Hand quilting and cross stitch

Last Sunday for slow Sunday stitching I finished my colly bird felt ornament ( will take a photo for next week) and I decided to put some time into my lovely flower garden quilt.  This one hasn't seen the light of day for some time (probably not this year if I'm honest).  I've really struggled with the hand quilting and now know the wadding I have used isn't helping!  I also changed to using thicker thread (a perle 8) and that has helped no end (it feels like I might be able to finish it now).  So my challenge/target was to put in some stitches every evening while watching TV and one week on I'm pleased to say I have done that and even more astonishing I've actually enjoyed myself!  It's also true that practice makes perfect and as the days have gone on I can say my stitches have improved.  I still have a long way to go!

Flower garden is definitely an evening project but during the day if I get any time to stitch I've been working on this little delight.  I wanted to try using linen to cross stitch on and have always put it off and admittedly sometimes even with a good light behind me, I put the stitches in the wrong hole.  But it's a nice small project that hopefully won't take too long to complete and I'm not being too precious about it so if it goes wrong it isn't the end of the world.  So for slow Sunday stitching I will press on with this.  Hop on over to Kathy's blog to see what other people are stitching today.

The UK has been suffering from lots of rain and high winds (hence I've managed to get in more sewing than usual) but on Monday we had a break in the storms, so visited Mottisfont Abbey a National Trust property about a 50 minute drive from us.  The dog enjoys herself because she gets a good long walk and a swim in the river Test, we get to visit the latest exhibition they are showing (black and white photographs of famous people taken mostly in the 60s and 70s....can I just say that Roger Moore, always good looking, but was absolutely beautiful back then!), enjoy coffee and cake and we can look around the gardens.  So I will finish up with these photos of gourds taken in the walled garden.  

Update 6

 Very happy with how these have turned out!  Hopefully three year old Ava and five year old Lilly will like them too!

Colly Bird

I've been working on the fourth felt ornament from mmmcrafts in the 12 days of Christmas set.

There is a paragraph in the instructions to explain why its not a 'calling bird' which is what I've always called part four of the collection.  Colly bird (an old English term meaning blackbird) was original to the 1780 carol.  It was revised later to 'calling bird'.  So now you know!

And a progress photograph of the assembled parts!

My plan for today is to put her together.  That should be achievable as it is pouring with rain today so it will be a day inside!  I am linking up with Kathy for some slow Sunday stitching.  Hop over and take a look at what everyone is stitching today.

Update 6 and a finish!

 I have a finish to show!  Yesterday I got back into my sewing room and put together the back of the cushion (and I inserted a zip.....not my favourite thing to do!) I had to build up the back fabric with some orange strips here and there but I am pleased with the outcome and of course Lola had to get in on the act!  So that's one down and one to go!!!

Update 5

 Having spent the morning doing some hard core digging in the front garden I rewarded myself with a couple of hours in my sewing room.  The result is the tops of the cushions are complete (except now I've seen the photo of number two alligator I realise his eyes are way too small!)  But I am pleased with how they are looking, so all I need to do now is cut some backing fabric and set in a couple of zips (yuk) and make up the cushions!

Slow Sunday stitching

Here is Septembers part from the Peacocks Garden stitch a long.  It's hard to believe that there are only three parts left of the challenge (and then it will be Christmas!)  It will be interesting to see what will fill the last square....I guess it will be something with feathers?  And then I think the last two months will concentrate on outside borders (which is good because I need to bring some blue into the project).

After a lovely walk along the beach with the dog this morning, I plan to sit in the garden and enjoy the lovely warm sunshine (actually its really hot with not a cloud in the sky) and start number four from the 12 days of Christmas ornament set (there we go I've mentioned Christmas twice in one post).  I am linking up to Kathy's blog for some slow Sunday stitching so hop on over and take a look at what others are sewing at the moment!

I wanted to share these pictures with you before I go.  Yesterday I had to pop into town and any visit to Lymington has to involve a stop at the Oakhaven Hospice shop.  They have three charity shops in town, one has posh clothes, another is for children's items and the last one is a craft shop.  I really can't leave the shop without buying something (after all it is for charity!) And today's bargain buy was a bag packed with threads (57 in total) plus over 150 empty spools.  I spent over two hours yesterday sorting all my threads. 38 of them where new colours with the others being repeats of ones I already have in my box!  Oh but it was fun and worth every penny even though I confess I have lots of threads already.  Well a girl can never have enough threads can she?

Applique 4

Not much achieved today although I have started attaching the animals to the background (a bit difficult to see).  Still some way to go!  Hopefully I will be able to do some tomorrow.

Part 3

The top of Lilly's cushion is assembled and I decided to add a border to it the same as Ava's version (to try and inject some more colour).  At the moment I prefer Ava's but that is probably because I have made an iguana, lion and yak cushion already for my niece Milly!

I also sorted out a number of coloured threads although I can't as yet match the darker green spot fabric on the iguana and alligator.

Hopefully I will be able to start the free motion quilting this evening!

Applique - part 2 and 12 days of Christmas

When I started to play with the background fabric and the letters I decided one alligator just wasn't enough and I wanted more colour.  I'm happy with this arrangement and I love the scrappy border!

I also downloaded the next three instalments to 12 days of Christmas.

Instructions printed - tick

Sulky pattern pieces printed - tick

Applique

I don't often blog mid week but I am super excited about my new project!  It's to make two cushions with the names Lilly and Ava.  Nice short names of course but with repetitive letters in their names it means I only get to make five animals and unfortunately Lilly's cushion has all the same animals as Milly's cushion!  Still never mind Ava's has an alligator and a vulture and I may even put a second alligator on if I feel the cushion needs more.  I went out Monday to buy the cushion pads and zips and yesterday I had fun choosing the fabric from my stash.

French Hen and Sari silk bag

I have two finishes to share today (I know how did that happen and it's only September 8th!)  The first was an easy one, as I was only waiting for a friend at my craft group to bring in the cotton pipe cleaners she had found for me in a local hardware store!  And then it was a simple matter of making the legs for the French hen.

And here she is alongside the Partridge, Pear and Turtle Dove.  You can get the patterns HERE and although they are a bit pricey they are wonderfully written instructions and a real joy to make!  (Oh dear I've just checked the link for mmcrafts to make sure it is working ok and the lady who designs these beautiful felt ornaments has just bought out a new Santa Claus pattern - and he is gorgeous!)

On Monday we had a tutor to teach at my craft group and she does rather wonderful things with sari silk and unwanted scarves.  The first two pictures show the back and front of the finished bag....

 And the last two pictures show work in progress!

The scarf is used as the basis of the bag and the lining and the tassel's are a design feature.  But I went off the design brief as when I got home I just didn't like the fringe - the colour was all wrong and it didn't add anything to the bag, so after looking at it for a couple of days I took the rotary cutter to it and now I quite like it!

I am linking up to Kathy's blog for some SLOW SUNDAY STITCHING so take a look at what other people are doing today!

Milly's cushion

 Ta Dah! I wanted to finish a couple of projects by the end of August and I'm very pleased to say I did!  Here is Milly's cushion completed.  Very pleased to also note that it was made entirely from my stash, the only thing I had to buy was the cushion pad - I even had an orange zip (hence the orange fabric stripe down the middle to try and blend it in).  How satisfying is that?

I also finished August in the Linen and Thread mystery sampler stitch a long but only just.  And of course September has been published so I mustn't leave it to the last minute to complete this months part!  Which means I might sit down later for some slow Sunday stitching and decide what colours to use for the next section.  I am linking up to Kathy's Blog so jump on over and have a look at what other people are stitching today!