Saturday Afternoon Sewing

Last weekend when visiting my youngest son and his family my grandson, Freddie, had some drawing to do as part of his homework. There was mention that he could do with a pencil case and with that in mind I started making one using a pattern from. Craftsy class.

Here's the front

And back

The fishes ended up upside down.  But I could just make one, I made another for his brother

Here's both other together. I hope the boys like them.

Did you notice they've got zips? I'm getting better at them.

Flowers

Last week I bought the first of this year's daffodils in M&S which came into full bloom this week and on Thursday I took a photo

They look glorious and I look forward to more bunches of daffodils over the next couple of months.  We have some growing in the garden, which I'm really looking forward to. I really love the sign of coming Spring.

Last Autumn we planted some Hyacinth bulbs for Christmas, except they were forgotten about until after the holidays, but having bought them in the house they are now blooming really well and we are enjoying the lovely fragrance.

Lovely to see flowers in the midst of winter.

Zippedy Do Da

This weekend I went to Hobbycraft in Ferndown for a small Pom Pom maker to make pom-poms for the knitted snowman to finish it off, which I hope will get done this week.  While there I also picked up in of the fat quarter packs of 6 fabrics with a country feel, with badgers, owls and hedgehogs.

Here they are at the bottom of the photo.  At the top are some quarters that I bought before Christmas before all the fabrics go in the wash. I've found that Hobbycraft fq's are imperial rather than metric so are slightly smaller than normal, but they are pretty.

Making progress with the (potential) skirt making I've had a bash at sewing an invisible zip, using a couple of pieces of calico to practice on with more un-sewing than sewing. I've been following some of the instructions from the Craftsy class that I've been taking.

It may look ok from the front, but the the back is definitely as dogs dinner.

I think more practice is called for.

Been Shopping

I'm not a keen shopper but every so often I get the urge. Using birthday money (from way back in November) I bought a couple of Per Una tops from M&S last week, which started it all off. At the weekend it was followed by a couple of pairs of shoes. Anyone that knows me will know how difficult I find this with size 4 feet, so I was really pleased with that.

Not satisfied with going to shops I shopped online on Sunday, first of all with Seasalt, and the "lovely delivery from Cornwall" arrived today with a skirt and top.

I like the packaging.

Not a very good pic as taken this evening, but the fit is good, so I'm happy.

I also sent for a couple of sewing items, a French Curve ruler and a couple of invisible zips (one to try and another for an actual skirt.  Just before Christmas I bought an online class from Craftsy to design and make an A-line skirt, hence need for the ruler and zips as I've never tried inserting an invisible zip before. All these items arrived this week so I've looked forward to getting home to my parcels.  That's all my shopping for now.

Slowly Getting Back to Sewing

It's the start of a working week after the Christmas holidays and I thought I would show you a belated present to my friend Brenda, this little quilted box for putting bits and bobs in. This was made well before the holidays but couldn't show before now.

Here's a photo of what it looks like with my sewing stuff

It started with a square which was quilted with the corners bought in and stitched the adjacent sides. The corner triangles were then turned down and stitched with a button on all four corners. That's how best I can explain it, really. So there's storage in the main box and the little pockets made from the corners can hold small things like scissors or seam rippers, etc. I enjoyed making this and might see if I can make a few more.

I've had a go at English Paper Piecing (EPP) on Sunday on a pattern that I quite liked.  In Love Patchwork and Quilting mag in December was a Dala horse pattern and I rather liked the patchwork saddle for the horse.  The pieces are not too small, but hand piecing in the evening under artificial light weren't good for my eyes.  The stitching is ok but not brilliant and I haven't attempted the curved pieces that surround the edge yet.

Oops that owl is upside down! Not sure where I'm going to use this patchwork, but I'll think of something.

I went out on Sunday with friends to Pauline's Patchwork in Poundbury near Dorchester, a nice trip out there. I'd already signed up for one workshop at the end of May, but I've signed up for another in September.  Blimey, talk about wishing my life away.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Look!

Wanting to change things a bit post-Christmas, a new background and new title header. I hope it looks OK and a bit Spring-like for looking forward in the New Year.

Christmas for David, Sarah and me was a busy-ish one, enjoying Christmas Day at my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's home in Surrey, followed by Boxing Day at home with my sons and their families.  Sarah had to return home to Bristol on Saturday because she was working a late shift at hospital. Her train wasn't running and a later one would have pushed her time-wise so a trip quick trip from Poole to Bristol and back again! Fortunately it was a lovely if cold day which made the drive more enjoyable.

David and I had already booked an overnight stay in Plymouth on Monday so an early start to get to Plymouth at lunchtime and a driving tour around Liskeard, Looe and back to Torpoint with a ferry crossing back to Plymouth. On Tueday we toured around Kingsbridge to Dartmouth, Totnes and Newton Abbot before returning home.  It was just a quick getaway to make the most of our time off over Christmas holidays and not too far a drive to explore when the year progresses.

As you will have guessed not a lot of sewing was done, but more progress was made of knitting the snowman, more of which I hope to show in another blog.

This morning I read Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog with the solution for the Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt.  If you have read my previous posts about this I've made 10 of each unit as I didn't want to make a big quilt and see where the 10 took me.  Whether its to make more units for a bigger quilt top or to keep things small.  I have made one block here

Photo taken while in progress on my chair.

Then with the green/neutral/black sashing around it.

There are some blocks left which are to be used as the border in the quilt after a first border strip is sewn around the quilt.  Lets see how big this quilt top will be before I decide on borders.

I don't go back to work until next Monday, so I will have the opportunity to review the past year's sewing and look at what projects lie ahead for the year.

Finally, I'm linking with Lily's Quilts Fresh Sewing Day (haven't done that for a couple of months at least) so if you've popped over to my blog from there - Welcome! Come and say Hello!

Whatever you do have a great New Year with lots to look forward to in 2015.