Show en Tell this week & "knitting for cool kids"

I have had a wonderful three days of work.  Customers have been bringing in their completed crafts (best part of the job).  Check out these photos.

Four sided kaleidoscope blocks

cot quilt

Crotchet baby's pram blanket using Loyal DK

SOOOOOOOOOO cute.  Knitting broach. 

Our speedy knitter - Janice.
Full story below.

I joined a Facebook page "Knitting for Cool Kids" six months ago.  It currently has 126 members and not all of them live in New Zealand.  The objective is to knit scarves, beanies, mittens/gloves and slippers for children who attend the lower decile primary schools (lower income areas).  Once you become a member, there are patterns available within the group.  Its awesome - great way to use up left over yarn, knit a quick project and do some good at the same time. 
Janice is a regular customer who just loves knitting and crotchet.  Today she dropped of her fifth load of knitwear - 4 scarves, 2 beanies, 13 pairs of slippers and 15 pairs of fingerless gloves.  Go Janice.

Happy stitching friends.

Cartoonify your friends

I was fortunate to attend a class by Camilla Watson called Cartoonify your friends last Saturday.

 Camilla is a wonderful and very clever tutor.  Here is a sample of one of her quilts exhibited at the NZ Quilt Symposium at Taupo 2013

When it comes to faces - she is very clever.  Please visit Camilla's website:  healyourlife.co.nz

So when Coastal Quilters advertised that she was running a class - I made sure I could attend.

The objective is to cartoonify friends or family.  I found it quite tough drawing the faces in my piece.  Camilla asked if I was emotionally attached to my subjects.  True, I am so this explained the difficulty I was having.

Here is my current progress.

Photograph taken several years ago of my Uncle, Aunt, my Brother and myself

I have drawn cartoon characters of my Uncle and Aunt.
This piece will be their Christmas Gift this year.  Lol - No my Aunt doesn't have
a beard - I had a lot of trouble with the chin.

I have chosen the wrong side of this Kiwiana Koru fabric
as the background to embroider on.

Beginning of embroidering.

I will post the finished wall hanging when its complete.

Great fun class, bit emotional but once I had their faces drawn it came together quickly.

25th of February 2015. I've just realised that I hadn't posted my completed piece from attending this class.

It's a cushion - hadn't been stuffed at the stage I took this photo before Christmas.
Shirls

Schmetz sewing machine needles

I took a snapshot with my Ipad on the Schmetz website today. 
Check out the colour coding of their needles.  No more struggling to read the tiny tiny engraving on the needle shafts to find out what size they are.