Brixham Bunting: next phase!

We have until 3rd March to come up with our design for one of the triangular flags and to sew our string of bunting. Mary has some packs ready to sew and design, or if you are in town, pop into the Sewing  Box in Middle Street to collect your pack. There are plenty of packs to be collected, so please don't be shy! 

It's very straightforward to sew it altogether, and I have taken about an hour to finish mine. All I have to do now is my design! For me, that is the tricky bit!

Remember to use polyester thread in your machine, not 100% cotton thread, as the polyester is much stronger and more likely to stand up to the weather. Also, if you have a denim or leather needle for your machine you could use it, although it isn't crucial. The fabric isn't that heavy, any normal sewing machine will manage it easily. 

I began by pinning the tape and flags in place...

And very soon realised that all I needed to do was fold the tape and measure exactly where to place the flags as I was sewing.

Drama Club Lunch

We had a very pleasant lunch together at the Breakwater Bistro, lovely food and lots of chat! 

There were twelve of us altogether, and I thought I had captured every smiling face...clearly not, so apologies to those who aren't in the photos! 

It is rather a good way to record all of our WI lunches together! Girls who know how to have fun! 

Dart Bay Annual Meeting looks very interesting!

      You are invited to join us at our

 DART-BAY Food Crafts & Skills, Annual Meeting

Thursday 2nd March 2017 –7pm start

‘Meet and Treat’ evening. Come along and meet other members at our Annual Meeting and have a treat on us. 

• A light buffet and hot & cold Drinks will be provided.

• Display of items made with us in the last year (please bring your lanterns, folded books, calligraphy, lampshades, enamelling, quilted cushion)

• Prize Draw.

• Members Prize competition – Our 5th Anniversary - Handcrafted item with the theme of Wood or Daisies, (please ensure your entry fits within a 12" (30cm) square piece of paper - no maximum height restriction) AND/OR a plate of 6 Hot Cross Buns (as per our recipe)

• Speaker -from a local Quilters Group

• Announcement of our new programme for 2017/18

• We will also have our Annual Meeting and voting of committee members- (new nominations welcome.)

Venue- Mary Magdelene Church Hall, Union Street, Torquay. TQ1 4BX

Cost:- FREE but booking essential. 

email names to TracyJohnson7@hotmail.com

Or ring:- 01803 329118

Craft competition for cross stitchers!

Poppies for the Devon County Show

Poppies - Devon County Show 2017 Remembers

A tribute to the Devon men and women who lost their lives in the First World War will be staged at next year’s Devon County Show.

The commemoration will be made of hand-crafted poppies and put together to create a carpet of red.

BBC Radio Devon and Devon FWI have joined with the show organisers to encourage people to make 11,000 poppies, one for each of the men and women who lost their lives.

If you want to get involved then you can make your poppy out of anything but paper. if you want to knit or crochet your poppy then you can follow one of these patterns.

Easy garter/knit stitch pattern for beginners 

Colour A Red (one ball will make a lot of poppies!) 

Colour B Scrap of Black or a black button

Body of Poppy 

Using Col A cast on 120 stitches.

Rows 1-4 Knit

Row 5 Knit 3 stiches together across the row(40 stiches) 

Rows 6-9Knit

Row 10 Knit 2 stitches together across the row(20 stitches) 

Rows 11-14 Knit

Row 15 Knit 2 stitches together across the row(10 stitches)

Cut yarn leaving a tail of about 20cm 

Thread tail through yarn needle and slip all the remaining live stitches onto the yarn tail and pull tight. Pull around into a circle and then mattress stitch (or use whatever stitching you normally use) to seam for an invisible seam. Sew in ends. 

Centre of Poppy 

Using B, cast on 16 sts. Cast off. Coil into a tight spiral and sew base to the centre. 

Or use a black or green button with 4 holes and sew to centre of poppy. Add pin. 

 

2.  Easy ribbed poppy pattern 

Colour A 1 ball red yarn (this will make a lot of poppies)

Colour B Scrap of black yarn or black button

Body of Poppy 

Using Col A Cast on 60 stitches

Row s1 –10 : K2, P2 across whole row(for a slightly smaller poppy do 8 rows of rib). 

Row 11 : Knit 2 stitches together across the row (30 stitches). 

Row 12 : Slip 1 stitch, Knit 2 stitches together then pass the slip stitch over... repeat across the whole row (10 stitches). 

Break off yarn with long tail and thread back through remaining stitches and pull tight. Join edges with mattress stitch 

Centre of Poppy 

Using B, cast on 16 sts. Cast off. Coil into a tight spiral and sew base to the centre. 

Or use a black or green button with 4 holes and sew to centre of poppy. Add pin. 

Crocheted Pop Easy ribbed poppy pattern 

You will need some red wool and a black button.

Patterns

1. Three petal crochet poppy with 4.5mm hook Ch 3, join with slst to form circle. Ch 3, work 9 dc into the centre of the circle and join with slst. Work the three petals separately. 

Petal 1. Ch 3, work 1st dc into same st, work 2 dc into each of the next 3 sts. ch 1 work 2 sc into each st, tie off. Petal 2. 

work 2 dc into last dc of previous petal, work 2 dc into each of the next 3 sts. ch 1 work 2 sc into each st, tie off. Work petal 3 as 2. Sew all ends in and attach button in the centre. Add pin 

 

2.Two petal crochet poppy 

Rnd 1: With 3mm hook and wool, ch2. Make 10dc in 2nd ch from hook. Join with a slst in 1st dc. (10sts) Rnd 2: *ch1 dc ch1 2tr in next st, 3tr in next st, 2tr ch1 dc in next st, slst in next 2sts. rep from * once again. Rnd 3: *ch1 3dc in next 2 sts, 2dc in next 5sts, 3dc in next 2 sts,slst in next 2sts. rep from * once again. Fasten off. 

Attach button in the centre. Add pin.

Stitch explanation st(s) = stitch (es) 

ch = chain rep=repeat dc = double crochet rnd=round htr = half treble crochet slst = slip stitch r = row tr = treble crochet

 

 

 

 

Women's Refuge collection

At our last meeting we all agreed to continue our support for the Women's Refuge. Here is a list of items they would like:

Homewares for women that are moving into their own property including cutlery, glasses, mugs, cooking utensils, any kitchen items (it is not essential that these are new however they need to be in good condition).

Food for women on arrival at the refuge/safehouses including tins, longlife foods, pasta, rice, sauces, tea & coffee, longlife milk etc.

Clothing - packs of underwear (new) for different sizes, children & women.  

If you would like to add your support please bring your item to our next WI meeting.

#showthelove

Are you at home with some spare time on your hands? Interested in the changing world around you? Why not join in with the Show the Love campaign and make a green heart to wear on Valentine's Day and highlight the concerns for our environment and our wildlife? 

Here is a quick way to make a heart, based on the Scandinavian style craft I learned at Denman College at the weekend. Once you have assembled your ingredients, as shown in the picture 

Take the smallest heart and sew it to the middle sized one using back stitch following the design on the completed heart. Before you add the 'v' shape to the end of each line, add the largest heart to the sandwich. Then sew on your button. Sew the safety pin to the second large heart and then add it to your heart sandwich, finishing it off by blanket stitching around the edge. Then give it to a friend or family member to wear and make another for yourself! Tell them what it's all about - showthelove.org.uk has much more information, or look at thewi.org.uk if you want to know more.