Friday 22 December 2017

Merry Christmas


Another year is drawing to a close, so that means it's time for my Christmas break from blogging.

Thank you to everyone who reads my blog, comments, gives advice, book recommendations and for your continued friendship.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas filled with the joy of family, friends, good food and holiday memories.

Meri Kirihimete  see you all in 2018.



****I've switched commenting off on this post****

Wednesday 20 December 2017

This and That







  • My Mandolin Quilt epp block is finished,  I love how it turned out, now I need to ensure I use it in something, I'm thinking a cushion will be best.
  • This was the very first quilt I ever made, you can read about it here.
  • My first sunflower of the season is blooming, grown from seed too.  Fingers crossed it survives the wind we are getting at present.
  • A lot of my requested books turned up at once, so I think my summer reading is sorted for a little while.  I'm currently enjoying The First Princess of Wales by Karen Harper.
  • My tomato plant has fruit.  This is a grafted plant which will apparently produce both  red and yellow cherry tomatoes, it will be interesting to see which colour is more prolific.
Hoping you are all having a wonderful week and that the Christmas madness is not too bad where ever you may be.

Wednesday 13 December 2017

Making a Mandolin Block




Towards the end of November, Jodi @ Tales of Cloth told us she had 200 free sets of papers for people to make her Mandolin Quilt block, which is her 2018 Quilt Club Project. 

I didn't want to commit to a full year of making this quilt, I still have my Ice Cream Soda quilt to finish, and I have my sights on another EPP project too.  How ever I thought thought that one block would make quite a fun pillow.  The idea being that I would make it in the same fabrics I used in the pillows I am making for my bedroom.    Funny how ideas change.

Using a fussy cut from Alison Glass Diving Board Collection for the centre hexi, the rest of the fabrics (all from my stash too) seemed to fall in place, after much dithering and seeking advice from friends and family over previous selections. 

Now it is just the pale grey squares and ditsy floral diamonds to be stitched on to this piece, before I can applique it to a background fabric.

I should be finishing my other pillows, but my sewing room has been too hot over the past couple of weeks, so I am quite enjoying this hand sewing project I can do outside in the evenings.

Sunday 10 December 2017

Flowering Now








New Zealand is currently experiencing a run of glorious summer weather, with temperatures  equivalent to what we normally receive in February.  My summer loving garden has suddenly burst into colour.  Won't be long before my sunflowers and cosmos are flowering.

Hoping you have all had a lovely weekend.

Wednesday 6 December 2017

Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE

Image from Tales of Cloth

Image courtesy mmmcrafts




I have been thinking a lot lately about the projects I want to make/create and what I need to finish next year.

It sounds like something I learnt at primary school - wants vs needs.  Needless to say the want to make list is very long, and the need to make and finish list, substantially shorter. Unfortunately the majority of my 2018 projects will be off, the need to finish list .

So in no particular order (except for the item at the top of the list) here are my plans and projects for 2018:
  • EPP Mandolin Block, this was a free offer from Jodi @ Tales of Cloth, basically advertising her new Block of the month project for 2018.  I'm going to turn this block into a pillow cover, using some of the liberty from the ones I've just made, however it needs to be completed by 31 January.
  • The making of two Drummers drumming decorations in time for Christmas.
  • Sea Glass Sampler Quilt - this needs to be finished, and  I mean the quilt top pieced, sandwiched, quilted and bound.  I have a vague idea of getting it made in time for Miss B's 16th birthday, which is at the end of April.  I bought batting, backing and binding fabric the other day,so I have no excuse not to get it done.
  • Solstice Dream - the new felt applique and embroidery project I am doing with my sister throughout the year - start date is January 1 and we have a year to complete our own versions of these.
  • Midnight in the Tulip Garden - I would like to get this quilt top completed.
  • Ice Cream Soda Quilt - all  EPP blossoms completed and joined.
  • AMH Quilt - sandwiched, basted,  quilted and bound.

Now it's your turn to share, it doesn't matter if it's embroidery, a quilt, applique or epp, or some other stitched or sewn project, even plans for 2018 projects as I have done.  It can be a start, a finish or just a wip.  All we ask is that you follow these guidelines when linking up:
  • Link up any post from the past week that features  a sewing or stitching project you have been working on.
  • Somewhere in your post, please link to this one.
  • Also please take the time to read and comment on some of the other linked posts, it is always nice to know that people are reading what you have written, and we are trying to encourage people to keep blogging and reading blogs.
This will be our last link up for 2017.  With the Christmas season well and truly upon us, and then the following summer holidays for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, Linda and I have decided to relax and enjoy them.  We are anticipating starting Sew Stitch Snap SHARE again on 7 February 2018.

Thanks  for joining us these past few months, it has been wonderful being inspired by so many talented quilters and finding some new and interesting blogs. We look forward to seeing you all in 2018.

Julie and Linda






    Sunday 3 December 2017

    Weekending









    • It's starting to look like Christmas and finally feel like Summer!   Decorations made by my sister and me. Patterns from mmmcrafts.  I love this corner of my house.
    • My strawberry plants are probably used as ground cover plants more than fruiting plants, cos they don't get much sun, but I found a few wee sweet treats on them.
    • Reading
    • My star jasmine is a mass of flowers, the scent is just divine.
    • Baking - I just about have to fight Miss B off, to get a turn baking these days.  She was out, so I made Black Velvet Zucchini Cake.  Can we say it's sort of healthy with a vegetable and wholemeal flour in it?  I want to make these too, however need to find some rosewater first.
    • A few more ice cream soda blocks, only 24 to go now.
    Hoping you have all had a fabulous weekend too.