Last finish before Christmas

This is indeed the last finish before Christmas, but I'm a bit late to send it to Mum.

I think it's going to be a Mother's Day gift now!

It's country colours, perfect for her decor.

Santa stitchery from the Red Brolly (Bronwyn Hayes pattern) Santa Cups

 

North Pole quilt is up!

The Christmas quilt is up! I've only had this quilt back from my sister for a few years. 

Would you believe it took me years and years to make, and not long after that I moved into a caravan? Lol.

Life changes all the time. But here is the Christmas quilt at its annual exhibition.

I am proud and grateful to have it up.

My adaptation of the quilt pattern Welcome To The North Pole by  Piece O Cake Designs.

 

Santa in hexies

Woohoo, I scored some fabric pieces from the opp shop for a bargain, and it's just the thing I needed to go with this Santa.

Santa embroidery from a Red Brolly (Bronwyn Hayes) pattern - it's actually from a pattern for Christmas buckets made from fabric, but I didn't want to use it that way.

The Santas are so lovely, I wanted to put them on show.

I think this will be a little quilt for my Mum. (Shhh).

 

A Christmas finish.

Final reveal of "Tis The Season" stitchery design by Natalie Bird of Birdhouse Designs, I designed the quilt top myself, and it's been quilted Edge to Edge by Deep Creek Quilting in Vic by my Mum, Wilma.

When I saw this fabric, I knew I had to make something with it, so I looked through my future project stack, and found this little pattern book. That's how I estimated fabric quantities before buying. 

That mini range of fabric went so fast, I only just got some.

There she is. Hanging on the wall, getting the creases out, preparing to hang in the Townsville Agricultural Show.

A couple more close ups of the stitchings.

While they are very soft and pretty, I've concluded that I won't use a variegated thread that goes through so many colour extremes. Very dark and very light. What colour background do they work on anyway?

Theres enough of this gorgeous fabric to make some more little somethings, so I can group like colours together at Christmas.

I worry a little, that I am getting too many Christmas colour themes, then I remember that when you have 3, they all must go together really well. When you have 30, they have a mind of their own.

Cheers to my tradition of creating more Christmas pieces each year!

 

Add some Shot cotton

 I've been saving my Reece Scannell shot cottons for a long time...

I've decided that they would be best experienced through a number of quilts rather than all plopped into one.

So i cracked them open and used some tiny pieces as borders for the (now all complete! Yay!) Stitcheries.

Oh yeah! Check out the ugly jumpers with this!

A little relax

I needed to pull out something that didn't need much brain power.

Back to 'Tis The Season by Natalie Bird if The Birdhouse.

The colours are so pretty.

I've pulled the thread colours from this "ugly jumper" print which will be used in the border somehow.

 

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve, the tree has lots of presents underneath, we have so much abundance. Thank you Gods and Universe!

Welcome To The North Pole Quilt is in pride of place.

All is well. I hope you're feeling blessed too.

 

Stable on the River

 Taking a little break from stitching like a maniac to firmly step forward in the Christmas spirit, I get to take 6yo to the local partnership of all churches bringing Stable on the River.

Immersion into the oldest Christmas story. Whether it's your story too, or if you like the participation in historical activities and entertainment, it's a community event for children and families.

Where else do you get to pat a goat?

meet the three wise guys?

Avoid a spitting camel....

Wear your Santa Christmas shirt...

Meet some shepherds..

Ask what a crook actually is...

Go fishing with magnets

or dress up as a shepherd, or a Roman if you like!

Snapshot of why I don't get more sewing done, I love having a family!

Final blocks made

 That's the final blocks. 12 made.

Watch me make the last two.

10 finished

 Two more blocks finished for Tis The Season little stitchery.

I just have to fondle this fabric, it's so so pretty!

Tis the season update

 8 out of 12 blocks finished! I am stitching every night using Cottage Garden Threads in a gorgoeus blue/aqua.

Will stitch some more tonight!

A little Christmas viewing

 A little Christmas viewing of my house including the finished Jumbleberry santas and green Santa stitchery.

I think I need a bigger house so that I can create little displays in various colour themes. At the moment they are all jumbled together. No matter!!! I love Christmas. Let me share my joy. 

A new project

I spotted this Christmas fabric a little while ago and resisted. For as long as I could. It was quite pricey, I have a lot of Christmas projects to make already, and I didn't have anything in mind to make with it.

So I went looking for something in my pattern stash that I could get a handle on.

Aha! I found a little stitchery pattern, and it only needs a small amount of each print. 

Being satisfied that I knew what I would make with it (one of my conditions of buying most fabric, I say most, because some designers I just have to collect their fabrics. I just do. Non negotiable).

This little pattern is perfect.

The stitcheries are small and simple, so I can do them all in one variegated thread while watching TV in the evening, and this will get it started.

There's nothing like a project one has their teeth in, and can't put down. It's a driving force, and it's why some fabrics have to be bought. They just do. Patterns too.

Did I mention I am sewing in my Grinch slippers?

Of course, sometimes I take them off too.

Oh yes, oh yes. So beautiful. Love the fabrics together.

Let's get this made before Christmas! And go!

(And this is why the bee got shelved for a while, really it is... all this passion!!)
 

Tis December

 Hello December, here I come with my mad Christmas making rush!

This year it's for me, but it's still a mad rush!

Pattern: Tis The Season by Natalie Bird

At lease when I make myself something with a Christmas theme, I use it once a year. I hand embroidered a table cloth once, which took me about 6 months. I haven't used it even once. What a waste.

I saw this blue Christmas fabric and couldn't resist, but I didn't want to buy it, without a project in mind. So, here's the project. Can you figure out my brain? See the fabric, choose the project, so that I can buy the fabric to make the thing. Hee hee.

Grinch Zoot Suit

6yo has been drumming for a year now, so it seems only right to call his Grinch suit a Zoot Suit. Heh heh.

Ready to hammer on. How does this work anyway?

Got the gold buttons on.

Kind of stuffed one or two up, but they will be ok for a 6yo. It's great to practise on kids clothes. They don't notice any imperfections.

The back left leg is also that green colour in a harlequin type arrangement. 

I prophesise this kiddo wearing his zoot suit a heckuvva lot!

 

Grinch Shirt

I dream of owning an overlocker. I would absolutely adore one! Even if I didn't make a lot of clothes, to have my own would be amazing. 

I don't trust second hand overlockers. I just want a new one that hasn't been used to death.

So I use my quilting machine to zigzag edges, and because I don't have a free arm, I turn up the hems before I turn the sleeves and legs into tubes.

There's my label.

The shirt needs press studs. I will go to spotlight to get some gold ones to hammer on.

 

Grinch suit

Have you ever seen those crazy mens suits made from Christmas fabrics? I love them, and so does 6yo.

I bought a metre of this Grinch fabric from Spotlight for my Grinch loving little boy. There should be enough to make a shirt, and then I will look at the shorts.

Well, not quite enough for the entire shorts, but I have some other fabric I decided to mix in Harlequin style.

Shorts complete with label.

I feel a happy kid coming on.