Little Announcement

Since Twitter is the new rage in social networking have signed our group up with a Twitter page. You can see it here. So if you are on Twitter please follow our group;

http://twitter.com/GFStitchNBitch

Next Challelenge - Celebrations!

Ginnie has handed out our challenge to everyone. This is what it says;

Following on from the success of the Spring Challenge on the theme of "Homecoming" the Glasgow Fort Stitch 'N' Bitch group is to hold an Autumn challenge. The theme for this competition is "Celebrations". According to the dictionary, 'to celebrate ' means: to obseverve a day or event with ceremonies of respet, festivity or rejoicing; to extol praise; to make widely known or display. So who, or what, do you wish to celebrate? Maybe you would like to extol the joys of Autumn or celebrate Harvest Festival, Halloween or Thanksgiving, or love or life or sewing! Perhaps there is a special person from your family, or famous or fictitious that you'd like to prais, or maybe you just want to show how you feel about celebrations generally.


So if you knit, sew, stitch, weave, bead, bake or crochet get your thinking caps on and your hands busy. At least one prize will be awarded for each class on the show night - Tuesday 10th November, 2009.


Here is a note on the competitions itself;


Same as last time there are two classes:


Original Creation - Design and production must be the entrants own work, and not from a pattern or kit (even if adapted or altered). Marks awarded on interpretation of theme and creativity.


Adapted Design - May be made from a pattern or kit and entered as bought or adapted. Marks awarded on interpretation of theme and technical skill.

There is no limit on the number of entries per person, but each entry may only appear in one class and must not have been previously entered into a Glasgow Fort Stitch 'N' Bitch Challenge. An entry ee of £2.50 per item (payable on the night) will be charged to provide prizes for future competitions.



Basically this challenge is open to interpretation and it will be interesting to see what everyone comes up with. There is plenty of time to think about it and I'll post reminders every now and then so no one forgets.

Talented Lady

We have a very large and very beautiful finished project to show off this week. The above quilt was completed by Val. It's an underground Railroad Quilt. The squares of quilts general have some kind of meaning but this on is particularly special. Each square represents advice or a direction so that black slaves could find their way to safety. The quilts were hung up on washing lines so that they could be seen. The amount of work Val has put into this is amazing. She has been working on this at home due to the size of it. The second image shows the back of one of the squares. This is so you can see how neat the stitching is. In quilting the back should imitate the front so that it can be used both sides. The last image is of a panel attached to the back of the quilt. It tells the story of the quilt. If you click on the image and then enlarge you should be able to read it. During the actual evening Val continued to work on the Japanese quilt squares.

This lovely baby blanket was knitted by Gillian. The pattern is fairly simple in order to show off the colours. Believe it or not the yarn used is self striping which gives the blanket it's lovely effect. It hasn't been knitted for anyone in particular. Gillian spent the evening working on a lovely crochet wave blanket.

This crochet blanket was done by Jennifer. The blanker was made for a friend of Jennifer's who is expecting. It is reversible too. She spent the evening working on a lovely cardigan in purple. Jennifer joined the group a few weeks back. She is a friend of Laura's and heard about the group through her.

Sock lady Ginnie knitted the above sets of baby socks. These are a gift for her God daughters, daughter. She has done three sets of these in three different sizes. I think the way they are packaged just sets it off. The wrapping is actually meant for cards. You can buy packs of them in hobbycraft. Once again Ginnie was caught knitting something other than socks. She started a baby jumper for the same person. She was using sock wool mind you.

We had some new projects on the go this week. Janette was working on a lovely quilted cushion cover. She actually finished the quilting part during the evening and just needed to sew it together. Carole was also working on a quilting project. This was a blanket with an American theme. It also looked like she would finish it soon. Aileen was working on a lovely beaded necklace. With some luck I will get a photo of one of her finished projects to show off. Helen was working on a lovely summery jacket. She is taking a break from the throw as it's too warm to have sitting on her lap whilst knitting. Isobel was working on socks. Ginnie had taught her how to knit them and so she was working on her first pair for her baby grandson. June was working on a flowery cross stitch pattern. She had this one in the car which was lucky as she didn't have time to pick up the sheep she had been working on previously. Linda was working on a scarf for the shoe box charity. Elaine was sewing together squares of the pink throw she is working on for her daughter. She decided to do this ,although she has more squares to knit, to see the effect. I was working on a bright blue pair of socks.

