FNSI - February

I was able to get an early start on my FNSI projects - the advantage of working from home!!!

I started with cutting some pastel balis

Then it was time for dinner and Better Homes & Gardens - followed by the Grand Finale of Great British Bake Off that we had recorded...(seen it before but can't always remember who wins...LOL) so I stitched this:

The stitching is now finished.  I am not sure when I started this - I can find a post from June 2020 - so perhaps then.  I bought it in May 2018.  (Not too bad going).

I will add it to some other fabric - possibly a teal coloured linen type...who knows?

Then I moved onto a cross-stitch project - picked a bit that requires very little concentration!

and finally back at the machine and managed to get all these little bits together that I cut earlier in the night (mostly 1.5" cut squares).

I am loving the dual facebook/blog idea.  Facebook is a lot more interactive and we can comment as people post pictures...but I like my blog for long-time reminders of what I did when, so not giving that up.

BIG thanks to Wendy for organising us...and a bonus from now on - she has a sponsor so there is a "lucky door prize" each month.  Go Wendy!!!!!!!
(Not that we do this for the prizes, we do it because its our passion - sanity saver - keep out of jail project...etc)

Pop over here to see who else signed up - and visit their pages for some inspiring stuff.

Take Care everyone

Stay Safe

FNWF - February

A new month - time to gather with cyber friends - and sew!!!

Tonight was a bit of this & that....

One of the things I hope to finish this year is this sashiko project.....I have about 6" of the 40" left to sew...such an easy relaxing thing to do . . .

And another "plan" for the year is to progress my version of "My Small World"...I made a start quite a while back . . .  here where I started it...grand plans back then!!! LOL  and some more here (that was February 2020...{interesting coincidence}).

So this year I added it to my Sunday Stitchers UFO list - not to finish it but to "make progress on". The bit you see is near the top of Section 2....small steps - I have made Section 1 up to the top of the buildings, but you can't build a world overnight!

Saturday is the first meeting for the year for my Loose Threads Group - we had to cancel January due to some bug that is floating around the world...so I may make more progress on that sashiko project.

Thanks Cheryll who continues to give us the opportunity to congregate in cyberspace - and "encourages" us to blog at the same time.

I also worked on another project - but I'm sticking to the "no social media until reveal day" - May is the next time.  so you will have to stay curious.

Cheers - Happy Sewing - Stay Safe

Two more Pineapple Coasters

One of my friends & Blog reader commented (when she saw the original four pineapple coasters - that she has friends with whom she & her husband swap "pineapple-themed gifts".  

So I offered to make her a couple.

(They will be in the mail shortly)

I plan on another 4 for DD2.

Mug & Bag & Mug Bag & Mug Rug & Coaster & Pincushion & Zippy Pouch - January Finishes

When I was at Warwick last November for a retreat - we all visited Warwick Garden Centre - we go for the food and the gift shop. (the plants are lovely...but not on my shopping list.)

I spied a really lovely mug.  No idea why I thought I needed a new mug - maybe because Glenrose no long supplies "pretty mugs" and I felt deprived . . .???

Anyway I bought it - with plans for it to be my mug that I take to Sunday Stitchers Meetings .......so then I thought I better have a new bag for SS meetings, and a mug rug and a coaster and a mug bag and I may as well add a thread catcher and a small pin cushion . . . (yes, Miss Matchy Matchy).

UPDATE:  I made a zippy pouch too - couldn't resist!!!...I've still got a bit of fabric to go . . 

For the Sunday Stitchers UFO Challenge this year - I am doing it a bit differently... I have some things that I need to finish by certain dates - so rather than give them numbers (and change them around when the wrong number is drawn...), I am listing my projects by months.

This is my January UFO.

FNSI - January

Wendy is continuing on with FNSI - which is wonderful as it is encouragement to sew and also to blog.

But this year she has got with the modern world and we have a facebook group as well as our blogs.
I will continue using my blog, although I did add pics to the facebook group last night - it was fun doing it that way - we got posts & updates from the late afternoon to late night.

My work on Friday night:

First up I finished cutting all the bits for a baby quilt which will need to be finished by mid to end April - I will keep this for a sewing day when I am away from home as it is very simple piecing.

Then I decided to work on a couple more pineapple coasters.

By the end of last night, I had finished one ..along with a bit of crochet I was doing while the machine was stitching . . ..and posted to facebook.

but it wasn't that late (for me), so I started another one...and got to halfway through trimming it before I went to bed.

Since there wasn't much left to do - I finished off #2 this morning.

They need to have the stabilser removed....and then I can pass them along.....

Thanks Wendy - the Facebook group was fun!

And I totally understand that if you are reading this & you saw it on facebook - you do not comment.
(My blog is really for my own records of what I do & when, though I love reading your comments.)

