Meeting examples

Good afternoon

It was lovely to see everyone of you again today. We had 25 boys and girls today with two new ladies joining us for the first time. Welcome to Sue and Trish, who brought up the numbers at the quilting table.

A few of the regular members were on holidays and others busy with family, so  next month might be busy again.

The Show and Tell table was full of beautiful items once again. Socks by Elisabeth, who has caught the sock bug after finding the perfect yarn for her needles. A magnificent quilt by Liz, who dedicated many hours while recuperating of an illness.

Helen showed off her alpaca wool shawls, and Trish brought in some modern quilts that were absolutely stunning.

Helen Fitzpatrick  made a lovely runner , with the tiniest of squares and Gail knitted a baby jacket, hat and bootees for a new family member ( in the making).

I finished a small scrappy cot quilt, to empty out my scrap basket.

Enjoy the piccies and see you next time.

Johanna

May Crafters meeting

We had a lovely collection of creations on display, as well as hearing about Michelle’s trip overseas and getting ideas from Johanna’s carry bag made from a Game pellets sag!  Food for thought!

Julie was working crocheting a cardigan for her new granddaughter,  Regina had a bag of knitting with a bonnet where her cat had broken the thread,  naughty cat,  and was knitting a stripey scarf with ichord edges.  Gail and Johanna were working on intricate stitch work, Glenys knitting, and Kerry spinning .  Lots of business!

We did hear that Sheridan is much more recovered. 😊

Helen showing her beautiful and intricate quilt,  made from a pattern but her choice of colours. Stunning!

And back showing the stunning sewing pattern…I hope you can zoom in!

Sue showing the delightfully simple and pleasing sashiko stitching, with the extra thick cotton, on a piece destined to be a table runner.

Two delightful bags…

A beautifully designed and made piece to become a cushion.

Another cushion cover created with such attention to detail.

Johanna showing this spectacularly coloured and patterned beginnings of a quilt. Fabulous!

Michelle had a fabulous time in an Antique Textiles shop in London,  showing this doll she bought made from heritage quilts where only some bits could be salvaged.

This quilt Michele purchased is from Cumbria and is dated from the 1830’s. Some pieces are beginning to perish,  so the plan is to sew similar pieces on top.  So many interesting pieces of fabric!

Kerry showing a different style of quilting where the pattern is painted to the fabric and then sewn around.  This one is called “Late night bloomers “

And this complex and colourful number is called “Midnight Mille Fiori”

April Crafters Meeting

People arrived in good spirits to share stories and work on their knitting, crocheting, spinning or sewing this morning.

We learnt that Sheridan is now home and is spinning again. So good to hear that she is starting to recover.  We are all thinking of her.

Thanks 😊 again to everyone with helping the pack up, making the adage, many hands make light work a happy truth! 🤗

Please find below some photos of the Show and Tell.

Johanna hiding behind her beautiful linked rings quilt creation.

A few more of Carol’s alpaca 🦙 fleece spun and ready to knit or perhaps dye?

A whole alpaca fleece ready to weave as well as a stunning pinwheel woven scarf from another alpaca 🦙

Valeri speaking to the difficulties of working close up with the pinwheel weave.  It looks fantastic as a finished piece.

Regina explaining that this beautiful beanie was created from knitting books that were purchased some time ago with some leftover blue wool and ethically farmed white wool.

Kerry showing her recently dyed wool with the vibrant colours in one and less colourful in the other.

Kerry showing two lovely skeins of yarn she has spun using strips of wool to achieve the verigated appearance.

Julie showing a delightful little vest she has knitted with crochet trim for her grandchild.

March Crafters Meeting

On this grey and welcome damp morning we had a good turnout, with half the number being spinners, as well as some needle work, quilting and knitting going on.

We were sad to hear that Sheridan had suffered a stroke but also heartened to hear that she is going well in rehab and has sent the message “I’ll be back!”.  Yay 😁

Michelle is headed off for a tour in Europe in the next month, so we all look forward to hearing about her trip in May! 😊

Below are some photos of our show and tell.

Johanna displaying her wonderful creation, patterned from a favourite jacket and made with a sheet and quilt backing for the inner.

Johanna used Rit indigo dye and red thread in the sashiko fashion to follow the dyed patterns. 

This year people have been asked to wear a quilted jacket for the Island Quilting Show! How fabulous!

Helen was disappointed with how her alpaca fleece was processed when sent away and returned in pieces, but she has still managed to spin a number of skeins from it.

