Jennie's Threads

Another year is over and it has been a hell of a year. I gave birth to Josh on 18th January and it's been a crazy ride since then - we've had loads of great family times, exploring the local National Trust and English Heritage properties and venturing further afield too. I can't believe that Josh will be a year old in just a few weeks time. Jess started nursery and Mia continues to love school and really excel at everything. I went back to work in June, and whilst it's been hard work juggling everything, with more travel that I was expecting, I still love my job and I'm looking forward to the challenges of 2020. I've also fitted in some sewing - people keep asking how I do it but the reality is that if I didn't do I would be incredibly unhappy - it's what keeps me balanced day to day and whilst on maternity leave it gave a me a focus that wasn't just feed, change nappies, sleep, change nappies, feed.... whilst I love being a mother and I love my ...

This is my final finish of 2019, and I really didn't think I would make it! This is the Summer Sampler which was run a four-month-long block of the month by Sarah Edgar of Pretty Fabrics and Trims. Everything about this project was beautiful: the instructions were beautifully presented, the fabrics absolutely gorgeous, and the patterns are lovely: little blocks, mixing all my favourite techniques: applique, English Paper Piecing, hand embroidery and some machine piecing. And then there's the beautiful little extras - a touch  of lace here, and a button there... it's far and away the prettiest thing I have ever made! It's also quite the departure from my normal style, but I have adored every minute I spent working on this project - so much so that I have signed up for two more blocks of the month from Sarah. The quilt finishes at 18" x 24" and is entirely hand quilted - using the 12w Aurifil provided as part of the kit. I'm hoping to get this up on...

And now for the other piece of fabric I had printed by Print Me Pretty. this was another piece of text - my paternal Grandmother's travel diary from 1957 - Devon and Cornwall. The scale of this print is slightly larger than the marmalade recipe from my last post, so the Lola Pouch ( pattern by Sotak Handmade) I made for this was considerably bigger - my intention was that it could house the journals themselves as a gift for my Dad for Christmas. I just love how matter-of-fact my Granny's writing is. The act of putting the car in the ditch is given equal waiting to what they had for tea! If I'd put the car in a ditch I'd never hear the end of it! For the reverse of the pouch I decided to try my hand at a Cathedral Window panel. This is a technique I haven't done before, but it was something my Granny did a lot of, so it seemed fitting for this pouch. The fabrics are all Quantum by Guicy Guice fabrics, and a Kona cream for the base. It felt like an awful ...

Earlier in the year, I had some fabric custom-printed by a UK based company called Print Me Pretty. It was a bit of a risk as I had no idea what I was doing, but I ordered a metre each of two very special pages of text. First up was a page of the family marmalade recipe from my Mum's side. We're not sure if it's written by my Granny or my Great Granny, but it's the  family recipe - I have plans to try it out this coming January! I love the page - you can see all the splatter from countless marmalades over the years! I decided to use it to make a large Lola Pouch for my Mum for Christmas. On one side is this recipe fabric and on the other is a free motion embroidery of oranges and marmalade. I did a little free motion embroidery about 5 years ago, and then tried again at the Sewing Shindig retreat in September this year with the lovely Lesley (@mrs_moog). I had an image in my head and I really wasn't sure I could pull it off, but I have to say I'm pretty ...

And here is Jessica's. Another pattern by Threadfolk, handembroidered in very Jessica colours. This was on my original Finish Along list .

Every year I like to make a tree decoration for the girls, which I put in the Christmas Eve box for them to hang themselves. I chose some Christmassy patterns by Threadfolk. A tree for Mia. It's hand embroidered in DMC Threads with a few beads for added glitz. This was on my Finish Along list which you can see here .

I've made a few bits and pieces in the last few months which didn't appear on my original list for this quarter, but each had a purpose! I have become particularly fond of the Lola Pouch by Sotak Handmade . As well as using it for the pouch I made as part of the Shindig swap, I've followed the small size in the pattern to make three more Lola Pouches: The first was made so I could take my clover clips to Retreat in style! The second is a pencil case, also for me. I used my favourite Pinkerville print with an old pair of jeans. I lined it in the denim as well, as a nice sturdy finish. And the third was a practice run using some pleather, which I gifted as a Christmas present. And then I made the larger size pouch, with butterfly fabric and more of the pleather as another gift. I made a small key pouch in another favourite Pinkerville fabrics too - and used Kam Snaps for the first time! The other pattern I enjoyed making was the Tub Fami...