Sewing....

I have called this post sewing as I have actually done some machining this past week. My fellow blogger, Chookyblue, has been spending at least 10 minutes in her sewing room each day so I tried it. I do go in there often to cut things, iron things and plan but I don't sit and machine often enough. Well ....it worked. I put together the last block of Scandinavian Rose! I know, you have seen the slow progress of this quilt over the many years (it was started in 2014) but to add the last few little squares was very satisfying. It made me think of Rosalie, the designer too, who sadly died from rotten cancer a few weeks ago.

 I also completed the last block of Dancing Chickens and Flying Pigs. I will miss creating these each month. Still tossing up about doing Anni's new BOM that is starting soon Very tempting!

 I have enjoyed cross stitching this fellow too. I have started the third one! It is easy and relaxing to do.

A bit more stitching...

There were too many things to show in one post this week. We were so impressed with Roni's Santa on Wednesday. It is a Tilda pattern. This is one Santa I am hoping to make.....for next Christmas probably! Isn't he wonderful. 

 Paddy has finished her beautiful Christmas table mat by Hugs and Kisses.

 Paddy has also been making a wonderful stocking for her little granddaughter, Laura. Looks so beautiful.

Beth has been busy too and has finished her lovely Santa bag from the stitching day.

Some progress

I am so enjoying stitching these blocks in the Chateau Hexagon BOM by Lynette Anderson. Couldn't resist starting this one straight away! I just love the geese.

 FINALLY..... I put together the last block of the In my Garden BOM by Anni Downs. I can't believe that I left this for so long. It is almost a year since I touched this UFO and it didn't take very long to put together.

 It is always lovely to see what the ladies have been stitching on Tuesday and Wednesday. Shirley has finished her cushion from last year's retreat and bordered it with lovely fabric. Looks great, Shirley.

 I do love the buttons she has put on the back as well.

 Roni has been busy too and finished her Santa hanging and has framed it. Another lovely decoration ready for Christmas.

A bit of stitching

Over the last few busy weeks, I have still tried to stitch as often as possible. I finished my "The Simple Life" bag last week and am very pleased with the result.

 This panel by Anni Downs is so inspiring, even if it needs an iron!

I wanted so much to stitch the pictures and have asked Anni to please make these gorgeous pictures into stitcheries. They are not too easy to trace and I had to choose my own colours! Looking forward to them being in a book next year perhaps. Here is the lovely nativity stitched and ready to make into "something" Christmassy!

Another cute little Santa came to Thursday's meeting! Well done, Caroline, he looks so good.

Just waiting for Fiona to come so we can go and get set up for Stitching on the Lake tomorrow. So looking forward to seeing everyone and to having another lovely day of stitching (and eating and chatting and fun).

Last Wednesday...

With all the excitement and busyness of the Stitching day on Saturday, I didn't have time to show you some more of the lovely show and tell from last Wednesday at Hobbysew. The classes started again and it is always lovely to see what the ladies have done over the break.
At social stitching in the morning, Paddy shared this delightful candle mat from the Quilt a Gift book. It looks great and it is so lovely done in felt.

Donna has just been to the most fabulous embroidery holiday in the UK. She stayed (and hubby came too...what a wonderful man) in amazing country homes and I gather the food and accommodation was so special. As well, the ladies enjoyed some wonderful classes with very talented embroidery teachers and Donna tried some new techniques. Here is one of the projects. Isn't it amazing? I think this trip might need to be added to my "bucket list".

Paddy made this little candlewicked bag for Donna and it went on the trip with her. Lucky bag! We did this pattern in one of my classes a few years ago.

In the afternoon, Jill shared some of her finishes too. Jill has just been to Africa and had a wonderful time seeing all the animals. Here is her canvas humbug. Great colours, Jill.

Jill also made this little felt Santa with lovely beading.

Christmas class at Hobbysew

On Friday, I am teaching the first of several Christmas classes at Hobbysew. They will be special days where the 8 ladies will get four patterns and kits along with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. The next day in July is already full and there are already some places taken for the September day. How exciting. Just thought I would share the projects with you and let you know that Hobbysew has also made up some kits for these projects if you aren't able to come to the class. The first pattern includes this Christmas table centre and cushion.

This is the canvas work.

This little Santa is hand stitched using felt.

These little gift bags are easy to make. One is appliqued and the other is stitched and the little angel is stamped onto the fabric to make it easy to do.

Christmas decorations

On Wednesday night, our last class, some of the girls brought some lovely show and tell. Sue has knitted this wonderful Santa!

Sue has also made these absolutely beautiful, smocked decorations. They are so special.

Margaret was telling me about how she was making some lolly wreaths for Christmas and I asked her to explain how she makes them and she made me one! I was so thrilled! I am so wanting to eat the lollies every time I walk by but I am being good till Christmas!

Afternoon class

Marianne brought in her lovely floral runner to show us and it is all finished.

Marianne has also finished her Santa hanging. Well done!

Anne added the hair and face to her delightful doll she has made using Laraine at "Up in Annies Room"'s lovely pattern, Dimity. We have the pattern at Hobbysew. My doll has one shoe painted and isn't even stuffed yet!

Isn't she so cute?

Tuesday and Wednesday at the shop

Everyone at social stitching on Tuesday were so impressed with this wonderful hexagon quilt being made by Judy. There is so much work in these fiddly hexagons which are all hand pieced. There are so many hexagons in this quilt! Well done, Judy, and I wish I was related to you. Judy is giving this amazing quilt as a wedding gift.

Di is working on her Santa and he is looking very good.

In the afternoon, Maxine has been appliqueing the front of her cushion. She has chosen her fabrics very carefully.

Maxine has also finished her lovely felt strawberry "cutter" keeper.

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!

Wednesday at the shop

One of the Wednesday social stitchers, Angela, is into all things Japanese and has just made this foundation pieced Japanese girl. The fabric of her kimono is Japanese kimono silk.

One of the girls at Hobbysew put some borders on this delightful Christmas panel by Sandy Gervais. It is a lovely range of fabrics and it turned out so well several of the panels sold in the days following! It is always inspiring to see a sample.

In the evening class, Sue showed us her lovely stitched Santa. Doesn't he look great. Hard to believe that he is only about 4" or 10cm tall.

Sue has also been working on her biscornu from the stitching day. She had almost sewn it together by the end of the evening. Linda had finished hers too.

Stitching on the Bay will have started by now and I do hope you are having a good time. Wish I were there.

Wednesday class finishes and a new project

Rhonda has started coming to classes this term and she has just finished her lovely bag from a Bareroots pattern. She did all the quilting herself which was something new for her. The colours go so well together and it is a great bag with plenty of pockets.

Linda has just finished this beautiful quilt from Anni Downes' book "Simple Pleasures". It is going to leave Australia and fly to England as a gift for Linda's aunt. What a lovely niece she is! We all wanted to make it too!

Here is a little glimpse of the Santa I am appliqueing for the stitching day in September. I was hoping to get all the projects made in June. Oh dear, only a few days left. The other 2 projects are drawn and planned but not started!