Received...

My birdie pouch came through just as I posted off mine to my partner.  so, here is what I was gifted with,

Would you believe, my brave partner had never installed a zip before. Well, I can tell you, I would never have known. She did a perfect job. 

And look at my goosey heads! aren't they just lovely! I love the bright colours and the 'attitude' they emanate! 

And then there were extras. Wee notelets, flannel printed with birds, and some plushies. 

I think I did very nicely thank you!

And the twist? I sent to her and she sent to me! fair exchange, eh?

and a cushion to match?

Well, I thought I should do it while it was fresh in the brain...

 This is how it looks, flat, to go with that quilt you took away for snuggling purposes...















and the other side, perhaps a little more restraint here, depending on your humour...











but how does it look with cushion pad inside, and on furniture?

A bit like this, actually. 

You will need to show me how it is with the quilt it was designed to go with. 

I shall get it to you, when I can. 

Smile. 

The lovely things made for me this year...

This is really self explanatory, I was lucky enough to have lots of hand made and home made things this year,


Not that tea is drunk in this house... no, no tea to speak of...

Our manky teacosy was replaced by this beauty made by my younger daughter-

 she has been doing a LOT of applique this year..

All those snowflakes appliqued by herself, and beautifully done too...



and I requested a pouch to take the bits that accompanied my Christmas present  ( and birthday, even unto the seventh generation....)
Yes, I got a new overlocker. Which has been a boon.

My old one which has given faithful service for about 25 years seized- in the middle of costume sewing season! Aaaargh! so we went out and bought a new one before Christmas, but it had to be my pressie...  and it came with all sorts of bits and pieces which need to be kept together really. Yes, more applique from my daughter!

and then there were those wonderful swap Christmas tree ornaments...

 A lovely Santa au jete, my snowflake dangle, snowman heart, Christmas bunny, dove of peace ( an extra with the bunny, gorgeous!), pretty red heart and the Christmouse! Thank you MQT swappers!

and these also came my way, the black birdie made by my son, who has started sewing, at the grand old age of ( well, maybe I shouldn't say, but he is my eldest...), a bonny fabric folded decoration from a friend, and the cheery pompom from someone I work with.

There were a couple of other new ornaments, though not home made,

The blue star, two glass teapots and a bauble were all new this Christmas.

And then, last but definitely not least, this gorgeous soft silk and alpaca scarf was woven for me by my elder daughter! It is sewn in a loop, so it doubles round my neck and is lovely and soft and warm, without feeling as if I am being strangled. I have been using it regularly, and can confirm that it is 100% lovely!

Bee-ing for August

This month's Fat Stash Brit Bee mama has asked for 'Birches'
She provided background fabric, and also some neutral scraps, to which we add, to make the block.

and she also said, we could add leaves or birds if we so desired... I guess I desired... I love those little additions.. 

The block will be squared up to 12.5", and although simple in concept, is surprisingly tricky to get the edges of the background lining up... My seam ripper did come out to play... And I experimented with some freestyle curves. 

About those freestyle curves... I signed up for another swap... It is the type of swap I never did before, where it is a disclosed swap. In this one, I have been assigned my partner, and she has been given me to make for. So, both of us know who we are dealing with, and have discussed likes and dislikes before we begin.. The theme of the swap is circles and curves... so I used this block to do some gentle 'organic' freestyle curves. 

My project, without giving away too much about it, shall involve some more of these curves, and all the practice is definitely helping, and will also involve some applique, I know what I am planning and shall be posting some sneaky peeks and hoping my partner does not hate it too much! But I have some other thoughts lurking so, if I get negative vibes, I shall start over!here is a first teaser...

There are some gentle curves to be seen there, I think... 

and then, just to make you jealous... this little sweetie has come in to my life this weekend...                                                                                                     Her name is 'shimmer' and she is the daintiest of clematis. I shall have to find a good spot for her in the garden.  

made or finished in April

 Just considering what I have achieved in April, and actually, I have done more than I had realised!


