My Mum...

Hi everyone!! It's Charlie, back from the world of "high school homework"! I know I haven't blogged for ages, but today is a great opportunity to say how proud of my Mum I am.This year has been a difficult year for her, but she has shown her true resilient and determined nature. Even though she works part time, (for a while she was juggling 3 different jobs!!!) is the Secretary for my church, and has to drive my brother and me to school each morning, at different times, she amazingly still finds time to blog, quilt, stitch and all those other creative things she does. Over this year alone, I can't even begin to count all those amazing masterpieces my Mum has made! This Christmas, instead of having a relaxing holiday, she had to cook food for the 30 something relations who was coming around to our place Christmas afternoon. And she managed it!!! She has the amazing ability to make our place look friendly and warm, using just some little Christmas nicknack's, (half of which she made) and managing to impress the whole of our family!!!

When I was little, I remember going to school and pulling my special little baked goodies out of my lunch box. Suddenly, all my friends (and not-so-friends) were around me, offering to swap their lunch for mine!!! Her name was famous in my school!!! Even my teachers had heard about her legendary baking skills.

Although all these things  in my Mum is great, I gotta say my favourite part of Mum is her understanding towards my little petty problems. Even though me and Josh can be incrediablly painful at times she is always ready to help us when we ask!!! By watching her, she has brought me closer to Jesus, and has been an excellent role model in my life!!!

This may sound a bit cliche, but.....when I grow up, I want to be just like my Mum.

I love you Mum!!!

Love Charlie

Projects for 2012

I have been reading many project lists on blogs today and thought it would be a good idea to have my own:

1  Vignette mystery quilt - I am making progress on blocks 6 and 7, then I'll be halfway there ...

 2  Vignette hexagon quilt - I have made 4 out of 7 rows and then have the embroidery to do ...

3  For all seasons wall hanging - 1 more stitchery to go and then I need to decide if I want 4 individual mini wall hangings that you change each season or one larger one ...

4  I want to make a quilt for Charlie, still undecided on the pattern.

5  I have joined up with "A monthly make 2012" hosted by The Felt Fairy (blogger will not let me put the button on my sidebar at the moment so here it is below) ...

I hope to make lots of smaller projects for this challenge, in fact I have started a small wall hanging for my January make ...

I think that will keep me busy and perhaps there will be other projects that crop up too!
Well, back to my applique ... happy stitching, Wendy

Holiday sewing

It always amazes me how I spend a month or more planning, making lists and organizing for a special day and then it passes so quickly.  Christmas day was lovely though and everything went perfectly!  I was given a new book, "You Sew, Girl!" by Nicole Mallalieu which I am enjoying reading and will hopefully make some of the projects from it. 

The last few days I have so enjoyed not having a list, deadlines to meet or any commitments and have grabbed opportunities to get some Vignette sewing done.  I have started working on the middle blocks, blocks 6 and 7 ...

Because I don't have many lighter fabrics, I decided to use one fabric for the background instead of piecing it as in the pattern.  I am enjoying the needleturn as a change from the border blocks that have such a lot of stitching.  A while ago I got a "Learn Needleturn Applique with Sarah Fielke" DVD with the Quilters Companion magazine #51 and it has been very useful.  I now finger press my applique shapes before stitching and Sarah also teaches a really easy way to make circles which I am finding so helpful I thought I'd share ...

Start with your circle cut out of card (here it is a 1"), cut your fabric slightly bigger, and cut a small square of tinfoil.

Layer the tinfoil, then the fabric and then the circle shape cut out of card.

Tightly fold the tinfoil around the circle shape, folding the fabric up tightly with the tinfoil.

Iron your little tinfoil parcel, leave it to cool a few minutes as it gets very hot.

Once cool, unpeel the tinfoil, carefully remove the card and you are left with an almost perfect circle for sewing!  Clever, isn't it!!  This is the DVD.

And now for a bit of cuteness ...

I have been missing all your wonderful blogs so I hope to have a catch up soon!
Happy stitching, Wendy

Making a list ...

I'm at that stage of 'making a list and checking it twice'!  I do love to work from a list and it is so satisfying seeing lots of ticks at the end of the day.  One thing I have been able to tick off my list is the Christmas banner ...

