A Big Year...

http://vishava.com/happy-new-year-2015-wallpaper-hd-free-download.html

There is always a sense of excitement and trepidation when one year ends and another starts, and in our household, this has never been more true.  2014 was on the whole a very good year for us, the birth of our beautiful second daughter really set the tone as a family year, and we really enjoyed a Christmas Day, just the four of us together. And in 2015 we'll be formalising our little family, and finally getting round to getting married.  

 

Alongside that, we have plans for a single storey extension too, to make best use of the garden, and move our lounge to the back of the house, 

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/r/re-decorating.asp

and plans for the baby to be baptised, 

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/11/12/baptismal-flushing/

all before the end of August.  So you can see, lots going on this year!

With all that in mind, you'd think I wasn't expecting to fit in much else, but I have loads of things I want to sew this year, and finish off, so I will be making a big list to start me off, and give me something to aim towards :o).

First off, I want to get my WIP's down to 5 at any one time, it's currently about 10, with a few close to finishing, so with a bit of a push, I can knock these down by 2 or 3.

Things I want to sew/techniques to try in 2015

• Sashiko/wholecloth project
• A metal framed purse
•  Moomin embroidery
• Right Round pattern
• Aviatrix Medallion Quilt
• Another Sew Together bag
• Double Goosed Pattern
• Princess And The Pea Embroidery
• Oakshotts Quilt
• Doe Fabric Quilt
• Basic understanding of EQ7

I think that may be enough to be going on with, it will be interesting to see how far along the list I am at the end of the year...

Ange x

Progress and a Christmas Tree Decoration

A few weeks back, you may remember I had a list of 5 things I needed to get done before Christmas, and I have made some definite progress on these.  
I've already shown you the quilt for A which was finished last week, 

one of the secret sewing projects is done and written up, 

and the other is close to a finish. 

And then I finished this fab cross stitch tree decoration (pattern by Satsuma Street on Etsy), and it has been on the tree for a few days.

Funnily enough, cross stitch was my first crafty love, many many years ago, and I rather enjoyed this one, despite metallic thread being an absolute bugger to work with (it all came flooding back). 

 I can see some other cross stitch projects in my future, including the rest of the Christmas patterns as part of this purchase, just not right now, as I need to get those other key items made up.

If I'm not back before th big day, Merry Christmas to you and yours :o)

Ange x

More Than A Quilt...

Without getting overly sentimental and emotional, sometimes it is possible to do something more than just sew a quilt.  That is, a quilt becomes more than the sum of it's parts, more than a few pieces of fabric, and in this instance, the aim is that it becomes a message from a grandmother to her grandson, that he was and is loved, despite being gifted to a new family to love and raise him.

On a personal note, I've rather enjoyed making this quilt, it's a simple 6 patch design, and the soft, muted colours make for a calming effect.  On the back I have used the soft, solid blue you also see on the front (and for the binding), and I've cut out the recipients name and appliqued it on, then stitched round in a cream perle, and added his date of birth above it, and even if I do say myself, it looks beautiful (this picture is awful- forgive my late in the day photo).  The whole thing is all wrinkly as it had the washing and tumble dryer treatment, just like a kids quilt should have!  I hope it acts as a comfort for little A in his future, a reassuring constant in his life.

Anyway, enough of the sentimentality, I am making good progress on my "must do" list, and a little on my "like to do" list.  But Christmas is fast approaching, and time is running short, I'm not entirely sure how much will get finished...

Ange x

The Great Demotivator!

My head is full.  Full of lots of things I need, want or have to get done by the end of the year, and it's affecting my creativity.  So, you'll have to bear with me while I get my head around it all, and work out my priorities for the next 6 weeks, before my head explodes!!


Lets start with what I have been up to.  Firstly, Hexy 2 has had a lot of attention, it's been the perfect sofa project when I couldn't get to my machine.  It's fully squared off, but I want to add about 4 rows to the width now, just so it covers a single bed a bit better, oh well back to it then.  

I have also decided to hand quilt it, so I can't see it being finished before the end of the year, but will hopefully be finished early next year, it's a good winter project.

Secondly, I have started to construct this, as I wanted to see how it looked, and if it was going to live up to my hopes/expectations. 

It most definitely does.  I need to make quite a lot of blocks for it though, so it may well go on the back burner until the new year, unfortunately.

