That sewing retreat weekend feeling...

It feels like I've had a weekend retreat! I left the sewing machine out yesterday. It was another very hot morning, and after a big Sunday pancakes brekkie, it was "free" time for everyone again. Including Mummy! Woohoo!

Another four oven mitts - not a scerrick of batting left. Then my sweetheart says "which one is ours"? Ummm... might have to make more...



As I stitched these ones, I found my natural rhythm and the machine just flowed under my fingers... *peaceful sigh* The stitching on these is a vast improvement on the ones I made yesterday. Ooh, I feel adventurous! What else can I sew? Most of my fabric is in storage 3000km away. I have plenty here, what can I make?



I have ideas of making mitts for the neighbours and our mothers too, but that would mean batting shopping, so we will see what happens (the shops are just crazy this time of year, and my gift shopping is finished).

Next I started to make Master 1's Christmas stocking. The older children each have one already, so I wanted to follow the same theme, although this one will have owls on it.

I got this far...

Two sides quilted and cut out, ready for owl appliques.

All the free motion done.... And then the machine decided it wanted a holiday.

 Dangnabbit! Something happened - I think it's the timing. The Janome bobbin case won't correspond properly and the needle punched a couple of holes in the bobbin case. This has happened several times. I wonder what causes it. Now there are so many of us online, I might just give it a google.

The Janome 6500 really has been a wonderful machine. The hours and hours I have used it, I just cannot count.

The funny thing is, according to my facebook history "on this day", the machine went to the Doctor at exactly the same time a different year! Hahahahha. I must know how to get into a Christmas sewing frenzy.

Let's hope it's back soon.

Enjoy your Christmas crafting. xo

Christmas Stockings... just in time

Well, I just got these made in time for Christmas...

Something has happened to blogger and I can't figure out how to rotate these images! If you know hw to change them, please add a comment below :)....

 Rhette and Shelley each have a machine quilted Christmas stocking... It feels so good to be enjoying sewing, I love having time, space and motivation to sew once again!

I have bought another 2 identical stocking panels, who knows I might need them by next Christmas!!

Cross-stitching my way to Christmas

If Santa is not coming soon, he is definitely coming along in this cross-stitch stocking.

I have been so very busy and this makes me very tired. Cross-stitch requires no planning, organising or designing... this is why I am working on it at the moment.

I plan to work on the "I Believe" wallhanging next, and the 12 Days of Christmas quilt.

I'll get there right? Besides that, I am listening to audio books - I am up to the 3rd book in the "Tomorrow" series by John Marsden.

Curling up by the fire...

Just like Santa here... I am looking forward to curling up on the couch with my boots off and slippers off... Who knows how much more of this cross-stitch I will have finished by then???It's cold here, and I am feeling really Christmassy. I don't suppose you can tell?? Hee hee.

Christmas is coming...

This cross-stitch was in its packet (unopened) for about 12 years... I cracked it open last December for some hand-stitching that doesn't require preparation.

However, counted cross-stitch does require concentration or it gets mucked up!

I've picked it up from time to time over the last few months, but I am listening to audio books from the library at the moment, and I am much more able to focus on a chart and listen to books than "watch" something on the telly and cross-stitch.

Why am I working on the cross-stitch so much? I must confess, I bought a new cross-stitch (it's the Arnott's label including parrot on a black background), and I don't want to start it until I finish this one.

Oh, and also Christmas is coming.

But wait there's more

Here's something else you have missed out on for a while... While I was remiss in blogging, I was still stitching. Can you see Santa's foot start to appear at the end of his leg? And that's a pair of boots appearing on the right.

This is definitely on the backburner now, with so much applique to do at the moment. Who has any spare time??? Not Me!!

Santa's crotch

Yes, that's one of the things I have been toying with - stitching Santa's crotch. It doesn't look like much yet. You will have to watch it grow. (ooh dear, how does that sound? I mean you will have to watch it progress as I post on here).

Earlier this week I was stitching my embroidery and embellishment ready for teacher tomorrow night (oh yes, I must show you a picture soon).

We were stitching crosses and I found it quite therapuetic. So I thought...hmm... I haven't done any cross-stitch for about 12 years (i.e. since I took up quilting in a big way)... this could be nice. I opened a drawer and found this cross-stitch kit in its packet.

There is a heck of a lot of work in this, but blow it... I don't have enough projects on the go .. LOL!! I've now got 41 projects on the go, but who cares??? It doesn't need any preparation. It's the handwork to take on the go at the moment...

I forgot you actually need to count with cross-stitch, but that hasn't taken away all the enjoyment. After all, there's quite a bit left to do on Santa's crotch.