Building Log Cabins.....

..........I made fabric ones and a wooden one this Easter, the best kind of fun.

Watch this space over the next few months for more log cabins ( fabric only!) as I work on samples for my Log Cabin Class in the Autumn. I love log cabins, easy to put together but complex to the eye, there is no other patchwork block that can offer so much design variety from one humble block. It's definitely one to have in your repertoire, oh and it's so much fun to piece, super quick, a real change from my FarmersWife quilt I made last!

Wendover Sewing Bee

Sewing Bee : a small informal social gathering based around the activity of making or mending things,

involving a needle and thread.

I'm really excited to let you all know about a new local group that I am hosting called the Wendover Sewing Bee. It's going to be a drop in, once a month gathering of people who love to MAKE! As you'll all know by now, I really do LOVE to sew! But best of all I love to share the love!

The Sewing Bee is an institution that has stood the test of time for a reason, it's all that is best about being creative. The chance to share, learn, chat, be inspired, and helped. Many of my most precious friendships have come about through the special bonds of sharing the inspirations, triumphs, uncertainties and failures.

Sewing is an inherently social activity, we all have busy lives and it's hard to make time. We hope that the Sewing Bee can be a little productive two hour window in your month when you can devote time to something you love to do, guilt free, without having to look at the dishwasher begging to be filled or emptied!

I really hope that, if you are local to Wendover in Buckinghamshire and you fancy it, you'll pop along and hang out with us for a Tuesday morning. If you're new to sewing, coming back to it, or just want to share your project, or hey -  just want to use one of our nice big tables to hem your curtains!

We will be at the St Anne's Hall, on Aylesbury Road in Wendover ( opposite the doctors surgery) on the 7th May from 9 til 11am. Just arrive with your project, we're very friendly, there's lots of tea and Rachel who is legendary amongst my class pupils for her lovely cakes will be on hand with an enticing tuppaware to keep morale high! Keep Calm and Stitch On!

Drinking Tea and Sewing Mug Rugs......

It's a busy back-to-school week this week, it always takes a while to re-acclimatise, even though it's only been two weeks off!

Despite the fact that I have a huge amount of sewing to do I have spent most of my precious free 2 hour mornings when all of my Smalls are in school drinking tea and catching up with friends, naughty mummy! I have however managed to squeeze in some time to start making the mug rug* samples for the Fabric HQ class! Here is the first one off of the production line, swiftly appropriated by my kids for their pink milk needs! I am a little bit addicted to these, I daren't confess how many little piles of fabric are cut and awaiting construction! I think no mug will be un-rugged in my house ever again! he he x

These are a great first project to start getting acquainted with how to make patchwork. The aim of the class is to give you a 'taster' if you just want to dip your toe in and see if it's for you, or if you just feel that your poor hardworking mug of tea deserves a special place to rest! The first class to make these is on the 22nd of May so sign up soon if you're interested.

* What is a mug rug? Several people have asked. I think its perhaps an American name for what we Brits might traditionally have called a, well,  fabric coaster, but isn't Mug Rug a better name once you know it?! Every mug should have a rug! They are surprisingly useful. I guarantee once you've had one, you won't be without one! Btw - also great for kids as no hard coaster edge to inevitably tip the cup off of  (We've all watched that happen with our kids in slow mo? no?!) x