Question for you.....

 My Geisha is growing, but things have slowed again as I navigate all the layers and folds in her kimono.

I find it difficult to spend more than 30 - 40 mins on her.

Chopping and changing threads all the time is frustrating.

There are some larger areas of colour due soon and I'm looking forward to them.

So, onto my question.

If you look at the bottom of the model picture below you can see what is supposed to be water.

See, down here? 

I really don't like it, it looks odd, very odd to me.

I'm tempted to not stitch it.

What do you think?

Will the design look odd without the water?

Shall I leave it off?

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I have nothing planned for today, so I think I'll sit and stitch all day!

Maybe I can get that swathe of yellow finished.

A quilty finish!

But it's not mine!

Debs has finished the binding on her quilt and buried all the quilting thread ends.

Isn't it lovely?

The blue and the yellow just work so well together.

I wonder if it has a label?

We had a play date!

I've known Debbie for a number of years, she is my sister in laws BFF!

Debbie says she was excited to know that I was finally coming to live here in NZ, she knew I was a crafter and was looking forward to getting together with me to have a play.

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As soon as she saw my crochet blanket Debs was hooked and wanted to crochet again, she said she hadn't lifted a hook in years. My colourful creations got her going again. :-)

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The other night Debs and her family were here at our place for a get together, Debbie brought along a UFO.

A lovely blue and yellow quilt top she had pieced together some years ago. (We won't say how long, but her daughter recently turned 12!!) Debbie had pieced it beautifully, but stalled when it came to quilting it.

Would I help?

I was delighted that she had asked me and advised her to get batting and backing fabric, along with a matching thread.

Debs came back today, with shiny new quilters pins and all the other items on her shopping list.

We pressed all the fabrics and pinned all the layers after Debbie had decided on some nice easy quilting lines.

(I forgot to get a picture of the whole top! Silly me!)

I popped the walking foot onto Jenny Janome and with minimal guidance from me, Debs got stuck in! :-)

She echoed the outlines of her blocks, making that yellow fabric really POP out from the blues.

Then we made a binding and that was attached too.

I have explained about burying the threads into the back of the quilt and how to close up the binding, going carefully to get neat corners.

I even showed Debbie some the my quilt backs, and their labels.

Debbie was delighted to get so much done in a morning and was pleased that it was so easy.

We promised that we would get together again soon.

Debbie had two more UFOs in her bag today and asked advise on finishing them.

She has gone home feeling very pleased with herself, as she should.

And full of plans and inspiration.

And a bag full of magazines, for more inspiration.

I had a lovely day Debbie.

Thank you.

xx

I SEWED!!

I spent this morning pottering in my playroom out back. I sewed! I used my sewing machine and actually sewed! I'll show you more later.

First up my Geisha is growing. I have completed the top half of the chart, even the back stitch, and have finally made my way onto the lower half. I feel like I'm going down hill now.

 I've even started plotting what I may stitch next!

It's not been all about the stitching though. I've been baking too. These tasty little savoury treats always disappear quickly. 

Yum!

 Before I could sew today I had to de clutter the play room! 

Balloons? 

They met one of my needles!

 Once I had things a little tidier I pulled out a kit I've had stashed for a while.

It's an advent calender with little pockets to stow away daily treats.

 I also pulled out the lovely clover mini iron that my Hunney bought for me. It was perfect for pressing the hems under on the advent pockets.

 It's now waiting to be embellished. I'll take myself into town tomorrow and look for sequins and beads and any other little treasures that seem appropriate.

After a short break for lunch I pulled out my button tin, some tiny golden beads and some dress makers pins.

What do you think? 

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I'm off to cross stitch.