Helen’s beautifully stitched shopping bag! (Sorry 😔 about the camera shake)

Kerry showing two skeins she has spun. One that Sheridan dyed and the other a Shetland wool spun with silk. Lovely!

Kerry showing her warm and colourful knitted brioche rib cowel with a twist.

Glenys creations in beautiful colours.  A lovely shawl, skein of hand spun wool and beanie.

Gkenys showing how to wear her beautiful shawl with shawl pins.

Regina explaining how this delightful bonnet, from Tin Can Knits, is made using i chord stitch to start it off. No sewing! 👍

Julie showing what can be made with leftover wool, with the motto of avoiding SABLE…(Stash accumulation beyond life expectancy)! 🤣

Mike is wondering what he will now do with the wool he usually spins to hold up the raspberries.  A rug, mat or jacket came the cries from the audience! 😃

Mike displaying a beautifully turned piece of Horizontal wooden pen which he made teaching a colleague from the Men’s Shed.

February Crafters Meeting

This sunny Regatta Day holiday brought us out in good number to enjoy being next to the Huon river and share knitting knowledge/patterns, spinning, sewing, quilting , hear a firsthand account of the response to the fire at Gordon yesterday and learn about dyeing techniques.

Sheridan recounted both the frightening speed that a fire started in these current dry conditions and brought home the need to be more prepared to leave as well as the reassuringly quick and overpowering response of the fire services.  This turned a ‘get ready to evacuate ‘ situation to under control.

Many thanks to Valeri and Josiann for sharing their dyeing expertise and to everyone for making light and pleasant work of the setting up/down in the hall.

Welcome to Paula and Emily and we hope your journey learning to spin is fun.

Pictures speak a thousand words! 😁

Valeri tying string around a silk scarf in preparation to be dyed.

Valeri and Josiann preparing two pots of dyes and explaining the process and answering questions.  One pot had Landscape colour called Sarsaparilla and the other Dingo.

The Thylacine scarf had first been dyed with Currajong with a metal cut out of a thylacine to prevent the dye colouring the whole scarf and then over dyed with Dingo. The alpaca skein was dyed with Dingo.

Hanging out to dry….

Valeri’s three silk scarves.  Beautiful results!😊

Johanna wearing her repurposed quilt blanket for those winter months in drafty halls!

Using fabric texters, Johanna has brought to life this hand drawn scene, sealing it with a medium to allow the fabric to be washable, as well as bring out the colours.

Vicki wearing her beautiful soft jumper, first started in 2007 with the kind direction of the Irish pattern maker, who by the way is very pleased with the result!  For those who love intarsia knitting, eat your heart out!💕

Julie showing her beautiful top knitted from a wool/ cotton mix.

Valeri showing what can happen if you throw your hand knitted socks in the washing machine!😲

Josiann showing the results of dyeing grey wool…. lovely vibrant colours! Thanks for coming all the way from Campania to share your knowledge!😁

Josiann’s dyed wool, Moorit, with the original fleece on the left.

Michelle displaying her creation made from leftover materials to make this simple but very pleasing quilt for her bed. Yay 🤗

The reverse side is also quite lovely!

Carol showing her two skeins of alpaca fleece, once cream now much more interesting colours!

January 2024 Meeting

The skies were grey but everyone arrived in good spirits to welcome in the New Year.

Christmas travel adventures, of not a fun kind, were shared before getting down to the serious business of sewing, spinning and knitting.

Some lovely work has been produced over the last few weeks .

Johanna showing her hand drawn and embroidered Dutch scenes on repurposed pillow slips, to go on the back of a quilt made from repurposed business shirts, below….

Valerie describing how she used black and partially dyed black alpaca fleece to make this beautiful shawl.

Another beautiful natural coloured alpaca fleece woven shawl, complete with little alpaca insignia (below).

This silk scarf was originally a yellow orange colour and Valerie wrapped it around a large wooden dowel, tied string tightly around it and then used the remaining black dye from two pictures up to produce this stunning piece.

Valerie looking very pleased to have finished this knitting project, with a water droplet fringe and an i- chord ‘hem’ at the too. 🎉

Julie showing off her silk and cotton nighty! 😴

A little over felt! This somewhat smaller than it used to be top did have a bit of a droopy collar, no longer 😌

A beautifully stitched wall hanging, with words to ponder from Rumi.

