World Cup fever - make a football (EPP)

If you have been really bored, you may have found out that a typical football consists of 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons. I say ‘typical’ football, as the older ones were made up of rectangular-ish shapes and the latest one used for the World Cup is actually made up of six cleverly interlinked panels. But this make is for a ball consisting of hexagons and pentagons.

Lots of left-over hexagons?

I believe there are many like me, who have lots of basted hexagons not yet used in a project. Find 20 of them, measure the side and create 12 pentagons to match. Add toy stuffing and you can make a football.

For this particular ball, the recipient decided she wanted to be able to hang it on her bag; hence we added a ribbon when sewing the shapes together.

I found that you can turn and stuff the football through just one of the pentagons (1 inch sides).

Free pattern

Head over to my shop to download the free template and brief instructions. The PDF file includes the full set of hexagons and pentagons for a football; all with the side 1 inch. I have also included a separate page with hexagons and pentagons with 1.5 inch and 2 inch sides.

Refresh of the footmuff pattern

Almost seven years ago, I posted a tutorial of sorts, showing how you can make your own customised footmuff (also known as cosytoe, bunting bag, pushchair bag, etc). It has by far been my most popular post, attracting over 50k hits.

After receiving a request to contribute to the Baby Feature (#babyfeatureUKQU) on the UKQU website, I have now updated the tutorial and turned it into a downloadable PDF pattern with images explaining the various steps of the process. As usual, it has taken longer to get the pattern and tutorial written up than actually making the item itself!

Feedback on my original tutorial can be found in the comments section on the original post.

Get your copy of the pattern

To make your own customised footmuff, please head over to my UKQU shop; whilst you are there, don’t miss the opportunity to also download some of my free patterns to make the UKQU logo (appliqué and FPP); just make sure you click the ‘Free Patterns’ link to see all of them.

Thank you

The main fabric I used is called Geometrix and was generously donated by Lewis and Irene. It is available in shops across the United Kingdom now. I also used a stripy mint green & white cotton, probably from Fabrics Galore in London, and in an effort to be frugal, a previously used fleece blanket from IKEA. You need around 1.5m of each, but it varies depending on the size you are making.

Final farewell of a quilting friend

The amazing hand made pall which she was the driving force behind

Hand flower including hexagon

Vila i frid / rest in peace

Book Club - The flower hunter’s cottage (4)

My next quilting novel recommendation is The flower hunter’s cottage by Dee-ann Black.

It is the first book in a series of three in the Cottages, Cakes & Crafts series of books;

Book 1 – The Flower Hunter’s Cottage
Book 2 – The Sewing Bee by the Sea
Book 3 – The Beemaster’s Cottage

It is a rather fast read with its only 30,000 words and easy language. Notwithstanding this, it's a book which hooks you in.

The characters are sweets and easy to associate with. If you are a quilter or an artist who loves nature, it's easy to identify with Mairead, the lead character.

Mairead is looking for a new start in life and has secured a one-year lease on a small cottage in the Scottish Highlands. Included in the deal is that she must look after the gardens as the owner, the Flower Hunter, is abroad seeking out new species of flowers.

The story starts in the middle of the winter and Mairead focuses on getting to know her new neighbours and to work on her artwork and quilting, as well as get the garden ready for the spring and summer. Add in a few handsome young men and the story goes from there....

Giving something back using my sewing skills

Having refocused my life to prioritise things I enjoying doing, rather than letting work rule everything, I am spending more and more time volunteering.

One of the organisations I support is the Swedish Church in London. The 'Syjunta', sewing club in English, meets every two weeks during term time. All of the ladies speak Swedish and most of them are well and truly retired, some having moved to England more than 60 years ago.

I affectionately call the ladies who are part of the Syjunta 'my sewing grannies'. I never met one of my grandmothers (mormor) as she passed away when my mother was a teenager, and my other grandmother (farmor) passed away when I was still very young, but I remember her lovely singing voice and painting talents with fondness.

Recently, the Syjunta lost one of our amazing members to cancer; her quilting skills were second to none, but she never ever wanted to hear how good she was. A lovely, humble lady, who never had any children of her own and who very fiercely told me "she was not a granny!". She is sorely missed, but many of us managed to spend some final time with her during the last few weeks, before she peacefully passed away during the night.

We are planning an exhibition of her works during the autumn and I am really looking forward to seeing all her lovely work properly displayed for everyone to admire.

Our last Syjunta for the term was today, and we are meeting again in September when we in earnest start preparing for the Christmas fair (22, 24 and 25 November 2018).

We'd love you to join us if you are able to speak Swedish and can come to our meet-ups in London. For many of the members, these bi-weekly sessions are their only chance to speak Swedish. Oh, and we always have lovely 'fika'!