Our clever crafty ladies

Hello, me again. I'm feeling a bit stuffed tonight, I thought I would make a veg curry with the tons of runner beans from the garden. The freezer is full of them. As per usual I cooked too much rice. I never bother to weigh it, don't have any scales, it's always a guess, big pan of water, pour some in straight out of the bag, and hope for the best. Oh lordy, it will be rice with every meal till it's gone.

For all you crafty people here are some ideas if you are wondering what to make next. Not my ideas, but from the ladies of the Craft Club I go to. This is a small trinket box, or could be a gift box. Thick cardboard is needed, cut four triangles the same size, and cover them in fabric. Cut a strip of cardboard for the sides and cover that as well. Sew all pieces together with tiny stitches and sew some braid along the edges, make it long enough to gather up at the top.  

And there you are, a little box to hold a pressie for your loved one. Cute eh!

Here's another little box, made in a similar way, but square this time. The lid has some padding on the top.

Makes a nice little sewing box, or maybe jewelry. Put some padding inside the lid and it doubles as a pin cushion.

The decoration on the lid is lots of small French knots. 

This wall hanging is a bit more complicated, sorry I can't do a tutorial because I don't know how it was made. Most of it has been very carefully sewn on a machine.

And another one from the same lady. A beautiful cushion cover.  She is so clever.

Now this is quite fascinating. These patterns have been stitched onto a piece of velvet which is going to become a cushion cover. So how come they are so neat?

You can see the tacking stitches around the edge, it is two pieces of fabric.

This is the back of it. The stitches are worked from the back, using the squared fabric as a guide. 

This is another example of the same method.

I would have to keep on turning it over to check that I was doing it right. How interesting.

We are going to be having a stall in the village hall at our Christmas market in November, to show off some of the things we have made, and to recruit more members. A new lady started this morning who has recently moved to the village. Always room for more. It's a good way to start a Monday morning.

We've had a sunny day today, I've been out in the garden, trimming the hedge. Changed some books at the mobile library, and had a natter with Stan the driver/librarian, about cars. Mine is due for it's annual MOT test soon, and he was telling me about a rogue garage he once took his to. They failed it for some trivial reasons, just so they could get the work. Little did they know that Stan knows cars inside out. He is into classic cars and does a lot of his own repairs. I got some useful tips off him.

Anyway, Heidi has just jumped up onto the table and parked herself right in front of the computer, demanding I make a fuss of her. Her head is resting on my left hand so with that I will sign off. It's not easy typing when a wet nose is nudging my hand and her legs are sprawled over the keyboard. Ok Heidi, I give up.
Toodle pip.