Michelle hiding behind one of the panels that will make up a beautiful and engaging quilt. We look forward to seeing the finished product!

Hot off the press! Regina finished this delightful baby blanket just we were finishing the show and tell! 👌

December Crafters Meeting

For our Christmas meet and the last one for the year, a lovely bunch of gifts and lots of yummy food was shared.  

Next stop 2024!

A lovely selection of generously offered gifts were shared.

Sue has made this delightful cushion cover for her niece (I hope I have that right) who loves chickens and spends time mothering little chicks!

Glenys displaying Kerry’s beautifully hand spun and dyed Merino skein.

Vicki showing her gorgeous little Santa Socks that she has been knitting for the last few weeks for the Cygnet Storytime group and young and not so young relatives.

Carol displaying her winter wooly that has taken most of the year to spin and knit. 😁

And it is reversible too….

November Crafters Meeting

With a good turnout, it was great to see Pauline after her hip surgery. Some beautiful quilting and needlework was under way through the morning, as well as some spinning.

We’re looking forward to next month’s meeting to share a plate of goodies and put a little something under the tree if it takes people’s fancy!😊🌲

Johanna’s beautiful quilts.  Above is one made lots of bits and pieces and the finished product of her Dutch theme quilt in the first photo.

Two pieces of two colour Brioche rib inspired by Kerry’s work last month as well as some lovely white roses from Valerie’s garden.  Sorry 😐 about the blurry photo!

Pauline displaying her beautiful shawl.

And lovely owl 🦉 finger free mittens.

And some homespun crocheted booties.

Kerry showing her beautifully hand spun skeins of wool.

It’s difficult to see in this photo, but Valerie has spun in some small beads to this skein of wool to ensure that the beads do not move at all in her woven creation yet to be.

The pieces of wool with small beads threaded onto them ready to be spun.

October meeting

Today we had a smaller group,but a good one. We welcomed Julie back from WA and enjoyed seeing her photos of the new addition to her family. Very cute!

Thanks to Gail and Johanna for assisting with my teething issues and keeping the show on the road.😁

Kerry’s lovely spun and dyed skeins of different thicknesses of Merlino wool.

Kerry showing one of the finer gauge skeins that she has dyed in some lovely colours.

This is what happens with very fine wool a very long,long!!

Kerry displaying an error free sample of Brioche rib in a beautiful blue mix wool.

Glenys’ lovely skeins of her hand spun wool dyed by Sheridan.

Johanna explaining the Dutch theme of this beautiful quilt, incorporating the colours of the Dutch flag, windmills and a water level that is above the lay of the land.

We’re looking forward to seeing the finished product!

Johanna’s prizes for her quilts at the latest show. Yay 😁

September Crafters Meeting

A cold start to this Spring day still saw a well attended meeting.

People brought along a wonderful array of delicious food and brightly coloured bunches of flowers to celebrate the commitment Johanna has given to running the group in last 6-7yrs. Thank you 😊

I hope I can fill Johanna’s shoes okay!

Valerie displayed a beautiful summer Kimono that she had unpicked to show that it was made by rectangular strips sewn together with seams that fashioned the shape.

A colourful silk blend skein that Valerie has dyed to make socks.

My apologies Valerie, I didn’t get a clear photo of the scarf with tear drops!

Michelle with her project bag… using a Teflon foot and paper on her sewing machine to stitche the clear plastic.

Michelle showing the inside of a different style of project bag.

Sue displaying a long term project… beautifully made.

Sue’s lovely cushion, where the criss cross part of the fabric ruffles up when washed.

Johanna’s brightly coloured Fish 🐟 tail design on a lovely large cushion.

A bright and flowery thank you to Johanna from the group 😊

August Crafters Meeting

A few crafters braved the initial foggy conditions to enjoy sharing stories and their latest creations.. Johanna also announced that she is passing the baton to Carol (me 🤗) . I will look forward to meeting everyone again next month!

Here some lovely creations from Monique, Vicki, Michelle, Carol and Johanna.

Monique’s lovely quilt.

Vicki’s lovely soft shawl.

Vicki’s creation from mini skeins and a PDF from England! Beautiful!

Michelle’s quilt will a very Christmassy feel.

A creative hanging storage bag – Michelle.

Michelle’s beautiful bags with double zips.

Carol’s small tote bag made from upholstery fabric found at the Tip Shop!

Johanna’s stunning eucalypt dreaming. 🙂

Johanna’s mystery quilt….

Linked together!