20 Minuters

Last winter, in preparation for long cold evenings,  I bought a fantastic book

200 crochet blocks for blankets, throws and afghans

by Jan Eaton

(Isn’t Bella cute!!! always ready to play!)

On moving to a new area I suddenly realized that

my old blue sofa was looking rather tatty to say the least. Looking through my book

for inspiration I found two squares that I quite liked the look of.

My original thought for a throw was to use all the same colour,

but then I do get rather bored after a while with “sameness”

– that was when I chose the second square to add a bit of variety.

Also different colours ….. I am quite happy with the end result though I will

probably extend the border ….. perhaps with another colour or two!

I do think it is an improvement at any rate :0)

and it will be cozy for the long cold winter evenings!

so that was  my 20 Minuters for a few weeks !

20 Minuters

It is absolutely  AGES since I showed anything to do with my

20 MINUTERS commitment – it is very lacks of me

and my apologies to my Leader Fiona! http://marmaladerose.blogspot.com/

Truth is I just didn’t have a camera available

but also Truth is I have been 20 Minutering just the same!

Sometimes patchwork, sometimes crochet and sometimes

DECOPATCHING! :0)

I love Decopatching ……

Here’s my favourites of the moment …..

I am totally smitten  :0)   :0)   :0)

and now I live within walking distance of ….

http://www.thedecopatchplace.co.uk/

well, the sky is the limit!

Inspiration Plus!

For quite a while now I have been happily occupied each day with my

I must say and own up – it may not be EVERY day, but it mostly is …

Sometimes it is MUCH more!

Well, the 20 Minuters idea is the brilliantly great idea of Fiona at

http://marmaladerose.blogspot.com

For serious INSPIRATIONS pop along and take a

L O N G,   L O N G,  LOOK at  Fiona’s zero calorie baking ….

birthday cake

Christmas pudding

and You simply  MUST, MUST,  M  U  S  T see her cupcakes ….

and …… her

WEDDING CAKE!!

How awesome is that!

I am absolutely amazed at her talent and inspiration ….

no wonder so many enjoy being 20 Minuters,

….. go on NOW and have a calorie free FEAST …..

Yummy!

perhaps you might want to become a 20 Minuter yourself

and enjoy the inspiration and generosity we share from FIONA

just visit her blog and click the 20 Minuter button!

20 Minuters

I have been busy for a while now, off and on, making paper pieced Dresden Plates.

I really enjoy the experience of hand piecing.

Tacking the fabric shapes over their backing papers and stitching them together to create a new textile ….. yes, it is very absorbing and satisfying.

You can become totally immersed in the process of

choosing the scraps …….

tacking on to the papers …….

then arranging each piece into the desired sequence for your plate ……

Yes, it  is very rewarding and the slower pace than machine patching is quite therapeutic.

When it’s all put together, I think the softer look that the stitches produce lends charm and individuality to the finished piece. Well, I hope so anyway! But  I don’t know what they will end up being – a quilt, a throw, place mats ??? Who knows! I am happy to be making them just now so I will wait until I have enough to decide. :0)

It is thought that the Dresden Plate design originated in America in the 1930’s when it would have been made up using small scale dress prints on a white background.

So here are two of my plates coming along,

bit by bit,

20 Minutes at a time!

What do you think?

Click to enlarge photo

20 Minuters

This has been a great crafty group to belong to.  I really have been inspired to “do my bit” most days and enjoy the diversity it has given me. Here is my latest post for my efforts …. a fabric flower!

Looking at it makes me smile.  It reminds me of a silly song popular on the “wireless” when I was growing up ….. “I’m a lonely little Petunia in an onion patch …… and all I do is cry all day”

The great spin off of belonging to a crafty group like Fiona of http://marmaladerose.blogspot.com/ (the Originator of the 20 Minuters) is that you meet up with other inspiring crafting folks ……. Like for example …… Alison at

http://alisonb2.wordpress.com

We have never met, but through this lovely internet group I have found that I have lots in common with Alison and I am really encouraged by her writings (I wish I could write like Alison!)  her exuberance and her creativity.

Take a look and see what I mean!

You won’t be disappointed!

I’m sure you WILL be inspired!

20 Minuters x 2

Meet Blessings Bear = Two sessions of 20 Minuters!

“Little Blessings”  Andover fabric by Nancy Davis Murty

and it says  ….

“May you always be blessed with many successes in life ….

May you grow up to be gentle and strong in both

character and life ….

May you always find joys in life ……

May you always know that you are loved …….”

and lots of other lovely sayings.

My Blessings Bear for little grandson J :0)

I hope he loves it!

http://www.patchworkposse.com/blog/2009/04/summer-travelers-tutorial/

20 Minuter

I am an ardent follower of  Cathleen at http://mysewingserenity.blogspot.com

(look for Storybook House) and Lucy at http://attic24.typepad.com

If you haven’t yet discovered Lucy you MUST pop over to her attic!

Years ago there was a telly programme called “I Love Lucy.”  When you have been in the attic you will see why I, and many others, say : “We Love Lucy!”

Well, being there I realised again what fun little children can have with a little imagination and crocheted or patchworked blankets.  So that is my new intent for the grandchildren – they will have heaps of gorgeous blankets to make into tents, story houses, royal cloaks, camping in the garden or flying away on a magic carpet!

So with that intent in mind I have been a Happy 20 Minuter!

Following Lucy’s Hexagon tutorial I am making a start on my “Jewelled Crochet Blanket!”

Unfortunately it isn’t the gorgeous yarns that Lucy usually uses – just the ordinary stuff from the market – but I don’t think They will mind …. do you?

20 Minuters

Well, now I am officially signed up! So I thought I would show what I have been busy with for my first edition!

The idea is not my own but came from here

Thinking of the Owl family and my need for toys for baby J, I thought,

“What a great idea for a stacking, hiding things under, memory game toy!”

So I busied myself and made six with matching tiny ball to hide under the wigwam.  I was soooooo pleased with my new game.

Then I looked again at the name that Ashley called her little wigwam “Wee wee wigwam” – being English I thought this referred to the SIZE of the wigwam …. not to its use!  The penny dropped  (no pun intended re “spend a penny”) ….. here is the comments on Ashley’s blog:

Hi Ashley – I love your site and you are such an inspiration. Being English I had never heard or seen anything like this little creation ….. I thought it was a game for little ones! You know, you can stack them, whack them, wash them, chew them, and hide things under them …. that was what I thought they were …. so I made a set of six with six matching little balls to hide under for a memory game for my little grandson! How typically British!!! But I do like my little wigwam game. :0) Thankyou,
Val

Val, that is HILARIOUS. I guess I should have fully defined what these are used for. But perfect…..you came up with a brilliant use for them. Haha!!

See Ashley for yourself at

http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com

Still it IS a BRILLIANT game and I would recommend anyone making a set for any toddler. :0)  Or it could be a multi-purpose toy!

Now “What next for a 20 Minuter?”