them .

Sue's made in 1992

Mine made in 1996

Sue's Quilt

My Quilt

We drove down to Cornwall yesterday and she even started picking up my mobile phone and inspecting it- yes you got it- it is exactly the same phone . It was cheap as chips. Were not into to much high fangle techno stuff as long as we can make and receive a calls on them then that's good enough for us.

We went down to Cowslip Workshops as it was Jo's Christmas Fair. It was jam packed but made it through to Linda Clifts table which is full of wonderful little goodies like buttons, and piece's of antique textiles. At one point I dived down to see what was in the boxes under the table only to find PIC under the table at the other end rummaging through a box of french antique linens. We just looked , laughed and said might have guessed who I would spot even at ground level and between all those legs.
Linda also has a nice  Blog here

The Soldier Quilt and Poets

Part of the Exhibition in St Marys Church , Dymock
This is Mery walking on Poets Path 2 on our way to LITTLE IDDENS where Robert Frost lived, Little Iddens in the background.


I didn't really know how to start this post other than a Quilt came out of it.

It started in Vermont some years ago when I visited ROBERT FROST'S home in Shaftesbury, who at that time I knew nothing about. I was reading the poetry going round the room and the poem The Road Not Taken caught my imagination . When I read on it said that this poem had been started when Robert Frost was living in Gloucestershire. I asked the lady on the desk if their was a Gloucestershire in the USA she said it was when he lived in England . She showed me a picture of a black and white house and all it said was Little Iddens.
On my return I started some research as I didn't know anywhere called Little Iddens. Turns out it was the name of the house he rented whilst living around the Dymock area which is only 40 minutes from where I live.
I have always loved the area its very gentle rolling countryside and in the years leading up to the first world war literary history was being made by the Dymock Poets.
Whats this got to do with a quilt you may well ask. Well we made a soldier block at my local quilt group one evening so decided to make it into a quilt with all the 6 Dymock poets names in and centering the poem THE SOLDIER by Rupert Brooke who was one of the 6 poets as the centre piece.
Its timely I show this quilt as it Remembrance day on Sunday and we should never forget our past soldiers who gave their lives for us and those that are on the front line right now.

I passed Dymock church today and called in and took some photos as they have an excellent exhibition in the back of the church on all the Dymock Poets and their works plus lots of other poets who were living in the area including Eleanor Farjeon who wrote the children's hymn Morning Has Broken.
When I was in the church today I read that The Road Not Taken was occasioned by Frost's choice of a path in Dymock Wood. From America Frost posted the poem to Edward Thomas whose wavering over the best route to take had amused him when they walked together. The poem plumbs deeper levels too and, Its English provenance ignored, has become an American favourite.
Funny isn't it that I had to go to America to find out about something right on my own door step. Thank you Robert Frost, I also love Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.
The Quilt still has to be finished so it seems its a reminder to get on with it.
Sue

Wool Quilt

On Thursday I payed a visit to my Chiropractor and then drove on to a small town near by and pulled up at the traffic lights and glanced right and couldn't believe my eyes. I sat transfixed until someone tooted me and I had to make my right turn.
I immediately parked the car and walked back to find this Quilt in the Antique dealers window.

You can see I took a couple of photos through the window but the temptation was to great I had to go in.
The two guys that were in the shop deal in Campaign Furniture and told me it was a soldiers quilt made from scraps of wool uniforms- They say it is from The Crimea war. I couldn't get close as they had a huge blanket hanging in front of it so you could only see it through the glass.

My initial thought when I was sitting at those traffic lights that is was a Welsh Wool quilt. But they assured me not. I should have asked what provenience they have for it . As to its date they say 1850's.

So if Mary Jenkins reads this post maybe you could give me your thoughts?

If I could have afforded it I would have bought it but 3.750.00 pounds was certainly to rich for my pocket.

They kindly gave me the catalogue with a photo of it and the description reads.
Quilts such as this one were made by soldiers out of scraps of uniform and other material that came to hand, which explains why red is often the dominant colour. Soldiers were encouraged in such work in the belief that if their spare time was taken with a hobby they would be less likely to drink or gamble.

So carry on stitching it might just save us ALL from a life of drinking and gambling. LOL

Sue

Gifts and Klosjes

I haven't posted my Klosjes for a few weeks now . That's because I haven't been making many, but since my last post on them I have another 8 bringing my total to 125.

Well look what arrived in the post yesterday- A Sew Scrappy magazine from Kathie. Not sure if you know but SEW is my initials , So glad I married MR W who gave me my unique name. Kathie's Tumbler Quilt is on the front cover with instructions inside. Its all made in lovely repro fabrics. Congratulations Kathie.
She also sent me a CD with lots of photos from the American Folk Art Museum which I have been drooling over. Thanks Kathie I love eye candy too.

I am also showing you this little pin cushion I have made- My PIC bought this old jar cap back for me from her trip to the Buggy Barn.
I just cut a piece of foam and covered it with fabric and used the glue gun to secure it in place. Hey Presto a little pin keep. Thanks for that extra little gift. I hope you have made yours too :-)

Fun With Mandy

I have had another lovely weekend away at
Cowslip Workshops I left home at 6.30 Saturday morning to drive to Cornwall for some Christmas Fun, it was a Christmassy workshop with Mandy Shaw of Dandelion Designs. What a great weekend it was , I have still some finishing off to do on my doll angel- Wings and Hallo to make - Notice her dress, I used my lovely tea dyed TOILE on her. Why because she was so worth it.
Mandy has a book out called Quilt Yourself Gorgeous published by David and Charles.It is packed full of lovely things to make and another book out next April.

She was very excited over the weekend as she had Channel 4 television at her home this past week. Its another Kirsti Alsop and Phil Spencer programme all about making Christmas gifts which will be screened in December.

Mandy also has a blog if you would like to hop over and have a LOOK HERE.

Thanks Mandy for a fun weekend and sharing tears together, why tears you ask? we got talking about DH and turns out Mandy lost her mum to Dementia last year so we had a good cry together. Crying together and laughing together is always a great bond.

I also have to THANK Jo at Cowlsip who puts up with me and Mery for the weekend. I would love to know what she is on as she is full of boundless energy and enthusiasm.

I never seem to get a photo of Jo but if you read Mandy's blog you will see her pictured as she was featured in the October issue of Country Living Magazine.
Well done JO.

P.S. Should have told you my Christmas pudding is a needlecase and I just have to make another of these little reindeer.