Twelve Red Robins

It has been an absolute delight to have the sewing machine perched on the kitchen table for use in the cool of the morning and the evening.  It's going away tomorrow... perhaps to be brought out at night, and used in the morning, then put away during the day. After all, it is the dining table, where 5 people eat every day.

I've made a wonderful use of the machine time over the holidays, but the family are all home tomorrow night, and we like to do things as a family. That includes eating at the table. (plus, I don't really want play dough and spaghetti on my sewing!)

Twelve Red Robins stitchery designed by Cinderberry Stitches

Just in time to end the year this little wallhanging is finished. The pink Twelve Red Robins (designed by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches) was stitched when I first lived in a caravan while I was travelling. I started it sometime in 2013. Then, it took about a year to find the right fabric to match the stitching.

I didn't want to frame it, as it was designed, so finally today it received borders, and I really enjoyed the quilting of the little quilt. Even just a few quilted lines make it look like patchwork over the stitchery. Can you see the holly and berries quilted into the borders?

The more I look at it, the more I love the colours. The dusty pink and beige are just so soft and natural.

Just this morning I finished blanket stitching around the fabric squares. After all this time I had run out of the thread colour, and I remembered to pick some up at Lincraft's 50 percent off sale yesterday (what a great time to stock up on threads!!)

I am so glad I used the green Artline fineliner pens to trace the stitchery. It washes out very, very easily in water, even if you've ironed it. And for longer term projects it doesn't fade away before you've stitched it.

A warning though: I used it to mark in quilt lines once, and they never, ever washed out. It's like the ink stuck into the batting. If you use these pens, make sure you wash the stitchery in the hand basin with plain water, before it is quilted into a project.

used some new FQs bought last week on the back of the wallhanging

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I was rummaging under the bed (where the UFOs are ), and I found the 12 Days of Christmas Birds. I looked at the borders where the blue pen has faded sooo many times after they've been redrawn, and decided stuff it! It doesn't need the final borders all the way around (I've been making those blocks since 2010. That's six years. Oh my.

Twelve Days of Christmas birds

I do think it needs some pretty fabric around the outside though. I will keep the project in the car now for the next time I go near a quilt shop.

Sounds like I have been clearing the decks? Well, yes actually. I have the Pears to keep working on, and I want to start a little(?? who knows? I bought enough fabric to sink a battleship, but I will design my own quilt with the Red Brolley stitcheries)  redwork Christmas wallhanging  for my sister's 40th birthday in 2017...

Plus, I am keen to challenge myself. Something I really miss is the inspiration and drive that comes from a quilt group. Just in time I have found Project Quilting, where we will have 8 challenges over 3 months to start and finish a small quilt following particular guidelines. I will do what I can, and see what I can get up to! I am excited! I even joined Instagram to share the photos. It starts tomorrow.

In the meantime, Happy New Year.

This last one is for my DH, as our whole house is a sewing room at the moment.