Lovely Show and tell

So nice to catch up with the stitching and class girls yesterday and to see all their wonderful stitching! It is very motivating. Doreen has been doing some lovely canvas work and has made up this union jack tapestry on 18 count canvas and then has used it on this lovely bag for her mum.

 Roni brought in her Scandinavian Christmas quilt to show us. It looks so good!

 Roni changed the angel to this sleigh with gifts. It works very well.

 Even her label is  lovely.

 Roni has also finished her canvas work from the retreat.

 Colleen has been busy too and has made up the stocking that she started last week. She will be ready for Christmas.

 Jayne is hooked on paper piecing and has made 5 dresden plate decorations! Don't they look terrific?

 In the evening, Margaret brought in this quilt top to show us and then needed to choose some backing for it. It is a lovely Lynette Anderson range of fabrics.

 Anita brought these "Babushka" Santas in to show us. Check out how tiny the littlest one is next to a pin.

 I have been stitching too and have finished quilting and binding my Chateau Hexagon quilt! I am pleased with it.

 I am now stitching a label.

Great Show and Tell and some progress

Just checked the photos on my camera and realised I hadn't shared some lovely show and tell from last week. Roni is working on this lovely Red Brolly BOM that is in the Homespun this year. Her blocks look fantastic. She has changed some of them but they are looking so good. What an expert she is at needleturn applique. This will be a lovely quilt to hang this Christmas.

 Roni is also working on Scandinavian Christmas. Here is her first block.

In the evening, Danni showed us this beautiful quilt she has made for a friend's new baby. Great fabrics and colours.

 Even the back is interesting.

 I have been slowly (and without much motivation) working on the little boys' baby quilts. The stitcheries were done before they were born! Finally the centre is done for Sammy's quilt and I have one row pieced for Benny's. Why do I procrastinate about the machining?

Two finished and some progress

Hooray! Finally a finish! I have been working slowly on Scandinavian Christmas since last year and only just finished the binding and the label a few weeks ago when it came back from Robyn Cawdron, my special quilter. I am very pleased with it!

 Here is the label.

 This sewing pocket was started in March at Urban Stitches in Sydney, has been hand stitched for a while and took only a short time to sew together! I wish I didn't procrastinate with the machining.

 Even more exciting is that I finally put together the last piece of stitching for the Vignette quilt by Leanne Beasley. I have left this quilt 3/4 done and haven't had time or the inclination to continue till now. There is still plenty of patchwork that needs doing but at least I am back working on the quilt.

 I have been enjoying a little crocheting too. I bought this variegated Noro wool in Melbourne and am making a scarf....again!

Visiting Phoebe and stitching

Deirdre and Ma came for a quick visit to see Phoebe too. It was lovely to see the little one again and to see her and Lois with "old" Ma, their very special great grandmother.

 Here is Ma with little Phoebe and her family.

 I have been stitching and it is so good to be getting a few things done on my old UFOs. I so want to start new things but am actually enjoying working on these projects and seeing them progress. The top and bottom borders are on Scandinavian Christmas. I had been putting this off as "too hard" and it has been really quite easy.I have started on the side borders now.

 I have also completed the applique on the second half of the centre of Vignette. Now to do all those little satin stitch dots!

Stitching and a busy weekend

What not to do! I felt like getting a border ready for Scandinavian Christmas (haven't touched this quilt in ages), so I read the pattern and started to cut the stars to the correct size! Oh no! I cut too close to this side of the star. What is the saying....measure twice and then cut!

 I had to stitch another star!

 Here is the top border almost done.

 I also forgot to show you the lovely bag from Red Home that I finished after Christmas. It is such a good big bag and went together very well.

 These lovely little fellows came to breakfast at Rocksalt on Saturday morning as it was their mummy's birthday. Benny went to sleep like a good boy. He does look tired in this photo.

 Sammy was very good and loved looking at everything.

 Benny woke up later when Mummy opened her presents and enjoyed a bit of paper chewing.

I then headed off to a birthday party for Sue which was fun and then a lovely BBQ at friends' place in the evening.We have had the hottest weather lately but it was a lovely time out and about.

Stitching and little boys

Finally, some stitching progress. I did read a lot on holidays but did enjoy some stitching too. I was trying to keep up with my many UFOs! I stitched another set of borders for one of the lower corner blocks of Vignette.

 I worked on about 9 of these stars for Scandinavian Christmas.

 For a break from stitching, I stitched this lovely scissor keeper. I made one a while ago as a gift and wanted one for me.

 I have put it together now.

 I so enjoyed the canvas work that I made this lovely pin cushion. It is one Fiona designed for one of our stitching days.

 I also stitched these pieces for 2 of the projects in "The Simple Life". We are working on the book this term in class so I need to make some samples.

 I bought this stitchery and the gorgeous wreath one recently and enjoyed working in my favourite red, DMC 221.

 Lastly, here are the precious boys. They had grown and changed so much while we were away.  We have been enjoying seeing them lots since we came home. Here is Benny.

 Here is little Sammy. He still has all that gorgeous hair!