I had planned on doing member of the month starring Janette next week. However, I will be unable to make it due to work. I promise to have it done for the following week. The following month we will have Val and then Gillian. Also watch this space for an announcement for the next challenge. Ginnie has already given out the information sheets. I will post that info here over the next few days.

Groups Donations for Preemie Charity

As promised here is everyone's donations for the preemie charity. There was so much of it we had to layer everything. I then had to photograph it over five images. Elaine is using her hand in the first image to show the size. It's amazing how much everyone enjoyed taking part in this. I can't believe how much we collected. Everyone is so talented. I am thinking that after Christmas we start another charity collection. We can chose the same one or try a different one.

This was handed in on the day by Carole. She had already handed in so much but still found the time to do more. As well as these lovely mint cardigans she also handed some in cream.

This is Janette's contribution. She knitted the lovely colourful blanket and the bear. The little heart the bear is holding was knitting by Aileen (Sunday member who is now coming along on Tuesdays too).

Once again a big thanks to everyone's contribution. It was much appreciated.

In the next few days I will post some finishes members brought along on Tuesday night.

Reminder For Tomorrow

Hi,

I just wanted to remind everyone that we will be photographing everything handed in for the premature baby charity.


Also, next week I will be interviewing Janette as member of the month.

Ginger Bread

Louise asked me to post this recipe for her mum's gingerbread. Everyone seemed to enjoy it when Louise brought it over a few weeks back. Sadly, I don't have a photo.

225g/8oz plain flower3 to 4 teaspoons ground ginger1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
125g/4oz butter or margarine
125g/4oz brown sugar (Normal brown sugar makes lighter loaf but by using dark muskavado sugar you get darker type)
225g/8oz (half a 550g tin) golden syrup (You could also use half syrup and half treacle)150ml/1/4 pint of milk
1. Grease 2lb loaf tin or use liner
2. Sieve the flower, ginger and bicarb and mix in bowl
3. Melt fat, sugar, syrup (treacle) and milk over low heat stirring all the time. When melted cool a little.
4. Beat the egg.
5. Add the liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix well.Beat for 5 minutes.
6. Pour into loaf tin spreading evenly.
7. Cook in cool oven. Gas 2, 300F, 150C for about an hour until it is springy. For fan assisted oven amend as necessary

See You In Two Weeks

Margaret knitted the bunny above for her daughter. She used a pattern by Alan Dart. Everyone was amused by her. Her backside in particular was a source of amusement. Elaine is making her show off her bum for the website. Margaret's daughter was equally amused and named her Peggy. Margaret is now working on a top using Happy wool.

Gillian had another present for Louise. A plastic bib and a lovely blue cardigan. Gillian was working on a crochet blanket.

This beautiful quilt was finished that night. This was done by Janette for a colleague in work who is soon to be a grandmother. She had requested a simple, white pram cover with a touch of pink. Janette then spent the rest of the night working on a preemie blanket.

A friend of Elaine's handed these lovely hats in for the preemie charity. We now have quite a collection which I'll be showing off in a couple of weeks.

Also that night Elaine was working on a lovely scarf using firefly yarn. June, who brought her expecting daughter along, was working on her sheep cross stitch. Ginnie was working on a pair o grey socks for a friend, one of her last orders. Val was working on her quilting as was Carole. Donna was working on a baby toy by Alan Dart. Helen was working on her throw and Louise was working on a little yellow baby cardigan. Isabel was working on a cardigan for her granddaughter and looking through patterns for her next project.

No news from last night as I was away. I will also be away next week. When I come back I will be photographing the preemie items, announcing the next challenge and catching up with everyone's finishes and projects.