Wintry skies = busy stitching fingers!

The last time I wrote I was about to commit serious bribery with sweets! It worked! Stocktake is completely 100% finished - the lollies certainly did make the task a whole heap more acceptable. And yeah - I did have a few but not so many as that child of mine - kids just don't seem to have a cut-off point when it comes to lollies!!!

There is defintely something positive to be said for this bleak cold winter that we are having - the stitching fingers are very busy. I found some partially completed stitcheries a few weeks back, so put them both into cushions. This lovely little primitive house one is a design by Tracey North of ''I Luv Country'' ...

..and this is one very recently finished - ''Marjorie'' by Barb Smith - I chose slightly different colours to what I would normally use for this as I was inspired by a customer who put these two fabrics together and I liked the combination.

Just this week I finished the little vintage stocking decoration which is the third in a series of classes I am about to start next month. I have really been enjoying playing with stitching and beads on these decorations - just have one more to do and it's going to be a little angel - might just get started on her this weekend.

Block three of the Gingham Girls is now all together - cute little handbags ...

... and this is the start of block four's stitching. I think this is so sweet.

I have to show you these Tanya Whelan fabrics that arrived this week - on a very gloomy winters day they definitely did the trick - just made me think of Spring and ever so slightly kid myself that it wasn't too far away! Aren't they gorgeous?

Wintry skies but busy fingers - and my crochet rug is coming along nicely too, but that's another story.

Keep warm and keep stitching!

Jenny

Stocktake and lollies!

This week has seen me standing behind my counter happily rolling and measuring fabric for my stocktake. No actually that's a great big fib - there's not an ounce of "happiness" involved in stocktake!!! It's just one of those things you have to grit your teeth and do. But... I have several bribes and other enticements lined up to lure my son into helping me this weekend - a lolly jar on the counter will be hard to resist for a start. I, of course, will not touch a single one of them!!! (truly!)

Anyway, I've not shown you Debbie's last Kitten's Tale block - not sure how I missed that - here it is - utterly adorable.

I've not been doing as much stitching this past week but last weekend I did manage to get the linen border on my Days in Provence quilt, and then I made these fabulous little Christmas decorations. They are from one of Marg Low's patterns called Christmas Charm - she uses Barb's gorgeous buttons and I just love them. Very quick and easy to make too, so even though that was a new project I started, I also finished it!

I also put together block two of the Gingham Girls - here's the little Japanese girl on the tea caddy - very sweet.

And these are a couple of bits I've done from the next block.

Now I must get back to rolling fabric! See you next week when it is all finished.

Happy Stitching,

Jenny

Bit of this, bit of that.

We've all got those ''unfinished projects'' piles haven't we, but are there others out there like me that for every one of those projects that we finish, we start three new ones! So the ''unfinished projects'' pile just keeps getting higher and higher. I have a complete lack of discipline and/or willpower when it comes to starting new things. But I have nearly finished this project..... Days in Provence..

This is a gorgeous pattern designed by Jackie Nicholls of House on the Hill Designs - I'm actually not prepared to admit to how long the fabrics have been sitting in a nicely folded pile, waiting to be cut and pieced, but last weekend I did it!! I finished stitching the lovely little lavender blocks and the words - and then put it all together (except for the linen border which will go on this weekend). Then just some simple hand quilting and that's one to be crossed off the ''list''.

I also found these little pincushions that I had made from leftovers of a quilt I stitched earlier in the year. They were in a much neglected state - not even turned through - so out with the stuffing, buttons and beads and another thing off the ''list''.

This week I have been playing with a couple of new designs. I have been wanting to make a little Christmas bag using some of Barb's fabulous buttons - these angel buttons are so sweet. I think I will make another one of these bags with some of her Santa buttons as well.

And the other idea that I have been working on is vintagey Christmas decorations. I made a start on these last weekend, and finished the star, and last night I started on the heart. I wanted to combine a little bit of simple beading and embroidery and I quite like the end result! There are two more, yet, to go - a rainy weekend does wonders for the stitching.

I hope you manage to cross one thing off your ''list'' this week (and start three more!).

Happy stitching.

Jenny

Block one is done!

It was kind of good having a long weekend that was a little too chilly to venture out as it meant I got to spend a lot of time in the sewing room! I played quite happily with my fabrics - sorting some for the Gingham Girls. I had some lovely bits in my stash that I wanted to use, along with some from the shop. I'm pretty pleased with the end result and like the way it is looking. Block one is done.

I also stitched this block - can't remember which block it comes from, but I love the way the girls are framed within the heart.

Debbie brought her gorgeous pink blocks to stitching group last week ...

... love the stitchery in this one.

I'm off home soon - to light the fire, trace out another stitchery for the ''girls'' and then settle in for the night. I'm happy with that!

Keep warm and happy stitching,

Jenny

Down the garden path!

Nearly went for a skate down the front path this morning as I was gingerly heading for the car, basket and container of hot water in one hand, and handbag in the other. To have been unceremoniously dumped on my rear at that hour of the morning would have been too much! But I made it to the car upright, though the heart rate was just a little faster. Then the next thing to sort was the lock - frozen solid! Yes, it was a very good frost this morning. Thankfully the lock on the other side was less frozen and we managed to get in that way. Oh the joys of winter.

I have been stitching a little project folder using the Beach House range of fabrics again - I love these colours, particularly the blues and browns. This is the outside...

..and the inside..

I'm really happy with the way it has turned out. I also wanted to show you some of Barb's gorgeous new buttons that arrived this week - aren't they just amazing. Just imagine these decorating a stitchery project, or maybe a gift tag, or a little linen bag... the possibilities are endless.

And how about this gorgeous creature...

...an idea is taking shape - I'm off to find the linen - I know it's around here somewhere.

Keep warm, and watch out for ice!

Jenny

Gorgeous Fabrics

Today is very bleak and wintry - it was even snowing/hailing/raining on the way to work this morning. Guess who is sitting quite close (actually make that very close) to the heater! These turned up today and I just thought they were so gorgeous and bright and cheery that I had to show them to you. They are fabrics by Verna Mosquera - I've not had any of her designs before and they are definitely delectable!

That's all - no stitching to show today - hope these bring a smile to your face on a very chilly day.

Keep warm and happy stitching.

Jenny

Bragging Rights!

Am I allowed to brag? I hope so, just a little. First up on Saturday, my son, Jake, was playing in a soccer tournament and they won! Last year, in the same tournament, it came down to penalty shoot outs and sadly they missed out. Jake is the goalie, and words cannot express the agony of a mother watching her son trying to fend off penalty goals - it's just plain awful! ( I know what you are thinking - ''imagine what it must be like to be the goalie" which is a fair point, but it's nearly as bad, I think, to be the mother on the sideline!) Thankfully, though, this year there were no shoot outs and congratulations to the whole team. Then, secondly, my nephew, Hayden, won the Rally of Otago - fantastic race, Hayden! And congratulations to you, too.

It was a pretty nice weekend here - good enough to lure me into the garden on Saturday afternoon - that's saying something as I am most definitely not a winter gardener - but it was lovely and mild and the perfect day for attacking with the secatuers.

I have finished the next Gingham Girls stitchery - very cute - check out the cat!

Also, put the final stitches into the Snowman block of Viv's Christmas Thyme quilt.

And speaking of Christmas - look what turned up this morning - this is the panel from Nancy Halvorsen's Christmas range - ''I Believe..."

I know, it's a little early to be talking about Christmas but I just couldn't resist showing you the panel.

This is my little doll, Alice. She's my class model! I had so much fun making her and think I might just have to do another one.

Happy Stitching

Jenny