FNWF - January

Trying to get back to some sort of routine after the Christmas break....so time to join Cheryll and fellow FNWFers for a night of sewing.

I worked on this most of the night.   I should have finished this a while back .  . .(plenty of excuses but it all boils down to over-committing myself!!!)

Always glad to have everyone as cyber company.
And I will try to pop around and visit you.

Thanks Cheryll for keeping us focused for another year.

Tomorrow should have been the first meeting of the year for Loose Threads - but Brisbane and surrounding areas are in lockdown - no leaving the house except for essentials.
Guess I will just have to keep on sewing!!!
And if I finish off the top of this - I'm sure I can find something else to work on.

Pineapples!!!

My youngest daughter (DD2) has a "thing" for pineapples...no idea how that started really but she likes to have some decor items featuring pineapples.

When I first saw the Kreative Kiwi Pineapple coaster - I knew I had to make some...finally got there.

This is a free machine embroidery design.

They were given as a late Christmas present - so that I had a small gift for her when the other daughter was here with her husband & son celebrating Christmas.

First Finish for the year!

Last Minute 2020 Finishes

Well - it's only 5.00PM on 31st December 2020 - plenty of time for more finishes???

Mr Adorable Grandson loves Bluey (and Emma from the Wiggles . . )  and I'd been searching for some Bluey fabric - but it's been so popular it's out of stock at Spotlight...but I did see some cotton canvas - for home decor - and thought I could make some felt characters for him to play with - my daughter will be putting up a felt panel to go with the felt boards we had already bought .  . .

So these were created:

But then I thought a new pillow to go with the new bed set for his room..again a Bluey theme...and found an applique machine embroidery pattern . . . .and used a pattern for a "reading pillow" - the pocket on the front holds a book or two - and there is a Bluey book about grandparents...so need to go to the shops to get that as well . . .

and for the last thing, I made a Christmas 2020 decoration to go with the one I made for Christmas  2019.

Can't wait to hand over the Bluey things when the Townsville crew get here for a late Christmas celebration.

Seriously, that is all for 2020.
I'm happy with my tally for the year..hopefully I can achieve as much in 2021.

Wishing everyone 

and as everyone is saying - hopefully 2021 will be better.

December Finishes - Zippy pouch & sewing hanger

I am trying to be productive during my break from work - a lot of the time before Christmas was used up getting ready for Christmas, so now I'm into the more relaxing bit . .  .

I still have a few things to finish off before DD1, SIL & Mr Adorable Grandson arrive on 5th January.

One of those things is a zippy pouch for Luka - this is to store the felt pieces that belong to some Felt Story Boards I picked up at Aldi a while back.
I switched out the vinyl for mesh fabric..partly to try it - but also if I make another one or two they won't stick together.

and the back

I also made my hanger to match the ones I gifted to the SIMS girls here.

I had included that on my To Do list for 2021, so in some weird way I am ahead of myself!

The 2020 Angel

On reflection, it was likely that the 2020 Angel project would be jeopardised - after the year we have had, it seemed probable ...but that is hindsight.

Each year, I make angels to give to sewing friends and extended family members....roughly 60 - though I try to make a few spare ones in case . . .
Of course, a well-organised person (like myself???) would have the plan in place and be prepared back in say October..maybe...
Well NOT this year (and maybe not as early as that in other years).
(In fact, I just looked ay the Angel page here on my blog - and after the picture of the 2019 version I said "Plan for 2020????????????   Do not leave it til late November to start!!!!!!!!!!! - so obviously I do not learn by my mistakes.)

I had a plan in my head - but no test model done - I started them about the 25th November - and since the first lot had to be ready by December 5th - that wasn't a lot of time.
I had the "pattern", I had the supplies....but the first few took a LOT of time each and weren't very successful.
So, plan B...it was nice - but at an hour + - not feasible.....after all I am working during the day...
So, a desperate Plan C evolved....they still took a bit longer per item than I would have liked but they worked OK.
They are made on my embroidery machine . . .somehow - I sewed through my finger - the end of the needle was stuck out through my nail...with thread attached.  (I have resisted adding the photo since everyone has said NO thanks!)

Darn I thought...- oh!! there is some blood - best get a tissue...walked out to DH and said - I have a bit of an injury...he wasn't too keen on pulling it out...so off to the hospital we went...4 hours later - after anesthetic in my finger and boy did that hurt,,,,it was out and I was back home....
The good news? - no blood on the project and the machine is still working fine...
Lesson learnt.
It was my left index finger, so no major impediment - but my arm where the tetanus shot went in was sore for a few days...

And so the 2020 Angel is done.

Merry Christmas to all.