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!

Christmas Advent Swap

Sometime, in the early part of the year, bestie friend suggested we do an Advent Swap - so 25 little gifts to be exchanged late November.   Sounded like a fun idea.

The 1st of December was a Thursday (non-working day) and I was free to have some late afternoon drinks and dinner at her place when we handed over our gifts.

Being the practical person I am I placed my wrapped gifts in an insulated Christmas shopper bag.

And we could open one present each.

Maureen selected the rainbow spatula and cookie cutter

and I selected this:

I do have several books here that I want to read - but I just don't get to them - but I have started this and will keep reading til it's done.

I wonder what other treasures are hidden in my bag??

I will do a post in January with what was in each present.....

We message each other at 7.30am to show what we opened - its is a lot of fun - selecting which one is next and then the surprise of the contents.

RSC - November

I think I forgot to post my RSC for September and October

September was blue and as my blocks were already getting big - I decided to skip that month.

October was lime green so I added strips and then cut my blocks back to 20.5"  (my largest ruler).

Here are the blocks with the green added

November was to add brown or black (I think???)  and as I was on a retreat - I also joined all the blocks.

I won't quit this til next year, so this is my final RSC post this year.

It's been a lot of fun doing my Random Rainbow Scrap Challenge and I will join in again next year with a different plan.

Thanks Angela for organising this fun event.

Heartstrings by Natalie Bird

A few of us at Sunday Stitchers decided to make Heartstrings by Natalie Bird. we set various "goalposts" so that we stayed on track.  
I finished the top in December 2021.

We made the deadline for the finished top to be November 2022 as we will be away from our normal meeting place in December.

Plesed to say it was done in time...yes, I changed the border, but happy with it.

The other Sunday Stitchers quilts are here - but it's a private group so just for my reference.

Needle Girls Retreat - November 13 - 17

It's that time of the year again!!!

Be warned - long post. 
Off to Glenrose for a few days of sewing laughing chatting drinking eating shopping etc.

This year - the options have changed, so we arrived late Sunday afternoon - unpacked and got set up - then had a nibbles & drinks dinner.  Cheeses, meats, crackers, smoked salmon on blinis, and a few treats . . .

Food & Fun

I had bought a couple of bottles of bubbles to share - I bought these based on name only - fingers crossed they tasted OK - they did, fortunately - Chookyblue also bought a bottle based on the label.  (mine are Born Wild and Rewild - Chooky's is in the middle with the chook label - seriously we really do have good taste!!!)

I took a baked camembert and this Scottish Cheddar.

Sewing

My first project was to complete the top of the next baby quilt.  I had the pieces all cut, so it was relatively simple to put it all together.

and I was able to pin it late one night when the table was clear.

Then I added the sashing to my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks - it has turned out quite big - about 72" square . . . 
From a random / crazy thought - and mostly from my stash - it has come together reasonably well - I did miss one month's colour - a blue before the lime green - but I needed to keep the blocks to a maximum of 20.5"

I used this as my "Volunteer Leave day" from work - it will be a donation once it's finished.

The Thursday before the retreat I was gifted a pattern (early Birthday present) - from my SIMS group - My Kinda Town - it is meant to be very scrappy - and I am planning on resisting the urge to buy new fabrics for it . . but - I am on retreat - at a patchwork shop - with another one nearby - so - I had to buy a few bits for it.

I am using whites/greys as the backgrounds and I was able to sort the bits for these blocks to make on retreat.  Two stars and two trees - a church goes in the middle.

I also helped Helen (a little bit - sorry Helen - I did mean to do more) with some stockings she is making for donation.

Swap

We have a swap each year - so we repeated the same as last year and each made a stocking and added a pin - we did a random draw to share them around.

Here are all 6 stockings with their pins.

I made this one - it went to Sandi:

and I received this one from Maureen

Challenge

We also set a "Challenge" last year to make a zippy pouch - any shape and size as it was for ourselves.

We decided last year we needed a logo - and after a lot of messing around earlier in the year Sandi machine embroidered them for us - We had to include the logo in our pouch.

Here is the group of pouches

and this one is mine.

The challenge for 2023 is to make some matching coordinating accessories.  Since I am a matchy-matchy person - this is not hard for me.  We have spare embroidered logos so I will use them in my extras....I already have a list of what I might do.

Birthday

Last year the girls surprised me with a big birthday celebration - it was a 0 one . . LOL - so I figured this year it was not going to be a "thing" - wrong!!!
I received this lovely glass - it goes well with the zippy pouch I made - so it will become my "retreat" glass

and some lovely coasters.

