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!

 

The other type of creative

Sometimes, I love to create in the kitchen too. But usually not on the same day as creative stitching. They kind of use the same energy and focus. Does that make sense?

This was my first go at making a swiss jam roll. It was eaten in mere moments. Haha.

My trusty old copy of a book published in the 1980s and full of terribly sugary recipes.

A quick snap in case you needed it.

Totally worth making again.

 

Almost show time

 It's almost local agricultural show time and Mum (Deep Creek Quilting in Vic. Australia) has express posted these quilts to me so that I can bind them in time to enter the show.

(This blue one is "Tis The Season" stitcheries by Natalie Bird, with my own quilt setting.

They often seem to end up last minute, although that's not my intention!

Why do I enter the show?

I noticed the craft and baking sections were incredibly small at the Townsville Show. I promised myself to enter at least something into baking or craft each year, so that this aspect of the show would still exist when my children are old enough to participate, and maybe my grandchildren.

If we don't enter these things, they will just drop away!

I have to get my skates on to hand stitch the binding down.

The baptist fans look beautiful on this  rendition of a selection of blocks from Tula Pink's 100 modern quilt block book.

Sashing tryouts

Er. Nope. Don't like it

Will hang up the green on the design wall for a while to see how it grows on me.

It's a beautiful green, and I did buy it for this quilt. It's a woven shot cotton, in my favourite shade of green. Oh my!

I like the cornerstone 4 patches. Let's see what develops over the next few days.

 

Gingham is trending

The blocks I am making using the vintage gingham, some from the 1950s are out again, although, really I should say they are in again. Gingham is in vogue!

 I've trashed the previous ideas I had for the Monkey Wrench blocks with a sort of colour wash, and I am back to making actual blocks with varying gingham colours in the background.

Looking for a variety of sizes in the gingham also, I am settled on this design. Time to make a few of these blocks and trial out the sashing.

But first, I think I need another can of ironing spray! The vintage ginghams really are a bit flimsy! I've used the coles brand ironing aid spray, lemon scented. It works absolutely fine.

The old fabrics have been subjected to goodness knows what, and some pieces had to be thrown away because of the mold or stains, even after washing twice. I am happy to be able to use what I can.

 

Sentinelles are out again

 I was looking for a little bit of handwork, and out come the Sentinelles for some stitching. 

Originally lino carved and printed by Dijanne Cevaal, I'm enjoying slow stitching of embroidery over the black print.

These are going to look AMAZING on my wall!

My house has some very colourful accents, so I can make anything work.

I have little projects I've started stashed away, and they seem to be found right when they want some attention.

Feeling accomplished

I'm feeling very accomplished... these bracelets love to be worn, and so the elastic string was quite loose and stretched on them all.

I individually restrung each bracelet, which is no easy thing with a very bendy piece of elastic string! ha!

I feel like this is a crafting achievement, so it's going here. Who is with me?