Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Wishing you all health, happiness and maybe a bit of wealth

I've done my blog housekeeping - tidied up my To Do list for 2021, renamed it To Do 2022 and have a DONE in 2021.  Done the same in a notebook I keep.  I have removed the DONE patterns from the magazine holder and filed them - somehow the box is no emptier.!!! LOL

It's not even January as I type this and already my dance card is full!!!

Cyber hugs to everyone

Susan

Happy Scrappy Village - SIMS Challenge

A while back I saw a quilt hanging in Quilt Craft at Toowoomba - and being the lover of - oops 'sucker for' - houses and buildings generally - I bought the pattern.  When I showed it to my SIMS group - we all decided we "needed" to make it...and the "challenge" began.

We decided we would select 3 fabrics each and give a square to each other - the aim being that we would have a little bit of each person in our quilts.

In January this year - I can see I was working on it...and we had a self-imposed deadline to have it finished - quilted etc - by December 2021.
I made it by the skin of my teeth.  (So what's new?)

Here is mine 

I grouped the houses I made from the fabrics given to me and mine - in the middle.

From top: - Maureen, Inca, me, Sue

On our Show & Tell day - we arranged them so we could see a section of each.

All the same - but all different!

Good to tick this one off the list - 

though I have plans to add some more quilting (and a label??)

SIMS Birthday Challenges

In 2020 - our Birthday gift to each other was a kit of some type to be made up by the following Birthday.
Here are my finishes:

House Cross Stich - from Inca
Christmas Decoration - from Maureen

Cat Pincushion - From Sue

We have a similar plan for 2022 - to be finished by 2023 - it sort of sounds a long way away .  . .but it will come round very quickly!

Christmas Celebrations

Warning:

Long post - and mainly for my "record-keeping"

Loose Threads

First Saturday in December my Saturday group - Loose Threads celebrated Christmas & the end of another year of sewing & fun.

At the beginning of the year, we decided to gift each other a small bowl with three things in it. - I find it very difficult when it can be anything - give me a list and that is easy!

My gift was a small shallow bowl and I glued magnets to the bottom so it could be used as a pin tray. - some pins to go in it , one chocolate treat, some quilting pins and a scratchie.   (I forgot to take a picture!!! DUH!!!)

I received this one.  The bowl is red & green - perfect for Christmas and inside was a set of nail files to keep in my handbag, a pretty small round tin and a roll of ribbon (perfect for the baby taggies I make).

KQ Girls

First Sunday:  This is a Sunday Group I havebeen going to for years - the group has dwindled somewhat from its original inception - and we no longer have a free place to meet in.  Over the years we have been very fortunate to have had space where we can keep supplies and meet whenever - and at no cost...So, sadly this Christmas - End of Year celebration is the last one.  We may re convene in another form sometime . . who knows???

We decided to do a random fat quarter swap.  I put this one into the draw

and got this one in return....Very good for some sewing projects.  (and of course it has my initials)

There were also a few gifts:

Square tin with buttons, thread and tiny fabric squares - Pat

Tree shaped tin - thread and yo-yos - Hilda

Tree bag & Serviette holder - Bev.

Sunday Stitchers

Second Sunday was Sunday Stitchers Christmas & End of Year celebration.  This is a bigger group - so there is a lot more fun - and of course gift giving.

For a few years now, we have had a bonbon to stuff full and then share with the others -  we do a random number draw on the day.

I filled mine with this: - a Fat quarter, a treat - Baileys chocolate bonbon, a skein of thread, a decoration and a surprise (the scratchie)!

Sandi received mine.

Here is the one I received - from Alison, I love the pink fabric - it may find its way to Peyton sometime.

We also did a tea towel and spatula swap - I did a machine embroidery stitchy bit on the tea towel and added a kangaroo spatula.

I received this one from Lynda - her spatula came with a matching cookie cutter!   Very clever idea.  The tea towel is fabulous - very good quality...(but too nice to use....lol.)

And as with most groups - there were plenty of small gifts.

(sort of left to right)

Button tree - Cheryl

Small Serviette holder - Sandi , Helen & Norreen

Santa decoration - Marilyn
Lip Balm holder - De
Pin Cushion - Juanita
Owl Hand Sanitsier Holder - Anita
Knitted decoration - Maria
Choclate in a tiny box - Sandi
Fabric Star - Sue
Santa decoration - Alison
Card with a packet of machine needles - Lynda

SIMS

This is a small group that meets once a month.

This year I made pincushions from selvages and added a Needle Minder.

The bottom ones are the ones I gifted.  I made the "Wildlife Art" for myself.

And of course, there were gifts received!!!

