Weekend Sewing

Friday night was all about looking for the table under all the discarded fabric, half finished projects, magazines and other inspiration which had collected there.

No before shots, I was too busy getting into action to take photo's, this one shows where I was up to on Saturday morning.

I managed to finish the clean up before I headed out to the library for Saturday knitting group - where I did some crochet.

This weekend's main project was to get this quilt put together. I had already completed the top and backing last month. I had even prepared the binding, no excuses why this little quilt could not be completed. Oh, and Saturday's wet weather was so conducive of inside activity.

Basting was completed in the afternoon, sure I like the old fashioned big stitch method.

Snacks and coffee essential for consistent progress.

The evening was spent with Nomee hard at work quilting simple straight lines in the ditch on the horizontal and diagonally across the squares.

Completed on Sunday morning after a long rest.

Trimmed and bound after lunch. The binding is machine sewn both sides.

Just waiting for a label.

Multicoloured spots with burgundy surrounds happy little project for taking along.

After last weeks little cross stitch project I decided to start another one, a perfect project for evenings in.

Hope your weekend was spent in a happy dry place.

Simply Red Bag

I finally remembered how to finish the handles on the bag I started a few weeks ago and 30 minutes later it was all done, just in time for it's first outing today.

My version of the Simply Chic bag pattern by Colleen Archbold which was published in Handmade magazine Vol 23 No 2.

The instructions are very clear but the handle thing was not working for me - sometimes I just like to make things more difficult than they need to be.

Not only did my red bag survive its first outing it received complimentary comments as well, (my audiologist may soon have a new hobby).

When I got home I finished this little snow piece, quite the opposite of the hot humid weather we have been experiencing here.

Design by Esther over here where there are a number of free cross stitch patterns.

Hope you enjoyed creating today.

Fidgety Snippets

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Playing Sunday Snippets with tinniegirl.

Crossed Out

I used the Easter break to finish all the crosses on my Guardian Spirit piece - just some back stitching to go now. Yippee!

Hope your Easter break has been spent doing what you love with those you love.

Stitching along...

With all the ladies who play along in the Friday Night Sew In - hop on over and see Heidi to join.

Some progress has been made with the crosses - and after much nagging from a member of my weekly craft group I have stitched the Wolf's eyes - it is a bit disconcerting having him watch my every move now - lucky I'm almost there.

This week I got totally distracted by this free project from Bronwyn over at Red Brolly for the Easter Googy Bag.

And I finished stitching this design for The two of Us bag from Rosalie Quinlan designs.

If I don't get distracted by any new projects tonight I should be able to make up these two little bags. That is my plan, you will have to come by tomorrow to see if I stayed with the plan.

Have a fabulous stitchy weekend.

Not completely Idle

More crossing on Guardian Spirit. I am very happy with my progress on this project this month.

Nomee and I had a play date - now the Sunbonnet Sue quilt is quilted and patiently waiting for binding. Guess I should get to it before the intended recipient grows too big!

This week a new friend came to live at my house. Miss14 got this bright colourful Elephant for me while she was holidaying in Thailand with her family.

He is very sweet and looks like he is handmade I love the pretty gold pattern on his blanket.

Still enjoying the slower pace of this year.

Hope your week is filled with slow moments.

Been a While

Since I was here - It seems I have renewed enthusiasm for some old projects.

My time has been dominated by this cross stitch project in particular, though there has been a little stitching on some other projects also.

For some reason I left her here way back in August of 2009 - yep, almost a year and a half ago.

For the past week I have spent all my couch time working on her and can see good progress.

I'm thinking this will dominate my attention until completed.

Guardian Spirit - James Himsworth

I still love this project and enjoy the calm which comes over me when crossing.

Hope your week has been less Cross.

A few more Crosses

Inspired by those of you in cyberspace who are focussing on completing UFO's (by all of their names), I have picked up this piece again after she rested at the bottom of the project pile for a few months. She has been keeping me company in the evening for the past week and I have made good progress on the border. Tomorrow will see Helen post the first of the free projects for the Stitchers Angel Swap, of course everybody is welcome to download the patterns, so check back every Monday for the next 7 weeks. Thanks Helen for hosting such a fun swap and to all the designers whose projects will be available. Have a fantastic week with lots of creativity. Happy Stitching

Progress

The cross stitch has progressed a little this month, but I seem to be distracted by other projects with looming deadlines, (oh, and ones that just take my fancy at the time). I am very pleased with how she is looking. Yesterday I had a visitor but she is a bit shy and kept hiding, (may have something to do with the fact that she is naked). Can you guess who is hiding behind my computer??

I practised making the Annie doll from the pattern for the swap, she was very quick and easy to make. Now we are just deciding on her colours so that we can make a suitable outfit, it is cold here afterall so she will need something to keep her warm.

