A Quilty finish!

 I finished my advent calender.

Well, I've done everything I planned.

I added beads to all the holly berries.

 And some little brass charms.

 But I may add more! As the Christmas stock starts to appear in the local stores I may just see something which I can add to the calender.

I may even add a little more quilting.

Or maybe I won't.

For now, it's finished.

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I'm still stitching away on my Geisha too.

She has grown somewhat since I took this image on Monday.

I had to go digging through my stock of left over threads (It pays to save left overs from other kitted projects) to find a match for a green that ran out! All the other colours seem to have way too much, but this particular green ran out 38 stitches short!

*

I'm off to be domestic for a while.

Then I get to play. 

A Quilty Post.

After a busy weekend it was good to slow down a little today. After doing a few necessaries around the house I retired to my play room and got stuck into my advent calender project.

Rather than layering and quilting I 'bagged out' the layers and then did some quilting!

Nothing too fancy, I used black thread to follow the outlines of the fireplace, you can't see it here, but it does pop out a little.

I followed the stripe pattern around the edges and the tiles of the fireplace in a neutral colour. I've also worked a little on the clock using a variegated brown, probably not the best, but all I had on hand. 

This afternoon I'll be adding bundles of beads over all the holly berries and maybe a few charms or other items, just to add a little more bling.

My companion while I was quilting didn't stay long!

After saying good morning he wandered off when he realised he wouldn't be invited in.

He is a sweet kitty and often calls to say hello.

Right, I need to feed me, before I do the beads.

Been shopping!

Scored me a great kit on Trademe.

Isn't she pretty?

 Look at all the sparkly threads.

She may just have to be my next project.

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I'll have less stitching time in  future as my contracted hours have been extended and have doubled!

Great for stash enhancement expenses, but not so great for working my way through said stash!

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?

*

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.

*

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.

Still Enhancing.

Here's the results of the latest jolly along to the Sallys.

As well as lots of yarn oddments I also scored two stitchery/quilt patterns and some fat 8th fabric pieces.

All for less than $30. That will do me.

Stash Enhancement

I've decided not to show a progress picture of my Geisha this week. I have stitched on her, there are changes, but they are not significant, and I didn't manage to start on the lower half of the chart yet!

So instead I thought I might show off some recent Trademe scores.

Cross stitch charts for

Mirabilias Persephone and A song of Christmas by Lavender and Lace.

No, the recipe book isn't new. That's just DS making sure I know what to bake this week!

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The washing machine is finished, time to put my whites out on the line in the frosty air! Soon the sun will be up and they will be dry by lunchtime. :-)