Fantastic Weekend

John was going away for a long weekend motorbike riding through the Snowy Mtns and northern Victoria, so I booked a little holiday to visit Diann.  We had the loveliest time - shopping, stitching, watching movies, etc.  This is the only photo I took during the 4 days - Diann and Bill on his new toy just before he took off for a ride on Sunday.

Chookyblue's 2nd weekend of the cross stitch tour was held last weekend.  I made this bunch of Elizabethan Kissing Balls for a swap about 5 years ago.

The last two photos are of two hardanger dolls made in 2001 and 2002.  They are both Hanky Panky designs. 



Angel of Dreams



Mother Angel

Chookyblue's Cross Stitch Tour - lots of photos

Before stitcheries, patchwork, quilting, bag and doll-making took over, I spent every spare moment cross-stitching, starting in 1978 when we were living in Holland for 12 months.  Many pieces have been given away, a few are hung in our house while others only come out at Christmas.  Most of the pictures have been scanned in from not great photos.

One of my favourite designers is Shepherd's Bush:



"Heart Blooms"

 

"A Mother's Heart"



"Charmed Hearts"

 My other favourite designer would be Lavender and Lace.  I've only finished one design

"Heavenly Gifts"

This lives at Michael and Peta's home.  I have another two on the go - one is so close to being finished - all that needs to be done is to couch the gold rays coming from the halo around the large angel's head.  I'm ashamed to say I started this in about 1996 with plans to have it finished for Elizabeth's 18th birthday in 1997.

"Angel of Mercy"

This one was started in abou 2004 for Jenni because she had an under the sea theme for her bedroom and this angel has blonde hair and blue eyes - just like my Jenni at the time (these days her hair colour changes like the weather).

"Angel of the Sea"

I have a collection of patterns, fabrics, threads, beads all set to go for many more Lavender and Lace angels - somehow I don't think they'll ever come out of the drawer.

My other long-standing WIP is a Mirabillia design, again for Jenni - she loved Princess Aurora when she was little.

"Sleeping Beauty"

 My one and only Teresa Wentzler cross stitch lives at Michael and Peta's.  This was very time consuming to stitch - so many quarter-stitches and mixed colours.

"Legends of the Dragons"

 Some Christmas cross-stitches (I don't recall some of the designers): 

"Angel Gathering" - Mill Hill

"Charmed Christmas"

"Christmas is for Angels" and "Three Little Angels" - Blue Whale Designs

The red fabric cross stitch above is what Jenni is stitching in the photo at the top right hand corner of my blog.

My other love is hardanger and these last two are a mixture of cross-stitch and hardanger:

"Christmas Church"

"Noel"

Great idea Chooky for this tour - I enjoyed seeing Jean's samplers so very much.  You never know - one day  I may feel inspired to start stitching those angels again.

Attention Span

These days I have the attention span of a gnat.  I've found over the last 10 years or so that I am unable to work on one thing at a time - I used to be able to work on one cross-stitch or sequin one dancing costume but since taking up patchwork, stitching, bag and dollmaking etc I seem to jump from one thing to another without much rhyme or reason (except if there is a deadline looming).

Spare time this week has been taken up with cutting out the blocks and appliques for The Wish Quilt.  These beautiful fabrics are Yuletide Blessings from Fig Tree Quilts - lovely colours, just the tiniest bit different to the usual Christmas colours - and were a birthday present a couple of years ago from dear Peg.  I've been saving the fabrics for this quilt and am tickled pink with how the blocks are coming together.

A girlfriend and I try to get together each month for dinner and to see a movie.  Last night we saw "Life as We Know It" - wasn't overly fussed about seeing this movie but I loved it.  Not quite the usual girlie movie.

Weekend Sewing

In between housework, shopping with my daughter and Mum, a couple of things were finished off for Christmas presents.  The last of the Babushka fabric has been used to make two Melly & Me Feathered Friends Bags - with machine embroidered pocket flaps that say "Babushka".  One of the bags is for my DIL Peta and the other for a workmate who is from a Ukrainian family and has a real Baba in her family.

The embroidery machine was cranking out a few designs on tea towels.  Sometimes I like to use a tea towel as present wrapping with a ribbon tie to hold it all together.

Bronwyn Hayes's "The Wish Quilt" has been on the go for so very long as my on and off lunchtime stitching.  Decided to take it home to do while watching tv at night and this block is finished.  Many more to go.

Lastly, this is a sneak peek of my Secret Santa present for my on-line stitching group.  I sewed it up yesterday afternoon and am so happy to have this finished.

10 sleeps till I visit my friend up north.

Christmas Sewing

After work yesterday, I sewed up a Christmas Hanger designed by Bronwyn Hayes.  It took longer than I thought but is very cute.  I have a few more cut out and ready to sew.

This little guy is my brother's new puppy, Buster.  I wonder how he'll get along with the cat in residence. 

Fairy Garden

Fairies have moved into our garden at work.  These mushrooms are huge - the one at the front would be 12" diameter.

Sunday ...

... in Wonderland.

More machine embroideries:

Cutting out some of Bronwyn Hayes's Christmas Hangers and Christmas Baskets

Plus loads of vliesofixing - gosh this takes up a lot of time - I'm sure that's because it takes me so long to choose fabrics.

My brother's new grandbaby is due 11 December and I'd like to have one of these "Animal Crackers" quilts ready in time.

Not often we have a weekend at home with no plans.  Elizabeth is having a wonderful time in Vietnam, Jenni and Ian are in Melbourne, Michael and Peta are busy working.

Saturday Afternoon ...

... in Wonderland.

Knitting has been packed away for a little while - might start to sew all these up at Tuesday Night Stitching.

The embroidery machine was cranking out Christmas stitching

while I pinned a quilt ready for quilting - this top has been finished for well over a year.

Late in the afternoon I visited a friend who was recently in hospital for minor knee surgery.  She was going to a 70's themed birthday party and asked me to paint some flowers on her face - paint and I aren't friends - she was happy with how they turned out.  Hope she enjoyed the party.