Hope your week is going well, with lots of time for crafty stuff.

Happy Crafting

Easter Indulgence

We had beautiful days over the Easter weekend so I spent time each day walking along the beach and did not get as much sewing accomplished as I planned. Of course there was a lot of Chocolate consumed so I probably should have walked even further than the beach! I did make a start on the new project and am happy with how it is coming together so far. I changed the colours to suit our environment, including the white house which my parents have always had, you're right it needs windows and a door. I have been working slowly on my cross stitch project and am very happy with the way it is coming along. The colours are quite vivid making it an easy design to work. Below is a shot of the picture so far.

The last picture is not my work but the work of a friend who visited yesterday. She took the Red Brolly block from the Australian Homespun Breast of Friends series and combined it with a teacup stitchery to make this small wall quilt. It is just beautiful and completed with some simple hand quilted hearts on the dark red borders.

Hope everyone enjoyed a safe and happy Easter and did not indulge in too much chocolate.

Happy Crafting

Craft show and progress

I had a very pleasant, if wet day, at the Stitches and Craft show on Saturday. I met the mother and sister in law for some serious girl time, but as I was too busy catching up I did not take any photo's. I liked the new concept and the space was big enough that we were able to get around easily and see everything, the variety of stalls and displays was fab. I played button bingo and won a bag of buttons, that was a lot of fun. The hands on spaces in the main hall were very busy and it was good to see people trying out new crafts, or just taking some time out to practice what they may already have some experience at. The highlight for me would have to be seeing all the selvedge projects in real life, oh and of course all the other amazing creations of the ladies in the indie crafts row. My purple ladies stitchery had an unexpected visit with some relatives at the Homespun stand, which turned out okay as there were no retailers with purple fabrics like I am looking for anyway. I only purchased two fat quarters and they have already been used, one is the blue which appears as binding on the following projects. The last two easter themed stitcheries became a fabric postcard and a needle book.

This is a progress shot of my cross stitch project, the stand where I purchased this kit five years ago still had the incomplete sample displayed at the show. Taking another look at the almost complete version though made me want to get it finished now! I am still working on it regularly but have been making time for the rabbits which are still multiplying and in various stages of production, maybe I will get some completed today.

Hope your week has been filled with crafty pursuits.

Happy Crafting

Busy stitching and sewing

It is amazing what I can achieve while waiting for the call to work. Last week I started a new routine of getting up when the alarm went off and working on my cross stitch project for two hours each morning while waiting. So this is how much I achieved, I have almost finished her face and hair. The name of the project is Guardian Spirit by James Himsworth, I brought the kit five years ago and started work on it a week and a half ago. I am liking it a lot. I have made a good start on Easter projects having completed these simple stitcheries from The Red Brolly book Miss Millies Flower Patch. I will be using them to make up into gifts for Easter, hopefully I will be at the sewing machine this afternoon putting some of those together.

The pictures do not do justice to the beautiful Threadworx thread which I used it is in pastel shades of pink, mauve, green and lemon.

Finally some pictures of the pouches which I made last week. I tried something different with this red one - it has a box bottom and is a bit bigger than the size I usually make. The red bias tape is the old fashioned stuff that came from my Grandmothers stash. I like the result I just need to refine the process, I can see more of these in the future as gifts.

Now for the rabbits - these are zippered pouches also, I made several of these for my nieces at Christmas and they were much appreciated. I had some requests from friends so there will be more of these to come before the month is done. The pattern is from Craftzine and can be found here.

Time to get back to the cutting table and get some sewing done today.

Happy Crafting

AQC and breeding season

Well last week turned out to be busy. The day job got in the way of crafting and then I got to do something completely different on Friday. I worked on one of the stalls at the Australasian Quilt Convention which was held here in Melbourne last week. I enjoyed being there and the opportunity to talk to lots of creative people. The main feature of AQC is the amazing quilts in the displays. I really appreciate all the work which the artists put into their exhibits, they are just amazing, you can tell I can't find the words to decribe how completely in awe I am of these creators and what they achieve with fabric, paint and thread, oh yeah with beads and buttons thrown in for good measure. Just for a change of pace last week I began work on a cross stitch kit which has been in the cupboard for just a few years. I used to do a lot of cross stitch when I travelled regularly as it is compact and kits are perfect as everything is together. I have a couple still in the cupboard or the warehouse as a friend recently described the room in my house where most of the craft stuff lives. I will take a photo just as soon as it starts to look like something? Today I got to work on some Easter projects and I feel like the rabbits keep on breeding, it started out as one or two but somehow there are more than that in progress. I don't have any photo's yet as they are still in progress and I ran out of daylight, maybe tomorrow will be another sewing day? Happy Crafting