Project cushions

After Luna had an accident on some of the scatter cushions on our bed, I had to take off the covers to be able to wash them only to discover that the inside covers have all but disintegrated. 😲

 

After digging in my stash, I decided on a fabric and started stitching new covers.  It was the first time I used the Janome My Lock 644D I inherited from my mother.  What an absolute lovely machine. 

What a difference a new piece of fabric makes

and in no time at all three were looking brand new. 

 

I will however have to make new covers for all, so this project will be ongoing for some time.  

I then made a bed for Britney, our Chow/Boerboel mix, by stitching four pillowcases together, stuffing the pillows inside and stitching the openings closed.

I then used an old duvet cover to stitch a cover and just like that this project was done as well.

I then continued making more dog beds for our local SPCA using old pillows.  Before I could finish covering them also with the old duvet, our little Yorkshire Terrier, Luna, decided it looks too inviting and caught a nap.😀

Teddy Bears

As part of our Oranje quilters guild outreach program, we donate teddy bears to one of our local hospitals annually.  Great was my surprise when I discovered that I could stitch up 10 different bears with all the embroidery designs I have.  I bought some polar fleece and started stitching and thoroughly enjoyed the process.

All the bears were made in the hoop with the only hand stitching being done was closing up the opening where the bears were stuffed.

The teddy bear on the left is from Bee Stitchin Embroidery , the centre one is from Baby Embroidery Shop and Little Ted on the right is a free design from Kreative Kiwi Embroidery

These 2 beauties are also available for free from Kreative Kiwi Embroidery

Boy and girl teddy bears from Oma's Place

Ofnah's bear

This adorable bear is from the big footed collection of Dolls and Daydreams

and last but not least, this beautiful Flower Teddy from Louisa Meyer Originals which I embroidered on bridal satin.

This was so much fun.  

Twisted Pole Table runner

The table runner I wrote about in this post is finished and our quilting group will display our runners at our Guild's General Meeting on Saturday.

It was a fun, fast project leaving us all time to finish up some more UFO's before year's end.  I did however struggle again with the quilting - just deciding what quilting to do where.  Wasting a week on something that should take a single evening.  One of the reasons a whole month had slipped by since my last post.

I also finished a cushion for Choc House as part of our Guilds' Outreach for this term.  They provide comprehensive countrywide support for children with cancer and other life-threatening blood disorders, and their families.

A fellow member of the Rotary Cutters, Hanlie, gave us all a Pooh Bear panel to utilize.

May this friendly fellow help lessen a child's pain and anxiety whist receiving cancer treatment.

Teddy Bears Outreach Project

At our Guild's last General Meeting for 2018 yesterday, we donated 125 teddy bears to a local hospital to be given to patients who would be unfortunate to spend Christmas in hospital.

I embroidered two bears, one boy and one girl with these designs from Oma's Place using variegated thread for the satin stitching.

One of our Rotary Cutter group members, Marietjie van Rensburg, embroidered these 15 adorable bears.

Below are pictures taken at Life Rose Park Hospital during the handover of the teddy bears to the patients on Christmas Day.

Alzheimer Sensory Blankets

It's been a few weeks since my last post.  I am busy with various projects all in different stages, some of which are birthday presents, so I am not able to post pictures about them as the birthdays is still upcoming.

I did however finish the two Alzheimer Sensory Blankets our quilting group made (this previous post refers)  Our guild will be donating this on Saturday at our next general meeting.

Alzheimer Sensory Blanket

Our Guild is donating sensory blankets for Alzheimers patients this year for an outreach project.  Our group each made blocks that I will stitch into a quilt this coming week.

Angeline's blocks

Elsa's

Frances

Magda

Rika's

And mine.

We all played around using different textures adding different activities to keep those hands busy.  I am really looking forward to seeing the final product.

Bibs for the elderly

This year our Guild decided to make bibs as an outreach project for the care centres looking after the elderly.  We bought hand towels, cut out the neck an opened up one shoulder.

I then embroidered them with verses from the Bible as my husband, Trevor suggested. 

Below are the 4 verses quoted from The Amplified Bible:

Philippians 3:14  I press on toward the goal to win the (supreme and heavenly) prize to which God in Jesus Christ is calling us upward.

Philippians 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always (delight, gladden yourselves in Him);  again I say, Rejoice!

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

Isaiah 40:31  But those who wait for the Lord (who expect, look for, and hope in Him) shall change and renew their strength and power;  they shall lift their wings and mount up (close to God) as eagles (mount up to the sun);  they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.

Outreach Quilt completed

The Outreach Quilt I wrote about in this and this post, is finished and the ladies of our quilting group is quite happy with the end result.

Free Motion Quilting

After free motioning various quilts over the past 3 years, I am at last feeling that I'm actually getting it right.  It is an art that can only be accomplished with hours and hours of practice (well, for me anyway).  I am so glad that I persevered!

I can't write about this without thanking Hettie Pringle, under who's guidance 4 of us did a beginners course in 2010.  Although we thought it quite a daunting task to free motion, Hettie inspired and helped us with valuable advice. 

3 weeks ago, my friend, Sonia Botes (read this post) asked my help with the quilting of a play mat for her granddaughter.  I used the loop-de-loop pattern and this is how it turned out:

 And over the Easter weekend, I free motioned the Outreach quilt I wrote about in this post:

 

 

Outreach Quilt

On Tuesday night at our first meeting of the year, the Rotary Cutters stitched blocks for an Outreach Project of our Guild (Oranjequilters).  A fellow quilter donated the fabric and we used a technique illustrated by another Group at one of last years' quarterly meetings.  The 12.5" blocks will be cut in 4 and then assembled to form a lap quilt.  It is also linked to the Challenge for the second term.  Afterwards al the finished quilts will be donated to Dewetsdorp's Old Age Home.

This is how the 20 blocks looks thus far: