Wipocalypse May check in

Hi Friends,

Wipocalypse time again (hosted by Measi) where we work on those pesky wips living down the side of the sofa! And yes, late again for the link up! Only 5 days this time!

For this month's Wipocalypse I worked on all my wips including my quilt would you believe! These are pics of the ones that were the original wips from the start of the year.

Gifted gorgeousness September

Hello,

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post and I'm way late for gifted gorgeousness hosted by Jo as serendipitous stitching.

I've not a lot to share as I've been crafting for Christmas! Some of the travelling box ladies and I are having a Christmas edition of the box so I'm making for that so I can send on its way at the end of the month. I've already made 9 things, I just need to get some pom-pom trim and wait for some beads to come to finish the last two. It's been great fun crafting for this one. I designed two of the pieces myself. Here is one before I made it up. I will share them next time. 

I did do a bit on the Scandi heart, although I ended up frogging so much as I was a line out. My progress pic now shows less than last time! I've a deadline on it too. 

I've done a bit on my quilt too although there's not a lot to show as I ran out of hexagon papers, so I couldn't make a lot of hexagons ready to sew in. It's been good fun to have it out again as it had been over a year. 

The granny square swap is on its last round now so I've just got to finish my last one and send it off. I received a lovely parcel of goodies from Joan which I'll share in my next post and show all of the squares together. 

Not the most exciting post today but next month will be full of finishes and progress reports. I'll be stitching for Steph's birthday too and I found two brilliant track so I think she'll love. 

So enjoy the rest of your weekend by for now. 

2015 Goals

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for such a lovely welcome back. Im really glad to be back blogging. Life is so busy its great to have an escape. So on to 2015's goals... After a fairly miserable attempt at 2014 where despite the goals seeming realistic at the time - they clearly weren't!

As I will be doing the Internship until September I'm setting just a few goals.

• Progress on Anchor Sampler

• 3 Blackwork pieces- Star, Lady from WOXS and Bird Song

• 12 Cover Kits - any 12 from the 100 or so I have!!! 

• Crochet an Ami 

•  Progress on Hexagon quilt

• Autumn Swap - almost done!!

• Winter Swap - not started, due end of February 

• Fabric box from NEC

• 2 Lizzie Kate charts - both snipitts, cross stitcher in residence and the other is work, trust, pray. 

•  2 baby blankets - 1 ASAP and one for July 

•  UFO's from the basket - x 4 - Japanese Garden, Keep Calm, Donald Duck and Gardeners.

I could carry on for ages but then the list becomes an epic on par with Ben Hur. I think that is achievable if I stop there. I've not put on the travelling box and things like birthdays as I didn't want it to become a timetable too much. So here are the progress pics and some of the projects.

This is where I am at with the sampler and my quilt

These are two of the blackwork kits, both were from Steph, one for my birthday, one for Christmas. 

This is the pin flair box kit and the 2 fabrics I chose for it. Not the best photo as the fabric is much more vibrant. 

Lastly the 4 UFO's. As you can see they're not big at all! 

Wish me luck!

Hopefully I'll be back very soon with my first 3 finishes!!!

Hexagon quilt update

Hi everyone,

I can't believe it was january when I last blogged about my quilt. I finally got round to putting a few more rows in my quilt.

One of the wedding favours from my friends wedding last month was a jar of sweets so I saved the fabric from the top and put it into my quilt. It's the green piece with the 3 red flowers. 

I got a scrap pack with some lovely batik fabric scraps in last week, so they went in too. Laura's Hexagon quilt has reached almost 1200 hexagons and is huge. Mine has around 240 in. I've managed to have a few evenings where I've been able sew 20 or so hexies in. I also got all the fabric from Teresa cut ready to make into hexies too.

This is the last blog picture of the quilt. This was taken in January.

Most of the hexagons I've added over the last couple of weeks are to the left hand side. 

Here are a few close ups. I really like the yellow section

and the beach hut...

I'm off to watch the F1 and sew in a hexagon or 3! 

