Hanging Around

Yesterday's project was an easy one, but it cleared the top of my sewing table.  I made some more hanging towels, the last I shall be making, at least, for a while.  They were all given the seal of approval from DS2, so they must be OK, which is just as well, as he was the one who told me to make some more.

The top of the table is clear, but I can't say the same for the shelf underneath.  That will take a bit longer.  Hopefully today, I shall be catching up with the next installment of the Raggedy QAL.

A slow morning

Yesterday was one of those days when, even though I was up early, nothing seemed to get done very quickly.  By the time I went to get the fabric out for my next project, one of the cats had made himself comfortable on the ottoman.  I didn't feel cruel enough to kick him off, so it was time for a rethink.

Though the pencil case wasn't going to be the next on the list, it was on the sewing table, cut out and pinned ready to go.  What else could I do, but get it finished.

It didn't take long, so the afternoon was spent crocheting whilst watching the tennis.

Maybe today, I can get to the ottoman before the cat.

Table Mats

I've finished another set of table mats, this time a set of four square mats.  There are two of each colour.  The centres, backing and binding are the same on all of them to make them co-ordinated.  I have quilted around the inner square and triangles.
Snow has arrived this morning, which means it's the perfect day to stay tucked up inside.  I don't think we have much, though more is forecast for next week.  Time to keep busy inside.

I'm still here

It seems like a long time, but I am still here.  I've been pretending to be a domestic goddess for a few days.  The cobwebs have been banished, baking has been done, and jam has been made.  Now I can get back to the fun things without feeling guilty.

 I've finally quilted and bound this quilt.  I treated myself to a sewing machine that could cope with quilting and did it by machine.  I kept it simple, as that's what I do best.  I stitched in the ditch around the blocks and the centre squares.

Now I know I can do these, I  need to get the backing to finish another couple of quilts.  All being well, I can get the fabric for the first one next week.

I've also made a couple of pencil cases.  This is a small one for crayons.  I have one more on the sewing table to finish, though there are a few bits to do before I get to it.

Unfortunately, the snow hasn't reached us yet, so I need to take the boys out today.  That means I won't be able to get to the sewing machine today. Hopefully, we will get enough light to take photos of the table mats that got finished yesterday.

Couple of Finishes

I've managed to get a couple of things finished over the last couple of days.  The first is another pyjama case.  This one is bigger than the one I did before.  I still haven't used up all of this fabric, so I will have to try and think of something else to make.

 I've also finished the table runner and place mats.

I've started making another set of place mats, but need to go shopping to get some more batting.  I seemed to have used quite a bit recently and my stocks are running low.

Progress

Have you noticed, that once you've mastered your fear of something, you have to keep doing it?  Well, now zips hold no fear, they are reappearing with great regularity.

This time I made a pencil case.

 The fabric was left over from DS2's artist pack.

You might have noticed that I've also mastered boxing the top corners as well as the bottom.

The bottom has larger boxed corners to give a tapered look to the whole case.  On the whole, I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out.

Now, if only I could find the white zip I bought especially, I could do the other pencil case I had planned.

Crocheted Squares

Here are the latest squares for the crocheted afghan.  I must be getting quicker at doing these, as I got them all done in  one sitting.  The next ones will arrive in about four weeks time.

Slowly does it

I thought I was having a good weekend, considering what was going on.  Saturday morning, I got the quilt top together and felt very pleased with myself, until I held it up!  There were pieces in the wrong place.  I still cannot work out how I could have missed them, but I did. so Sunday saw me unpicking seams.

Finally, yesterday, it all went back together and everything is in the right place.  If it isn't, I don't want to know!

I must be getting more patient in my old age.  There would have been a time, when I would have been so upset and disappointed, the whole thing would have been put away and forgotten about.  Not now, it's was just one of those things that happens, and it looks so much better done the right way.

 In between all that, I've been working on the place mats.  Three have been quilted and bound.  I need to wait for some more fabric to do the binding on the last place mat and table runner and then that will be another project out of the way.

I was so looking forward to not having to go out this week and catching up with projects, but as with all the best laid plans, things go wrong.  DS2 has a sore eye, so the first thing we will be doing today is going to the doctors.  At least it's not raining today, the walk through the park will be a little more pleasant than it would have been over the last couple of days.

In Progress

I didn't get out to do my shopping as DS1 wasn't well and we stayed home.  Instead I began work on the next quilt.

All twelve blocks are made up and are waiting to be sewn into rows. 

 DS1 has decided, he is going ice skating today no matter how he feels, so I'm going to have to put this in the waiting pile.

All the dishcloth and face cloths have been knitted and crocheted, so I looked for another simple fun project to do.  These envelope style lavender sachets were the result.

I used a pin to prick holes for the scent to come through.  It must have looked fun, as  DS2 came to join.   I don't have a lot of lavender left now, so I may have to go and find some more pretty paper and make enough envelopes  to use it up.

Table Set

A month or so ago, I started getting fabric together for a QAL, then decided that I had too much else on to enjoy doing it.  This weekend, I thought I'd find something to do with the fabric I had already bought, and have made a start on a table set.

 There are four table mats,

and a table runner.

These all went together quite easily, but there was a small hitch to getting them completed-I didn't have enough batting!  I'll have to go shopping later in the week to get some and hopefully get them finished over the weekend.

The place mats are quite large, so I thought I may do a set of square place mats without the strip at the side.  I know on our round table, the smaller square mats would fit a lot better.

Once I realised I couldn't finish the table set yesterday, I didn't feel like starting anything new on the sewing machine, so I wrote my shopping list for getting some projects finished and then went back to the trusty face and dish cloths.  I am on the last ball of cotton yarn, so there won't be many more of them to do.