Merry Christmas!

 Merry

Christmas

Red work

Goodness me Christmas is nearly here!  This time next week, the turkey will be in the oven, the potatoes and sprouts peeled and the Christmas pudding steaming away on the back burner!

Not a lot of crafting has happened this week.  We've been out and about catching up with friends (always lovely), celebrating my step mums 92nd birthday and visiting Bournemouth for the Christmas tree festival.  It was Ambers first time and I think she enjoyed herself, although I think the McDonalds we had to warm up (her first) was probably her best bit!

I have finished two letters this week.  Still have five more and a Christmas tree to sew, but it was never my intention to get it finished for this year (just as well).

While I was in Hobbycraft earlier in the month I picked up a couple of cross stitch kits and two patterns that really appealed to me.  They were half price and the two patterns are from a designer I really like (Satsuma Street)

I will eventually make the two Beatrix Potter bunnies for Amber (she loves bunnies) and the ship will be for Joshua.  I am going to try to finish one project before starting another, so these will just have to wait!  I'm not sure this plan will work but I can always try LOL.

Hop on over to Kathy's blog for some slow Sunday stitching and see what other people are stitching today.

Red work, knitting and Christmas trees!

 We've had a guest staying all week, Faye's MiL, who has been over helping Faye with the baby and Amber.  Which means I have managed to do some stitching on my Merry Christmas red work.

I had a whole day of stitching on Monday at my craft group so I'm very pleased with progress!

I've also started a pair of socks, which I might carry on with tomorrow for slow Sunday stitching

(I love this yarn)

On Tuesday we popped into town to see the Christmas tree festival in the local church.  It was lovely listening to a group of women playing carols on recorders while we had a coffee and a slice of homemade cake!

There were 72 Christmas trees on display, most of them where for sale to support various charities.  I made yellow and blue stars for one of the Ukrainian charities and it was nice to see that one had sold as had most of them.

I'm off to snuggle under a blanket (it is bitterly cold here) do some stitching and watch a Christmas film.

Christmas red work

 It's December and I've been working on red work projects, so I am feeling very Christmassy!

I have finished Joshua and Ambers Christmas decorations.  Ambers is the second in the 12 days of Christmas from mmmcrafts and Joshua's came from a supplement with my Quilters Today magazine and comes from Dandelion designs.  I didn't have enough room to embroider his name on the hat so there's just a 'J' with the year on the back.

I also completed the red work Christmas heart (also from Dandelion Designs).  This is the ninth year I've made one!

Carrying on with the red work theme, last year Dandelion Designs (do you get the feeling I like this designer?) gave subscribers to her newsletter a free Christmas banner and I've started to sew the letters.  There is no hurry to finish it for this year, but I must admit I am rather enjoying myself. I plan to carry on with this today for slow Sunday stitching and tomorrow at my craft group Christmas lunch and chill day!

Happy stitching!

Hats, cushions and kantha

It feels as if things have settled down a bit since baby Joshua was born!  His other grandparents have been visiting which meant they have been on babysitting duty for two days and I took the opportunity to get into my sewing room and progress some projects that have been started but not finished. 

The first was to stitch up the second hat for Ukraine and make a couple of Christmas decorations for the Christmas tree festival that is happening locally (all in support of the people of Ukraine)

Each triangle in the stars is only 5 rows but boy oh boy did I struggle (I really do lose the ability to count!) which means only two were made!  The second hat is yellow rather than the muddy colour in the photo.

I also completed Amber's dinosaur cushion.  I had planned on putting a frill round it but discovered I didn't have enough fabric.

And last but not least I put together my two pieces of Kantha and made a cover for my light box.

I'm posting this early for slow Sunday stitching because tomorrow I am looking after Amber while baby has a check-up at the hospital.  When I get home, I plan to do some red work.  

Kantha stitching

 It's been another rather busy week, looking after Amber but I am very happy to say late Thursday evening saw the safe arrival of our first grandson - a lovely little brother for Amber!  Mum and baby were discharged from hospital late yesterday and today we will take Amber home and meet baby Joshua.  I can't wait!  Despite having Amber for 5 days and nights I have managed to put some stitches into my 2nd Kantha piece.  Actually, it's been rather nice to work on in the evening, especially as there isn't a right or wrong way to add them.  Here is the piece ready to go...

And here it if completed!

Hopefully I will get a chance to assemble it this week.  I probably won't get a chance to link up with Kathy this week, but I hope you have a lovely slow Sunday stitching!

