Just sewing (and knitting) along...

Once again, I have completed another part of a BOM (block of the month) but this time I skipped one month.

This is called Cathy's Star (at Quilters' Cache) and it's January's installment of Cathy's Carousel BOM. This BOM began in October and the patterns are still available if anyone wants to join in.

 I have not yet done the December paper pieced compass and since I don't want to make a mistake, I will work on it slowly. I have the colours of the fabrics chosen so I just have to sew it.

I am almost done the second cowl too.

This time I used Patons Decor. Another nice, soft yarn - great for around the neck.

Another pair of pajamas got made too.

They are for Luc again.

Doggy fabric remnant at Fabricland for $1.60. I'm glad I picked it up because...

I didn't have enough of the Dalmatian flannel to make the pants too. I suppose I could do shorts but I won't.

This came in the mail. It's from my Quilting Gallery Sochi Mug Rug swap partner in Australia. Christine lives in Australia but she is a New Zealander. The fabric is a gorgeous piece depicting the flowers of Australia. Thank you very much Christine. I will show you all what I sent to Christine once she receives it.

I'm going to link up with the Needle and Thread Network and with Esther's blog.

Last day to sign up

The Quilting Gallery is a great site. Not only can you view the listings (directory) of the various quilt blogs around the world, you can also hone your skills by following along and making the block of the month. Michele , the owner, even hosts swaps.

Right now there is a mug rug swap going on but today is the last day to sign up. The swap costs $6.00 (US) and you get a pattern for both of the mug rugs. You are to make both mug rugs and send them to your swap partner. It's an international swap and it celebrates the winter Olympics taking place in Sochi, Russia this year.

I decided that I would join. Hopefully, I will get to meet a new blogger or two while having fun sewing, quilting and blogging. Today is the last day for signing up for the swap.

Go on over and take a look at the site even if you don't want to sign up for the mug rug swap. There's lots going on and you can participate in a variety of things. At least you can look up some of the bloggers from around the world. Lots and lots of inspiration.

Today is the last day for signing up for the swap. 

Mail came

Only one piece came in today's regular mail and guess what? It was for me. A Christmas card all the way from Satu in Finland. It seems she has been busy making a few hand made Christmas cards and I was one of the lucky (actually, special) recipients.

A truly beautiful work of art and it will become one after the holidays. My daughter Maili told me that I should frame it and I told her I had already thought of it. Satu wrote that she imagined the trees in Canada when she sewed the card. There are pockets of Finns in various parts of Canada and especially here in Ontario, they are up north where there is mining and logging. When I was growing up I had heard that the Finns settled up north because the landscape reminded them so much of their homeland (trees and lakes). Lyn Cook wrote a children's book called "Bells on Finland Street" which takes place in Sudbury. A wonderful book. Thunder Bay is another northern city that has a lot of Finns. There is a famous restaurant called "Hoito" (which means care or caring.) The building is a heritage site and here's a little background info:

"Located at 314 Bay Street in Thunder Bay, Ontario, it is home to the world famous "Hoito Restaurant" as well as a dance hall, the offices of a national Finnish language newspaper, and The Finnish Museum on the upper floors. The building has been designated a Heritage Building due to its architectural and historic significance."

I have had the pleasure of eating there about three times so far. The portions are substantial and the price very reasonable.

This is my icicle doll from another swap that I was involved in. She came in the afternoon and delivered by a Canada Post truck. She is special. I love the colours of her. Black and grey/silver. She has pigtails in burgundy. Thank you Therese, she is now on my special tree - in the kitchen. I love her face and hope to get into making clay faces in the near future.

And here's Maili modelling one of her creations. It's a Christmas present. She made four aprons - two waist length and two full aprons. This one is a total Maili design. They are all for her boyfriend's family and I shipped them off to California today. I do hope they get them in time for Christmas. She spent a lot of time on the aprons. I was just the go-to person when there were questions. All the fabrics came from my stash so she helped me lower the volume.

