FNSI - January

The month is rolling along - and I'm late doing my post - but for the records, I had a busy day helping some friends start on an ABC book and then at night (after I resorted my fabrics and put stuff away...) I did some of the blanket stitching on the current ABC book.  In theory of course I would make sure all the bits are adhered and then start sewing . . but it doesn't always work that way!  But I do pick a colour and sew whatever I can, then move onto another colour.

Happy New Year to those I haven't said it to yet . . .I wish everyone a happy, peaceful, fulfilling year with no unexpected humps & bumps.

And a reduction in the Fabric Stash and UFO list.....but maybe that is too much to ask!

Baby Quilt & Taggie

I have finished the latest baby quilt and matching taggie.   These are for my DD2's Brother & Sister in Law - and their #2 baby - Kayce, who was born a little early - just before Christmas.

I used the brown elephant flannel on the back of this quilt - featuring dinosaurs.

Hopefully mum & bub will enjoy it.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023

I enjoyed participating in RSC in 2022 - so have signed up again.

It is very flexible - your project can be as small or as large, as simple or as detailed as you like.  Each month Angela gives us a new colour to work with.

Last year - I made 9 blocks by starting with January's colour - red - and adding borders for each month

Go here to see the latest colour.

January 2023 colour is blue - darker and brighter blues as there will be "baby shades" later . . 
I plan to make I Spy blocks using fabrics that are predominantly the selected colour - each block will have a coloured border around it.  I may leave the borders til later as I think I'd like them all in the same range of fabrics - maybe a Grunge . . .??  

This is the "plan"

And here is my blue block - minus the border.

(bit of a wobbly photo - it is straight!)

FNWF - January

After all the Christmas and New Year festivities - where it's hard to work out what day it is - back to routine - a Friday Night sewing With like-minded crafty Friends all over the place.

Thanks, Cheryll for continuing another year so that is a push to do something and then do a blog post.

As usual, a spot of crochet

then into SSS to continue the quilting of this baby quilt.  This bub was born a few weeks early - just before Christmas, so I will make finishing it the #1 priority for now.

You can see who else joined in here.

Advent Swap

I posted about the Advent Swap here - and now that it is done - I can show the given and received.
(Mainly for my benefit so skip this post if you prefer.)

Here is what I included in the Advent Swap gift box/bag for Maureen:

• Spatula and Cookie Cutter
• Tea bags
• Tea leaf holder - Tea Man
• FSL - Sleigh & Reindeers
• Cookie Mix
• Small Gift cards
• Paper Serviettes
• Hegs Pegs
• Hand-made stocking (thanks Maria)
• Note pad
• Wine glass tags
• Kit Kats in 4 different flavours
• Applique Kit
• Silver Name Labels
• Pink flower Duct Tape
• Machine needles
• Sticky Notes
• Wool needles
• Packet of Sunflower seeds
• Reuseable ice cubes
• Shoo Fly
• Ginger Bears
• Shower Gel
• Tiny hand cream tube
• Suzy Toronto Calendar
• Small pink cutting mat

Here are my gifts:

Here are the ones I received
1st - 5th December

Book, fluffy slippers, Christmas Note Pad & pen, green pouch, stitchery kit

6th - 10th December

paper serviettes, cakes of soap, buttons, paper parchment - with contact for some classes...., and a great ruler with a variety of measurements from 1/8 - 1"

11th - 15th December

Cosmo thread, Cottage Garden thread, 2 x tape measures, and a scissor tag, 

Christmas cross stitch designs, and a lavender sachet.

16th - 19th December

bells of different sizes and colours, 7 pieces of wool felt (love them), 

Shower Gel, cute pencil with rubber/eraser

20th - 25th December

a scratchie which sadly didn't produce any $$$$$$$$$
two scissor guards, a cute little needle/pin holder, 

a coaster for the car - to absorb moisture, 

a thread bobbin and a gorgeous hand stitch stocking.

I think we both had fun with this idea.

Milo's Christmas Stocking

Back in 2019 , I made stockings for DD1 - Libbie - her husband Serge & son Luka.

