UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion

Just finished sewing square pillow covers, because Ikea do not sell covers for their square pillows.

Oooh - I do like those, bookworm!

I hadn't been to Scotland since the 1990s but certainly after the trip last week we would like to go again but with time to explore. There's no time to do anything on work trips, just dashing from one place to another to get things done.

Balmoral is lovely if you get a nice day, I was surprised how cheap it was as well. Well, I expected it to be more expensive than it was is what I really mean but I don't think £10 entry is too much to ask for, you can pay £5 deposit for the audio tour but you get that back when you return it.

And the scenery is gorgeous. Take your midgy stuff, though!

I am so struggling with the quilting #:-( I am not giving up yet but it is getting so close to it. Boo hoo.

Did you manage to get to grips with the quilting, Pat?

Is anyone else making Father's Day cards? I've been having crafting sessions with my friends which is great, I've been teaching them what everything does and hopefully they'll get into it too!

Karen (Kew) wrote: "Did you manage to get to grips with the quilting, Pat?"

I am persevering Karen but it is hard work. Can't say I'm enjoying it yet. I will go to a beginners group tomorrow 10 til 12 so hope it will kick start things for me. At the end of the day it is supposed to be enjoyable.

Pat (Scorpio) wrote: "I am persevering Karen but it is hard work. Can't say I'm enjoying it yet. I will go to a beginners group tomorrow 10 til 12 so hope it will kick start things for me. At the end of the day it is supposed to be enjoyable."

Hope it goes well, as you say, there's not much point doing if it you are not enjoying it!

I'm making a baby blanket at the mo - some friends of ours have adopted a baby! No one outside the family knew because it wasn't certain, so we were all happily surprised when they made the announcement - and the baby is gorgeous!

Oh yay!! Congratulations to them Karen :o)

Well I went. Talk about a fish out of water, it was awful! Beginners group Ha! my eye. Beginners don't work on full size quilts.
It was a large church hall, high roof and very warm. Everyone nattering ninety to the dozen. The noise was echoing and I tried to concentrate on my little tumbling blocks square. Then I thought this is not for me. Gathered my stuff and made my escape. Pity, but I will try at home and see if I can get to grips with it all. I don't like to quit at anything but this is beating me at the moment.

It's rotten when they don't really advertise standards properly and leave people floundering.

Great news about the baby Karen!

Sorry to hear about your experience at the quilting group Pat, possibly a one to one class would have been better. I've tried quilting(hand, not machine) and must say I don't find it as relaxing as my other hobbies.

I love handsewing the hexagons together - very traditional! and far easier to line up. Hope you manage to get to grips with the tumbling blocks, Pat. It sounds a bit challenging - I hate anything where you have to be really precise.

Sorry to hear that the course was so disappointing. Have you checked out youtube for tutorials?

Bought books, Dvds, and videos from Youtube too. I am determined to crack this. Regardless of enjoyment or not! Will post a photo of my blocks in progress. I don't like them very much but was told they were easy for beginners to do.

I have some paper templates for hexagons Karen. I hope to get on better with them. (freezer paper)
If nothing else it keeps the little grey cells busy. Can't afford for all of them to go to sleep.

There was a lady on hols with us who took a bag full of little hexagons to sew while she was on the train. (it's a 2 day journey by rail to Italy) Made me wish I'd taken some too!

Hope you come to grips with the quilting, Pat. Although if you are not enjoying it, why not give the material to charity and do something that you enjoy more...?

I've been very remiss lately about posting the free craft books. I've noticed there are several knitting books free today so I'll list them here.

Knitting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Today's free craft books

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Country crafts
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Knitting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Making bath bombs
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Karen (Kew) wrote: "Hope you come to grips with the quilting, Pat. Although if you are not enjoying it, why not give the material to charity and do something that you enjoy more...?"

No no, you can't give up so soon It's just a question of finding what works for you. Lots of lovely options with patchwork/quilting - eg just doing strippy quilts.

I'm not giving up Karen.

After three phone calls and two emails I received the pack of extra feet supplied with my new sewing machine this morning. Only six weeks after the machine. So I will continue on. When I sort myself out and get more to grips with it all I will enjoy it a bit more. New glasses will help too when they arrive.

