Flower Power

Although I bought the first couple of editions of Mollie Makes and admit they are very pretty and visually appealing I've not been tempted to susbscribe or buy on a regular basis. I don't think that they really offer much that is new. But I was tempted by the free gift on this edition as I thought it would make an excellent project for my Young Embroiderers who met yesterday.

 

 

I made up the kit as a sample to see whether it was something they could do. (Silly me... of course they could!) You'll note that I substituted a couple of the fabrics... I'm just a little too OCD to have those red florals in with the blues.

 

... and then I made up another (still matching those colours)

 

Then I had a little play around and made a double layered version...

 

and several double layered versions.

 

and today I tried some different sizes... totally inspired by the girls who immediately asked could they make them smaller. My next challenge is to mix up those colours!

 

But you don't want to see my samples when you can see what the girls did yesterday. I've mounted these onto cards as they are going to be entered into our Embroiderers' Guild Regional Day competition next week, which is to make an accessory.

 

These three are from sisters Abigail and Sophia (Their other sister Francesca took hers home for her teacher.)

 

These were both made by Bluebell

 

The two above are from Eve and Elena, also sisters (who are only 8 and 5)

 

These were made by Ruby, Neve and Molly

 

And these three are from Chloe and Martha

 

 

Don't they all look fabulous... and not one of them has my obsessive desire to make the petals match... and I have to say they look all the better for it!

 

Most of the girls made more than one brooch during the day and the ones below are the ones that they all took home with them.

 

This was my last session as Young Embroiderers leader but I intend to keep coming along as a helper whenever possible because we always have such a brilliant time. And they never fail to teach me a thing or two!

Fabulous!

I thought the canvas work pin cushions might be a little ambitious for my Young Embroiderers, especially working on 14 count canvas with perle thread. But I also believe if you have high expectations then students of any age can rise to the occasion. And the girls didn't disappoint and certainly rose to the occasion.

 

 

Hannah and Jemima both finished these beautiful pin cushions and both also went on to start second projects.

 

Bluebell made a slightly smaller version... just as beautiful.

 

Francesca and Chloe both opted for rectangular versions ( I just knew they would come up with their own ideas), pictured here with Jemima's second project... a keyring of her own design. Martha also finished stitching a rectangular cushion but was busy still assembling it as we were packing up so I didn't manage a photo. Our younger members Sophia, Eve and Elena also made really good progress with their canvas work too but didn't quite finish by the end of the afternoon.

 

I'd asked everyone to bring in a selection of their work that they had made in past classes and this is Jemima's wonderful collection. At our last meeting we did some very basic knitting and made soft toys based on a simple garter stitch square. I'd done a pretty awful knitted rabbit as a sample (so awful you are not going to see it!) All of the girls made something infinitely superior to my effort and I just love Jemima's frog and dog with his patch eye!

 

Here are Martha and Chloe's knitting too!

 

This is a selection of Eve's work from the past year... pretty amazing for a seven year old I think!

Now as for George... well he didn't turn up so I can't show you his work which is probably just as well. He would have only been a distraction... and it did mean there was more cake for us!

 

Fabulous work girls... as always!

Weekend Preparation

It was noted at home there has been a lack of baking of late... so I had a bit of a session this morning in order to keep the troups happy over the weekend.

 

 

A batch of blueberry muffins...

 

And a fruit laden Harvo loaf... both count as one of your five (or is it seven?) a day with all that fruit, surely? They even border on being healthy unless of course it is eaten sliced with butter. Which of course, is how it tastes best!

 

More preparation for the weekend has involved finishing off these little canvas work pin cushions as samples for my Young Embroiderers who meet tomorrow.

 

We're having a bring along a "grown-up" day as a way of trying to introduce more people to the Embroiderers' Guild and one of my helpers has informed me she is bringing along George Clooney.

 

I've got a feeling she might be telling fibs but I thought I ought to make some more cake to take along tomorrow just in case. I'd like to make a good impression... and I've got a feeling he might be more interested in cake than canvas work.

 

Of course, the guys at home are complaining and want to know why George gets chocolate cake and they have to have the healthy stuff with fruit! I think they need to get over it.

 

You doing anything fun over the weekend? Bet you're not teaching George Clooney how to sew!

 

Pixie People

When Gill and I visited the Selvedge Winter Fair we were rather taken by the beautiful dolls created by Sarah Strachan. As well as dolls, Sarah had some rather cute Pixies which she was also selling as kits. We immediately thought that these would be a fun activity for our Young Embroiderers. I bought a kit and on my return home made up one of the Pixies from the kit. I have to say it took me back a few years when I remembered making yarn wrapped pipe cleaner dolls like this when I was about ten years old (before you say it... a very, very long time ago!)

 

 

But I knew that all of our Young Embroiderers would want to put their own stamp on the Pixie design so I made a couple of variations to kick start their ideas... Pierre the onion seller...

 

And a pretty fairy called Posie.

 

But I needn't have worried about kick starting their ideas because as expected they each came up with wonderful original ideas of their own. What follows is a rather picture heavy post with all sorts of characters from our girls and the helpers... because I couldn't leave any of them out! It has become a bit of a joke that we have almost as many helpers as girls these days because everyone wants to come and join in. And because the girls are all so clever the helpers don't really have much helping to do and get to make their own stuff!

 

Bluebell made a fairy and then a baby in his colourful onesie.

 

Hannah made this super Guardsman and Policeman.

 

Jemima made this very elegant looking couple.

 

The wild and colourful character below is from Ann.

 

And this one in the purple hat is from Sophia.

 

It was Neve's first time at YE and she made this super pair of pixies...

 

The long legged beauty below is from Gill... just like her really!

 

Francesca made a witch with a pet dog.

 

Pam made a very elegant fairy with a pink punk hair do.

 

Sue made this chap with his oversized beret...

 

and then went on to make this fabulous witch.

 

Eve and Kathleen made this gorgeous fairy...

 

And Ruby who was also at her first meeting made this lovely family. I love that baby's face!

 

Neve also made a third member to her pixie family too.

 

Jemima also got busy with a third character and came up with this pirate.

 

And whilst all this was going on I managed to make this rather dubious character... I was going to say don't ask what breed he is but on reflection you might be wondering what species.

 

As always another fabulous day with the Young Embroiderers!

Advent :: Day two

On Saturday it was our last Young Embroiderer's meeting before Christmas. You may remember that back in October I announced I was no longer going to be the YE leader at our Guild but unfortunately things didn't work out quite as planned and so the girls have got to put up with me for a little while longer. I put together a few felt tree decorations as inspiration...

 

 

I gave a brief explaination of how they needed to use the paper patterns to cut out pairs of felt shapes, decorate them with ribbon, braid, ric-rac and buttons. Then stitch the pairs together with running stitch or blanket stitch, adding a little stuffing as they went... I was about to offer to do a short demo but they were already away putting together their own decorations and coming up with their own ideas.

 

 

They really don't need much by the way of adult help at all...

 

There were trees and Christmas puddings...

 

Little stockings...

 

and stars.

 

Each and every one unique and quite lovely!

 

There are going to be some very smart trees around here this Christmas... and Hannah even came up with the idea of making hers into a Holly brooch.

 

They are all brilliant... well done girls. I had a lovely time and secretly I'm quite glad to still be YE leader... it's a privilege to work with such a lovely talented bunch of youngsters!

 

Next year they want to learn to crochet... now that should be interesting!