Now that it is a family of 4 I needed to make another one....Just as well I had more fabric from the same range - and I kept good notes about the embroidery font & size that I'd used.

I might have enough fabric in case there are more additions . . .just saying . . .though I think 2 is a good number.

Sunday Stitchers Christmas Party

This year we rented a space at Vend - it's a collection of stalls where hand crafters sell their goods.  Always lots of treasures to find.

For our fun - we had to fill a bon bon as a present for each other and we had to make a stocking to a pattern that was provided and add a pair of tongs (to use next year at SS so we are COVID safe when selecting food).

I made this stocking and added a pair of black tongs.

Inca received this.

I received this very decorative one from Helen

My bon-bon came from Sue and included a fat quarter, an unpicker, a pen, a Snickers (treat) and a cross-stitched caravan decoration

I forgot to take a picture of my bon-bon - life is too busy!! - but I included a fabric for stitching, a red pen that also doubles up as a stylus, some little chocolates, a purple unpicker and a small cross-stitched decoration (similar to the one I received).

Other gifts were exchanged:

• knitted stocking from Maria
• tape measure and fold up scissors from Anita and Juanita
• small cross-stitch pillow decoration - with an angel from Alison
• hexagonal coaster and chocolate from Inca
• small notebook from Lynda
• hexagonal decoration from Sue
• Ferrer Rocher chocolates from Cheryl
• box of Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels from De - very yummy
• round scrap bucket from Marilyn
• skein of thread from Helen
• enamel pin from Sandi

Maria also gave me a separate present for making the crochet blocks this year.  Lindt chocolates - never say No to good chocolate - and a lovely melamine plate - I will take it to SS next year for my morning tea.   I might need to keep an eye out for a new cup to go with it.

Thanks to all the members of this group for a fun year, and lots of interesting conversations. 
It's been a tough year for some - so I hope 2023 is less stressful for them and happy & enjoyable for all of us.

We haven't done an official UFO Challenge list in 2022 - but as I now have more free time (sneaking in the news that I have now retired) - I plan a "UFO - Finishes" list and a "UFO - Progress On" list.  

SIMS Christmas Get Together

My SIMS group met for our Christmas / Year End get together

We exchanged gifts and I forgot to take a photo of my gift!  oops - my bad!!!

I gave everyone a leaf-shaped mug rug - I took the easy way out and bought them from a friend - and a small bottle of Heaven Scent.

This is similar to the ones I gifted.

Inca gave us a bowl with chocolates and a small jigsaw puzzle.

Maureen gave us each a notebook with our initial on it

Sue gave me a piece of sashiko fabric - marked ready to sew a daisy-like pattern, some beautiful pins from Japan and a charm (to use as a zipper pull)   I have been eyeing off the daisy pattern that Lynda has been stitching, so - in the New Year I will get the threads and do it.

We also had a challenge . . . .(well, why not???)
Last Year Maureen gave each of us a small fabric rectangle showing a sleigh filled with presents - and we were to make something with it.

I decided on a wall hanging and to make it a real SIMS project - I asked Inca and Sue to donate some pieces of Christmas fabric.  I made the tree and the "window" up the top from those offerings.

I have been meaning to make a tree from squares for ages so this kind of satisfies that urge.

It's a shame the colour is a bit dull

and this is the section of the fabric that I used.

It was a fun challenge - not too hard.

We've had a great year together and are looking forward to next year 

for more fun - chatting and sewing.

FNSI - December - Snow Globes 2021 and 2022

It's our last get-together for 2022.   😞

A huge thanks to Wendy for keeping us on our toes and encouraging us to show what we work on. .even if it s just a bit...It's great that she can gather us on blogs or on FaceBook...or both.

Tonight I finished off these two decorations - these are actually for 2021 when I missed making them . . .

and a day or so ago I had made three for 2022 

2019 and 2020 are here.

2022 Angel

The 2022 Angel

This time I knew roughly what I was going to do at the beginning of the year so started saving threads:

and came up with these:

In the end I had to create thread scraps  . . .LOL

Now at least my friends know why I was scavenging them!