Merry Christmas!

Hi and Merry Christmas to you all! It's been a while since I've been here but you know how it is I am sure - each year I promise to get organised and start those Christmas gift projects earlier and then it just doesn't happen. I am pretty confident, though, that they will all be finished by tonight and that there will be no last minute Christmas Eve stitching this year. I wanted to show you a picture of some of the girls at the last class for the year - the Cushion Club. Here they are ....

Sorry about the pose, Pat, but you were such good fun and this is the best I had! I have to say that I have never laughed so much in all my life. The antlers played tunes as well! Which was fine until all three of them were playing a different tune at the same time. In between all the frivolity we tried to make these little round cushions!

I also wanted to show you what Debbie is doing - she has started the gorgeous new block of the month quilt from Lynette Anderson, A Kitten's Tale, and this is her first block. Debbie has used quite a lot of fabrics from the new Moda range I have, called ''Heritage'', and it is absolutely stunning. I'll show you her progress each month.

I have finished block number 7 of the Redwork Christmas. Delicious Christmas pudding, just in time for Christmas day.

Most of the other bits and pieces I have been working on I can't show you, cos then it might spoil the surprise. But, this is a lovely little Christmas tree stitchery I finished a couple of years back - it is an Angels in Disguise pre-printed stitchery pattern and is one of my favourites.

I wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas, and here's looking forward to a brilliant 2009.

Happy Christmas Stitching.

Jenny

Decorations

Have you got your Christmas tree up and decorated? We did ours last weekend, and then tried to find places for all the Santas! This getting more difficult each year - I keep telling myself that I do not need any more Santa's but there is always ''just the one'' that I have to have.

This past week I have finished the sixth redwork Christmas block - sweet little birds gathering holly.

Also, Sally's two friends have joined her - this is Susie and Mary.

Thought I would show you a few of the little treats I have at the moment - these utterly gorgeous little glass jars - love the little preserving ones - filled with buttons or braids maybe. Decorations for your sewing room!

Little tins - for more buttons!

Divine vintage ribbon and cord. I have my eye on those spools!

Aren't these just the most beautiful angels in the world! They are about 10'' long and handpainted by Barb ( Theodora Cleave designs) - a fabulous Christmas treat.

We had Bag Club again this week and here's the neat little shoulder satchel we made. I know that quite a few of these may well be made up in time for Christmas!

We have our final Christmas Club of the year next week - am looking forward to stitching some lovely little ornies, designed by Marg Low. I will show you a picture of them next week. Have fun decorating and stitching this week.

Jenny

"Changing Rooms"

Have you noticed how many of us give our homes a big ''Christmas'' spring-clean before the big day. My Mum pulls out all stops - dusting and cleaning the house from top to bottom, even doing all the windows inside and out (now that is keen!) Regardless of whether the Christmas celebrations are taking place at her house or not - it is immaculately spotless! Me, well, not quite so eager to turn the house upside down and inside out, except when it comes to decorations and the Christmas tree - now that's another story! But, I did think it was a good opportunity to give the shop a bit of a revamp. So, I've been busy playing ''changing rooms'' over the weekend - what used to be at the front of the shop is now at the back, and what was at the back is now at the front! A change can be quite refreshing and it feels like a new shop!

I have some gorgeous work to show you this week. This is Barbara's ''Flower Girls'' quilt - she did this as a block of the month pattern and chose stunning soft florals to set off the stitcheries. The quilt pattern is one of Brenda Ryans designs - a favourite of mine - and you can see more of hers at http://www.brendaryan.com.au/.

And here's a couple of Debbie's latest creations. I love this hand-pieced bed runner - Deb said this was her first hexagon project - isn't it beautiful.

This is her sampler quilt - fabulous colours.

Me, well I've been doing a little bit of stitching too. A bag...

... a doll called Sally (a Rosalie Quinlan design)...

and some of Barb's new Christmas stitchies that I put into this.....

and these....

..and the fifth Redwork Christmas block.

I wonder how many of you have got Christmas projects to start and finish before Santa visits. I know I've got a few! One of the many fun parts of Christmas - picking the perfect project to stitch for that special friend, and then getting it finished, sometimes still stitching on Christmas Eve. Happy Stitching!

Jenny

Back from holiday!

I've been away for a little break. And it was fabulous! We had a cute little blue car and spent two weeks cruising round a small part of Queensland - off the beaten track sometimes and in amongst it all at others.

Australia has the most amazing bush - I can smell the gums and native trees as I write this.

I must admit, though, this sign had me wondering. Worm races????

Feeling like a new person now! Here's what we did last week at the Bag Club. There was every conceivable colourway of this bag made and it looked great in all of them.

