New SAGA Stitches

Three new SAGA Stitches programmes were released at the recent SAGA National Convention in Hampton, Virginia. These new programmes were the results of the SAGA Stitches contest.

The winning entry was a smocked coin purse by Terry Poskay and I was lucky enough to receive a kit to make the purse.

Terry Poskay, SAGA Stitches 2016 Contest Winner

 
It took very little time to smock and construction was easy as Terry includes wonderful step-by-step directions with photos. My little coin purse is complete and will be a gift for a little girl I know. I plan to make a few more of these as they will use some of my stash fabrics and take very little time to make.

Smocked Coin Purse

You can purchase the directions from SAGA Stitches for $8. (SAGA Stitches programmes are just the written directions. You provide the materials. They make great chapter programmes).

Visit the SAGA website www.smocking.org to see more of these great little projects under SAGA Stitches!

The other new programmes are a baby bib and a smocked thimble pocket.

Scorpio

Today sees the start of the star sign Scorpio.

Cut Ups to Hang Ups

So, I needed to make several gift items and I wanted them to be unique. What better than make something? So I had a little think and came up with something that would use some of my stash.

I made covers for padded coat hangers from the vintage linens in my stash that were purposed for cut up. These are the linens that have 'issues' such as holes, tears and stains and have either been given to me or purchased at very little cost for just such a purpose-to make something from them. I even had the stash of padded hangers, so even more used from my stash!

I got a little creative as I used the pieces and tried to showcase most of the original design, but I think  they all came out nicely.

Handtowel re-used

For the hand towel (made in Singapore) I just folded it so the main design was on show and the plain fabric above the design became the back of the hanger cover. I seamed the two sides and made an eyelet for the hanger hook at the centre.

Bread Basket Liner

The bread basket liner (another item from Singapore) was a little bit more of a challenge. I cut the main design flap off, along with the opposing plainer flap. Then I made an eyelet for the hanger in the centre of the remaining piece. Hand stitched the piece over the hanger and added the decorated 'flap' to the centre.

Tablecloth reused

The coloured design on a damaged tablecloth made the above hanger cover. I used the full design for the front, and cutting it so the front and back were one piece. An eyelet in the design centred perfectly for the hanger hook! I managed to get three covers like this from the damaged piece.

 

Place mat

This cover is just a place mat folded in half, Sides stitched on the outside so the finished edge still showed and an eyelet added for the hook. Again the piece is from Singapore (a friend gifted me a collection of linens from her mother who had lived there).

The following three covers are made from pillowcases that had seen better days. I was able to add fabric to make the back of the cover or just fold over the plain fabric and stitch the sides.

  So, this was really another re-purpose, re-cycle, re-use project, but I think it made good use of pieces that might otherwise have been over looked.

I know my stash of cut-ups is now looking more like a mole hill rather than a mountain!

Battle of Hastings

It has been 950 years since the last successful invasion of Britain, the Battle of Hastings that took place on 14 October 1066 and resulted in the death of King Harold and it is all recorded in great detail in stitches! The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the history of the events from 1064 leading up to the battle itself in 1066.

The tapestry is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage ‘Memory of the World’ and measures over 70 yards in length, 20 inches wide,  featuring 58 scenes embroidered using wool on a linen background and is over 1000 years old. The fact that the piece is actually embroidered, not woven means it isn’t technically a tapestry at all.

King Harold with the infamous arrow in the eye that killed him.

The history behind who actually commissioned the tapestry and where it was actually worked is often disputed. Many think it was King William’s half-brother who commissioned the work and that it was embroidered in England. Whoever commissioned it and wherever it was worked it is a remarkable piece and in incredible condition considering its age. When you think of the crudeness of the needles the embroiderer’s had to work with, as well as the lack of good lighting and magnification, the detailed work  is remarkable. 

And, by the way, this piece of work was not completed. It just ends……

The unfinished end of the Bayeux Tapestry

The original tapestry can be seen at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Bayeux, France.

More information can be found at www.bayeuxmuseum.com

More SAGA Convention Fun!

A SAGA Convention is always a fun event.  Being a Convention there are awards to be made for Artisan Achievers; Design Show Winners; Show and Share entries as well as a new board to install and Wee Care to handover to a local hospital or two. And there was the SAGA Stitches contest winner to announce!

This year the Design Show was sponsored by Classic Sewing Magazine/Hoffman Media and Baby Lock USA! The winner of the Best in Show won a Baby Lock Soprano Sewing Machine!

So here are a few photos from those events!

Artisan Achievers 2016

Artisan Achievers 2016: Kelli Fox, Beth Westlake, Heather Schreier, Kim Gimblette (Artisan Chair), Kate Westlake and Marian Drum

 Design Show 2016  Judges

 Barbara Meger, Pat Goldman and Connie Palmer

 Best in Design Show Winner

Bev Clement

Design Show and Show and Share Viewers Choice Winners

Kathy Furth (Design Show) and Martha Broyles (Show and Share)

Wee Care Handover

Wanda De Witt with Joann Moran

 SAGA Stitches Contest Winner

Terry Poskay

And lastly but not least the SAGA 2016-2017 Board:

Chris Sykes; Jane McClure; Ann Peebles; Beth Westlake; Kim Gimblette; Kate Westlake, Lindsay ; Chris Rumohr; Kelli Fox; Sally Rifenburg.

For more information regarding SAGA please visit the SAGA website www.smocking.org

Trees for Troops

Have you made an ornament (or two, or three) for the SAGA Trees for Troops?

If so, don't forget the deadline of October 15, 2017 is approaching.

Trees for Troops Tree at Valley Forge 2016

 
Details of where to send your ornament are in the latest SAGANews, Volume 37 Issue 3.

SAGA on YouTube!

SAGA now has videos on YouTube! You can learn to pleat with Judith Adams and learn two of the basic smocking stitches with Vaune Pierce!

So, if you want to learn to smock or know someone who does, or you just want to watch the experts, visit the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoy-LaYba8gPmo37VHNtP5w

SAGA Convention 2016

Spare time was short at the recent SAGA National Convention in Hampton, Virginia so sorry no real time blog posts, but here are a few photos to whet your appetite for attending one (or both) retreats in 2017!

Some Class Projects:

Some of the Terrific Teachers:

Trish Smith and student

Vaune Pierce and students

Susan O'Conner and co-ordinated students

Jeanne Baumeister and student

Kathy Awender

Judith Adams

Great Baskets:

Wonderful Wee Care:

Some of the over 600 items donated at Convention

Fabulous First Time Attendees:

First time attendees becoming firm friends!

 Visit the SAGA website www.smocking.org for details of the retreats for 2017 and lots more!