Thanks for reading

2014 goals

Hello!

My blog posts really are like buses. You wait for ages then 3 come at once! 

I thought I'd share my goals for this year with you all. Last year seemed to be some what of a craft wilderness so I'm hoping for some more finishes this year. None of the projects on my 2013 list got done but at least I've started the sampler now. I did get my blackwork sampler done. It wasn't on the list but as I started it last January I have a feeling I should have put it on there. 

When I do march madness as part of theme-a-licious I might start doing the 2 giraffe ones then I can get them into my rotation as soon as slots open up. I'm great at a plan...not so great at the execution of it!

So here is my rather long list...

Bobbinate the giant bag of threads (approximately 125 still to do)

12 Christmas ornaments with the needlecraft haven monthly SAL

Finish all the WIP's or UFO'S in the basket - more on that in my first wipocalypse post next week. 

Start and finish anchor sampler. Here is a progress pic after my first week of rotation well 3 evenings anyway! 

Make lots of progress on my hexie quilt. 

Crochet my first ami and granny blanket

Do 24 cover kits!!! As you can see there is rather a large choice. That is only 2 a month so could easily be accomplished in smalls week of the rotation. 

So that could potentially be 50 projects! I only stitched 29 I think it was last year so this would almost double it!

All I can say is good thing I ordered 4 packets of needles today!!!

Since I started writing this (on the bus on the way home from work). Hubby has seen the Chinese dragon in the latest cross stitcher mag and wants me to stitch it too! 

I think I need more days in a year and hours in a day!!!!

Christmas makes and gifts

Hi everyone,

Happy new year to you all and hope 2014 is full of rich blessings for you all. 

 My crafty bug went on winter vacation in November and December so I only made a few bits. I made 2 reindeer and 5 of these little hexagon wreaths. I sent one each to Laura and Steph along with a reindeer, had one for my tree and my mum had 2. They were great for using up tiny scraps of Christmas fabric I had as they were only 1 inch hexagons. They're backed with coordinating sparkly felt and each finished with a charm and bow. I also made the brooch in the pic for Laura. 

Laura sent me this fabulous parcel of bits all wrapped separately so I had 7 presents to unwrap

I love the little button tree and the wooden ornament I'm guessing is from the Birmingham German market which I know Laura visited as we have 3 similar ones too from our visit in 2012! Laura also sent craft kits for my 2 kids too. 

Steph sent me these lovely gifts. Some she had made and others get very talented knitting Mum had made. 

Steph made mini Peppa and George for Lottie and her mum made flopsy bunny. Steph also sent Thomas horrible histories annual and a selection box. 

My hubby loves oriental dragons and a while back I found a pattern on etsy after seeing a pin about on Pinterest. I brought the pattern and Steph kindly crocheted it for him. 

Steph also sent me this gorgeous brooch

She also made Andrew a RAK too of the lonely mountain from The Hobbit.

 

 

I thought I'd share this gorgeous scarf I had too from my bestie - green with giraffes. Perfect for me!

I've signed up for wipocalypse and theme-a-licious this year so I'll be back to share my projects for that. Hopefully I can do a quick review of the year too. 

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend (well it's almost Friday)!

The 4th Winner...Eventually

Just a very very quick post to share the winner of the last giveaway.

So the prize was this...

And the lucky winner was Joan!!!! I've got your details, so I'll be in touch.

I'll be back soon to share makes for Laura's recent visit and my awesome giraffe.

Happy crafting. x

Hexagon quilt kit giveaway

Many moons ago I promised a giveaway for a kit to start a hexagon quilt. I really wanted to do this as I was given a kit by Laura (who also has an excellent tutorial here on how to do it) so to pay it forward I wanted to give one away too. You can see my progress here  in case you missed it yesterday.

Here is the kit you could win, It has two reels of thread, a selection of cotton fabrics to make the hexagons as well as a few made up. There is a packet of papers (I cheat and buy mine from the quilting shop) but you can use one to make your own template and make your own as Laura suggests in her tutorial. I've sewn 3 hexagons together to start you off too.