Stocking - filled with a cute tin of candy and some chocolates from Inca
Rectangular plate, threads and fabric - sewing & Christmassy from Maureen

Buttons, square dish with a beach house, a fabric sushi roll, a Nutrimetics mirrored and a fabric star from Sue
See that rectangle of Christmassy fabric??? our "Challenge" for next year - is to make something including that piece of fabric.  It can be anything - a bag, a tea towel, a postcard, anything.  Next Christmas meeting we will do a random draw and get a surprise!

In each group, I gave everyone a 2021 Angel

That is all the groups sorted - now I need to focus on family gifts - by the time this is posted - hopefully, I will have done most of the gift shopping - but to make it a bit easier - we have all listed some options on an App called - Giftser and DD2 has some Gifting Rules - Something they need, Something they want, Something to wear and something to read.   I think it's designed to stop grandparents from getting carried away!!! LOL...who me???

It's always a rush at the end of the year - for me anyway...maybe next year I will be organised??  probably not!

Seriously looking forward to post Christmas Day and I can relax a bit.

Merry Christmas to all (again for many of you!)

Crochet Blocks - December

Only a small collection (8) for December:

FNSI - December

It is definitely getting to the end of the year.

I have officially finished work for the year - and am on leave til 10th January.

Instead of the usual quick & easy takeaway -we went out for dinner to use up a voucher and after coming home I thought I better get some of my blog up to date....So, not a lot to show for it - but at least some "housekeep\ing" is out of the ay.

I do hope everyone had a great time for FNSI

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Please take care and stay safe.

And a BIG thanks to Wendy for hosting us.

Heartstrings top finished

A group of us in Sunday Stitchers decided to work on Natalie Bird's Heartstrings quilt - and the goal was to finish the top by the December meeting.

It was a push but my top is finished.  I did change it - a bit/lot.  "Patterns are just a guide".
I made the hexie border a bit wider and then I could put blocks in the corner.  That meant that the small border as per the pattern was not really the right size - and I also found it a bit busy - for me anyway.  So I re-jigged the border - made bigger blocks than the pattern and added hearts in the corners - they are from Natalie's Red Home book - so "keeping it in the family".

I think I will also add a narrow border  . . That might be a Christmas holiday job!

And here is the group photo - too many to fit in a decent photo!

We have decided to set a goal to have them 

quilted, bound and finished by December 2022 meeting - 

that sounds easy - (well now it does.)

FNWF - December

Gosh - I keep seeing Facebook posts about the number of Mondays etc until Christmas, but once the calendar shows December I know it's close!

So much "secret stuff" happening that I don't want to show - but as usual a bit of crochet to start off with

Then into the Sewing Space.   I make an angel decoration each year for friends, family etc and the first lot are due for delivery tomorrow - so hastily finished off the last tweak for them and the lot for Sunday.
That involved some of these things.

Obviously, another last-minute job.....

I swear every year that I will start these much earlier . . 
Oh well, I work best to a deadline!

Thanks Cheryll for another year of hosting us - giving us the opportunity to share our passions with like-minded souls - and "forcing" us to do blog posts.
I have been a bit tardy on reading the other blogs this year - but aim to improve next year!  (and spend less time on Facebook!!!)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to those who are reading my blog for the last time this year.
I am sincerely hoping next year brings a gradual return to the "normal" version of our world.

Crochet Blocks - November

20 crochet blocks

handed to Maria for some blanket construction!

My Birthday

There have been a few Birthday celebrations this year -- starting early November and finishing mid-December.

This post is mainly for me - to look back on.

First up was Loose Threads
In this group - we each gave gifts to the Birthday Girl - 3 gifts starting with the first three letters of that person's name - so I received gifts starting with S U & S.
(Funny how many "U" presents we have had to find....conveniently Unicorns are popular at the moment.)

Here are my goodies from the participating girls.

Nolene:
- Sanitiser Dispenser
- Unicorn applique

- Sanitiser

Maureen

- S letter 

- Unicorn sanitiser - to hang off my handbag

- Spring Lavender hand Cream

Inca
- Shopping Bag

- Unicorn pen

- Spiral Vegetable cutter
_ 

Louise

- Silver Spotty Serviettes

- Use By <date> Cream

- Scarf 

Because it is one of those 0 birthdays - I was also gifted a lovely bunch of flowers and a gift voucher from a Quilt Shop.  I made these purchases

Much appreciated LT friends

Then there was a Birthday lunch with the Sunday Stitchers group
Two of us had the same 0 birthday - we couldn't really celebrate early in the year - so we had to double up in November.   We went to a lovely cafe for a buffet-style meal and I received my Birthday presents there.

In this group we have selected 6 things to buy for the birthday present and each person chose a colour - I chose lime (everyone probably expected purple . . but I like to be different....)

Marilyn was the giftor for me:

Apart from the limes - everything fitted one or more categories which were:

1. Something sewing / craft related 

2. Something square

3. Something spikey.

4. Something musical

5. Something hard  

6. Something nature related or natural.

I got:
Sewing pouch - with musical fabric, tiny scissors, pencil & leads, face washer - with musical ribbon, framed collage - full of sewing and musical bits.  The limes

Very clever and beautifully made - thanks Marily and thanks everyone for a lovely lunch.