So, here goes with the lists, to help clear my head a bit.  First up, the Must Do list:
1. Quilt for Archie.  This is for a friend of mine, whose Grandson is being adopted into a new family in the very near future, so I need to get this completed asap.

2. Secret squirrel project.  No specific deadline but I need to get my bum in gear, as it should have been finished already

3. another secret squirrel project, like above, and now it's bothering me!

4. Bags or something similar made out of the other sparkly Frozen fabric I have, 1 for eldest daughter, and 1 for each of my nieces, deadline, Christmas.

5. Ornament for the tree for 2014, I have these fab cross stitch patterns from Satsuma Street on Etsy, and would love to get them made up.

 Like to do:

1. Christmas Quilt- I really want to get one made, but with the big list of must do's might not be feasible :o(

2. Hand Hoop framed and put up, need to add 2013 to it too, as baby hand is obviously missing :o)

 

3. The second House Quilt from Stitch Tease, all it needs is a little quilting and binding and it will be done, it's an easy finish :o)

4. At least one other from my FAL list, it's currently at 10, so if I can knock a couple off the list i'll be firmly in single figures, which would be major progress since the start of the year :o)

I'm going to get firmly focused on the must do list, so I can get to the "like to do's", and hopefully start 2015 with a clearer WIP pile, as it's planned on being another very busy year!

So, what's on your must do list before the end of the year?
Ange x

FAL Q4 Finish 2 Frozen Blanket

Well I hadn't actually intended to finish this next as I was very close to finishing the second Stitch Tease blanket, but after a lot of hand sewing on Hexy 2, I thought I would have a look at the Frozen panel, and see what it needed, and before I knew it I was sewing on a white border, quilting it and adding the binding, job done!

This is planned as a Christmas present for my eldest daughter who adores Frozen, so I figured it would be fun to give her something she will adore, even if it makes me ever so slightly sick into my mouth!!! 

 The backing is a cuddly soft fleece I got from Plush Addict  and it is really lovely to touch, so I decided to bind it in the same fabric, I'll definitely be backing more quilts in this kind of fabric, especially for winter quilts.

All in all it was a good, quick project, and great to have another off the list, I'm down to 10 now, which is fab, can't wait to get to single figures on my WIP's!

Happy Hallowe'en and enjoy the weekend, I can't believe tomorrow is November already, now that's scary!!! 

 Ange x

FAL Q4- Finish 1- Georgias Christening Cushion

Well I'm on track so far, and have finished the first item off the FAL/WIP list from hell!  

This Christening Cushion for my friends daughter was "due" about 4 weeks ago, but I was away that weekend in the Cotswolds so I missed the main event, and was a little slow getting it finished.

Not as lumpy as it looks here, honest!

I finally decided to get a move on as some other deadlines were looming, and had some free evenings as my man was working away at the start of the week- which is generally my most productive time in any month.

This was finished Friday morning, and by lunchtime had been gifted.  My friend opened it when she got home, and was absolutely delighted with it, in fact she cried, and called to tell me how much she adores it, what a sweetie, I love making for people who appreciate the time and care that goes into handmade gifts :o)

This week I also made a little drawstring bag to hold some baby shower gifts, unfortunately I was double booked and couldn't make this one either, it's hard work being a social butterfly, I was busy eating these, which I made for a friends, husbands 50th birthday party. I love cake, and any excuse to make and eat it :o)

Lemon Cupcakes, Banana Cake, Chocolate Flapjacks, and Cinnamon Roll Cake

Right, onto the next one on the list, but as it's half term this week, progress might be a little slow.

Ange x

Two Weeks...

Photo shamelessly , sorry (ish) :o)

It's 2 weeks since I returned from the Brit Bee Weekender (I was a temporary honorary member).  There has been plenty more cake and sewing since, but it's just not the same.  Always an interruption, no chance to just sew without having to clock watch for the next meal/school pick up/end of nap time etc. I loved it. I managed to get a few finishes, including a Sew Together Bag:

A little drawstring bag using the pattern by the clever Svetlana at Sotak Handmade:

And my October Bee Blocks for Jen (Stitch Tease Bee)

Got my t-shirt printed, and a panel I need to make into something when I get a plan.

I could have made more in the time, but life is all about balancing the quality with the quantity, and this was the perfect balance, fantastic company, great food and cake (especial credit to the fab Susan and Trudi) and fun sewing, what's not to love.

Now I just need to see if I can wangle an invitation to their next Weekender....
Ange x