That's it for today. I did no sewing at all today. The time went by with trying to mail packages to England and California (one place is no longer a post office I found out), dentist appointment (just a thorough cleaning), then mailing the packages at a real post office outlet (they are now privatized), and then going to the Christmas party at my mom's nursing home. After that, I wrapped gifts to pack in yet another package so that it could get shipped to BC tomorrow where my eldest daughter and her husband live.

I'm off to bed.

Updates, Christmas tree and Momiji swap

Well, first of all, I just got off the phone with the little girl in London. All is well and she will be spending Christmas with a friend of her sister's in Scotland. Two trains and a ferry ride on Christmas Eve.

Once upon a time, I wanted my very own Christmas tree in my kitchen. Just a small one that could sit on a small table would be fine. One day a few years ago we were at one of those big box hardware stores that have a nursery department and I found this twig tree. It was love at first sight and of course, once again I heard the familiar "What do you want it for, we don't need it, where are you going to put it?" You know, the words you don't really care to hear. The twig tree was totally collapsible and did not cost very much at all. It came home and usually sits in a corner of the kitchen but this year someone put it in the basement and I could not find it. Well, it was finally located and here it is. Doesn't look like much but it doesn't take up mush space either.

 

This is the tree as I saw it in the store.

Here it is decorated. This is not the usual spot for it but it fits fine. There is even a small angel as a tree topper.

Of course, the lights don't do it justice in the middle of the day but I guess you get the picture. I have small red Christmas ball ornaments and tiny Santas on it too.

A while ago I was involved in a Momiji doll swap with a Yahoo group I belong to - Decidedly Different Dolls. My partner and I were the last two to join in (having had fun doing the Hallowe'en doll swap.) Anyway, we were each other's partner and sent off our dolls at the same time. She lives in Washington state and she received my doll within two weeks of me sending it off. This was last month and I had no word of hers. I kept checking the mail every day and today, finally, there it was. It seems that the postal code was not clearly written and I suppose it went to some office so they could mark it in big fat magic marker. Well, here she is. Gotta love that face, eh? Her feet are wire too, just like her hands.

Well, that's the post for today. I've got to get back to some sewing...

Christmas goodies

Isn't  this little guy just the cutest? I picked him up at Pet Smart a couple of months ago when we were there getting Baxter his senior dog food. This little guy was just $5.00 and I ask you, how could I not get him (should have picked up a couple more really.) He has squeeky noise-makers in both paws and both feet. My husband said I did not need another stuffed toy and wondered what I was going to do with him. He was quite persisitent and adamant that this little guy was not coming home with us. Then I said that this little, adorable, soft, stuffed doggy was going to to be given to Toy Mountain at Christmas. I have yet to make it to a mall that has Toy Mountain but I know that if there is another place (like Salvation Army) where I could drop him off, I will. He is sitting on a really bright quilt. More on that below.

Here's a full shot of this quilt. I did not make it. I bought it.

About three weeks ago, my husband and I went to some Christmas craft fairs. Two were in churches and one was in a nursing home. That's where I picked this up. I browsed the crafts that they had and nothing really got my attention. I did buy some baked goods (got to keep up your strength when shopping.) Anyway, there was table with used items manned by a woman sitting in a chair. I spied this quilt because of the bright colours but I did not pick it up to look at it. I went over to check out the silent auction stuff and then I noticed that the lady had picked up the quilt and started re-folding it. I asked my husband to go find out how much she wanted for it (I didn't want to seem too eager - you know how it is.) He said--------are you ready, here it comes---------"What are you going to do with it? We don't need it." I said just go find out. Well, he came back and said she wanted $5.00. Yes, you read right ---------$5.00!!!!!! I said to go and buy it. He did and it wasn't until I got home that I really took a good look at it. It is brand new, big for a baby quilt, made from scraps and leftover blocks sewn together to make a bigger block and machine quilted with a flannel backing. There was even a tag on the back from the maker stating that it was a baby quilt and was to go for the Christmas Holiday Bazaar. Even my husband said that there was more than $5.00 worth of fabric that went into the making of it (he knows the cost of fabric since I have so much.) I will save it for a special little one.