Christmas stitchery banner - design by SewHappy Me

We don't have a mantelpiece so it was challenging finding the right spot for it, I think it looks good here with other Christmas sewing.
And Charlie and Josh have decorated gingerbread houses ...

This has become a tradition for us each Christmas and this year we tried the A-frame shape and decided it is much easier than the usual square house.
I received an early Christmas gift in the mail today, which just made my day!  I won a giveaway on Michelle Ridgway's blog and Michelle has been so generous and has given me three patterns ...

Thank you so much Michelle, I have lots of lovely projects to make for next Christmas.
Happy Christmas to all my stitching friends, thank you for all your comments and friendship throughout this year.  I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting your blogs and getting to know like-minded sewing women!
Wishing you and your families every joy for the holiday season as we rejoice in our Saviour's birth, Wendy

FNSI results

Friday was the last FNSI for 2011, it amazes me how quickly this year has flown by!  I decided to work on the Christmas Stitchery banner that was a free sew-along with Sew Happy Me.  It had been put to one side while I concentrated on Vignette sewing and Christmas gifts and I was up to the last stitchery ...

Although I had imagined I might get up to sewing on the bindings, this was as far as I got ... the stitchery finished, all the stitcheries and backing fabric trimmed and pinned together and the binding fabric cut.  I also covered some buttons, using my scraps of the Scandinavian Christmas fabrics.  Here is a close up look at the buttons ...

Aren't they cute?!  Hopefully I will get time tomorrow afternoon to sew it all together.

Thank you to Heidi for all the FNSI's, there is something inspiring about knowing stitchers all over the world are sewing together!  To see more FNSI finishes go http://handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/.

Happy stitching, Wendy

A little finish

I have just finished another little Christmas gift ...

Peace on earth cushion - Tis the Season by Natalie Bird

This was another quick gift to make and I really love the stitchery pattern. 

I am from a large family (I have 6 siblings) and Christmas dinner is at my house this year so that means about 30 people!  We have been getting a little ready (I think next week we will suddenly have to start rushing to get all the jobs done on time!)  On Sunday we got our tree ...

Each year we buy a new ornament for both children, they are getting quite a collection now.

Charlotte and Josh's decorations for this year

The Christmas stockings are hung ...

I made these last year for the kids, they are a Tilda pattern

A penguin for Josh

And a snowman for Charlotte

I have also done a little Christmas baking ...

Rocky road

I usually make this as a slab and cut it into squares but I thought it looked more Christmasy this way.  It is a very easy recipe and I have included it below for anyone interested:

Rocky Road

270g chocolate melts

2 Tbsp kremelta (solid vegetable fat)

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts

1/3 cup red glace cherries

180g mini marshmallows

Melt the chocolate and kremelta and add all the ingredients, taking care not to squash the marshmallows.  Spread into a tin or put into mini cup cases like I did.  I decorated with melted white chocolate and chopped red cherries.  (This is a Destitute Gormet recipe for any NZ readers.)

I have got the fruit cooking at the moment to make a Christmas cake, I am trying a new recipe so I hope it works out.  So, I have got a little done!

It is Friday Night Sew In again on Friday, I am hoping to get a little Christmas sewing done for me this time.  The link for FNSI is on my side bar if you are interested in signing up too. 

Happy stitching, Wendy

FNSI results

I had a nice FNSI although we had unexpected visitors so I didn't get as much done as hoped!   I did manage to make a little pincushion though which will be a gift for my boss, who just happens to love all things crafty and quilting!

The Happy Hedgehog Pincushion - designed by Fiona Marie

This cute little hedgehog is a free pattern found at fionamarie.com.  I must admit I struggled with his nose and it doesn't look as good as Fiona Marie's one but I think the overall effect is OK.  I do hope my boss likes it!!

It has been one of those tiring but satisfying Saturdays today, we managed to tidy most of the gardens and got rid of two trailer loads of cuttings and garden rubbish.  I am looking forward to a relaxing evening and some Christmas sewing.  Sounds good, doesn't it?

Happy stitching, Wendy