Kantha stitching

 Monday was my monthly craft group meeting.  This week we had a go at Kantha stitching (I'm not entirely sure what the difference is between Kantha and Kawandi stitching).  I've seen some work that Kathy - slow Sunday stitching has done, and I like the idea of using preloved fabrics and randomly stitching!  With this in mind I decided to use some of DH old shirts that I've previously cut into 4.5-inch squares (they are shirts that didn't make it to the charity shop because the collars are way too frayed)

This is how far I got Monday......and then I became just slightly obsessed with it, and this is where I was Saturday afternoon!

and a close up

I have no idea if this is what it should look like but what I do know is I loved putting all those stitches in it.  Today for slow Sunday stitching I will assemble another piece (slightly smaller because it will eventually be turned into a covering for my light box with a flap to close it) and then I can start all over again!

Hop on over to Kathys blog and see what other people are stitching today.

Gossip in the Garden and Woodland Creatures

 It seems as if November has crept up quickly!  I am super excited to show you the flimsy top of Gossip in the Garden.  Despite most of the blocks already sewn together it was still tricky to assemble and took me about 2 hours.  But I LOVE it!

Im thinking of putting alternate plain off white and colours squares around this rather than the suggested border so I might cut some fabric this afternoon.  I am itching to carry on with it.

I did finish sewing the binding on the Woodland Creatures quilt.  

I started this quilt in 2017 as a Rainbow Scrap Challenge but quickly realised it wasn't ever going to be made into a large quilt (this is only a quarter of the size it should be).  Now it can go and live with Amber with my love!

I am linking up with Kathy for some slow Sunday stitching and I will press on with my red work Christmas hanging heart (or carry on with gossip in the garden!)

Hats and Gossip in the Garden

The clocks went back today which meant an extra hour in bed - lovely!  I actually have three Ta-dah's today! Yay happy dance!  I finished Amber's hat.

And knitted this beanie to be sent to Ukraine.  I have some more yarn so will make another one at least.  We've also been asked to knit fingerless gloves too, never made those so I might give them a miss.

I also attached the Dresdens to the background fabric.  Which means I have all four completed now.

These were the last components of the main part of the quilt, so I arranged them on the floor just to make sure.

Yep that's it (well apart from two borders).  I just need to sew the blocks together which isn't straight forward, the instructions seem to be clear though.  But that will be for another day!

Today for slow Sunday stitching I will get the binding finished on Woodland Creatures.

and then I can start on my Christmas red work hanging heart from Dandelion Designs!

Have a great day!

Hats, binding and Dresden plates

I really want to get some of my UFOs finished!  I know, how many times have you heard me say that?  Well this week I decided to get on with it (and stop talking about it) and today for slow Sunday stitching I have several hand stitching projects.  This week I rescued Woodland Creatures from the UFO box and quilted it. I've also attached the binding and have a label made.  Task number one!

I will then move on to finishing the Dresden plates.  They are starched and the papers removed and pinned in place, ready to go.  Task two!

And task three is to finish Ambers winter hat.  She has a new winter coat in navy with press studs and dinosaur triangles down the back in these colours.  I just couldn't resist knitting a hat to go with it, but really what was I thinking?  Look at all those ends to sew in before I join the seam.  When thats done I will decide if it needs a bobble on top.  Last years hat did but it shed a lot of wool, so I haven't decided yet.

I hope by next week I have three Tah Dah's to show!

Jump on over to Kathy's blog to see other slow Sunday stitching projects.

Have a good week.

Cushions, blankets and Paddington Bear!

 It has been a bit of a miserable week with several of us in the family not being well.  The worst has been baby Amber who not only has a chest infection but conjunctivitis too!  That of course means antibiotics orally and some for her eyes too.  Not easy on a 20 month old!  Still we all seem to be on the mend now and despite not feeling great I've had a productive week.

Some time ago I made the cars for a cushion for Faye's friends baby who has just turned one.  I was determined to finish it.

It is only a small cushion so I'm glad I didn't try to add three cars on the front.  I rather like the traffic light.  The back was far to plain and white so I added a road sign!

I've also been working on my Attic 24 sweet pea blanket for over a year now and decided that needed to be finished too!

I do love the colours in this one.  This is my fifth crochet blanket using Attic 24s colours and patterns.  Below is a picture of three of them.  The other two live in my motor home.

I haven't looked at Gossip in Garden since returning from holiday, but decided to finish sewing together the last two Dresden plates.  They will need spray starching and attaching to the background squares and the centre circles to be completed.

