Sheep in the Willow

I’ve finished the next two instalments of my Primitive Gatherings ‘Sheep in the Willow’ BOM – this is February and March. I purchased all of the blocks last year and decided to set myself the ‘simple’ (!!!!!!) goal of completing one block each month. January I was going great guns!!!!! - but it didn't take me long to slip!!LOL Anyway, just in the nick of time before March is out, I’ve finished February and March ....... and I’ve taken ‘April’ out of its packet ready to do (positive thinking you see!!). They’re looking quite nice I think and will look better with some yummy homespun bordering them perhaps?

A Giveaway!

Pat at the Sewing Room is having a 'Giveaway' over here and there's a choice of prizes, so why not go and take a look!!

My Country Home

At last I’ve got something to show! This is the completed embroidery from the Tracy North, ‘I Luv Country’ pattern I won from Jo in her recent giveaway. The only thing I’ve changed from the pattern was to make it ‘My’ Country Home instead of ‘Our’ Country Home. It didn’t take too long and fortunately I had a lovely pine frame to put it in, which is just ideal – it doesn’t look too bad does it – I hope you agree. It seems ages – well, a while at least – since I posted anything, but that’s because I’ve been occupied with finishing my Easter swap goodies. Thankfully though, I have finished them and they are now winging their way over to ........... somewhere, oops, nearly gave it away then!!!!
What I am I going to tackle next I wonder?

Watercolours

As I'm not allowed yet to blog about my Easter swap thinggie, I thought to myself, "I know what, I'll impress everyone with a couple of my old watercolours" - tongue in cheek here of course. Neither of them are terribly clear unfortunately (maybe that should read fortunately!), but I didn't take the photographs, so it's the best I can get. The house used to belong to someone I worked for - it was a commission, but I think he was just being kind! And the other is of the High Street in Sherbourne in Dorset, where said person used to live.

I got into watercolours around 1995 and really fell in love with it, but as with so many things, it was so hard to find enough time (same goes for sewing eh) and it is a craft that you need to practice often to avoid becoming rusty as I now have, which in turn has led to me losing my confidence in my abilities. I haven't lost heart though; I shall probably go back to it perhaps when I'm retired, although, writing that down makes that seem too far away - work really does get in the way of my arts & crafts you know ..... oh well. These were some of my earliest paintings and I have painted better ones than these, I just haven't got photographs of any of them - I never thought to take any back then. I'm only an amateur painter, but would love to do much better.

Can't wait to show my Easter swap thinggie - the date is getting close now - I hope the recipient will like it!!

My Giveaway Prize

My lovely postman brought me a special parcel today. It was my ‘Giveaway’ prize from Jo at Home Sweet Home. As you can see, I’ve had a ‘Primitive Stitches’ pattern book and a pattern called ‘Our Country Home’, both by Tracey North of ‘I Luv Country’ and an absolutely gorgeous Yankee tart candle – really cinnamony (just made that word up!!) and country smelling – yum.

I don’t know what I shall make first from the pattern book! I love the ‘Happy Holidays Swag’ and the ‘Angel of Faith’ cushion cover and the ‘Primitive Wishes’ picture and the ‘Welcome’ star garland and ... and ... and ..........

A lot of thought has clearly gone into my prize as it is right up my street – THANK YOU SO MUCH JO!

And now I’m off to do a bit more work on my Easter swap gift – I’m getting on quite nicely with it now, but am not allowed to show yet. The sooner I finish it, the sooner I can start on my prize!!

Twins!!

Here I am again with my rag doll fad – a couple of Peter Rabbits! For the many ‘Tilda’ addicts out there, they’re actually made from the ‘Tilda’ Rabbit pattern which many of you ladies have also made. I wasn’t planning for them to turn out like this ..... they just sort of developed that way, as these things do! So I’ve ended up with a ‘Tilda’ Rabbit on a theme of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. The coat is made from blue felt, the carrots from scraps of fabric and to make them a bit more ‘Peter Rabbit’ ish, I’ve wired the ears so that they stand up instead of flopping down.

And, finally ...... ahem, do excuse Peter’s bum won’t you; a scrap of wadding for his tail.


And now, I really MUST get on with my Easter Swap project – ideas are starting to flow; I just need to get cracking and bring them to reality!!

Quilt No.2 finished!!

