New Magazine and Noah's Ark

Hobbysew has the Vignette magazine by Leanne Beasley so I just had to have a copy. Leanne mentioned this at the "Immerse" stitching day and I was looking forward to seeing it. Her photos are beautiful and there are a few recipes and Block one of a Mystery quilt and a covered notice board to make. There is lots of stitching on the quilt but I think it will be a lovely, large quilt.

At the Stitching day on Saturday I bought these Nancy Halverson fabrics, from Cute as a Button, to use in this quilt. I am not into the bright colours so these suit me better. I was just choosing the DMCs to use in the embroidery. Oh dear, another BOM when I have several waiting to be finished. I do love starting new things.

I also bought this latest book by Nancy Halverson. It is filled with lovely projects, as are all her books.

Last night I finished this delightful Noah's Ark stitchery by Lynette Anderson. I thought I was finished yesterday but hadn't stitched Noah's beard!

Lots of lovely stitching...

Najelle brought along her lovely family of penguins on Wednesday for us to meet at the shop. They are just so special and are from another lovely pattern by Melly and Me. 

Jan has made another bookmark! The colours work so well, Jan.

Najelle is also working on this stitchery block for the BOM that Hobbysew is going to have soon. The stitcheries were designed by Laraine from Up in Annies room and Cathy is going to design the patchwork. I think it is going to be a lovely quilt.

This is another of the blocks for the quilt. I finished this one recently and forgot to take a picture of it.

Najelle has also stitched another one of Anni Downs' little pictures to put onto those terribly cute lolly bags. We are all getting excited about the Sydney craft show which is on next week. Can't wait to visit the Hatched and Patched stall as it is one of my favourites.

A parcel arrived...

A wonderful parcel arrived last week when I was in Sydney. It was from Hatched and Patched in Bathurst and had my border and some more stitching fabric for the Gardener's Journal quilt. That means I can choose fabrics and perhaps get my first block done before the end of April...perhaps in the first week of May.

I pulled some fabrics out of my stash. The photo was a bit dark so the colours are a little wrong but I think they might do.

In the special package were the kits and pattern for Annie's beautiful scarves. They are so lovely.

I have been stitching a little and have been working on this sample for Hobbysew. It will be part of a wonderful, new BOM that the shop is launching soon designed by Laraine from Up in Annies room.

It was so nice to meet Sue at the shop yesterday. I only know Sue from her blog so it was very special to meet her in person. I felt like I knew her already just from reading her blog.

A useful bag and some stitching

Jenny had this very useful little bag/ pencil case with her last week. It is so clever and would be fun to make though you do have to put in a zipper. There was a very good tutorial on putting zips in at Natalie's blog. Looks quite easy compared to my memories if putting zippers into clothing many years ago. Jenny had her pencils and pigma pens in this bag.

I have been slowly stitching on the largest block in Anni Downs' book "A Gardener's Journal". I am doing this slowly this year as my own BOM and this was February's block. The rest are smaller so that's always good! I no doubt will finish all the stitching and then procrastinate about putting it together. I am off to finish putting the back together for the "World as it should be" quilt THIS afternoon, after a coffee break, of course. Then it will be off to Robyn for quilting!

For those who know my dear sister in law, Janelle, it is good to report that she came home, a little reluctantly, yesterday (which was the day after surgery) and is doing really well. We popped in to see her today and she is up and about and is quite comfortable. 

Quilting....and a block stitched

Admitting how many things lie unfinished in my stash the other day, has made me take a some action. I finally basted the "Your Home or mine" quilt. I basted it as I thought I would hand quilt it but after attempting to quilt the centre block I have given up on fully hand quilting it. I don't know if it is the bamboo wadding that I chose or the number of seams on this quilt but it is hard to do.

My knees were sore after basting and this is a smallish quilt.

In the end I have decided to hand quilt the little buildings and then machine quilt around the blocks. The quilting is always the downfall for me. I love the stitching and applique and even the piecing but really like to send my quilts away to be quilted. Very lazy, I know!

I enjoyed stitching block 3 of the Crazy Christmas BOM. If only I liked quilting as much as I love stitching.

Charms, plates and a little stitching

I was thrilled to receive a few more charms for my Pandora charm  bracelet this Christmas. I wasn't buying any myself so have had to wait for Christmas to get some more. Hubby bought me the blue one, the gift and the basket (It is a picnic basket but he said it was a stitching one!) and the kids gave me the suitcase. They look lovely on my bracelet.

I packed away all the Christmas decorations and had to reorganise the dresser too. I really enjoyed having the Christmas plates etc on show here and they were useful too.

Over the last few weeks I have been slowly stitching the next block of Anni Downes'  "Gardener's Journal" quilt. This is the potting shed.

I have also decided to try and do one block of Lynette Anderson's Crazy Christmas BOM each month. Here is block 3 started.

