Friday, April 30, 2010

Wednesday's Class

This week the ladies were shown how to make a Wonky Rail quilt. Here is Manuela busy sewing her strips together.                                                                                                                                                               
Here is Helena's who is going on to make some more into a large quilt, which by the next time I see her she will have completed it!
And here is another colour variation which is for this lady's (oops name again) grandaughter. Which is her second project on from the beginners. 
Here is mine, which I haven't quilted yet, because I still haven't decided whether I am going to add some applique to it or not.
And here is a small sampler for those ladies at the class who might be interested in doing this project on 12th May. I wish now I had made it bigger, as it would look lovely on a bed for the summer.
And finally in the post yesterday turned up my parcel from Australia, which Irene and I are excited about. It is Lynette Anderson's latest BOM called Scandinavian Christmas, we managed to get just the patterns rather than do it as a BOM with fabric, so that we can choose what colours we want to do it in.
Tomorrow is the 1st May and is a public holiday here in Portugal, so no class at Arco Iris A Metro.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Saturday at Arco Iris a Metro

Well didn't get a chance to take photographs of the class on Saturday, only this one. It was done my Mariana who is 12 years old. Isn't it lovely. It was her first attempt.
The class was very busy with pupils and quiet a few ladies came just to do some shopping for fabric and the shelves at the end of the visit by these ladies was well........
I will be much happier when the shop has been altered, so that all the ladies are in one place and I can get to them easier!
Today I have decided to take a rest from quilting after yesterday's class, but tomorrow back to my sewing room. I will most probably just sit this afternoon and do some cross stitch, which I haven't touched for quiet a few weeks or is it months.

Friday, April 23, 2010

This weeks Class....

I am finding that Wednesday seems a very popular day for quilting. This Wednesday there was no specific project allocated and the ladies were able to either work on their own projects that they hadn't finished or ask for help on something specific they wanted to learn the technique of. Fernanda wanted to do the Kaleidoscope technique, because when the TV people came to visit the shop (didn't you know I have been on TV!) we had a few up on display. Managed to get her away from this and she did a Pinwheel block instead from the Marsha McCloskey Block Party book.







We are going to be doing a Kaleidoscope workshop at the end of May, as a full day workshop. So check here for further details.

Sofia wanted to do Jan Mullen's Daisy block and practiced by doing a small block.










Here is another Sunbonnet Sue needleturn method.
This lady(sorry forgot her name) was going to go home to try and quilt the block.

I had 3 beginners, Maria was still working on her heart placemats (8 in total plus a table runners) and Maria Helena was working on her flying geese table topper, which she is going to add some applique in the middle, more on that another day.
Today I continued quilting two projects, which I will be using in a couple of workshops that I am teaching in May. Can't show them or won't be a surprise for the ladies.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Busy Bee

Yesterday I gave myself a full day of working in my sewing room, which is rare lately. I decided to have a go at making a Mat & Ruler Bag, which I got from here and changed it slightly.
The fabric I used for the back I got at and here are a few close ups of the detail of the fabric, which I really like.

I also recently finished this hexagon pincushion, you can find the instructions here.

To the right there is a sneak peak of a project we shall be doing in May. And here is another involving triangles!Off to do some more sewing, as due to the volcanic ash, which is causing problems in travelling, I have another free day to do some more sewing.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

What a class.......!

Yesterday, we had our regular ladies who wanted to learn how to "Quilt as you go". I used this method and a bit of this technique as well. Here are Fernanda and Sofia two blocks with sashing in between.
Maria brought her two bags she had made to show us.

Sorry that they are a bit fuzzy, but we had so many ladies there yesterday that it was a bit difficult to take the photos. Dare I say it but we had more than the other week. Thankfully Paula stayed in the shop to help out, because without her I don't know what would have happened!
Today I have had a quiet day in my sewing room working on one UFO and a project for class which I can't show yet, I might show a little of it tomorrow.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Saturday's Class

The weather was really lovely on Saturday morning, like a summers day with temperature in the mid 20's. As Sara had gone to Spain with her grandad to have a go at skiing, yes we allowed her to go. She is home safe and sound and no broken bones!
So I went down into Lisbon on Saturday morning to see craft fair market which takes place at the beginning of each month in the Jardim de Estrela. I could only take these 2 photos of the fair, from a distance, as people don't like you taking pictures of their work.


And of course I had to take a picture of the trams which still exist in Lisbon.
Then in the afternoon I went over the river to Laranjeiras, which this Saturday was showing the ladies how to do Cathedral windows. I only managed to get a photo of Sofia's, as Carmen had left before I got a chance to take a photo.And Manuela who had already done Cathedral windows on another occasion decided she wanted to make a thread catcher/pincushion. Here it is almost finished. Just missing the buttons to be sewn on and the cushion filled up with sand, from the nearby beach of course.
All in all it was a lovely weekend, made especially nice with the return of our daughter Sara safe and sound.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Wednesday's Class

Today 6 of the regular ladies turned up and we continued with the bag that we started last week and managed to finish them.
This is Cristina's
 


















and this is Manuela's (sorry for the poor quality of the picture but my nerve's were getting the better of me!)











And Fernanda was continuing with her New York Beauty. It is now ready for quilting.

Helena decided that she was going to make this little bag for her grandaughter who is only 2. So sweet.


Half way through the class we had a surprise visit from RTP (Portuguese National TV Station), to make a recording for their show - Praça da Alegria - on Monday 12th April. The ladies were not aware of this, Paula only found out Tuesday evening and called me, hence why my nerves were getting the better of me. Well, we will have to see how it came out on Monday!


Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter

Well you most probably already guested who would win! Sara and I spent yesterday making the Hare from Tilda's Springtime Gifts book.
Sara traced the pattern on to plastic template and then on to the fabric. Mummy stitched the pieces together and then Sara stuffed all the parts whilst Mummy made the clothes. This project was really a joint effort. And just in time for Easter. All we have to do now is give the Hare a name.