Finishing Up The Year ....

Amongst my tidy up/sorting for the year I found I hadn't posted a few things this year.

This top is recently made and all out of the scrap bins.

I'm really happy with it and most likely will do something like this again.... great for using up lots of those smaller pieces... 

I didn't get as far as I had hoped with Civil War Bride this year - I had hoped to have all these blocks done and be starting on the borders....

I made Pop Star with friends this year using a Tilda fat quarter pack I had with some background and shadow fabric...

In fact there was enough fabric to make 2!  These two tops are waiting to be finished!

Sunday Stitchers kindly invited me to join them in a sweet little foundation pieced project.  People made a bunch of the same 'friend', wrote the name and then they got shared out.  I have put my circle together but still undecided as to what to make with them....

Over the last few weeks I have done a few more Field Journal blocks.....

I have a plan now for the shirt quilts (shirts given to me in UK pre-owned by son and daughter in law to make quilts for their 2 daughters)

I will make one in this broken dishes block...

and the other in square in a square block (maybe there is a formal name for it)  There is a mix of colours so each block will be different...

These are the decorations I made this year - I made 20 altogether ....

Today sewing with friends I hand sewed down the binding for this Granny Square quilt.  I used a French General range Jelly Roll and some plain solid....

The top was made in 2019 and so it's been waiting in the quilting queue for a while....

Close up of the quilting I did....

Grey Toile backing ..... just right...

I have updated my pages, and done some counting.  This last year I really wanted to make progress on my too long list of UFO's which included a number of quilt tops that needed quilting..... 

Pleased to say I got 21 quilts done... many of the tops had been done previously but there were a few new ones this year.    These are shown HERE on this page if you are interested.....

Righto, Gotto Go.... still sorting the UFO's to make  my list for next year..... I pretend it helps to keep me on track!

Wishing you all the best for 2023 ..... 

Merry Christmas

Sincerely wishing Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all....

This week I received this cute angel from Susan,

... and a beautiful hand made card from Karen,

Both are adorning our tree....

Which is shedding....

We have unintentionally decided to go for a modern "deconstructed" look this year....

In my thrifty way I use previous Christmas cards for my labels on parcels,

Party is happening Christmas Eve lunch time here....

Rocky Road is made....

Trifle is soaking, Ham is Baking, Parcels are wrapped, Wine is chilling...

All good....

Righto, Gotto Go, trying a couple of new recipes - not really advisable last minute so hope they work!

Wishing all my blog friends and readers all the very very best....

Naive Melody

A few years ago I joined in with a Modern Quilt sewalong.  It was hosted by Lucy Engels and we did her Naive Melody quilt.

This is the quilt that started me using my Terra Australis fat quarter pack.

I chose Needleturn applique...

The backgrounds were larger pieces I had in my stash and I also had a bit of metreage of the orange in the range (which I used for the orange backgrounds and binding)

For Quilting I outlined the shapes and did a fairly small meander in between to bring out the shapes...

I was so pleased to have spotted this backing at the shop.... just perfect...

A quick show of the other quilts I did using this range for the colours and then adding different backgrounds...

National Quilt Museum Block of the Month 2021 (free on line)  Different techniques used..

Dotty (made up myself) purchased black and whites for the 4 patch backgrounds... Machine appliqued the coloured circles...

Puzzle Box, free pattern by Christa Quilts.  I purchased some cream grunge for the light backgrounds...

Chandelier Quilt, free pattern online.  I purchased dark grey for the background...

With the last little pieces left I made a bunch of these little card wallets.  Most of them have already been gifted.

I think there may be a couple of small pieces dropped in the scrap baskets.....  So pleased to have so well used the fabric pack and I think I will make it my mission to do so again with other packs I break into.   

It's been fun seeing how different they are with using different background colours....

I have a quilt on the frame which I had finished the top in 2019 - so now it's going to have it's turn for quilting!  

Righto, Gotto Go... Tuesday girls sewing and I have made a trifle to take.... all it needs now is a load of cream on top!

All the best as we ready ourselves for Christmas... I am so not ready and beginning to panic!  I'll just go and sew!

Lots of love xx

So this is Christmas.....

the Christmas wallhanging quilts are up...

Holly Cottage is at the front entrance

This was designed by Michelle and I ran a stitch-a-long for it some years ago...

I did mine in needleturn applique - the colours are not as bright as they show in the pictures... I used a range by Annie Downs

This  was a fun one to do - raw edge applique and free motion quilting for some of the 'embroidery'

Another Stitch-a-long hosted by Chooky some years ago... I mostly used my Christmas scraps..

I had a lot of fun with North Pole - quirky Christmas houses....

We found some branches off trees and stuck them in a hat rack to make our tree..... It has all my precious hand made ornaments on it... (already drooping so not sure it will last for the big day!)

New ones have been added this year.....

A wreath from Shez.

A gingie from Maria,

This lovely card from Michelle,

... and this sweet hexagon from Jeanette,

I haven't sent all of mine off (except overseas) - tut tut - and made very simple this year since I was away and not organised.  I am just unable to plan for Christmas too early!

Well I hope you are all enduring this season well and happy and healthy.... there is reason to celebrate, generosity to share, also compassion needed and love to abound....  For a number of reasons Christmas can be a tough time for lots of people.  xx

I am trying to put together a play list of Christmas songs... any favourites to add????

Righto, Gotto Go.... that coffee won't pour itself....