This beach bag commission

 a Dumpling from Keyka Lou,









one of my machine mounted pincushions, both these for my bag swap partner,

and the bag!




















and two T shirts for myself. These are both the same Burda pattern, though I messed with the neckline on the second one, and the sleeve- Love it! One of the best things is the quality of the fabric.. I blanched at the price, these were jerseys at £12.00 a metre, but they have sewn up a dream, and wash easily, and dry on the maiden, and best of all, do not appear to need ironing! And yes, a metre does make a T shirt... my children tell me that £12 for a T shirt is actually not expensive....

Watch out Goldhawk Road- I may be back!

Belatedly joining Fresh sewing day! one day I may get my act together, but then, I was out of the country on the correct day!

For fun

I have had a bag request, for a beach bag... so I have come up with this, so far..

 two pretty beach huts,




















and a towel and umbrella, to shade one from the sun...














so it is making some progress, slowly.

Pincushion winner

And we rolled a die earlier on, and there will be a pincushion to attach to the machine, coming your way Barbara!

I will message you privately.

UK bee  needs you!

If you are living in the UK, and fancy a little bee, please get in touch. The commitment is to one block per month, You send out approximately one fat quarter's worth of fabric, and give directions as to what you want made. Your bee mates will add to what you have sent, from stash, and try to fulfill ( and generally exceed) your wildest dreams...and post it back by the end of the month...

Want to see what we have done last year? have a wee look here, and you will see lots of things...

In the last 12 months these are some of the blocks I have made for the bee:










































 Please contact us if you would like to join in with us, and have some fun!

Ahead of myself.

February is just here, but my February bee blocks are done!

Our lovely bee mamma for February was up and at it and raring to go...so she sent out the fabric packs in the last week of January.

The brief, make 12.5" (unfinished) churn dash blocks, using her purple fabric for the actual churn dash bits, and use from stash to complete the blocks. Also do something a bit different with the blocks, something to make her smile... Anything goes, she said... well, if anything goes... I went!

 The first one came to me at work...You know I love making those pinwheel blocks, and I just thought, I could do a double pinwheel... couldn't I?   so I did! Very dramatic with the orange and green.

Then, I had thoughts, I had second thoughts, yes, and third thoughts... I was going to twine a vine around the elements of the churn dash... but when I actually came to make the block, something else entirely appeared! How does a block take on a life of it's own and do it's own thing, rather than what you plan? I do not know...





but it does! I looked at what else is going on in the group, and I had doubts... am I taking the 'anything goes' too literally? Well it is done now, and mamma for the month has seen them on Flickr- and she seems to like them! So they shall go in the post next week, but what do I do for the rest of the month?

 I shall have to dig out a UFO or something... You are sorry for me? really?

Christmas tree star!

 This block came together nicely, once I had decided what to do. I think the tree needs a star on top, but I am not quite sure what type of star on top is wanted! So, I think I shall let it's recipient decide!

And, with a bit of luck all these blocks can slide into an envelope and get themselves into the post this week!  Then Pico Sailors can decide just what she wants to do with them all!

And I can work out which urgent project gets attention next!

Kitty kindle cover...

Our Fat Stash bee mamma for the month requested pussy cats...  and I had great fun with them... see cat blocks here...

And I found it inspirational!
I had promised my DD1 a kindle cover since..., well, ever since she got a kindle?

Finally I had the inspiration I needed to make it! The inner details I was quite happy with, and knew exactly what I was planning to do... but the pretty outer cover? Cats it is!


Ta-daaa!

I am really proud of that neat little closure. Very simple, but it seems to work!

I think these kitties will cheer my daughter every time she looks at it! That is not to suggest she won't use the commercial cover she already has, it does useful things like standing the kindle up at an angle so you can be hands free.. But I do hope this one will also be used. 

 There is a useful little spot at the bottom, which I hope will mean she can recharge it without taking the kindle out..  and I thought a flap might help keep the kindle secure in the pocket, less liable to slip out...