(very spoilt...thanks girls)

Out & About

Eating and Shopping is always a big part of this retreat.
Monday was lunch at Warwick Garden Centre - by this time of the year - the front of the shop is full of Christmas decorations.   
The food is amazing....my lunch

Tuesday night was take-away from Charchy's.
Maureen and I had discussed Chicko rolls on the way to Warwick so we each ordered one of them - along with other things such as Sweet Potato scallops and onion rings...really healthy stuff!

Wednesday - we went out of town to 

This time a smaller lunch so I could fit in some cake afterward...I had a bacon banana and cheese melt.    I am not a fan of cooked banana, but this was good - the banana was just warmed so not mushy

On Thursday we had to leave before 9 - so after farewelling most of the group

We (Maureen, Chookyblue & Miss Jules) ventured out to Stanthorpe to visit the shop that was Canning Town and is now Busy Bee - via The Christmas Farm at Applethorpe - heaps of Christmas decorations there.

and a lovely little cafe.   I had to try the apple & rhubarb crumble.

Chookyblue & Miss Jules had the passionfruit tart - how beautifuly presented.

(Shame about the takeaway cups and bamboo cutlery)

Purchases

I tried to resist - but "resistance is futile"!!!

I bought a bit of monkey fabric and a lightly sparkled cream, some Christmassy fat quarters and a novelty piece, a white with black for My Kinda Town and some flannels - suitable for a baby quilt or ....something baby...again that word "Wild" seems to crop up from time to time.

 There might have been a few more odds & sods . . . 

It was a wonderful few days - we are booked to do it all again in 2023

Crochet Blocks (18) November

At our November SS meeting, I was able to hand over 18 blocks for Maria to wave her magic wand over...

FNSI - November

I was with you all in spirit - I didn't get far on my stitchery.

We had a long conversation with our eldest daughter for her birthday.....well that is my excuse!

I hope others were more productive.

How are those Christmas projects going?

Thanks as always Wendy for organising us and including prizes!  (what a bonus.)

Christmas ??? Already???

A group of sewing friends planned a lunch for Sunday 30th October - then someone said "Is it a Christmas Get-together?" 
Well, it wasn't likely we would find another date, so we decided yes it was a "Christmas" meeting.

We decided to have a quick swap - a tea towel, a treat & a decoration - bought or handmade.

I gave these (plus a Lindt Koala) 

and I received these - the crochet work on the tea towel is lovely 

- with a silvery thread through it.

Some gave presents

I received these - coincidentally two of the group bought similar coasters!  A lovely gold sparkly tree and a set of Santa lights.  Very nice.

I gave everyone an angel (as I always do), but I don't want to show it yet . . . sorry, you will have to wait.

I don't think I have any more Christmas events til December ... probably a good thing!

Chooky's Churn Dash Challenge

Social Media can be a wonderful thing - you can stay in touch with friends easily - you can make friends all over the place without actually meeting them (Although it's much nicer when you do meet face to face) and anyone who follows Chooky and participates in her Chookshed Zoom meetings will know what I mean.
The downside is you see things ...  and get tempted to start yet another project...and succumb to the "peer pressure".

You know what I mean...some people resist better than others...I seem to fall into the "sucked in" group!!!

So here we are at the end of October, meeting Chooky's deadline/timeline ...whatever . . . .

My Churn Dash is completed.   (I think the goal was only the top - not the whole thing!)

It was the best picture I could get without someone to hold it up.

It started as a "Use your Stash" quilt - then I added a few bits here and there - then bought the greens and the border.  My stash doesn't include big pieces so I always need to buy that - so in effect - what I used in my stash has been replaced by leftovers of what I bought. 
Oh Well.....

A Letter to My Daughter

It is finished....I am late posting it..

I started working on this in March 2021 - just after the Homespun magazine was available and it was finished by September 2022.

Designed by Natalie Bird - there was a panel of stitcheries - which are done - but I left them off the quilt as they have a cream background and I used greys.  I also have 16 hexie flowers that were made to be part of the quilt - but they will all be made into a wall hanging or smaller quilt....one day....

I made a few Susan changes - not too many.

Milo's Quilt

DD1 requested Australian-themed fabric for her #2 baby - she chose the fabrics - during a lengthy phone conversation in Spotlight late one afternoon . . . and then chose the grey - again by a phone conversation in another shop.I added the coloured cornerstones.

I had some Australian animals digitised so I could use my embroidery machine to quilt the blocks and sewed a simple wavy line in the rest of it.

It has now been safely delivered to DD1 The family is in Townsville and I am in Brisbane.  (Didn't want to trust the postal system . . in case)

I should have swapped one of the lights and one of the blues - 

but in real life its isn't this obvious.

trying to show the Aussie animals quilting