WOYWW 244 & Friendship Blocks

Our world famous leader, Julia, over at the Stamping Ground invites us all to show and tell about our crafty spaces and the things we are creating within them. Why not go round for a snoop, it's good fun and it is the 244th time it has happened.
Lots of friendships have evolved thanks to Julia's brainchild and so I am adding an invite to any WOYWWers to join those of us who will attend 
the Creative Crafts show at Event City in Manchester. 
It is open this week, Thurs 6th, 7th and 8th Feb and so far I know of 3 people already who will be there on Thursday. Email me if you too would like to meet up with some Northern WOYWWers and we can set a time for a cuppa and a chat ... I'll be wearing my badge!

This week I have been stitching, planning my "Block of the Month" for the friendship quilts we are making in my quilting group and here is my desk with it almost prepped ready to go tomorrow. 

I'm staying nice and warm working on the breakfast table and the good thing is that it then gets tidied away and left clear after I've finished crafting.

Each month, one of us demonstrates a patchwork block and selects the colours to be used. Then all of the others go off and make it and bring it back the next month. This month it is my turn and I chose a block, I have never before tried, called "Card Trick" so I've prepared packs of instruction sheets and the background fabric pieces and next month all the finished blocks will be amazingly given to ME to sew together as a friendship quilt! I'm so thrilled it's my turn at last. I have really enjoyed participating each month, learning new blocks and giving them to the other lovely quilters but this time they are mine all mine and I treasure the quilt I will soon make from them.

"Card Trick"

The colours are much nicer for real as the bottom left one is a pinky cerise not red.

Here you can see last month's block ready for me to take in.

The choice was Japanese folded patchwork in red fabrics (we were all given the white inserts) which I really enjoyed making. It is all hand stitched and is lightly padded so there is no need to use wadding or batting when the blocks are sewn  together and the quilt is made.

Japanese Folded Patchwork

Here's a post from a couple of Winters ago which I'd really love to try and this is my DD's creation, however, in our area we haven't had weather cold enough (YET) to freeze anything. I know many of you, especially in other countries, are experiencing severe cold and snow etc., so I thought maybe you'd like a reminder to try this frozen art.

My DD in Germany made this novel piece of ice art for her garden, from an idea she saw in pinterest. Simple to make, it is so effective. Greenery, berries, leaves and a string (for hanging it) were added to water in a large plant pot saucer. It was then just left to freeze before hanging it up in view from the window. No doubt it will last a long time as the temperature is consistently much colder there than it is has been here in England. 

Mind you from all reports it looks like we'll soon be having a spell cold enough for me to try this out!

Stay warm!