......... well, very nearly anyway, I just have a little bit of hand sewing to complete the last part of the binding, but I wanted to take a photograph of it in the daylight to get as true a refection of the colours as possible. I'm very pleased with the result - I love the colours, but the best part was how quilckly I've made it from start to finish, which has been a matter of weeks as opposed to the 18 months my first quilt took me to make. Of course, this is a much easier pattern, but it still looks good. It's not full double bed size, well, not so that it would hang down the sides anyway. It's certainly big enough to cover the top of the bed, but I've decided I'm going to just keep it in the lounge to snuggle up under on chilly nights in front of the TV - sounds good to me!!

I don't know about you other ladies, but I find it difficult to allow myself to start on something else until the current project is done, probably in fear that I'll never go back to it, so now that my quilt is finished, I can start to think of my next project, which will be for Julie's 'Easter Swap'. I have the details of my swap partner, so now I have to get my thinking cap on ........ I wonder what I shall make!!

Well, Spring is around the corner .... hopefully anyway! It is still a bit chilly, but let's hope we're done with the snow for this winter. We've had a bit of sunshine and the buds are starting to come through - enough to make you feel brighter eh!

Humiliation!!!

... just had to share these two pictures with you - I mean, just how damn cute are they? They're pages from a daily calendar that my friend at work has on her desk and I thought the 'humiliated' hamster so lovely - don't you agree?

Afraid I don't have any sewing to show you at the moment! I've very nearly finished my second quilt though; I've just got to add the binding and then it's done. It should have been finished before now really, but I become a yellow belly coward when I get to the quilting stage and I did nothing but look at it for about a week. Hopefully I'll have it to show at the weekend - keep me to it!!

Bye for now!

A 'Tilda' Giveaway!

I've just found another

'Blogaversary' giveaway over here at Chiara's blog. Chiara is a 'Tilda' fan and as such, her giveaway prize will be something made from the "Tildas Landsted" book. So, go over and say "hi" to Chiara and you'll be in with a chance of winning a lovely prize! The giveaway post is dated 3rd February so you'll need to scroll down to get to it.

I'm a winner!!

I've won my first 'bloggie' prize!! I entered Jo's (Home Sweet Home) giveaway and I won 2nd prize ......... and if you pop over to Jo's blog, you will see what I have won - my prizes are so 'me' prim & gorgeous and now I can't wait to have them ...... yes I really am 48 years old, I just sound like an 8-year old!!!!! But who cares?

Now whilst you ladies over in Oz are melting away in the heat; have a look at what we have over here today .... and it's due to keep on coming all week - we've got Siberia to thank for it apparently! Now come on everyone, join in ..... "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas ........." oh bugger, too late am I not?? Never mind. Yes it's pretty, but not when you've got to battle into work in it!!

Going to wrap myself in a blanket now in front of the fire, brrrrrrrrrr

Pressies

.... from Canada! A little while ago I tracked down a magazine for Pat (no blog) in Canada. It was the ‘Magic Patch’ magazine, which she then subscribed to through a British company. Pat was actually after the ‘Born to Quilt’ issue, but that was so popular last summer, it had completely sold out. I did photocopy a pattern she liked though from my own copy of the magazine and sent it over to her, which I know she was pleased with, and then today when I got home, there was a little package waiting for me! Pat sent me a craft magazine at the time by way of thanks, so this is an extra - aren't I the lucky one? Now we all know, don’t we, how nice it is to find a package waiting for us, but it’s 10 times better still when you’re not expecting one! And this is what was inside:-

3 lovely wool snowmen ornaments (I love the colours) – these will definitely adorn my Christmas tree next year!

and a very nice ‘Valentine’ bookmark. Thank you Pat for your generosity.

Now, I’d like a bit of sympathy please. I’ve spent the last week away from work – “that sounds good” I hear you say – wrong! I won’t go into detail, but I’ve had a really nasty virus, sickness etc. (the ‘etc.’ is where I won’t go into detail if you know what I mean!!). Boy, did I feel rough at the beginning of the week. Now I know I’m ill when:

1. I stay in bed all day, which was all of Monday and a big part of Tuesday; and
2. I can’t eat!! Which I couldn’t

Still, I’m over it now thank goodness and there’s always an upside to things isn’t there – I lost 7 1bs in 3 days and I can’t remember the last time I managed such a quick weight loss. Anyway, I’m gonna try and keep it off and lose a bit more besides, well a lot more actually (“ha, that old chestnut” I hear you say!!). Well I can try.

