Works in progress

Paul gave me a Christmas gift voucher for my local Bernina store and I made time recently to do some fabric shopping: the green fabric will be a skirt, the blue is almost finished and will be a top, and the patterned fabric will be a wrap-around dress.  I haven't bought any clothes (apart from lingerie) for seven months which feels strangely liberating!
My knitting I pick up in the evenings sometimes, I have almost finished the first sleeve.  It is actually a lovely golden yellow but the colour doesn't show up in the photo.
I started making a Christmas ornament for February and just didn't get it done, I'm hoping it will be completed for March instead.
I have started some secret sewing on my Pay it Forward gifts (see here), I would love to get them made in the next few months.
One finish I have had was little beaded booties, there's nothing like a deadline to get a gift made quickly!  These are for a colleague who is having a baby girl next month.
And the last picture above ... yep, we got to spend a weekend recently back at Papamoa beach.  It was for church camp and we went a day early which was such a treat to visit our summer holiday spot.  And yes, I did have a swim in the ocean :) Wendy xx

Chateau hexagon and balls of yarn

I finally finished the row of flowers for my Chateau Hexagon block seven so I was able to join it to the quilt and add the row of hexies.  A poodle button goes on this block too in the gap among the flowers.  Only one more block to go for this quilt but I will put it aside for a while as I have some gifts to make.
My dear mum's wool winder came in handy this week.  I had a bit of fun turning hanks of yarn into usable balls and started on a new knitting project. I am loving the bright summery colour! And isn't my couch companion cute, Holly perches on the arm of the couch right beside me. Wendy xx

Thrifted fabric and Valentine's

*My time to sew has dropped off dramatically with the rush of February: back to school routines for the kids, back to work for me, and all my extra duties started up again.  Last week, while waiting to pick up Charlotte and Josh from the school bus drop-off, I popped into my local thrift shop.  The owner had just been given two boxes of fabric from an old tailor and she let me have a rummage through them.  This navy satin with white spots caught my eye immediately and I knew it would make the perfect Jasmine blouse which is a Colette pattern.  It sewed together easily and goes well with the navy skirt I made in December last year.  I have been following along with Colette's Wardrobe Architect series, with the idea of planning and building a wardrobe that suits me and works well together, very interesting!

*Paul's cactus has been flowering prolifically and looks beautiful against the morning sky.

*We don't really "do" Valentine's day but I enjoy making a special dessert for Paul and the kids to remind them how much I love them.  I found an easy Chocolate Mousse recipe with only three ingredients:

Three Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

200g 70% dark chocolate

2 cups cream

1 cup marshmallows

Carefully melt the chocolate, 1 cup of cream and the marshmallows together. (I do this in the microwave.)  Allow to cool to room temperature.  Beat remaining 1 cup cream and fold through the chocolate mixture. Pour into bowls and refrigerate until set.  Recipe from Annabel Langbein.

Enjoy! Wendy xx

Summer loves

Visiting our local zoo on Monday; thrifted picture (love the quilts hanging on the line); second hand books bought on holiday; fresh eggs every day; delicious cherry tomatoes; home grown corn; a new little doll to sit on our piano; so much to be thankful for.  Wendy xx

The doll is Charity from Homespun magazine, Volume 13.7.  I thought it was such a cute pattern I made a second one as a gift.

Summer holiday

Summer holidays, oh how I love them!  The teenagers are happily occupied with their friends in the camping ground and I rest and read and stitch and walk.  One of the things I appreciate most about our holiday is the complete break away from work and lists and responsibilities.  Then somewhere along the way I become ready to grab my diary and write lists of things I want to accomplish at home, things I didn't have the energy to do at the end of last year.  Once home I am refreshed and motivated to get my list done :)
My summer holiday stitching consisted of a red wool coat ornament for my January Christmas item, made from this kit, and my Chateau Hexagon quilt.  I am loving the addition of the rows of hexagons.  Now I'm up to block eight, stitching a row of pretty flowers.
Thanks again to Narelle for hosting the one Christmas item a month, this year we have a dedicated blog here.
I have lots of blog reading to catch up on, I will do my best to do that over the next few days :) Wendy xx

Friday night with friends

It feels like it's been ages since I joined in with Friday Night with Friends.  There is something special about joining in;  planning what to do and thinking of others all over the world stitching away, even though at different times.  I worked on block six of Chateau Hexagon and enjoyed it so much I finished it on Saturday then joined the six blocks together.  A big thank you to Cheryll for hosting us.

I wanted to hang Charlie's cross stitch today.  She hadn't left enough aida cloth around the cat for framing so I added a fabric border and now it is hanging in my craft corner in the bedroom.  I love how it looks.

Things will be a bit quiet around here for a bit as we go on holiday on Tuesday for ten days, our annual summer holiday at Papamoa beach.  My baking is done, my Chateau Hexagon blocks are prepped ready for lots of handstitching, now just to pack and clean house!! Wendy xx

A new year

Happy New Year to you all!  I love the fresh start of a new year, new diaries, new plans and new lists.  I believe I enjoy planning my projects as much as I do working on and completing them! (Diaries, plans and lists - the new year's wish list of a wild thing! - Paul - hubby)
I picked up my Chateau Hexagon blocks again and just finished the 5th block.  I have received the next three so I have plenty of stitching to carry on with.
I'm really keen to continue making a handmade wardrobe this year.  I completed two dresses in December, although to be honest one was mostly made in April and just needed finishing off.  And my first finish for the year was a simple sundress, made on Sunday using a lovely cotton and silk blend from Spotlight.
Charlie made me the gorgeous little cross stitch cat for Christmas.  There is something very special about receiving a hand made gift from your child so it was no surprise that it turned out to be one of my favourite gifts.  Wendy xx