So to win the kit you need to do two things...

1. Be (or become) a follower
2. Comment on this post telling me what piece of fabric you would put into your quilt that most represents you? I have a couple of giraffes and lots of green in my quilt to give you an idea.

The winner will be drawn at random on Sunday 9th June

Good luck and thank you for reading my blog.

Ps don't worry if you don't fancy the quilt kit, It's my blogversary soon so I'll have another giveaway then!

Hexagon quilt update

Hi everyone,

After having a mad making month for the travelling craft box I decided to spend a little time not stitching as I wanted to be refreshed  for when I do my summer birthday/exchange/anniversary stitching in June and July. I decided that my quilt had been rather neglected and I've been sent some lovely fabric recently by Steph and Laura so time to add it in.

So I had a sort out of all the fabric that needed to go in, there was around 60 different fabrics there and then I found a pile of hexagon shaped pieces I'd already cut in the box...

Made a few heaxagons (100 to be exact) I did have 98 by the time I'd done all I wanted but decided that was a weird number and needed to be rounded off!

and set out add a few more rows. Here's the last picture I blogged.

And here it is today. The last 4 on the bottom row need sewing in, but they are the ones I want to put in.

I'll be finishing off the pile of hex's I have left later as one more row should see it squared off. Then it'll be time for a huge hex making session again, or rather the start of the summer stitching. I'm really pleased with how much I've done, It's almost doubled in length in a week!

Tomorrow I launch my giveaway to win a kit to start your own hexagon quilt!

RAK, WIP, Cake!

Hi Everyone,

Well it's a bitterly cold blustery day today which I spent out and about taking Lottie to speech therapy and for a hearing test. All was ok and ST don't want to see her until May now and she won't have to go back to audiology either. We did go to a friends for lunch wich was lovely, so nice to have a catch up.

I got home to a lovely surprise parcel from Laura full of fabric for my hexagon quilt and some charms too. Lucky, lucky me! Thank you Laura!

I've been having a rest from the blackwork sampler and working on a little freebie as part of the Monthy Freebie challenge on Needlecraft Haven. I've changed the dates and the initals so it can become an anniversary gift for hubby in June for our 10th wedding anniversary. I didn't ever get round to stitching a wedding sampler so this one will become it.

The kids and I made some crispy cakes yesterday from a recipe which I think is an Annabel Karmel one. I got it from a friend yesterday and they were yum. These are white chocolate and apricot ones.

Last week Thomas met the author Shoo Rayner at school and had one of his books signed. Very exciting for him!

I posted my exchange card to McKenna on Monday so I can reveal that sometime next week along with the little handmade bits I put in the parcels to the winners of my giveaway.

McKenna is having another giveaway for the cutest valentines octopus you can enter to win it here.

So until next time...

A little finish, Hexagon quilt and more

I've yet more followers, a big welcome to you!! I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

I've a little finish to share. I wanted to stitch a bookmark each for my Bible study group friends. I found a fab chart on Etsy and here is the first one of the 4 that I've done. I'm doing the same design in 4 different colours.

Nancy at the Victorian motto shoppe is having a giveaway to win one of 5 kits she sells. Click here to enter. She has some beautiful kits. I love the Hare one and the Hope one too. There are so many giveaways happening at the moment - McKenna has a great list here , and is doing a weekly round up on a Wednesday of various giveaways happening. A fair few have finished but there are still some to enter...You never know!! I was very lucky to win McKenna's giveaway and I'll share what I won when it arrives (Excited squeal!)

The blackwork sampler is coming on really well and I'm loving stitching it. Not much more progress at the moment, I've jarred my back so it's been a bit uncomfortable to sit for long. I also sat and did a couple of hours on my quilt too as it's a bit easier to move position, so here is the latest pic, still a very looooooooooong way to go though. If anyone would like to be part of the quilt and send any small scraps of fabric, I'd love to make you part of the story. I have fabric from a few friends already and it's lovely to be able to say "that bit is from..." The left column and the bottom row are the latest additions.

