Birdhouse block

I have finished the Birdhouse block for the Vignette mystery quilt, so now onto the small flower stitcheries and then the long one.  It's so nice to see progress!


Birdhouse block

Happy stitching.

Crafty beginnings

We had a very wet weekend, especially Saturday, but despite this my husband and children, along with about 20 others, floated down the Waikato River on tyre tubes!  I will post some photos if I am able to get some ok ones.  I was very fortunate to be able to stay at home, warm and dry, and get some stitching done.  I have almost completed the Birdhouse block stitchery for the Vignette mystery quilt but don't have a photo at this stage.

Although I have always loved crafts and had made some quilts before, I hadn't made time for it for quite a few years, but in December 2009 I caught the crafty bug again so I thought it would be fun to document my 'makings' since then on this blog! 

So in December 2009 the first thing I made was this Folk Santa from a kit I purchased at the annual Needlecraft Fair.

Folk Santa

That was enough to get me inspired, so next I made two Christmas stockings for the kids which had been on my to do list for years!  I used a Tilda pattern from the book "Crafting Christmas Gifts".

Christmas stockings - Crafting Christmas Gifts by Tilda

January 2010 makings will be next ...

Happy stitching.



Boys Story block three and Vignette sewing

I managed to finish the Boys Story block three, this was a much smaller block than the first two so it went together pretty quickly.


Kite applique



Block 3

I have put this to the side for a while to get started on the Vignette mystery quilt blocks two and three.  I have managed to complete all the piecing so now I am up to the applique, then lots of tracing and lots of stitching.

Because I am using different fabrics from the magazine, I find it quite difficult choosing which fabric to use and where!  I do not have a lot of experience in this!  However I love the birds that I was able to fussy cut, here is one of them:

So I had a really productive weekend sewing and I love that I am now up to the hand stitching (well, once I do the tracing) so I can take it with me where I go!
Happy stitching, Wendy

Saturday baking and home made Easter eggs

We have a thanksgiving service at church tomorrow so I baked some anzac biscuits to give away, and some mini carrot cake muffins for the shared morning tea.

Then, just for fun and because I had been wanting to try these for Easter, I made some marshmallow easter eggs.  A big fiddly and time consuming but very yummy!


Setting the marshmallow in flour

Home made Easter eggs!!

I have almost finished block 3 for the Boys Story quilt so I will post my pictures of it tomorrow.

Happy stitching, Wendy

Cross Stitch and Guitar Licks!

My mum taught me to cross stitch when I was five, and I have progressively got better and better. I have done some random ones before and have made a Fairy cross stitch for my Nana. This time I am doing the Seasonal Fairies. I am half way through my Autumn fairy and when I am done all the rest, I hope to put them into a quilt!! This is my Autumn Fairy:

My Daddy is talented to. He plays the Electric Guitar and writes his own songs. Here is a sample to convince you to buy his album if he ever publishes.

ENJOY!!

Boys Story block two and crochet

I have finished block two!  I am really enjoying making this quilt, I love to take the appliqué with me and stitch when I have to wait somewhere, like waiting for Charlie's bus in the afternoon or visiting with the grandparents, thankfully I can stitch and talk! 

Boat applique

Block 2

I have started the appliqué for block three, this time a kite, and I am now using Silk thread, thank you to Nicky from Farm Girl Stitching for your helpful advice!!  The Silk thread is lovely to use and it does seem to disappear into the fabric.

I also dusted off the crochet hook last week and made some flowers to hide some holes in one of Charlie's tops, quite a cute result!

I had some difficulty photographing today as Barney, our cat, kept lying on the samples!

  

Happy stitching, Wendy

                                                  

Charlotte's Web's New Look

After looking at all your awesome blogs, mum decided to make a header using a montage of photos of our arts and crafts. Of course she needed my help :)!!! So I put together this collection of pictures!!
You like?

Boys Story block one

It is really exciting for me that I have finished block one of the Boys Story quilt by Anni Downs.  It is so neat to see the little stitchery come alive in the block.  I love the colours of this quilt, soft and warm, but still boyish.

Aeroplane applique

Block 1 with the Geronimo stitchery

If only there wasn't work and housework waiting I would be very keen to start block two!!

Happy stitching, Wendy

Charlie's Crafts!!

Yesterday afternoon I decided to try my hand at sewing. When I was little, my Mum and Dad bought me a doll, then Mum made heaps of clothes for her. Recently, Mum found the patterns she had used and gave them to me. I tried (emphasis on tried) to make a little skirt and some track pants for my dolly. It was quite exciting and I could see how much I improved by the end of it, my seams starting off crooked and ended slightly straighter. Then for my wee track pants I got my Mum to crochet me a cord to go around the waist. Here are the final products:



My little skirt on Fiona Bear

 


My wee track pants on my doll



A Boys Story quilt

I am working away on the Boys Story Quilt by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched.  I bought the book and let my son, Josh, choose the quilt he wanted (he's 11).  I was pleased this was the one he picked because it was my favourite too!  I started in January this year and have just completed the 13 stitcheries so I am now working on the first applique block.  This is the first time I have tried needle-turn applique so it is a new experience for me.

If anyone reads this entry, I would be interested if there is a specific thread you should use for the needle-turn applique?  I wondered if it would be ok to use 1 strand of the DMC thread so I have lots of colour choices to match the fabric?

I had always read in blogs about the lovely comments people leave and it is so true and so encouraging.  A big thank you to those who have left comments already!

Happy stitching

Wendy



The Giveaway from Vignette!!!

If you want to win these.....

.......then check out the Vignette In Stitches blog for details!!

Enjoy!!!

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The Beginning

My 14 year old daughter, and I have enjoyed looking at all the creative blogs and decided to start our own.  We have no experience so bear with us as we stumble over the technical difficulties of the blogging world.  The push for me to start was the Vignette blog as I loved the magazine and started the first block.  This is the first time I have done a mystery quilt so I am excited for the next magazine and to see how the quilt progresses.
We have come up with the system of my text being black and my daughters text being purple.
The name of our blog was my idea seeing that my name is Charlotte, the most awesome name ever!! I have always wanted a blog so this is pretty exciting for me. About the whole technical difficulties thing, only my mum will find the blogging hard!!

Here is a photo of the first Vignette mystery quilt block.  I chose quite different colours because I hope it will end up in my (and my husband's) bedroom.

My mum is trying to teach me to do sewing, cross stitch and crochet, but I need a LOT of practice! We are still buying a digital camera (Mum uses the good old-fashioned one still)  so I can't put a picture of my days achievement but it's coming soon!

Well, that's it for blog number 1!!

TTFN :)