I will link up with Kathy for some slow Sunday stitching but to finish on I thought I would show you a photo of our trip to the pumpkin farm last week and their tribute to Queen Elizabeth and Paddington bear (made out of pumpkins and squash, complete with a marmalade sandwich!)

Slow Sunday stitching

 Last Monday was my craft group and this month we took our own projects to work on.  After discovering Tiggley Textiles on line I've been making small hand embroidered cards.  I made a couple in September.  And two more at class this week.

I did have to finish them off when I got home, we spend a lot of time chatting instead of sewing!

In the evenings I've been working on my sweet pea blanket from Attic 24 and have three more border rounds to complete and then it is done (seven rounds in total).  Hopefully I can show completed photos next week for slow Sunday stitching.  In the meantime hop on over to Kathy's blog and see what people are stitching today! 

Mottisfont Abbey

 Saturday was glorious sunshine, with a hint of autumn chill in the air (I love those kind of days).  We've had a busy week looking after Amber so decided to head to Mottisfont Abbey, our nearest National Trust property.

We walked Lola around the estate, before visiting the exhibition of artwork 'Tales of Narnia'.  The water colour paintings of Pauline Baynes who did the illustrations from the world of Narnia for C.S. Lewis's books.

Behind Mr Tumnus and Susan you can see the wardrobe and the light! Beautiful artwork, but it made me realise I don't think I've read all the Narnia books - there were certainly some pictures I didn't recognise.  I will have to revisit the books!

The house will be decorated for Christmas, which is always lovely and this year the theme will be
The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe.  We were wondering about taking Amber to see it, although keeping a 22month old under control in a stately home might be challenging!

Turtle dove, polar bear and nutcracker soldiers!

It's been a really busy week, but I have managed a bit of sewing, some cross stitch and I've been working on my crochet blanket (does keep me warm while I'm working on it!)  First a couple of finishes.  

Here is Ambers second Christmas decoration from mmmcrafts.  There wasn't much to finish on this just stuffing and assemble.  I have sewn 2022 on it but I've positioned it wrongly and its now hidden.  Hay ho I will think a bit more about it for 2023s decoration!  Of course, this Christmas there will be another baby, but I can't think about a decoration for him just yet!

It prompted me to make my nieces Christmas tag and for that I went to one of my red work books from Dandelion designs and I made this little polar bear.

While we were on holiday, I bought a new cross stitch kit for the grand price of £2.99. I couldn't resist it.....I'm rather partial to the nutcracker soldiers.  It has everything included, even a hoop to frame it in.  This has been my go to project if Im out and about and waiting for Faye for example.  Yesterday I drove her to a photo shoot (she was photographing a 0ne year olds cake smash - I wonder if that's a thing anywhere else, it certainly seems to be gaining popularity here in the UK!)  Anyway, I got quite a bit done sitting in the car with my coffee flask, cake and cross stitch!

I rather like him and I'm tempted to just crack on and finish him!

I am linking up to Kathys blog for slow Sunday stitching, hop on over and take a look at what others are working on this Sunday.

 

Slow Sunday stitching

 We've just spent 2 weeks away in our van and had such a great time!  The only problem has been having limited internet during this time and no TV! That is generally not a problem and something we rather enjoy but it has been such a momentous time in our history and I'm sorry we have missed it.  Luckily for us we moved to a campsite last Sunday that had good wi-fi that meant on Monday when everyone was glued to their TVs, (and not using the internet) we could stream Queen Elizabeths State Funeral in full.  And what a special day it was.  I felt very moved seeing the queens coffin being pulled by 142 naval ratings and flanked by guardsmen, yeoman guards and military personnel and followed by the Royal family.  It was a beautiful service and the music inside the Cathedral and during the procession was superb.  I know this has been in the planning for years, probably decades but it was a job well done.  Now there are lots of changes, new bank notes, coins, stamps and as we need post boxes replacing even them.

While away I got lots done, books read, audio books listened too (DH and I are listening to the Harry Potter stories) but most of all I finished several projects!  

This is the last bird and egg cross stitch.  Now Im home I will be able to mount it and I've bought some braid to go round all four.  I also finished the cover to 2023s diary, again just need some time to make the cover up. (oops no photo) and I've stitched together the 2nd Christmas ornament for Amber, but again that needs some stuffing and finishing off.  Hopefully by next week I will have some pictures!

Hop on over to Kathy's for some more slow Sunday stitching.