New KLLR Swap 2017

We have put our heads together for our next challenge: the final pieces to be revealed at the gathering at Lesley’s place in August. 

Theme: insects

Requirement: must include some recycled element

Contributions:

• must fit in an ordinary envelope
• anything EXCEPT fabric
• send by end of January

Have fun! 

Love from Lesley and Ruth

 I decided to make a cushion for my bedroom on a lilac/purple background and set out to do an applique design similar to the one on a bag I made about 4 years ago.
All of the 4 fabrics contribute to the petals although only in very small pieces. I had lots of fun cutting out the petals and arranging them, I wish now that I had placed  the main central flower slightly off centrre and not so upright to give it more character.
 The buttons make a centre for two of the flowers.

I saw the words on a product in Marks and Spencers and thought they were very true. Also, with the idea of a flower design developing in my head they seemed to suit the project. I had also experimented with embroidered butterflies and moths so the 'dreams flying' bit seemed to work too, but these didn't win a place in the final piece!

 

The back is plain lilac with a simple pillowcase opening and to finish it off there  are 2 bows and a gorgeous little cat!

Kathy's "home" swop project

I received a little blue and white woven sewing box from Mum more than 50 years ago, and used it all the time. Eventually it fell apart; all that was left was the blue silk pincushion from inside the lid. I pinned it to the wall beside my sewing machine a few years ago, as a home for needles. This kept them separate from the pins in my main pincushion on the table.

This swop was an attempt to salvage what was left of the blue silk, and make a more durable needle cushion for my sewing corner. It was just enough to make three little padded cushions (a door and two small windows). The two little blue buttons plus the little strip of blue doormat were also rescued from the original. The only thing I haven't used yet are the buttons I contributed .... decided to use the tiny original blue ones instead! They are about 5mm wide.

Louisa's Challenge project

I see Ruth shorthanding our challenge as the “KLLR” challenge.  I like that -- sounds mysterious and perhaps a bit dangerous!

For this project I set myself some goals:  

1. I would use all the contributed fabrics fairly prominently.
2. The “lettering” part of the challenge would be my focus.
3. I would make something to hang up for Christmas.

I did okay with numbers 1 and 2, not so well with number 3.

I chose to make bunting and spent considerable time researching shapes and sizes for the individual flags.  Finally realized that shapes and sizes were totally up to me as the designer!  

Words:  I wanted my project to “say” something.  Came up with several possibilities -- “home is where the heart is”, “east or west, home is best”.  Thought I might use “home is where the hugs are”.  Realized that all of these were way too long!  And the word “home” by itself was too short!  I could have used “Home (heart) home”  -- that had a reasonable amount of characters, but I didn’t like it. So we have “family”.  Which is still on the short side, so I added two flags using the houses fabric and two more with hugs and kisses on them.  I was really adventurous and used several shapes and sizes of the flags!!

I sent a picture of the finished product to a friend and called it “my odd little project”.  She agreed me with that odd was a good word. So here it is:

It’s odd because what on earth does one do with a bunting that says “family”?  It doesn’t really make much sense to put it on the fireplace at Christmas.  I think I need to choose a nice blank wall to hang it on and then add some family pictures around and below.  (And can we see this happening anytime soon?)

It’s also odd because once I stand back and look at it, my clever little hugs and kisses and heart-with-kitty-inside  look like skulls and crossbones!  

For the moment my bunting is hanging on the wall downstairs near the sewing machine (because that was the first available blank space I came across.)   I had fun making this, but now that it is finished I’m not convinced of its usefulness!

Countdown to Christmas

Day 4

This challenge was the perfect opportunity to make the Advent calendar I have always wanted. I have been saving little charms and decorations over the years with the idea of a calendar that allows me to decorate a miniature tree gradually over the weeks before Christmas.

All the contributions fitted well: Kathy's cats sit happily on Lesley's bright print carpet; Louisa's houses (complete with a Christmas signboard) and my cool print form part of the night scene viewed through the window; Kathy's buttons added to the tree decorations. Pockets of the wall and floor fabrics hold the set of envelops which Miriam designed and folded for me. She also consulted on typesetting the numbers and inserts to help me include the "script" element. I scoured charity shops until I found a 50p jumper in Christmas tree green.

I've had great fun pinning a star in the sky and two ornaments on the tree every day when I read my Advent readings. :). Happy New Year!

Day 25

Close up of decorations