April's Friday Night Sew In

April's Friday Night Sew In will be April 16th.  This time there is a little twist.  Why don't you pop over to Heidi's Blog and read all about it.

I'm not sure what I will be doing yet.  After a week of little sleep, I haven't done anything remotely crafty for three days and have a bit of catching up to do.

Have a good week everyone.

Teddy Mark 2

The first teddy was so popular, another one had to be made.  The boys think this one is better than the first one.  Maybe there is something in the saying that practice makes perfect.

I must say it is very disconcerting to turn round and see these two faces looking at you.

Teddy Mark 2 will be off on his travels next week to his new home.  I hope he will be very happy with his new mum.  I am sure he won't be subjected to the contortions that Teddy has had to endure.

Green Postcard

I've received my "Green" postcard from my swap partner, Maria Clara from Barcelona.

The colours go really well in my living room and has a lovely spring feel.  I really love the french knots along the ribbon. 

Maria Clara also included some of the lace which I shall look forward to using on a future project.  It is really delicate.  Thank you so much, Maria Clara

More Pergamano Fun

These are the next two cards I've made using parchment.  I like the scalloped edging to the card above, made easier to do using curved scissors.

It's a bit difficult to tell on the phot with this card, but the centre of the flowers have been pierced.  It makes for a pretty additional detail to the card.

I need to stock up on some more card now for the inserts.  Hopefully, I can get some this week as I have some more cards to do and make up.

These Boots are Made for Walking

After the little ballerina shoes, I had to do something for a little boy, so we have these crocheted boots.  The buttons on the front are there just for decoration.  The foot pattern was the same as the ballerina shoes, but then continued up to the legs.  They remind me of little chimney pots, lol.  Now I just have to find a little boy to wear them.

Silk Heart Pillow

At least, it will be when it is made up.  I have completed the embroidery for the front of the cushion.  I used Madeira threads on silk.  There is something very satisfying hearing the pop of the silk as the needle goes through.  It is stitched using satin and stem stitch throughout.  The centres of the larger flowers are filled with beads.

This is a pattern taken from Issue 3 of  Discovering Needlecraft and I'm looking forward to getting it made into a cushion.

Jelly Roll QAL Block 2

This is the second block in the Jelly Roll QAL which means I am up to date, woohoo!  What was even better, it took me less 45 minutes to put together, even taking into account have to unstitch two seams to put the blocks the right way.  I took the blocks to the machine, then had to do something else, came back to the machine and stitched before checking I was doing it the right way.  Never mind, easily rectified.

The instructions for both blocks have been so well written and easy to follow.  I am hoping that the next seven blocks will be just as easy to follow.  I can't wait to see what's next.

Friday night sew in

A little while ago I won a giveaway on Judy's blog and she sent me some DMC linen threads and charts.  All the charts are cross stitch rose heart garlands.  I thought I'd stitch them all and then make them into a quilt.  I started one which is done in one colour, but I need to get some more thread to complete it.  This is the second one I started.

I thought I'd work on this for the Friday night sew in.  Last night I did the smallest rose at the top and the green leaves.  I didn't get as much done as I expected as Friday night sew turned into Friday night cuddle in.  DS2 wanted a cuddle and I couldn't say no.

This is the first time that I have used linen threads.  They are not as strong as the cotton threads, so you need to use shorter lengths to prevent them wearing out and snapping.  They give a different look too, not so shiney, but I like it.  Thanks Judy, for giving me the opportunity to try something different.

Jelly Roll QAL

About a month or so, I saw the details for the Jelly Roll QAL and thought I might give it a try.  At the time I didn't have a jelly roll so decided I wouldn't, but then I saw the first block and thought this was something I could do, so I bought one.

I ended up buying Odyssea by Momo for Moda, by mistake!  How?  By clicking the "confirm to buy" button and then realising this wasn't the jelly roll I really wanted.  Never mind, I will use it and I am sure it will keep someone happy.

This is the first block done and I have the pieces precut for the second block.  Looks like the person who told me this could get addictive was correct.

Card Received

Gina and I agreed to a private cross stitch card swap and hers arrived yesterday.  I think the little bluebird must have been flapping very hard as it arrived from Australia in record time.

Bluebirds are quite special to us.  My mum had a couple of china bluebirds which I kept.  My youngest son took a fancy to them when he was quite small and still has one in his bedroom.

Many thanks Gina.  Looking forward to our next swap

Two more sections

Having found my cream strips, it was back to the sewing maching to do some more blocks.  In the end there were enough to make two more completed sections.

I love seeing how each block seems to come out with it's own pattern.  It will be interesting to see how they all come together at the end.  If this is to be for my bed, I will need at least 17 more blocks.  I've checked, and they do look nice in the bedroom, so I think it's back to the cutting mat.

I need to buy some more of the cream fabric, but I can get on and cut some more of the patterned strips.  It's a lot easier on the back to do them in small batches.

Back in time

To February!

