Needlecase diversion

I have been making a small wall hanging that I will show later this week when it is all finished. In the meantime, I needed to complete something small and I thought I would try out Kaaren's pattern for a needlecase. My middle daughter, Maili, was impressed. I see room for improvement with my binding. It was, after all, only a sample. I like trying out new things and if there is a tutorial, then it is that much easier.

I feel the need to make another biscornu but I have to make a couple of aprons first. It was a request of my eldest daughter, Laila. She, and her husband Gilles, have birthdays within a week of each other and since they just purchased a house, she wants two countryfied (?) aprons. The fabric for both are checks but one is pinky orange and the other is a blue and black gingham. I will show those once they are done. Now back to finishing the quilt - it's for her but don't tell her.

Continuation

I have been thinking that I have not posted photos of my hall quilts in a while. This one, which is found beside the staircase (hence the awkward angle for the photo), is call Mid Night. It is made from a pattern that appeared in McCalls magazine many, many years ago. I borrowed it from the hospital book cart when I was having one of my children (can't remember which one it was.) Anyway, I made the pattern as it was in the magazine (that one is still a UFO since I do not know how to quilt it effectively) and then I decided I would make the quilt using the same blocks but in a totally different colour scheme and placed differently. The quilting is just something to fill in the big spaces and all the quilting is done in white thread. There are stars in three different sizes quilted in all the black areas. The label indicates that I finished it in March of 1993. (Click on the photos to get a better view of the quilting.)

Further down the hall, by the basement stairs is P. Cassos's Broad. This was a fun little quilt to do. It was a guild challenge for a quilt show. If you wanted to participate, you were given a little brown bag with odd little things and I think you had to use everything. I did not alter any of the things I ended up with. I'm still not into beading (although I would like to be) and so her earring is just a string of beads that was in the bag. Her eyes are porcelain flowers with a hole in the middle. There were three of them and the other one is found in one of the two hanging things at the bottom. I freehand drew the face on a piece of muslin and then zig-zagged over the pencil lines. I still have another face that I want to do something like this with. The bag also had a length of ribbon and you can see it just above her head. I didn't sew it down but left it loose. It has a batt but I don't know what I used - probably a piece of flannel. It is machine quilted and I didn't even put a label on the back. I was probably running out of time.

No this is not a quilt but a photo of the birthday girl Ayla, who would like to thank everyone for the birthday wishes. Since MJ died one week before, she thought she would honour him by incorporating him in her birthday. Big sis Maili made the cake (I held the template while she sprinkled icing sugar) and the cup/mug is dad's. Since he was a MJ fan, friends got him this years ago. It needed a bit of cleaning up since it was on top of the kitchen cupboards for quite a few years before being relegated to the inside of the cupboard.

P.S. the necklace she is wearing is one I had in grade eight(?) It belonged to my friend's sister who no longer wanted it and since I had a turquoise burlap dress (fully lined) at the time, she gave me the necklace.

Giveaway and little things

I know Christmas is months away but you have to start sometime if you want to make something handmade for yourself or to give as a gift. Helen has a pattern "T'was the Night Before Christmas" that she is giving away. Go take a look.



On another note, I was uptown yesterday having lunch with a friend. It just so happens that she works right by the little shopping mall that houses the Toronto store of Mary Maxim. I had wanted to go visit the store for a while just to check it out. Loads of nice stuff for knitters, cross stitchers, rug hookers and crafters. This is what I ended up buying.

I have wanted the new DMC variegated threads and it just so happened that the store had a nice variety of them. The yarn was found in the back of the store where all the discounted items were and these were such a steal. I usually cannot make up my mind if I am given a choice between two and so this was not exception. I bought both. Who wouldn't at $ .99 each? I was going to see if I could crochet a flower or at the very least use it as a decorative accent on some sewing project.

Mail came and a new tote

Since I didn't win Natalie Ross' dear Aggie in a giveaway and I was going to get her anyway, I decided to go ahead and order her - from Fabric Patch (please excuse the blurry photo - the other one was too dark.) Well, then I saw Melly & Me's Florence. I had been thinking of buying her too since I absolutely love flamingoes. They came today and now I can make future plans to get them made.

If you are interested in free stuff - tutorials and patterns, here is at least one site for you to check out. I decided to make this really easy tote bag from Imagine Fabric, a link on Freebies for Crafters. It was very well explained and the photos were good. I am saving it for a gift for one of the girls (young women actually.) It measures about 15" across and 20" down and is fully lined. I just wanted to try out the pattern. I think I will try making a few other bags that are online freebies now. This one was nice because I got to use some of my stash. Quilters may be familiar with some of the fabrics - they are old.

Mail and Pincushion Swap

The postal service never ceases to amaze me. When I want something to arrive quickly, then you can be assured that it will somehow go astray and arrive whenever - regardless of how much you pay for 'priority' post. Having said that, I was absolutely astonished to find this in my mail box yesterday. It came all the way from Germany and I ordered it on Friday - that is last Friday, 5 days prior. The lady that emailed me about all the particulars (that they did mail internationally and also how much the postage would be) informed me that she would put the pattern in the mail the next day - Saturday. Well, I don't know about where you all live but here in TO we do not have mail delivery or pick-up on Saturdays - at least not that I know of. So, my little pattern arrived within 4 days across many countries and a huge ocean. Oh, and I almost forgot - it is an Ursula Schertz pattern of garden fairies. Thanks to Simone for assisting me in getting this pattern. Bloggers and quilters are so helpful.

The little package below also came from far away. Norway this time. If the letter is any indication as to how long some things take, I received this today and the letter inside is dated May 8th.
I was so surprised and pleased to receive this. I had just heard that my pincushion swap partner had received the package I sent her and then a few hours later, this wonderful, delightful package was in my mail box. It was the only piece of mail today. I couldn't wait to open it.
I had indicated that my favourite colour was blue - especially aqua/teal and look what Kjerstin made for me. A hexagon pin cushion with a matching hexagon needle case and a scissors case. The porcelain thimble will go in my collection. Sorry for the photo but there is a reindeer on it and it indicates that it is from the Norwegian Forest Museum. The blue thread, trims, buttons and of course, the betweens sewing/quilting needles, will all come in very handy. I'm going to show these off to the family when they come home. Many thanks Kjerstin.