These are some of Barb's gorgeous new Christmas buttons ....

and some of her Christmas decorations.

Speaking of Christmas, this is what the ladies will be making at this week's Christmas Club. St Nicholas is a fabulous Santa pattern designed by the girls at The Farm Studio. He really is rather gorgeous isn't he.

I am currently working on some lovely little Christmas stitcheries - the new ones from TheodoraCleave. You can see them on her website - http://www.theodoracleave.com/. I'll show you mine in a couple of days. I'm off now to set up for St Nicholas tonight.

Jenny

Fabulous Flannel Fish!

Last Friday Heather came to stitching group with show and tell - this is her gorgeous fabulous flannel quilt - isn't it just amazing. Front and back are flannel and the colours are incredible. What do you think?

Cushion class starts this week - we're making cute little topper cushions to start with.

All of a sudden I am hearing that it is only so many weeks or so many days until Christmas. Now, I don't mind at all as I am a Christmas addict. There are some really lovely Christmas fabrics and panels in the store right now - these pics are from one designed by Deb Strain for Moda, called Royal Holiday.

If you have got projects to be done for Christmas you better watch out, Santa is coming, so you better get stitching.

Have fun!

Jenny

Meet Mozzie

Let me introduce you to Mad Mozzie. A bit of light relief over the weekend - was making one especially to order, and decided to make another at the same time. This is one of Melly & Me's patterns - when it first came out a couple of years back it made me laugh and I made one for the shop straight away. He ''encourages'' comment! I think he is definitely the maddest but cutest mozzie I've come across.

That was it for the weekend's sewing - just had to show them off!

Have fun stitching!

Jenny

The bestest weekend!

I have just enjoyed the most fantastic weekend with the retreat ladies. What a weekend! Thank you girls - what a fabulous gathering!

Preparation for the retreat started way back in about March I think but as always a few things got left to the the last minute, such as making these tags for the goodies bags. I think that was Thursday nights alloted task! They were great fun to make, I used a gorgeous stamp given to me by Barb, stamped on cotton duck and then just stitched it to the card with a yummy polka dot button.

It was an early morning start on Saturday for Jake and I - setting up the displays

and the rooms.

Then the doors were opened and Stitchery Retreat 2008 was under way! There was much much laughter and chatting, and oh the decisions - which design to stitch first! Maybe it would be Barb's ( http://www.theodoracleave.com/ gorgeous lavenders - either in the peg bag or dilly bag designs.

Or maybe it would be Rosalie's beautiful flower garden (www.rosaliequinlandesigns.typepad.com). I have to confess to running out of time a little on the Friday night (yes really!) and fairly hastily attaching the bordered stitchery to a canvas. So I have only photographed the stitchery as the finished project, whilst not being too off line, is just a little and looked even worse in the photo! I bordered it with a narrow green spot, then a little wider pink spot to match the colours of the stitchery.

If not Rosalie's or Barb's, then maybe it would be Brenda's stunning brooches (http://www.brendaryan.com.au/). I lost count of the number of these that were stitched over the weekend, some even made two, and the colour choices were fabulous. Thank you Brenda for very kindly lending me your brooch samples - take a look at these - told you they were stunning!

If you are a Christmasaholic (like myself) then the first choice was easy - Marg's delightful Christmas tag bunting and little pillow and gift tag (http://www.marglowdesigns.typepad.com/).

Natalie (http://www.cinderberrystitches.com/) had given us a tiny little sneak peak of her design a few weeks back on her blog, so there were some Cinderberry fans ready and waiting - here is a pic of her sample that she very kindly lent me and you can see why some started stitching her gorgeous little creatures straight away can't you - who could resist them!

And last but most certainly not the least is Melly's adorable Little Floss (http://www.mellyandme.typepad.com/). Little Floss was going home to quite a few little girls, perhaps not quite at the end of the weekend but very soon after. Although I can recall atleast one little dilly bag that was complete, with Little Floss as the stitchery in the centre, and it was so gorgeous. Wonder who will be getting that one.

In between all the stitching there was plenty of time for some of this

and some of this

and some healthy stuff too, but I haven't got any pictures of that!

And there was lots and lots of this! My goodness, the urn and kettles rattled away all weekend.

Here's some of the girls at work!


I hope that you all enjoyed yourself as much as I did, and from all accounts I will be seeing quite a few of you again at Retreat 2009!

I have been doing a bit of a catch up of my favourite blogs over the past couple of days and have to tell you to go have a look at Barb's one (www.theordoracleave.blogspot.com) to see her gorgeous new Christmas creations and there is a very yummy giveaway happening.

Time now to go and make some cushion samples.

Happy stitching.

Jenny