I do need to attack my UFOs, especially the stitchery quilts which haven't been pieced yet. I keep waiting for a free day at home but they don't seem to happen very often! I should just get started one day and then may get motivated! Last year I promised not to start any more large projects and I failed. Can't promise that this year as I already have several BOMs started and a few more waiting in the stash. Still, it is such fun to start something new!

Lovely stitching

It was lovely to have our dear friend Paddy back at stitching on Wednesday. She had some great Show and Tell. Paddy is making Leanne Beasley's "Leanne's House" BOM and this is part of one of the blocks. I love the colours she has chosen.

Paddy has also finished some of these little decorations......

and some Bareroots stockings too.

She is also stitching 2 little hangings using the special Christmas block pattern from the "Be Attitudes" Book by Nancy Halverson.

Well done, Paddy, and so lovely to have you back in Canberra.

Lovely stitching, a completed scissor fob and a BOM started

Carol is making these lovely book marks from the book we are doing in class this term, " The world as it should be" by Anni Downs. They have been beautifully appliqued onto felt ready to finish.

Carol is also working on this nativity applique from a Nancy Halverson book. I just love these fabrics and would love to do this one too. It is so motivating to see what the girls are making.

I searched in my beads "department" and found these little wooden beads! I must have been hoarding them for many years and now I have found a use for a few of them. I will be able to share them with my class next year when we make this in our Term 1 classes.

Lastly, I have been very naughty and started another stitchery BOM. I know I promised not to start another until the other ones are made up but I HAD to have something to stitch and have always wanted to make this quilt in Annie Downs' book, A gardener's Journal. We had fun at class the other night working out which one of these girls represented each of us!

A little gift and some stitching

Margaret, from the Wednesday night class, has just come back from a wonderful trip to Europe and went on a fabulous river cruise (it is on my list of things to do one day!). She visited Rottenburg's Christmas shop and brought us back this lovely little Santa decoration. He is so cute.

Because we have been travelling in the car so much recently I HAD to find some hand stitching to do! So, I have gone against my rule that I wasn't starting anymore BOMs till the others are made up. Oh dear! I couldn't resist starting Lynette Anderson's Crazy Christmas BOM. Here is Block 1.

Here is block 2 partly done.

I managed to send my Stitcher's angel gifts last Friday and will share those after my secret friend receives them, hopefully this week.

Tuesday Morning Stitchers

Here are the Tuesday morning social stitchers hard at work at Hobbysew today. They are all stitching lots of lovely things.

Josie, who is keener than even me about Christmas, has been working on this lovely BOM and has just put it all together. It looks great and she has used lots of beads and sequins so it sparkles.

Here is a close up of one of the Santas.

Shirley has been busy too and has almost finished her Santa hanging from the stitching day.

The ladies had a lovely time stitching and then headed off for lunch at one of the local restaurants. What a good life they lead!

Wonderful Christmas BOM by Lynette Anderson

I was looking at blogs the other day and discovered one that is already selling Lynette Anderson's BOM "Crazy Christmas" in Australia. Cath is offering it as a BOM (patterns only) or as a set of patterns at a very good price. As you know I have already ordered and received the fabrics so I am very tempted. The little appliques with stitching are so cute!

This is what the blocks look like. I have added Cath's blog to my list. It is Cathron Country Designs. She emailed me and she is also the designer of "Angels in Disguise" patterns. I know I have some 0f her patterns in my collection and have stitched some too.

Noah's Arks

So pleased with myself as I have finished my Noah's Ark BOM...even the binding. I just have a little label to make and it is completely finished!

I do like Noah's arks so thought I would share a few that live at my house. This one was a gift from my friend Maree for my birthday a few years ago. The animals have come from the Noah's ark below this one.

This ark, Noah and the animals used to live at Fiona's house. When she moved, she gave it to me. Lucky me, as I really love it.

I have had this little cross stitch for years but it goes well with the ark.

Stitching on Wednesday

Gwen brought in this lovely little quilt, that she started a while ago, to show us on Wednesday morning. We are all encouraging her to finish it as it will look so nice on her wall.

In the afternoon class, Margaret has completed her painted pin cushion from the stitching day. She is working on her needlecase now.

In the evening, Heidi completed one of her gorgeous blocks of her BOM that she is working on. It is a design by Natalie of Cinderberry Stitches called Truly Scrumptious. It is such a lovely BOM.

   

A finish and works in progress

Hurray!!! Last week I had time to put my Your Home or Mine BOM blocks together! I am thrilled with the result and have to add 2 borders and then the top is done. 

I did manage to finish this little angel designed by Laraine of Up in Annies Room . I am pleased with her though I did start her before Christmas and was planning to make her as a gift! I managed to get paint (not too keen on the painting) on her arms and legs so she has a greeny tinge! Might just have to keep her now.

I have also put together my Noah's ark BOM and have hand quilted around the blocks. It is such a lovely project by Lynette Anderson and is free from her blog.