Here's what I received a couple of weeks ago from Carrie. I would have blogged about it earlier but I was without a camera and then, when I got my new camera, I had to figure out how to work it and how to download. Anyway, this is from the Quick Christmas Swap that Vicki and  Jenny hosted. No sewing or making necessary. You were to send two fat quarters, one yard (or metre) of ribbon and two Christmas themed buttons or something that you could sew on. She even tied it up in mini rick rack. Thank you Carrie. If you go to her blog, you will see what I sent her.

Now, I am off to go and sew some more Christmas things. I will post more of what I have already made but it is on its way to the little girl in London and I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. More on her later too.

Stitcher's Angel

Well, I knew it was coming since Sandra, my Stitcher's Angel emailed me to let me know that she had posted it. Today, I got the parcel (from Italy) and couldn't wait to open it. I did hesitate for a few hours because I debated with myself as to whether or not to wait until I got my own camera back. I had loaned it to my eldest son Mark so he could take pictures at his Hallowe'en party. I knew my daughter had a camera but it was with her at work. This is her picture. She kindly took several shots for me - and yes, I did open it instead of waiting longer.
As you can see, there are a couple of pieces of fabric, one light and one dark (both with roses on them), a heart-shaped box with a beautifully cross-stitched lid (with a rose on it), a wonderful pincushion that I can hang up that is in the shape of a dress with a beaded necklace and an apron (quite imaginative - I love it because I have been sewing my own clothes since I was a teen) and then, in the box, I found this bracelet. I have collected bracelets since I was very young and Sandra makes jewellery besides stitching. The little charms are Russian dolls. Click on the photo to get a close-up or better still, go visit Sandra's blog and see a better pic http://guazzcrocette.blogspot.com/2009/10/im-stichers-angel.html

Thank you so very much Sandra. You are an angel.

Blocks swaps and surprises

Here's a couple of things I completed in between those wonderful repair jobs.
First up is the BOM (block of the month) buck-a-block with thangles. The red one had already been done but I hadn't taken a picture of it. I have no idea what I will do with them when I have all of them but I do have co-ordinating fabrics set aside. They are 7 inches square.

I decide a little while ago to enter a bull's eye swap being held by a yahoo group I belong to called Learning Fibre Arts (Learning FA.) I had been wanting to do the bull's eye quilt since I got the instructions from a friend of mine a couple of years ago. Now seemed as good a time as any. You had to cut 20 - 9 inch blocks. Sew an 8 inch circle on top, trim the back and then sew a 6 inch circle on top of that and then trim it too. My friend's instructions were to make 48 blocks and add a 4 inch circle on top. I may just cut my cut-offs to 4 inches and add them to the 20 blocks I will be receiving back. Oh, and you just have to sew these 1/4 inch from the edge so there is no turning under. How easy is that? The swap was to help you get rid of your stash. Huh! not even so much as a dent!

I worked backwards and sewed the 6 inch to the 8 inch circle, trimmed the back and then sewed all those onto the 9 inch background block, trimming again.

The background fabric had to be in beige using solids, tone-on-tone or small prints and could be any shade from light beige to tan in colour. Once you get your 20 blocks back, you then have to cut them up into quarters and arrange them any way you want. Here's a tutorial http://pagesperso-orange.fr/struss/bonus/bullseye.htm

And now, look what arrived in the mail. A while ago Barb had a Christmas in July giveaway on July 26th. I didn't win the big one but she was so nice, she had a second and third prize. I won third and here's what I received.

Barb was so generous and thoughtful. The wonderful Christmas cornucopia was wrapped in a beautiful green fat quarter with a lovely red ribbon and inside was red and green ric rac and embroidery floss. Just in time too because I had been thinking of making some Christmas items - early for once! Thanks again Barb.