Slow Sunday stitching

 Another week of overcast windy days!  The highlight of the week however was Amber's 4th birthday and on Saturday her 1st proper birthday party.  We went along to help (mostly supplying tea and coffee to the parents and washing up!) but it was lovely and all the children seem to enjoy themselves which was nice.

I have managed to get a few things done this week.  The first was arranging the houses in the Dresden Village quilt, cutting them to size and getting the colour arrangement right.  Today I must work on the roof tops and if I get time the windows and doors!

Over the last couple of weeks I have also been machine quilting the 'Time for Tea' quilt from Annie Downs.  It's impossible to take a photo without the aid of Lola.

I've also added a little bit of hand quilting.  Its all very free and easy, no hoop or anything. Big stitches using perle #8 thread - I think I could probably call it organic!  But I've rather enjoyed myself.

I've put quite a bit of work into the Sue Spargo project I'm working on.  

And finished the first bird.  I really enjoyed doing the hand quilting but I loved stitching the bird!  I still plan to stitch a bird once a month - although to be honest I could just do this and nothing else.

It's a day to stay in out of the 70mph winds that are raging around the house today, so by rights I should get lots done.  I will link up with Kathy for some slow Sunday stitching

Cross stitch dogs and Chirpy birds

 It was lovely having the Grandchildren last weekend, although one of them came with a cold which I of course caught!  It does mean I've had a few days of sitting watching TV and adding more stitches to the dog cross stitch for Love Quilts UK.  Last night I finished it and this morning I washed and ironed it ready to be posted.

The pattern actually has twelve dogs but I couldn't fit all of them into the required size so I picked my favourites.  They are super cute.  It meant I could move onto my next project!!  

I've had this Sue Spargo book for a year or more and have already made one of the birds using wool, but my colour pallet in wool is limited so really wanted to make more but use the wool felt that I use in the mmmcrafts Christmas decorations that I have been making for the Grandchildren (and me!)

I sort of have a plan to do this as a BOM project.  I've prepped the first bird and for slow Sunday stitching I will start adding some stitches.  This is really where the fun beginnings!

Hopefully for next Sunday I will have made some progress.  In the mean time hop on over to Kathy's blog to see what other people have been stitching!

Dresden village and cross stitch dogs

 I really can't start this blog without commenting on the terrible fires that are raging through Los Angeles at the moment. We have rightly had a lot of news coverage of the disaster in the UK and my heart goes out to those caught up in it.

On a crafting note, on Monday I had my class and this month we are working on creating a Dresden village.  There are so many ideas on Pinterest for this project and a seaside town caught my eye.  With this in mind, as I live next to the sea, I sorted out all my fabrics that could potentially be used (plus I ordered some background fabric and some more stripy fabric....as you do!)

I decided to bondaweb my houses to the background so spent all day choosing fabrics.  OK I spent a long time chatting to the group and less time on my project!

I love the light house that I spent most of last Sunday drawing.  Not sure why I have included a light house because there is not one any where near my seaside village, unless you count the one on the end of the Needles which I can see in the distance from my bit of the coast. I do feel I need some red strip fabric to complete the circle but non available in my local shop.  Although she is waiting for a delivery.  as long as I get the fabric before my next class in February all will be well, if not I will just rethink my other fabrics.

I've spent some time working on the dogs for the Love Quilts UK square I am stitching.  I have a time limit on this so am cracking on as much as I can.

I am waiting for the grand children to arrive for the weekend so not sure I will get much, or any, stitching done this weekend, but with only 3 1/2 more dogs to stitch I am definitely on target.  If I get the chance tomorrow to link up with Kathy for slow Sunday stitching other wise have fun with what ever you are working on this weekend!

Bits and bobs

 Christmas was wonderful, especially watching the children open their presents on Christmas morning! As usual I ate too much, so now 2025 is here I must think about shedding those extra pounds that have crept on over the last few months (I really can't blame Christmas!) 

On to crafty matters. I keep a book that has a list of things I've made and things I want to make in the future.  Inevitably the list of things on my wish list is always longer than the things I've completed but that said I have managed quite a few finishes this year. 

In November 2022 I completed the flimsy of Gossip in the Garden.  This was an Annie Downs quilt pattern that took me a long time to make as a lot of it was needle turn applique (not my favourite medium I must admit) and having just completed the flimsy of her latest project in Homespun magazine I thought Gossip in the Garden should be done before starting on Sunshine and Lollipops.  It took me a number of months to baste the quilt and then it just sat on a chair waiting for inspiration to strike.  Well it finally did two weeks ago and I started to machine stitch some of the blocks - just outlining them and now I think I am going to add some hand quilting. I am very motivated to finish this so I can start on Sunshine and Lollipops.  With a plan in mind I bought some fabric to bind S and L (not Gossip in the Garden you notice) and while on line a few other odds and ends jumped into my basket - well there was a sale on after all.

Despite me saying I had gone off of Kaffe fabric I felt as most of the quilt is made up of his fabric I should use it for the binding and although this one is new to the quilt it has a lot of colours that will go with it.

I've also managed to add a few more stitches to the Love Quilts UK square I am making. I have got another 6 weeks to finish this but I would like to get it done.

I just wanted to finish with a broach that was a Christmas present from a girlfriend - she knows me so well!

Isn't it cute.

I will link up with Kathy on Sunday for some slow stitching. Kathy always comes up with lots of new projects and links for the new year - I must try very hard to resist them LOL.

Happy New Year

I hope 2025 is full of health and happiness

 and lots of sewing and crafting!