Thank you Santa

Santa brought me exactly what I wanted for Christmas...
I must have been a good girl!

A self healing cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter for patchwork
And a magnifying glass that stands on the bench and has crocodile jaws to steady work which acts like a third hand

My esparto grass class is today as well.
My effort is beginning to look like a basket now

Hopefully by the end of class it will look better

Phew a very busy few days
manning the patchwork sale at the Ayuntamiento (town hall) and preparing for Santa's arrival..
Looking forward to lamb for Christmas dinner

Just a few photos of the patchwork on display and also for sale in the town hall as well as some wonderful paintings.
What talent!!

Merry Christmas from Competa :D

Revamped scarecrow doll and purses

There was no raffia available to finish the scarecrow doll as per pattern, so Dolores, the patchwork teacher suggested using some wool for her hair and using the material originally used for hair for the straw effect. So I have been busy re-doing that

I think she has turned out really well, as I have not made a doll before.
I have also been making some more purses

The materials were provided by the association ladies....
and we will be selling our work tomorrow in the salon de actos in Competa 4-6pm.
So I have to nip round to one of my neighbors to give them to her as I will be hosting the knitting club at the same time :( Hopefully I will be able to leave the ladies for 5 mins and go along to the sale..

Scarecrow doll and Jumper

Well, the scarecrow doll is finished and even Mr G thinks it look lovely.
Here is the picture as promised

The jumper went to it's new owner today along with the denim shoes I made

And here is the lovely dolly, which took ages to make...

I have also managed to get another two bags to make as well for next week :D

EEK!!! Christmas is very nearly here...
I have been super busy, honest.
I finished the bag for patchwork and was given another two to make plus a scarecrow doll.
I have also been knitting like mad as the baby boy arrived early, and I have just finished the jumper today!!!
I WILL post pictures tomorrow, as it was knitting club tonight and the daylight has gone.

Sqidgy bunny

Following the market on Saturday, I decided to clear up my little workroom.
I also had to sew a bag for patchwork tomorrow to sell later on in the month for the Ladies association in the village.
Then I made a lovely squidgy bunny because I liked the look of the pattern. He is made as some of you may recognise out of an old t shirt.

Today, was intercultural knitting/crochet club, and we had our first Spanish lady, joining the English/Icelandic/German ladies. I was glad that two of the ladies have begun to master crochet :D

Christmas market day

Well, Christmas market day. The weather was very cold but sunny. The other half stayed to help despite the cold, and I began to get very Christmassy.
One small girl set me off when she 'bought some lovely earrings for my Mummy' Bless.....
I got loads of compliments and chatted to friends old and new.
I sold several paintings and lots of Jewellery, and got several ideas to improve the stall for the next time.
So all in all an excellent time :)

I took these photos whilst I was setting up, and I can now tell that I need some more 'height' at the back of the stall so I will be looking for ideas.

A few shoes more

Old jeans with applique

These took about an hour to make

And these little beauties took me two hours

The shoes have turned out really well, and I will just use these for presents, as they took so long to make..
I had several attempts to photograph these, and eventually went up onto the terrace in the sunshine and stood my tripod on the ground so as not to wobble ...

Today I have been making baby kimono shoes (boy) I think they look cute??

What do you think?
I also sewed a waiter's apron to wear to put my cash into on Saturday whilst at the market.

Sorry I have not posted for a while, but I have been busy.. honest
Monday was the first intercultural knitting/crochet club meeting and I was teaching someone how to read a crochet pattern in English who had not done it before in English.. successfully I hope?? I decided to buy some wool and then began to knit a jumper
Tuesday was patchwork day...
Wednesday Spanish lesson followed by Intercambio (chat)

knitting a jumper for an arrival due in December I have finished the back and just started knitting the front

It is knitting up really well, but because of the difference in quality between english and spanish wool, I had to get thicker wool and adjust the tension accordingly (All since Monday's Knitting crochet club)

Following on with the esparto grass weaving, mine was long enough to begin sewing the coils together to make a basket

The needle is very vicious and takes no prisoners...elastoplast to hand..

It is a similar technique to braided rug making though :D

Thursday I went with my friend to buy some patchwork material to make some more baby shoes to sell (hopefully) at the Christmas market next week on the 3rd December, Here's hoping it decides not to rain this time, Followed by a dash to get to the esparto grass lesson, where I began to sew the braid together.
Today, Friday, was a quiet one, so following shopping, housework and making a cheese and onion pie and sweet mince pie for our supper (the first of the season as the other half will eat them all...) I carried on with the knitting :)

Knitting/crochet club

Well, a bit of good news today. We can hold the intercultural knitting/crochet club in the Center del Ocio on Mondays 4-6pm Yippee...
So anyone who would like to learn/pass on their skills or just knit and natter will be very welcome to come along. (It is also nice and warm in there ..)

Finger/thumb pincushions

Well, yesterday was patchwork class day, so I took some finger/thumb pincushions I made to give to my friends. They were a big hit, and I was asked for the pattern .
They only took about 10 mins to make as well..and are soo easy to use as I am always looking for the pins and needles ..

Well, you get the idea?

If they were turned the other way I think they would also make great finger puppets?

mice? or anything with a pointy nose??

Apple for the teacher

Well, following the lovely sunshine this morning it began to cloud over and rain.
So I finished the apple I was making during the patchwork class last week

an apple for the teacher...

and another patchwork basket...

I also made a big pan full of vegetable soup mmmm :)