Bead venture and bobbin roll

here is a sampling of my new venture.

You can find these and more at funkyglassbeads.blogspot.com
On to some sewing...I won this gorgeous fabric in a Gumlace raffle.
I have been planning to make a bobbin roll for some time, and finally got around to it last Friday evening.

This is the outside, opened out.

Here is the side that holds the bobbins. It holds 50 pair of bobbins.

It is very easy to make!

1. Cut your patterned fabric 75cm (29.5 inches) x 56cm (22.5 inches) and hem the 75cm edges.

2. Cut a plain piece of fabric AND a piece of light polar fleece fabric 74cm (29 inches) x 34cm (13.5 inches). Use quilters basting spray to adhere the polar fleece, then the plain fabric to the wrong side, center of the patterned fabric.

3. Turn the excess patterned fabric at the top and bottom over to form flaps, press and sew a seam allowance from the fold, top and bottom, making sure you catch the polar fleece and plain fabrics. (the seam under the date on the pic above)
4. Cut 2 strips of patterned fabric 75cm x 2.5cm (1 inch). Fold in half right sides together, and stitch across one narrow and the long edges. Turn right side out using a knitting needle or tie turner.

5. Pin ties (unstitched ends) 1/4 of the way across the narrow edge at one end, inside the turned down edges and sew along the seam allowance. Turn down the edges on the final end and sew down seam allowances.

6. Using a quilters guide, stitch along the flaps at 3cm (1.25 inch) intervals to form pockets for your bobbins (or pencils).


Hope these instructions are clear...if not, please let me know, and I will try to clarify any sticky bits :)

Students, motifs and glass

First of all I want to share some of my students work!

This is going to be a curtain for a dolls house and is the first project outside a few small samplers.

You can see the first spider...a fete that was more pleasing than my friend at the front door (for some)!!

One of the other ladies completed this flower from Rosemary Shepherd's Fantasy Flowers book. It is a gift for a young friend of hers, and she was completely delighted with the completed article...now she is well into one for herself!

25 Motif Challenge number 8...ok it may be better if I blocked it properly...

Number 9 - I like this one, but I was intending to put the trefoils in the corners?!?

Number 10 - I like this one even more - but I was still aiming to have the trefoils in the corner!!??!!

Number 11 - with the trefoils in the corner - yay...but maybe another round is needed?

And number 12 - I love this one, despite the mistake (or mistakes?) in the bottom right corner.

Actually I intended to join the chain as I did here, but did the next 2 wrong and liked that better. Completed with the same join, it would be more square and even better, I did it with split chains so no sewing threads in each round :))))))))))

The next few pics are a selection from the next firing of beads. Not all are included, but I think I am making some progress! There have been 2 breakages, both of which were delightful beads, so now the challenge is to remake them!!

These first are made with dark fossil - a mixed colour rod - and I really like the effect.

A selection of lady bugs in different red (and blue) glasses. D(Step)S loves the transparent red one on the top right. Quite a compliment from a 17 year old!
Next, some blue lavender transparents with trailing decoration. I found this easier than using stringers and fun to do.

Finally, I have saved the best til last!

I love this cute little turtle...hope you do too!

If you are still here, thanks for reading this rather looonnnggggg post!! Hope you have enjoyed :)

Til next time, stay safe and enjoy the best things in life - lace, friends and sunshine!