Fun with Friends......

I have had a couple of fun projects linking with friends....

A little while ago Maria and I decided to do a little swap with each other - we both have mini quilt stands but nothing to celebrate Autumn..

Look at my lovely mini quilt that arrived in the post yesterday...... I love it

It went straight up on my stand - this little table is in the dining area of the open plan room

I forgot to take a picture of the one I made but it is HERE on Maria's blog .....

The other fun with friends was doing the embroidery designs by Crab Apple Hill during February, I was invited to join a small group which was such fun with chit chat as well as encouragement and ideas.

One bright spark then suggested a swap at the end.  A flower, the words friend and the year.  Susan made mine and that arrived at the end of last week.... it's just perfect and a lovely reminder of a fun month

On Sunday I set it with the others that I had made....

.. and then glued them down so now I have a fun sampler board 

I sent mine to Maureen without a blog but I forgot to take a picture.....

Both lovely little swap/activities done remotely with friends.....  I wonder what will be next?????

Righto, Gotto Go..... normally I am out on a Tuesday but lots of rain happened and is supposed to happen more today so I think I will stay home...

Keep safe....

A swap and February Plans....

I joined a swap with Jane from Loopy's place.  She (via f/b Get Creative with Loopy) has an accent on mental health and one of the many things to help is creating.... and giving..... so she offered it out and although most are from the UK there was someone happy to send over to me....

I don't participate in a lot of swaps these days, but felt this was a fun one and didn't require a huge project.

Louisa sent me this gorgeous piece of hoop art.... it is so clever.....

she didn't make the card but it is hand made and just perfect too....

I think this guy has a little bit of a mischievous expression

It was a fun swap...... I sent over a little zippy purse thinking it might be useful for things like crochet hooks...

A pattern by Natalie Bird and one I have used before... lovely sentiment....

There was also a fabric origami butterfly magnet but I forgot to take it's picture.....

My main plan this month is to get back into the routine of having at least 15 minutes of me time on the sewing machine each day.  I hand sew practically every evening but machine sewing often seems to be overtaken ….

I have already started making the blocks for my Twisted blocks quilt..... and want to get this top together..... 

They are lovely bright happy spotty fabrics which I have teamed up with some white....

I have two zippy bags to be done……  work has started on these....

Tumblers will continue as leaders and enders....

United Stitches will continue to be my main hand sewing at night.....  I would like to have finished all the stitcheries by month-end....

prepare 3 more Happy Hearts snowmen.....

quilt and bind this little quilt..... only 22" square so not too ambitious....

To end off some of the quilting I have been doing lately....

This is the back of quilts

Busy, busy... just how I love it.... (if it's sewing related!)

Righto, gotto go.... I think I can fit in 15 minutes of my own quilting today and do that little baby quilt.....

Have a lovely weekend......

gifts and things....

Now I don't want anyone getting pressie envy but I am showing off today

This is the set of decorations I received from Shez when I went to Melbourne... thanks Shez - your stitching is amazing and I love the bling edge detail

they are looking lovely on my tree already

.. and Melody gave me a giftie too.... at first I did wonder why she thought I would like that pattern (especially in a size 8!) when I realised it is a notebook!  and I sweet pincushion with lovely handsewn detail... Thanks Melody

This is a closer look at the pincushion detail... so sweet...

... and here is a closer look at Shez's amazing stitching..

Now don't get shopping for self envy but I did find a couple of pieces of fabric for my Reproduction Prints quilts ... and some red felt balls I have been looking for... and a lovely tin... I chose a special one for mints for my Hubz....

Now don't get baby envy.... He is a cutie and here he is showing off the Christmas stocking I made for him.... each grandie gets a personalised one....

 Now don't get pressie envy but my FHFS parcels arrived yesterday.... 12 parcels to start opening one a day on the 14th....

I had friends here for sewing and one naughty one said "not a very nice thing for your friend to call you Ho" ....

.. there is a special one for the big day too......

Now don't get decoration envy but Mr Postie also dropped off a decoration and pattern card from Michelle... her little felt decorations are just lovely and delicate. ... and I think you know I love her patterns...

Now don't get Postcard envy but this one arrived for me this week.... it is a 'pounded' leaf and then lovely stitching to highlight it... Came all the way from Eglea in Brazil - I just love it, I real little work of art.

She has a special Brazil tag for the back and her work is amazingly good....

Righto, now that I have spent the morning making you envious I think I will go have a nice cup of coffee and get my day going....... I wonder if Mr Postie will visit me again?

Ruler Bag....

I showed you the amazingly lovely ruler bag I received from Cheryl in a swap HERE...

... well the deal is in a swap to get one you gotta send one!!!...

The one I made was for Marc ..

I found this project a challenge as there is not many ruler cover patterns 

(designers there is an opportunity here!!) around and so a bit of thinking had to happen...

Marc loves Rosalie Quinlan designs (and others of course) but I chose Rosalie's little houses this time ...

The ruler cover was for a 12 1/2" ruler but the front panel is a pocket that would fit a 6 1/2" ruler also

... it is effectively two pockets 

(there may have been a bit of unpicking going on to get this sorted out!!)

.. I added a rod pocket at the back and put it on a hanger so that it could be a 'mini quilt' aswell as a comfortable sleeping place for rulers...

... a few little bits went inside... a little mouse bag which will hold string, a thread catcher hexagon bowl and a bit of dark chocolate... a practical set really ...

It was a fun swap organised by Peg and Shez which made me have to think a bit (quite an effort for me I have to add!) but I loved making it for Marc and I'm pleased she is happy with it (well that's the main reason isn't it?)

Righto, Gotto Go ...... stitching straight line on the machine... not much thinking required for that!

Pincushion

I showed you here my lovely pincushion I got from Susan.... and a mention today that mine hadn't been seen reminded me to post about mine...

... well you know the deal with these swaps is that to get one you also make one and send that off... and my partner was the lovely Elyte....

It's a design by Natalie Bird

a little mouse on a cotton reel looking after things in pockets.

.. and another mouse smelling the flowers and a ladybird

and a needlecase ... and hexagons...

... and a scissor pocket...

.. she has thought of everything in this nifty not very little pincushion... and I loved adding little bits to it like bee buttons and threads etc....

The main fabrics I used were Lynette Anderson and beautiful wool felt and added some extra pieces for the hexagons...

It was so fun to make and Elyte has said she loves it and that's the main thing isn't it....

Thanks Susan for hosting this fun swap.... there have been a bunch of fantastic and all different pincushions made...

Righto, Gotto Go.. there's a weekend to prepare for... woohoooo.....