Can you tell, DD1 loves purple? I do too, of course, but , yes, she LOVES purple!

And, there is a little zippy pocket hiding under that strip on the left there, so she can store her cable when not needed. 

She asked for pussy cats..

It is Hannah's month at the Fat Stash Brit bee. Hannah clearly likes a cat... She offered us a choice. We could make a granny square, with a cat centre, or we could make an alternative block. With a cat on it. Any cat. So, that is what I did, I made any other cat.

This lovely girl is clearly devoted to her personal appearance... And, yes I put some stabiliser on the back before I went all round her. Why does stabiliser make it better? I have no idea, but it does!

And then these fellows came out to play!

I thought I would leave them together, then Hannah can divide them if she wishes.

My daughter now has the wanties! She could fancy a few of these around the place!

Rounding up

A selection of blocks made for bees!

 It has been a more productive year than I had thought. All the time, I feel I am not getting as much done as I would like, and I see so many blogs where folk are doing sooo much, and I am full of excuses. I am too tired, I am too busy, I ran out of imagination. And that which I do produce is not as good as someone else's, it falls short and is left wanting, and the dissatisfaction fairy has come to stay. And then, following what others are doing, and having a look at a round up of the year, actually, yes, I have done a fair amount. and I have had a lot of fun doing it. I have learnt some new techniques, and tried very hard to do good work for the other folk in various bees.
This past year, I have joined swaps for the first time, and joined bees for the first time. I have made some lovely bloggy/online friends, and met up IRL with the lovely Lucy. She is so ready to pop, I do not know how she is still standing!

The number of bags made this year is astonishing!

I have been introduced to frame purse making, and still have a frame lurking, awaiting the perfect project . I have tried free embroidery on soluble film, and made brooches with the technique. I have made key fobs with 'key fob furniture'
I have been introduced to box bottoms, and varieties of zippy finishes.
My pocket making skills have also been honed. And my under pressure sewing ordeals have been tried and tested!

So what is new?

I have been ultra extravagant, and bought a ticket to the FQ retreat next summer!

I am not usually good at gatherings, and I am very nervous about it- But May will be there, and Hadley- my most recent swap mama,- and Jan and Nicky and all sorts of other folks I would love to meet- I am sure I will love them all- but will a weekend be long enough to get to know them? All of them! I cannot list them all- too many!

But I will be brave, and go and I trust all will be well.

So here is looking forward to a new year, and lots more fun sewing!

May your new year be fun, and filled with love and laughter- may you be well and be happy.

Early December,

Our Stash Bee runs through December, so someone, very sensibly, suggested that the Queen for December might like to post her requirements early. This is the sort of thinking that I like. Okay, I am a bit of a procrastinater, but still, to be able to think ahead suits me quite well. 

Scrappy blocks she asked for, Arkansas Crossroads. The scrappier the better. Each little beauty takes twelve 3.5" squares, and two 6.5" white. But they turn out really fun. 

And Jackie wanted two blocks, so that is what I made. It would be easy to do a whole quilt with these, as they can be turned and arranged in different ways. 

Then, having had fun with totes, for the mouthy stitches lot, my thoughts turn to Christmas- only one calendar month to Christmas Eve! and what I could do with making, and for whom? An owl popped into my head, for someone, No, not YOU! Someone else!

I did a little internet research, and came up with an owl. Now, do not ask me which owl,I do not know, but an owl of some description!

So I drew out my owl, and modified it, Bondaweb comes out once more, and the scraps get searched, and hey! Is it an owl? 

 I am really quite pleased with him (her? it? whatever)




















  Raw edge applique for the most part, some satin stitch around the eyes, and a little bit of machine embroidered feather stitch in different colours...

light quilting on the back..

 My son, come home for the weekend as a surprise, acts as model,

 and of course some other owls in the lining..



Hope they like it!

Now, as a small added extra, the Sewing Directory are doing a cloud craft giveaway, with snowflake trim. I do not know about you, but I can think of a number of uses for that! So do feel free to pop across and take a look!