Stitching

 I thoroughly enjoyed stitching the latest block for The Santa..... by Anni Downs. I do love woven wool applique and stitching.

I also enjoyed a little cross stitch and my first small stocking is stitched. Of course it needs hair and charms and making up!

I decided to get out another old project to work on. This is United stitches designed by the talented Rosalie Dekker and I did enjoy stitching the preprinted blocks several years ago. I started to cut my Tilda scraps up into small squares to make these blocks. I am also doing 4 patches and larger blocks in between the stitcheries.

I have also stitched up the last two Christmas stitcheries from The Love and Hugs Christmas page.

Great show and tell

 So nice to be able to catch up with stitching friends here in Canberra. I feel for those in Melbourne! I should be in Victoria at a stitching retreat this week!!! Can't believe this year though Australia has done very well. I so feel for the many other countries struggling with this yucky virus. So to some lovely show and tell. Jayne has made this amazing group of gifts for a dear friend to use in her laundry! They are just so lovely.

Roni has made these wonderful cross stitch trees for Christmas. So NEED some of these.

Beth made this great pin cushion from a pattern from Kathy Schmitz.

I have stitched these Love and Hugs for Christmas stitcheries, They are good fun.

I was also inspired to make some of these woven wool felt decorations. Such fun to stitch. They are from a pattern by Kathi Campbell of Heart to Hand.

Muddling along

 It has been freezing here over the last few days. We are definitely looking forward to Spring now! There was even a bit of snow that I didn't see yesterday. The boys and their dad did see it.

Here is a very strange activity by Jack. He is relaxing with cucumber slices on his eyes. I gather he saw this on a TV show!

I have been busy hand quilting my Here, There and Everywhere quilt finally. Very time consuming but the quilt has been keeping me warm!

I have stitched the last two Love and Hugs for Christmas blocks. Such a generous group of designers to give these patterns away for free.

Last week I received the first part of The Santa, the Tree, the Turkey and me. So exciting and I was very inspired to get stitching!

So special to catch up with stitching friends last week. Roni has wowed us all again with this amazing bunting and some more felt decorations. Seeing what everyone is doing is so inspiring.

Knitting and stitching

On this freezing, rainy day, it is nice to catch up here on the blog. I don't know where the last few weeks went to. Ma came to visit last a few weeks ago and it was lovely to see her. We went out a bit but I didn't take many photos. Here is just one of lunch at the outlets.

 I have been busy knitting over the last few weeks and have done a little stitching. Here is my cardigan blocking and two more of the Love and Hugs stitcheries.

I have also caught up with a few of my stitching friends and it was a delight and an inspiration to see what they have been making. This gorgeous crochet is Adrienne's new scarf project and it is in perle 8 thread. Amazing!

Roni has been busy too. I just love these felt decorations. She also made this wonderful bag and pouch!

Jayne has been made this delightful bag. It is a pattern by Gail Pan.

Beth has just had her wonderful Anni Downs' quilt professionally quilted. It looks amazing!

The boys turn 8 and some sewing

Our big boys turned 8 recently. Haven't any pictures of their many celebrations and gifts but here they are. So hard to believe that those tiny babies could be such big boys.

 I decided to download the blocks for the Love and Hugs for Christmas stitcheries. Here are two of them. I may not do them all but it is very kind of the designers to share their designs with us.

 I also finished this crochet shawl. It is blocking right now. What a difference blocking makes. It is a lovely design by Annie design crochet called the Little Fictions Shawl.

May is here

Time seems to fly by even when you are not going out anywhere. We have been seeing the grandchildren again and doing a little helping out. I have continued stitching away but several books have filled up too much good stitching time. I loved Where the Crawdads sing and am almost finished The Dutch House. Both are good reads! I have been stitching a couple of little zippered pouches. The first two are a great pattern by Jane from BeBe Bold. One is a birthday gift for Fiona. Hers is the lowest one with the zipper inserted correctly! I was definitely having problems sewing in these zippers.

 I have also made up two more of the stitcheries from the Love and Hugs from Australia Stitchalong. Haven't made them into anything yet.

 I have also wanted to have a go at Boro stitching. It was fun and I made my practise piece into another pouch.

 The houses are still multiplying though at a bit of a slower pace. I was trying to make one a day but that isn't happening but it doesn't matter, does it?

 Again, I was tempted to start or continue this lovely Peaceful Day Case by Anni Downs. It is in her new book and I just love the colours.

Life goes on quietly

We are certainly living in strange times. Hope you are all well and safe. I seem to have so much spare time and should be tidying or cleaning cupboards but seem to be able to waft away the day! I am missing the kids though we do see them occasionally with a distance between us but it does seem very odd! We delivered Easter goodies and visited for just a moment at each house. Only managed to get pictures of the boys.

 I have been enjoying stitching the Love and Hugs free stitcheries. This is Gail Pan's design and the one below is Anni Downs'.

 The other job I had on my list was blocking these scarves. The first one is the Tendril shawl by Annie Design Crochet. It was a lovely project and the blocking worked so well.

This is another one of her designs and I crocheted it in 2ply wool. 

 This one is an old one but blocking it made it so much flatter and larger too.

My biggest achievement was finally sewing together this Stitching Circle basket by Lynette Anderson. I started this last September at the Stitch the Day away in Queensland. It was a big effort but I did do it slowly and paced myself. I am happy with the result.

I have managed to waste another morning really doing nothing much! Best go and sew a few houses!