Just after that I was on retreat -and the girls surprised me with another Birthday Celebration.

I covered that before here.
Again - a big thanks to Sandi, Helen, Norreen, Maureen, Lynda  & De

Normally I would have had my birthday celebrated in November for my SIMS group - but that happened in December instead.

This time - similarly to the Loose Threads plan - the gifts were 3 things that match any letter in our name

Maureen - silly shades, Unicorn pencil, Strawberry de seeder.
Inca - Star fabric, Needle threader and Skittles
Sue (went overboard and did 5 letters Plus one) - Scissors pin, Urchin fabric, Snow Spray, Almonds (ginger & Tumeric) Nutrimetics body butter. .  .and of top of that a lovely bunch of Sunflowers.

WOW - I feel very grateful for all my lovely friends and their generosity.

Of course there were also special presents from friends & family.

Thank you everyone for making my 0 birthday so special.

The Needle Girls Retreat

A wonderful retreat - at Glenrose Patchwork Cottages in Warwick (QLD).
November 15 - 19, 2021.

• Great weather - warm but not stiflingly hot & cool at night
• Excellent company - a lot of laughs - a few deep & meaningfuls.
• Eating Out & Shopping

I collected Maureen on Monday morning - late due to an accident on the motorway - on the other side of the road it seems - then we got held up in roadworks - but the other girls kindly waited for us to have morning tea - we have a ritual of scones on arrival.

What did I do??

I made a little pillow for my grandson to use in the cot he has for his anatomically correct doll - he has been using a quilt that Maureen made for him - and I had some leftovers.

I finished off a pencil roll-up case for Luka (same as the ones I made back here)

I had another Volunteer Leave Day from work - Sandi was making heaps of drawstring bags to donate so I helped her with these

(I had planned some sock guards .  ..another time)

And I worked on another "secret project".

Sandi had brought along a project for each of us - a Serviette Holder.  This is mine...

This is the collection.

Last year we decided to set ourselves a challenge:

• Firstly,  we each had to make a stocking to gift and include a treat and a fat quarter.
• Secondly, we had to make a Christmas Table Runner.
  
  (Both projects are from a Nancy Halvorsen book)

The stocking I made: - It went to Sandi

The stocking I received - it came from Sandi!!

My table runner - a bit different from the pattern as I want it to fit on the hall stand in the entrance.

And to my surprise - the gang organised a Birthday celebration for me.   I had planned on grouping any Birthday bits in one post later in the month - but will add these pictures. . . . 

and there were gifts!

It is one of those 0 numbers (as you can see from the cake) - and try as I might - it doesn't seem that I can keep it quiet . . .

"Someone" put this sign on my utensil holder 

We always have one lunch out at Warwick Garden Centre - and visit the shops in town - I forgot photos of the food that time . . .but after leaving Friday morning we went back to the Garden Centre for breakfast.  The food is wonderful - the presentation is always top-notch!

A wonderful week away - I came home pretty exhausted from late nights - kind of early mornings - and a lot of laughing, talking & a bit of concentrating.

FNSI - November

I wasn't very productive tonight - I have been on a sewing retreat at Glenrose Patchwork  - from Monday morning til Friday morning - arrived home about 4PM - unloaded the car - put some stuff away and had a Nana Nap....its a hard slog on retreat - sewing til 12.30AM day after day.
I'm not complaining - I'm very grateful that I am able to go away to a retreat!

More on the retreat later.

Apart from more sorting, putting away and taking pictures - I did some crochet - nothing exciting - but any progress is good progress.

I saw a lot of you were far more productive - well done you!

Thanks Wendy for managing to set aside some time for us - in between celebrating being a grandmother!

ABC Book - Peyton

This ABC book is a bit more special...it does look quite similar to the one in the previous post...no surprise there...

Again - for my records - even more pictures this time  . . .

DD2 and partner live on 5 acres - in Brisbane suburbia - 

but they own 2 Lowline cows - (around 5 foot tall)

The dog is theirs

I had to make an "adjustment" to the "I" page.  There are not a lot of nouns starting with "I"...Someone suggested Indians (Cowboys & Indians...right???) _ so I found a picture of a boy & girl Indian...DD2 daughter asked what that was  . .  .I explained . . ."MUM - THEY ARE NATIVE AMERICANS"...so I found a new picture of an Iguana and used no-sew fusible webbing to cover the original picture . . . ooops

All done & delivered.

I think I can pack up the ABC Book gear for a little while now.
Eventually, there could be more for another of my eldest daughter's friends 

and then for extra grandchildren . . . 

but nothing in the immediate future that I know of.