Confined Crafting

 Ten intrepid crafters have signed up to participate in the #JDQBS, under the expert organisation of @byekitty who has provided this explanation of how a Quilt Block Swap works... Sophie has been sent a list of items. They are: parsnip, beetroot, honey, limestone, axe, hedge mustard, hornbeam, lily of the valley, quail, chamois, lupin and tuberose.  Sophie hates lily of the valley and she doesn’t know how to represent limestone on a fabric square so she strikes them from her list. She embroiders a parsnip on one square, a quail on another, a tuberose on a third. She prints a photo of a chamois on one square. She uses fabric pens to draw hedge mustard on one and lupin on another. She makes a beetroot appliqué for one square. She finds a bee and honey themed fabric and cuts it to the correct size. She sews a sequinned axe on one square. She makes prints with a hornbeam leaf on another.  Now she has ten squares with a thing on each and our respect for her creativity and skil...

  It all started with a Tweet... Well, maybe it all started in 1793, when the new French government introduced a new calendar, one that was stripped of royal and religious influences, used a decimal system, and celebrated the ordinary, everyday passing of the seasons within nature, agriculture and gardening. According to our friend Wikipedia   the months were given new names based on Parisian weather patterns: Autumn: Vendémiaire  (from French  vendange , derived from Latin  vindemia , "vintage"), starting 22, 23, or 24 September Brumaire  (from French  brume , "mist"), starting 22, 23, or 24 October Frimaire  (From French  frimas , "frost"), starting 21, 22, or 23 November Winter: Nivôse  (from Latin  nivosus , "snowy"), starting 21, 22, or 23 December Pluviôse  (from French  pluvieux , derived from Latin  pluvius , "rainy"), starting 20, 21, or 22 January Ventôse  (from French  venteux , derived from Latin...

Back in January I blogged about my crafting intentions for this year - and seeing as it's April already I thought an update would be good!  1. A new project: making myself clothes I have succeeded in making myself the York Pinafore by Helen's Closet 🎊🎊 I want to write up the experience in a separate blog post so I'll just post a quick pic here: The dress is made from sales fabric that I got cheaply and was intended to be a 'wearable toile' - a test piece that you won't be heartbroken if it goes wrong, but can wear if it goes right! I still intend to make another York Pinafore in nicer fabric. I've also managed to make a top for my daughter, which was my first foray into sewing with knit fabric: It's definitely tricky not to let the stretch fabric, well, stretch during sewing, but I managed to avoid it too badly everywhere except the neckline, which as you can see if quite wobbly. Still I was pleased with it for a first try! 2. Finishing something: cr...