Here comes ...

Yes - it's Rudolph making an early appearance here.

Reminding me that it is time to get organised.

This design by Lynette Anderson appeared in Handmade magazine Vol 27, No 3.

I'm wondering how many people on my gift list will be happy with one of these??

I'm still hooking hexies and show no sign of slowing down any time soon.

Hope you have had time for some creativity in your week.

Now for the weekend.. More work for me, but there is a holiday day next week that I plan to spend at the sewing machine.

Happy crafting.

Stocking swap sent

This is the package that I sent to my partner Tracey over at KnickyKnacks.

Lucky for me the post people delivered efficiently.

There was the stocking - but what's a stocking without a few little treats inside??

I added some chocolate treats, along with a little hanging ornament with her initial, and

One of those hexie washcloths with some pretty hand made soap from central Victoria.

The best bit is she is one Happy recipient. Yay!

Thanks to Selina for organising this fun swap.

Have a lovely weekend however you choose to spend it.

Hexie Clean

This week has been a lot about waiting, so I needed a nice easy project which was easy to pick up and put down at a moments notice.

Out to the warehouse for a little inspiration, what I found there was some cotton yarn left from a project completed some time ago! Perfect as I told the mother I would make her a dishcloth months ago and hadn't done it yet - Now I have just one or two??

Ok - make that five.

These are super easy and the patten is a free one on the Lion Brand yarns website, I adjusted the rows as my thread was finer than the one used in the original, but the pattern clearly states 'correct guage not essential for this project'. Yay.

More waiting coming up next week and plenty more supplies in the warehouse - I'm thinking there maybe one or two of these in the Christmas gift box very soon!

Happy Crafting

Let me out!

There was a squishy in my mail today and she just couldn't wait to get out of that dark place.

She got out and introduced herself to Oopsie, who was hanging out as always on the sewing table.

Then she met Dee Dee and G-Bot.

In the early evening we went for a walk to the beach, well she rode in the bag, having short legs and all and there were lots of big dogs out walking too!

Lovely blue skies today.

Boy those birds are noisy.

Thanks Caroline my new puppy has settled in already.

Thanks to Vanessa for hosting the Send me a Softie Swap, I had lots of fun playing.

Happy Creating

Sometimes...

I just have to try something to see if it will turn out like I imagine!

So instead of working some more on the slow project or any one of the other half started projects that are cluttering up the crafting space I decided to try this.

And it worked.

Picture from an illustrated alphabet enlarged a lot, traced and stitched onto crisp white cotton, crocheted ric rac in same shade as stitching and all sewed up - great quick project.

I can see other letters popping up in time for Christmas.

Happy Monday where ever you are

Slow sewing

Friday night sew in involved some slow stitching.

One large orange swirl and the body of a bird is about the sum of my efforts. No un-stitching - gotta be happy about that.

Hope your Saturday was spent doing just what you like best.

Happy Creating

Shopping and Stitching

What's a girl to do if the universe sends you right past the fabric stores?

Go in and shop of course!

Some pretty thread for quilting Colourful Christmas.

The spotty fabric because sometimes I just can't get enough of a good thing!

The two pink fabrics are destined for Miss14's Christmas gift.

A little progress on this Rosalie Quinlan design which was her contribution to Immerse yourself in Stitching that I attended last month.

I am enjoying this project as the colours are lovely and bright, not that you can see that on this dull day.

It is seriously testing my stitching as there is a lot of chain stitch in this design and I find it difficult to keep my stitches even. A nice slow project.

I will be working on this for Friday night sew in tonight hosted by the lovely Heidi and Bobbi.

It's not too late to head on over and sign up.

Happy Weekend stitches to you.

Party time

I participated in a softie swap hosted by The Clip Cafe, hence all that teasing and not showing.

Now I have been advised by Caroline that they arrived safe and dry - definitely an issue as they went to live in Queensland where they had major storm activity this week with lots of the wet stuff!

These friends travelled together, as it is no fun going on adventures alone, and have been welcomed into their new home.

Designed by the talented Melly, they are a part of her new pattern range for little people.

Oopsie had a little party with her friends before they went to their new homes - oh yeah just ignore the backdrop - of course they partied in the sewing room - if this was anyone else's place they'd probably call this room the lounge!

Wishing you some creative interludes in your Thursday.

Happy Crafting

Colourful Christmas

My Christmas quilt top is all done and sure to brighten this Christmas season.

As Jindi's mum and I participated in the Holly Jolly block swap as a team we made 12 blocks each and received 12 back.

I love that this quilt top only has blocks made by the other swappers.

Border fabrics found in the stash, some of them are the ones I used to make my blocks to send. The stripe has all the colours to match the blocks and has been sitting in the stash for the past year waiting patiently for a home. Perfect.

Have a fantastic Wednesday, I'm sure hoping mine is!

Happy Creating

Have you seen this book?

This book was part of a display at the library - maybe because the local quilt show was earlier this month.

The subtitle is 'A scrapbook of quilting past and present'.

It contains amazing artworks featuring quilts, photos of antique quilts, short stories and old advertisements, lots of amusement and eye candy in these pages, fortunately it is all just for perusing there are no patterns.

This story titled 'Are You a Quilting Fanatic' by Ami Simms is hilarious.

It compares quilting fanatics with all other kinds of fanatics - like joggers, shoppers and cleaners.

She refutes her fanatacism with statements like:

"I only take my quilting supplies on vacation when I know I will have enough free time to make the effort worthwhile. Anything less than six minutes and I leave them at home."

"I only buy quilting supplies that I need, or may need at some point in the future."

The cleaning excuse is my all time favourite - "If you can step over it, walk around it, or put it off until later, then that's good enough for me."

This art work by Judy Wickersham Schauermann entitled 'Quilts for Sale is just amazing with the amount of detail.

An adult picture book - I am enjoying reading and looking at the pictures.

Hope your week is going well.

Happy Creating

Who is hiding in the bag?

Who can it be?

Just a peek.

Can you see?

Oops - see

Pink eyes it is!

Oops -see and this bag were made welcome in their new home.

The bag was made specially to hold a set of templates and fits its purpose perfectly.

Always happy when my ideas work out as planned.

Happy Creating

Something to show

Yesterday I spent the morning in the sewing room and finally I have something which I can show.

A gift for my friend MsL - whose birthday it was yesterday - I was thinking of her.

What is it?

A cup cosy and an essentials pouch.

Here it is on the inside filled with some of her favourites.

A handy pack to take along when out and about.

I had so much fun playing with these pretty colours.

Hope you're having a fun Thursday.

Happy Creating

It's all about the bag!

Or bags...

This pretty blue one with polka dots and flowers.

I found another way to use some of the apple cores that I have been cutting - they are perfect for a simple decoration.

A Christmas bag waiting to be filled.

My tree is complete and it adorns another bag - just perfect for Christmas treats.

A couple of friends hiding in this bag waiting to be delivered to their new home.

Hope you are enjoying the week so far, I have spent most of mine in the sewing room.

Happy Creating

Getting started...

on Christmas preparations that is.

Oopsie here supervising while the new tree takes shape.

Checking out the Christmas blocks received from the block swap held by Aunt Pitty Pat early this year.

The same blocks laid out for perusal - trying to decide if they need sashing or if we will just sew them together and put a border on?

I love that the blocks were made by a number of talented creative stitcher's and how wonderful they look all together.

They probably do not need any input from me!

Hope your weekend has been a sunny one.

Happy Crafting