December: The last meeting for 2013

I cannot believe this is our last meeting for 2013.....where has the year gone...... so many projects started, not so many finished!!!!! 

We had colour all the way today....

Free motion - on a baby quilt for CB - have a guess if it was a boy or girl!!!

Christmas fabric for AB - backing for the quilt top already completed

Back

Front

Finished as last - a wonderful Sunflower quilt from HW.  A quilt which has sat on the UFO pile for some time.  Even more satisfying to finish a quilt when its from the UFO pile!

And, Oh my goodness, I think that may be a Christmas decoration in HS hand ....... no it can't be HS 'does not do Christmas'.  Button and beads to add!!

Ladybird cushion cover from EL - backing being added ready to be shipped to the USA.  I could so see this in a bumble bee pattern.

The Giant Dahlia wall hanging from CD.  I have made no secret that I just LOVED this - the colours are just amazing.  I am just waiting for C to finish so I can place on MY wall :))

It was a very cold day today - so much so that our special new comer made himself comfy on HS warm car engine.  You never notice the cold when you have a room full of colour, laughter and good company.  Dates chosen for 2014 and in our diaries.  Roll on 2014 - new year - new wishlist of projects to make, new techniques to learn and master, however, same old resolution to finish some UFO's.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL

WISHING YOU ALL A WONDERFUL CREATIVE 2014

November: Half the quirkies...

We were a subdued group of quirkies this month.
Family commitments and a sudden need to work through the night depleted numbers to an exact half.
But did that mean we were half as busy? oh no not a bit of it....

There were mini Christmas wall hangings to be started....

Crochet challenges to be conquered...

Coloured flowers to be crocheted together....

There was chit and chat, and then some chat and chit.

Then there was splendid minestrone soup and fresh bread...

 

So we were fully refreshed and revitalised for conquering crochet practice on boring plain white wool and moving onto neon yarn in the afternoon....

October: And Another One.....

As a group, and I hope I can speak on behalf of the group, we are so very good at starting projects and all of us have many projects on the go at one time. Well really, you don't know what you will feel like doing when you get up in the morning - also some projects need a couple of hours allocating to get anywhere - and sometime you only actually have ten minutes to move something along.  BUT I think some of us (not all of us) struggle to complete these said projects but the last few meets we have seem some great progress on the finishing front.

And then today ........ #flippinheck...... another said finished project ......

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, CELEBRATTIOOOOON, COME ON CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES...... (think white flared suit, bit on hand twirling to the 70's music, and sing it loud.... ok, just me then!)

One finished bag from AB....WELLLLLL DONE A, such a lovely, lovely bag - you should be so proud of yourself - and see you can do it and you do it so well.

We were actually a little thin on the ground this meeting, with HW up in Birmingham to help at her Mum's quilting show, and HS at a 40th Anniversary Party. And EL on a half day, yes that's correct a half day!!!!

Great progress was made on many projects - picture taking was very poor though - missed half the projects on the go.  #sorryaboutthatilltryhardernexttime.

AB: Inner liner for the above bag.

CD: Sashiko top completed, backing completed and shell joining finished.

CB: Little bit of hooky for nephews birthday present.

Missed EL projects, but ladybird cushion top finished. Note book cover finished.

Goodness its a mass of finished projects.  Maybe I should take that opening paragraph back.....

Lunch was simple affair....

But with a beautiful Birthday Cake for EL.....Yum yum

Quirkies Retail Shop (Yarndale Part II)





We hadn't thought before to knit and then dye!

After an exciting morning of dying various bits of wool we took off to shop and see the sights - all the market stalls were set in the sheep pens of the auction market.

And it felt a bit like being in a sheep pen - that is to say Yarndale expected 6,000 visitors over the 2 day weekend and on Saturday ALONE they had 12,000.  What a tremendous turnout!



There were  warm blooded animals



Angora rabbits

Llamas

 

and those of a more representative type . . .  a few sheep for CB to take home,



along with other critters to inspire future projects

Purchases made (how funny I didn't take any pictures of the wool or the stands!), we headed home.

 

Out to dinner at an appropriately named inn

 

a movie and working on projects completed our day!

 

EL working on notebooks for her class, progress on Dahlia for CD, CB tackling a new 'hooking' project and HW graciously making scissors keeps for charity sale.

 

Quirkes Hit Inaugural Yarndale in Skipton

With two of the quirkies following the blog of Lucy from Attic24 (see right),

these quirkies couldn't pass up the chance to be part of the Inaugural Yarndale event.
So dates were checked, plans made ... and plans improved (!)when CB discovered one unnamed Skipton Hotelier decided they'd had a better offer and cancelled our reservation without advising us.  CB always on the ball discovered & found somewhere new ; we were blessed with rental of a lovely cottage just off Coach street in the centre of town (all in all a better deal).

So tickets purchased and bags acquired and decorated, we packed up and 3 quirkies headed out of London to The North, picking up a 4th quirky at Derby where we stopped for lunch at The Queens Head.  Continuing North, we arrived safely in Skipton, HW navigated the small cobbled lane and found our accommodation at Sweeps Cottage in time for a spot of tea, a scout around town where we discovered ducks just at the bottom of our lane . . .

a lovely town and and a puppet show (admittedly some of the puppets were a bit scary).

 

Back to the cottage for a  'ping' dinner courtesy of M&S and the microwave - very delicious actually! And then a bit of planning for the morning with our bags all set to go.

 

We followed the Yarn Walk along the canal through Aireville Park were we found a few woolly surprises (and sadly at least one that was so loved it was taken -- the apples on the tree).  We found woolly ducks on the bridge, a flower forest where CB posted her own and much more.

did you spot the sheep behind the lamp post warmer?

Getting closer . . .

and then we arrived and overwhelmed with over 6,000 entries on bunting

see knitting needles?

and HB's honeycomb after much searching

 and inside the auction mart where yarns replaced sheep


couldn't believe the bunting!!!

CB's bunting in pride of place

 There was so much to see . . .



Bee Hunt - just for HW

Knitted Andalusian Food won hands down over British Picnic



and do - the four quirkies did a Sue Mackay & Jacki Bogg

 dying workshop

and then following a quick bite to eat, off to do some retail shopping (continued in next blog)