But do you know the really annoying thing about having been off all week is that I didn’t pick a needle up until Friday – I couldn’t even raise any interest in my sewing – what a waste! So all I’ve achieved in the last week was to nearly finish the first block of my ‘Sheep in the Willow’ BOM – I still have a bit a grass to embroider at the bottom so that the sheep isn’t floating in the air! I’ve been today and bought some backing for my 2nd quilt, so that’s my next task, basting, quilting etc. (oooh, I’m suddenly feeling all funny again!!!!)

.......... til next time then.

Annie Giveaway!

I really love rag dolls and have a go at making my own from time to time, bit none are as cute as this charmer.
'Annie' is the prize in De's giveaway, so pop over to her blog to be in with a chance of winning this sweet little girl.

Easter Swap

I've just signed up for my first swap - Julie at 'Bush Baby Jag' is hosting an Easter swap .......... so, hop (excuse the pun!) over to Julie's blog and join in the fun!

Quilt No. 2 - next stage!

Well, I can’t believe that I’ve got so far so fast – am I pleased with myself or what?!! That’s the inner panel complete and now I just have to decide what borders to add. I love the colours, and I loved the simplicity of making it – must remember that for future attempts! I know many of you ladies get on this quickly all the time, but for me, I think it’s the comparison between how long my first quilt took next to how quickly I’ve got on with this one. And you know, I really do put it down, in large part, to the inspiration constantly on offer through blogging. I know that I spend far too much time at my computer blogging (I often sit here thinking to myself "I could actually be downstairs sewing instead"), but on balance I still think I've accomplished far more just from the sheer desire to 'show off' to anyone who wants to look at what I do!

Anyway, it's not quite a full double bed size quilt, so I’m thinking I might keep it in the lounge for those cold winter nights to help keep me warm – we’ll see!

Bye now!

Quilt No. 2

Well, I’ve finally made a start on my 2nd quilt .... and boy, what a difference! My first one (see earlier post), for various reasons, took me about 18 months to complete: –

• Firstly, I was a complete novice

• Secondly, I discovered after I’d started that I had chosen quite a complicated pattern; and

• Thirdly - being terrified of it!!

This time I have opted for a much easier pattern, and, as a result, have finished the first 3 blocks in no time at all. The idea came from a lovely quilt I saw on Lisa’s blog over at ‘Candle Lite Quilter’ (hope she doesn’t mind!!). I loved the warm colours she used as much as anything and I’ve tried to use similar colours, although I've used a good splash of a mustardy kind of colour too. Lisa has used a pattern called ‘Sassy 16’, although I still can’t work out where the ‘16’ is from as each block is made up of 8 pieces, maybe it’s because one block faces one way and the next one, the other way – no matter, I love it anyway!! At this rate, I’ll soon have the quilt top finished, although I’m not sure yet whether I’ve got enough for the borders as well, and in any case, I haven’t decided yet how big it’s going to be!

.... ‘til next time

Jo's 'Giveaway!

Jo (Home Sweet Home) is hosting her ‘100th Post Giveaway’. To be in the draw you need to tell Jo what 3 crafty things you simply can't live without. You will also need to post a photo of your favourite things on your blog to let everyone know about her ‘Giveaway’. So here goes:-

1. Well, I suppose my sewing machine is an obvious one;

2. My rotary cutter – what a great invention; and finally

3. I don’t think this is cheating – the reason for a picture of my computer is because so many of the craft blogs I've come across since I joined have really been a great source of inspiration, and inspiration is definitely a must to get you sewing!

Sorry the photos are a bit dark - they were taken at night under electric light!

Good luck to anyone who enters, although I do hope it's me who wins!! LOL

Lucy Goose ...........

........ and her Plum Pudding!! OK, I know you’ve probably all done with Christmas for another year, but I just had to show you my Christmas Goose. I did start her before Christmas, but the festive season, together with a good dose of lethargy got in the way and I’ve only just finished her. I enjoyed making her and the body was relatively easy to put together, although I had a hell of a game trying to work out how to make her dress though. In the end, I made the body of the dress separately, then I sewed the wings, with the sleeves on them round her back and that seems to have worked well enough. The plum pudding was easy and fun to make – the berries are some lovely matt glass beads that I’ve had for years (knew they would come in useful eventually!!) A shame, but I suppose I shall have to put her away until next Christmas now!!