I did start doing the embroidery in February, but it did take a little longer to stitch than the other blocks.

I again used DMC threads for the stiching.  Stitches used-satin, long and short, stem, straight, french knots. I could have told you the colours, but I tidied up and put them away, lol.

The light patches on the fabric is the early morning sun coming in through the morning.  It has been lovely to get up and see blue sky and have the sun shining.  It is even getting a little warmer in the sun too.  Won't be long before we start seeing the primroses out for real.

Look what I did

As you know, I have been trying my hand at quilt blocks.  I thought that as the boys were away, I would try and push myself this weekend to put a quilt top together in a weekend, but then I changed my mind, as you do!  I didn't get to the fabric shop to find anything for the backing, so decided I would do something different instead.

A couple of months ago, Heidi posted a tutorial for a postage stamp quilt which I looked at and thought would be too difficult for me to do.  Heidi did say it was easy, but did stress in the instructions, accuracy was essential.  Now, that really frightened me, but I did it.

Well, one section anyway, lol.  Friday night I was cutting the pattern strips, then yesterday morning the cream ones and by mid afternoon, I had my first postage stamp section complete, but I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind.  I was sure I had done enough strips to do another block.

Sure enough, a couple of hours later, I just happened to turn away from the computer and there, on the back of the settee, were the other set of strips.  I think I will have another section complete soon, but there will be several more to come. 

All the pattern strips are from my fabric stash, but I do need to buy some more of the cream.  The next thing to decide is, am I brave enough to do enough for my bed?  That is about 20 sections which isn't a problem, it will be the quilting, mmm, plenty of time to think that one out.

Going Green

The theme for the March swap on Stitchin Finger fabric postcard swap.  At this time of year, it made me think of all the green shoots appearing as spring progresses.  The first signs of spring we saw after the snow, were the snowdrops, so that was what I used for my postcard.

I tried a completely new technique with this card.  I copied a photo of snowdrops onto fabric and then hand quilted around the image and the snowdrops.  The top and bottom edge were finished with satin ribbon and then the card assembled.

D was fascinated at being able to copy photos onto fabric and deduced I would be able to do the same with his photo.  Me thinks he has been reading my mind,  I have thought of doing something with photos of the boys and making either wallhangings or cushions for them.  However, that project will have to wait.

I have lots of projects in the pipeline at the moment and hopefully, some of them might get somewhere near completion this weekend.  The boys are away, so  I have two days of uninterrupted fun.  At least, that is the idea, but it doesn't always happen like that.

Hope everyone has a great weekend

Thank you, Lucy

Isn't this gorgeous?  This is the cushion I received from Lucy for the exchange on Exchange Heaven.  I love it, she has used colours I like and it is a wonderful addition to my front room. 

Thank you, Lucy

Borders Added

I finally got the thread I needed to add the borders to the needlepoint sampler.  The black helps the different blocks to stand out.

I now need to find some fabric to finish it into a bell pull.  I know what I want, I just need to see if I can find anything like it in the shop.  It may take a little while.

Blood, Sweat and Tears

Literally, lol.  Rotary cutters are also good for taking slices from the corner of fingers, but despite the setback, another block was pieced.  This is the second of March's blocks from Amy's block of the month.

Definitely not perfect, but in the circumstances, it will do.  The small triangles are joined the wrong way round, but as the mistake was the same on all of them, it's staying.

Knitting has had to take a back seat due to the finger, but I am hoping today, I can find something I can do without too much inconvenience.

Memories

Some projects take a long time to get completed.  This was something I was going to do for my parents wedding anniversary 13 years ago, but life got in the way.  As a result, this was put in my knitting bag and it has lived there ever since.

I finally decided I could finish it for J.  I only had one line of cross stitch to finish and the outline to do.

The line across, is a stray thread, which I didn't notice until I uploaded the picture.  That will get picked off, the whole piece will get a much needed wash and then I will have to think of a way to finish it.  At the moment I am thinking wall hanging, or cushion.

Who would have thought that these feet now fit into size nine boots and they are still growing!

Oops, wrong neck!

D has been wanting an aran jumper for some time.  He chose James C Brett Denim with wool aran and chose a pattern from one I had here.  It wasn't until I was doing the second side of the neck that I realised I had done the v neck version.  D likes the round necks.

Never mind, I think that's the perfect excuse to do him another one, with a round neck, but a different pattern.  Hopefully, it will be as quick to knit up as this one was.

Lauren

This pattern is from  the May '09 issue of Let's Knit.  I used James C Brett Firenze DK yarn which I got as in a sale.  The sleeves are three quarter length and it's has a yoke neck.

I love the twisted rib, even though there seem to be lots of it, lol.

My favourite bit is the flower brooch used to fasten the shoulder.  They are so simple to make, but so effective.  I'm going to make more of these in different colours and add seed beads.

There is a pattern for a short sleeved cardigan in the same magazine that I'd like to do.  I need to go and see if I can find some cotton DK for that one.  Next one to finish is D's jumper.