Hope things improve for you now that you have the sewing machine's bits all intact! You said earlier that you don't like the blocks that you are using - why not change the template to one the you like, you may feel more inspired and enjoy the quilting more that way?

Today's free craft books

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Knitting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Today's free craft books

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Knitting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Karen (Kew) wrote: "Hope things improve for you now that you have the sewing machine's bits all intact! You said earlier that you don't like the blocks that you are using - why not change the template to one the you l..."

finished sewing the blocks, just have to put them on a background now. They are not wonderful but I am happy to have managed them.

Thanks every one for all the suggestions, I am slowly getting there.

Glad to hear that you are getting to grips with the quilting, Pat.

Here is a link to the blanket that I made for my friends' adopted baby.

https://www.goodreads.com/photo/group...

Today's free craft books (most have been free before)

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Making natural dyes
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Soap and lotion making
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

I love it!

My aunty has knit me a rainbow coloured blanket for the baby, I never thought of the colours stimulating the baby like colourful toys do but it makes sense! I'll have to remember to pack it in the baby's hospital bag

Thanks, Jud. I love the sound of the one that your Aunty has knitted, too. I'm sure that babies will prefer them colourful.

Love the colours, Karen! Maybe I need stimulation, too!

That's lovely Karen and a good idea, babies do love bright colours. You've given me an idea for doing something similar thank you.

Karen (Kew) wrote: "Glad to hear that you are getting to grips with the quilting, Pat.

Here is a link to the blanket that I made for my friends' adopted baby.

https://www.goodreads.com/photo/group......"
Thanks Karen

That is lovely work, Baby and parents will Love it!

Thanks for the kind comments :)

Today's free craft books (some new ones!)

Pressed flowers
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Decorating bottles, eggs(!) and stained glass
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

I don't think the photos do them justice (not saying they're brilliant, but they look better in real life), but here are a couple of 'scenes' I've been working on added to the Facebook album. The first one was, well, the first one. The second one with the shack is the next evolution. https://www.facebook.com/shaun.jeffre...

I don't even know where you must begin to start making stuff like that.

I start with an idea, draw a very rough sketch, then start sculpting. Currently making some dragonfly and butterfly scenes with copper plants and bulrushes.

They're lovely, Shaun -well done!

Today's free craft books

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Knitting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Soap making
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Thanks, Karen. I've added a couple more photos now. One is a simple butterfly to put in plant pots, the other a dragonfly and butterfly in the bulrushes: https://www.facebook.com/shaun.jeffre...

Just come across Mary Smith's gorgeous book on the history of Shetland knitting, with patterns too - it's like an ethnographical pattern book. Now I need to be able to afford it!

I've been trying to warp up to weave a scarf - not entirely successfully.

http://murrayofletho.blogspot.co.uk/2...

those are awesome Shaun.

Should have put a link to that:

A Shetland Knitter's Notebook

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shetland-Knit...

AJ wrote: "those are awesome Shaun."

Thank you. The more I do, the more I'm learning and improving. I started a bamboo wall hanging today: https://www.goodreads.com/photo/group...

Love the deckchair and drink one - they're lovely, Shaun. Have you also got them on Pinterest?

Karen wrote: "Love the deckchair and drink one - they're lovely, Shaun. Have you also got them on Pinterest?"

No I haven't Karen. Once I've finished a few more pieces to a good enough standard, then I'll see about setting up a shop/selling them via whatever channels are available. At the moment, I'm experimenting a lot, but I'm enjoying it, which is the main thing :)

I'm back to bookbinding. Trying to put together a mixed journal and sketch book for a present and I'm so scared of messing it up!

Oooh, now there's something else I've been meaning to try, Emma. Got a couple of books about it, and they're amazing. Lots of painted fabric and stuff for the covers.

It's not as difficult as I thought it would be but I'm using different paper thicknesses in the signatures and inter spacing patterned paper and envelope pockets. I just hope it works without looking ridiculous and is actually useful. I think leather makes a great cover but it's expensive. I've taken to using a coat weight wool instead since I have loads spare from a cloak I made last year.

The bamboo is beautiful even as it stands, Shaun! I wasn't able to see the Facebook pictures, though.

Lexie wrote: "The bamboo is beautiful even as it stands, Shaun! I wasn't able to see the Facebook pictures, though."

Thank you. Strange you can't see the Facebook ones though as it's set to 'public'. :/