Thursday 29th October

 What a miserable day, it hasn't stopped raining since nine o'clock this morning until four o'clock this afternoon and it is still going.  I still enjoyed it though because I spent the most of it stitching with four friends which was really enjoyable (as was the cake).  I have been working on a concertina book this week but it isn't ready for display yet so will maybe show you next week.  However, Christina has been busy working on the Africa project and has produced these lovely felt mask.

She had been looking at Songye masks and recognized the eyes and mouths.  I think they are great.

Roma has been working with the piece of felt I sent round which started out like this.

By using a piece of African fabric and some simple stitches it has now become this really good design.

Ann has put us all to shame.  She has been working all through lockdown, summer and into autumn on a quilt.  

It contains 1172 pieces cut from 33 different fabrics.  They were all individually pieced so that she could move them round and play with the colour.  I think this is absolutely stunning and must be a contender for a quilt show.

Keep the pictures coming, I am getting some nice messages from people to say how much they like keeping in touch through the blog and seeing what everyone is doing.

Thursday 22nd October

 Finally my bedroom is finished after nearly 4 weeks of sleeping upstairs I now have new furniture, carpet, blinds and wall colour, very pleased!

A few of you are obviously still working away as I have had two pictures to show your.

Lis has been busy working on her piece of felt that I sent round everyone.

She is not sure if she has finished it yet but I think it looks lovely.

Lesley has been working with a piece of scrunched up paper and then taking the patterns it forms to make a piece of stitching.

This is really good practice and something different to do.

I have been working on my piece of felt as well.  This is what it looked like before I started stitching.

Then I have stitched into it with running stitches and then attached it to a piece of wool fabric that was a sample from a pattern book.

I have used each of the six stitches that the group are working on as an exercise and members of the group may be able to spot the one that they haven't done yet.  I am attaching this to the cover of my sample book.

I am now trying to get my head round thinking of things I could do during the winter months when going out to meet up with other people may not be possible.  Keep safe everyone and keep stitching.

Saturday 17th October

 Got my computer back yesterday all up and running smoothly so far.  I was sure I was going to have to buy a new one but fortunately this one was repairable.

I will now show you the lovely pieces of work that people have done and I couldn't show last week.  These two pieces are from Lesley.

This piece has a dyed backing fabric and Lesley has used stencils on it which inspired the stitching

In this piece Lesley has used pieces from her scrap box.

Roma also sent two photos of the embellishing work she has been doing

Lovely pieces representing the coast near Whitby.

I have received another jumper from Jan to add to the 28 we have sent to Africa and I added a hat to it from some scaps of wool I had which made a complete set.

Susan has also been busy making these lovely wire birds for her garden.

I have made a start on my little piece of felt from Barbara's stash that members of TEG have received. For those not in the group, Barbara had made a pile of felted samples using different colours and techniques and there was enough to send to each member of the group for them to produce a piece of work using it in any way they wished.

Saturday 10th October

 Sorry this is late again but my computer has crashed and I am doing this on my phone, which has taken me a while to work out. I have started a new project, making a concertina book to hold my mother-in-law 21st birthday cards. There are 23 cards so it is quite a thick book but hopefully it will work out. Haven't much to show you yet, maybe next week.

The jumpers and hats have been passed on ready to go to Africa in the new year and a big thank you is forwarded to all those who did the knitting.

Lesley has been working on two lovely pieces and Susan has done two wire birds, not textiles but who cares. I would show you pictures of them but I don't know how to do it on my phone. I will post them when I have a machine to do it on.

Thursday 1st October

 Who would have thought when we went into lockdown on the 23rd March that we would still be here in semi lockdown in October. What a strange year.  Still, I have got the garden sorted, cleared out a number of cupboards, did a spring clean and then sat back on my laurels so now I think I need an autumn clean.  The decorator has just finished so now I have a clean bedroom and bathroom to look forward to when I have got it all sorted back together.  Having someone come in and do all the work in three days beats doing it yourself over ten days.

I have just handed over 28 sets of jumpers and hats for the babies in Africa.

Don't they look wonderful.  I have to pass on a big thank you to all the ladies who contributed, they will be much appreciated.

Sewing wise, I haven't done a lot this week. I have been catching up today with my stitch pieces using blanket/buttonhole stitch before I move on to chain stitch which is the new one we are now working on.

I now need to start thinking about doing a new piece, how exciting.  I think I might get the Africa books out again and I keep wanting to do a book to hold my mother-in-laws 21st birthday cards from 1946, so maybe I will start with that.