Despite being on my stash bust at the moment, I did have a little splurge friday and brought this lot from here. A lot will be used for my giveaway or for makes for the travelling box. It's a great shop for charms and bits and excellent service, I ordered Friday morning and it was here the next day.

Another little purchase was this beautiful brooch from Steph, this is a custom design as I wanted it to go with a couple of outfits - one was the cardi it is pinned to. It's called Star of Wonder.

You can see others here on her blog and in her Folksy Shop .Steph also included a little bag of bits. The beads spell out THANK U. How sweet is that, (although it took me a couple of mins to work out!) I did get something else but it is hubby's valentines present (or part of).

Today is the drawing of my stash busting giveaway so I'll be back later with that. (another excited squeal!)

A quick Sunday post

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post to share the snow and what has been keeping me busy the last couple of days. I've really gotten back into my Hexagon Quilt the last week or so and I've managed to put in a couple more rows. I got to the point where the last few hexagons I had made up didn't fit with the ones already stitched in, so I tacked a few more and here they are ready to be sewn in. I've still got about the same again cut ready to make up and I also had a sort out of the Christmas fabric as there was lots in there I could add in. So here are the 40 I've tacked.

Here is the view from our front door of the snow. This was taken this afternoon so the kids have been on it and it's thawed slightly. I think we've had about 6 inches of snow. Well that's my guestimation based on the roof of the car!

Right I'm off to finish clearing the tea things now that Thomas has nearly finished. This boy must be the slowest eater in the world. He's had his dinner 40 mins! It was a rather yummy Chili though!

I'm almost finished with the top of the last biscornu so hopefully I can share the finished thing mid week. I may get started on my January project in January after all!!!

Happy crafting friends .x

2 down one to go!!

I hope you are all wrapped up warm if you are in snowy parts at the moment. Hubby took the kids out earlier on the sledge and they've had a play out. I've got go sledging on my 101 list so hopefully we can do it tomorrow, I did specify a particular hill we used as kids, but I might mark it as complete as long as I sledge down any hill not just the 'top ten' as it's known. I've no idea why it's called that, but it is!

So as discussed and thank you to those who helped me make the decision here are the Christmas and November biscornu. The links to them can be found on my January Theme-a-licious check in post. So here is the November Poppy top and bottom and then the December Christmas one top and bottom

Thanks to all of you who have entered my giveaway already, who'd have thought so many of you would want a few cover kits that I just wouldn't stitch! Anyway it's open for another 2 weeks yet and here's the link - Stash busting giveaway

I started preparing the Hexagon Quilt Kit too ready for my next giveaway too. I think I've cut round 50 hexagons so far, got tacking and sewing threads and some hexagon papers. It should be a good kit and certainly get the recipient off to a good start! I'm not sure when I'll launch it but it'll be soon. If you're wondering about what a hexagon quilt look like when it's slightly larger than a place mat check out Strawberry Mouse crafts. Laura has kindly let me use her tutorial along side this giveaway when it is launched.

Stay warm folks!

Ornaments, biscornu and a very small quilt

This is a bit of a random post as I've been wanting to write a blog post for a week and had nothing to share so here are a couple of bits, mostly christmassy still too but never the less here they are.

When we took our tree down last weekend I gathered all the handmade decorations and decided to photograph them all together,  here is my wonderful collection. There are 55 decorations made by me, Thomas and my fabulously talented friends.

I got my quilt out this week and sewed in a couple more hexagons. I decided to have a think how big I wanted to make it and here it is laid out on one of Lotties blankets.  As you can see I have an awful lot of work to do!

This is what I've been working on when I've not been too tired. It's one of the biscornu so I can finish off my challenge. It just needs sewing up now. It's one of Steph's and is first of many of her's that I intend to stitch.

I decided to do this one as the Santa reminded me of a little tree ornament we picked up at the local Victorian fayre.

Well that's the lot from me, I'll be back in a couple of days with my first Theme-a-licious update...it's all rather exciting!

Stay warm friends. xx