SKOW...Believe It or Not - Progress!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I have been quietly working away on Some Kind of Wonderful over the last few months finalising the applique/stitchery blocks in small increments as time permitted without bothering to blog as I went...I had even put one strip together - but it was a whoops so let's not go there - anyway, yesterday afternoon, to celebrate the 1st day of the New Year, I wrapped my head around two little inescapable facts - 1. I had to wield the rotary cutter and cut 2 1/2" squares I had somehow missed preparing at the outset, and 2. I had to employ the quick unpick *sigh*...

By the end of the day...

2 full and 9/10ths of the 3rd, strips pieced...it would have been three if I wasn't one 2 1/2" square short and it was too late to be wielding sharp objects of the rotary cutter variety and I did have to get up for work this morning, so I went to bed.

Still a bit to go, including finishing off the applique on one block, but you never know, it could happen...

Happy Stitching...

A Finish or Nine...From August!...

Yes, that's right...from August...but I wasn't able to reveal as all the reciepients hadn't yet reciepiented...then I wrote the post and forgot about it...so before the year is out...

Mid-year a class/group of almost 10 years was discontinued by the shop where it was held, with advice that our August evening would be our last one. At our last-for-the-year evening last year everyone was very generous in exchanging Christmas gifts - except I was so flat out just trying to survive work/study/sleep it didn't even occur to me and I arrived empty handed. I was determined not to be found wanting this year. When the news of finishing up arrived it was time to get my act together. I wanted something that was useful and settled on a large square pincushion and, as it was a friendship gift, incorporated my favourite star - the Friendship Star block...Two friends couldn't make it to the last night unfortunately and their gift bags languished in the fabric emporium....of course they are two that read my blog!...but they finally made it to their destinations about three months later so now I can show...

Nine Friendship Star pincushions...

The photo colours are really really bad but it was winter, no decent light...

 

I tried to use colours for each that I thought they'd like...they ended up being a few different sizes as I kept forgetting what size squares I was using to make the star block and each time I made one just went with what I thought on the day.

Hopefully the friends have found them useful...

Happy Stitching...

The Sleigh Landed - The Main Present...

During the stalk of Tonje's blog I found a kindred spirit...Dr Who! Combined with her love of mug rugs that sent me scurrying into the sewing room to create her very own...

 TARDIS!

The background/backing fabric reminded me of flying about in space/time

It was SO. Much. Fun. building a TARDIS...I just may need one for myself...guess I've just outed myself there (says the person streaming Dr Who on iView while writing the blog post!) *LOL*

Having started with an "extra" and with the ornament made that left the main present...what to make what to make...

Then I remembered a bag pattern from Jodie Carleton at a Daylesford Craft Experience event. The pattern stitchery detail wasn't matching the picture in my head...To The World Wide InterWebs and a Google image search!!!!...turning up the perfect embroidery design here. A rummage through the surprise filled "uncategorised could be anything" embroidery floss box unearthed a purple variegated, no label, could be cottage garden, threadworx or anything of that ilk, floss that yelled out rather loudly that it wanted to play along...

I kept the Work In Progress words and just replaced the pattern stitchery with the work basket design...

Work in Progress bag...I used stiff bag batting as Tonje does a bit of knitting and I wanted it to stand up so she could leave her yarn ball in the bag and knit away...and a black background with little squares of colours fabric for the lining for more interest than a flat black or solid colour fabric...

The whole parcel...I added a 2015 Calendar of Australian wildflowers...

I really enjoyed making these projects, I hope Tonje enjoys using them.

Now to wait for SSCS 2015! No pressure there Chooky! *LOL*

Happy Stitching

The Sleigh Landed...The Ornament Edition...

As Santa's SSCS sleigh flew north homewards to Lappland it was a slight detour to Norway to drop off the package at Tonje's house...After a good stalk of Tonje's blog to make a list of favourite colours, likes, interests, etc there an immediate flurry of activity on one idea that was neither the main present or the hanging ornament - but it was fun and it did get the ball rolling...then while catching up on blogs I spied in the "you might also like" bit on Hanne's blog this stuffed heart that ticked boxes for the hanging ornament so without delay printed off the stitchery sketch so kindly shared.  Thank you Hanne for sharing your creativity.

Using a snowflakey/starry type print cream on cream background fabric, the thread palette decided by Tonje's favourite colours listed as black, blue, purple and brown...and her love of rats and mice...

Cute little mouse...

blue backing fabric continuing the snowflakey/starry theme...

And it can double as a pincushion!

Happy Stitching...

SSCS Unwrapped...

I was soooo good and didn't poke a hole in the very tempting SSCS squishy big pressie from Michell....

Until this yesterday morning when all bets were off (well it was the appointed day)...

A gorgeous Gail Pan stitchery with fun Lynette Anderson fabrics in a wall hanging...lovely variegated thread...

Continuing the theme of the Lynette Anderson fabrics...teamed with hexies!...

But that was not all...a cute owl kitchen towel, aren't they fun owls and lovely new fabric in a charm pack and mini charm pack (because I can't remember what the correct Moda terminology is for the wee 2.5" squares) to add to the stash...mmmm new projects !!

Thank you Michell for the lovely gifts and Chooky for once again putting in the hard work so that we can all enjoy SSCS.

I've not heard from the blogger I sent to so I really hope Santa didn't get lost and the parcel actually did arrive in time for Christmas.

Hope your Boxing Day involves lots of stitchy time...

Happy Stitching...

On The Doorstep....

When I got home from work yesterday...my SSCS Parcel....wahoo!...from Michell, across the pond from New Zealand...

Inside the little parcel...

Two pinwheel ornaments...

Now, where to hide the big parcel from me so I don't get tempted before the Day of Opening...it's soft and squishy and I wanna know what's inside!!!

Thank you Michell...

Happy Stitching...

On The Sleigh...

Santa's SSCS14 sleigh swung by and picked up my parcel for delivery to...oh darn I've forgotten, good thing I labelled the post bag before I misplaced the address!...

How long till the sleigh drops it off????

Happy Stitching...