1 Xmas item

The 25th has zoomed around again. This wee Cross stitch was a kit I bought from a suitcase sale at retreat earlier in the year. I have been making myself finish it for the last couple of months.

The thing is only about 11" x 16" but did I grumble! Grumble, grumble that was me! Moaning ole cow! I did not enjoy making this. Years ago before patchwork took over my life, I was a cross stitching junky. But now I would be happy never to do it again. The design is by Terri Lyn Richards, Shepherds Bush Printworks. The cool wire hanger I bought from the best quilt shop ever! The Country Yard.
Thanks again to our magical Elf Narelle for nudging us all to complete something each month.

Speaking of completions, I whipped this up yesterday ( another purchase from the suitcase sale.....thanks Rachel! ).........well she still needs eyes, but other than that she is finished.

Design from Country Keepsakes. She looks a little on the wild side don't you think?

When I am in my studio quilting I often listen to talking books. This was the last lot I listen to.........

Then I try & read in bed at night.....I usually don't get far before I nod off! I finished Clare O'Donohue's next 'A someday quilts mystery' The Devil's Puzzle.

Thanks for stopping by to my neck of the woods!

productive weekend!

A whole weekend of productiveness!!! Gardening, cleaning the oven, yes, I even cleaned my oven! And sewing.
First up I made my granddaughter a bunting for her bedroom, I thought it would be bright & cheery, it should go with the quilt I made her when she was two.

The butterfly quilt was a Buggy Barn pattern, I backed the quilt with flannel & a butterfly label.
That was back I in 2009, seems a million years ago!!!

I also made 40 bowtie blocks that I can't show you for a few months yet as they are going to be a border on a special quilt I have been plodding away on.
I found some nice hand towels in Brisco's the other day, so today I 'pimped' them, they can go in my gift box, although the laundry one might not make it as it would go nice in my laundry with the rag/plastic bag holders, washing machine cover & peg bag made from the same fabric line.

I also made some Christmas decorations, but I will show them later in the week as part of the link up thingie for 1 Xmas item over at Narelle's.

I didn't finish this next item today, but a few weeks ago, but as this runner was for my friends birthday & that was yesterday, I can now show you!

I bought a panel of this coffee cup fabric, I might have to make myself something from it as I really like the fabric........next weekend maybe?

And last but not least a book finish........it took me a month to finish, I'm pretty slow on the reading front, as I only read when I go to bed in the evening & I don't get far before I'm nodding off!
Another by Clare O'donohue, the third so far, a nice read.

Book #3
Nell and the gang head to a quilt retreat in the Adirondacks. What’s supposed to be a fun week in the woods soon turns deadly, and one of their own is the chief suspect.
I have started the fourth book, I see on Clare's website, there are two more!......maybe I need to go to bed earlier!
Who's watching the new TV programmes, 'Mr Selfridge', 'Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries'. The clothes are amazing, so pretty! & tonight a new series of 'Call the Midwife'.
Thanks for stopping by to my neck of the woods!

You are my sunshine

Checkout this ray of sunshine sun on a bleak winters day here in New Zealand! Pauline has made this quilt for her granddaughters 18th birthday. Pauline's granddaughter loves bright colours.
Pauline ask me to quilt an all over design through the centre, she chose a bright variegated thread. Then a feather for the border, over cotton batting.

What do you think of the backing Pauline made?.....................................

I have finished another book. This is the second book in a series of four, read about the first here. The second is called "A Drunkard's Path" by Clare O'Donohue.


Nell and Jesse’s first date is postponed on account of murder – and Nell puts herself, and her romance, on the line to find the killer.


Now I have the third book, this one I plan to donate to my local library as the library is missing this book from their copies. So if you are a local & you are keen to read this series, pop along to the library!

The following paragraph is from one of the chapters that made me think "yeah that's how it is for us quilters."

She stroked the bolt, a technique I recognized as part of the quilter's courting process. First we fall for the look of the fabric, the print, the colour. Then we begin to pet it, running our hands across the smooth cotton. It may seem odd to an outsider, but quilting is a tactile experience & since quilts are meant to be snuggled under it's important the fabric feels right.

Mettler Metallic threads............... :-)

Difficult to show the quilting with these darker quilts, but I did use Mettlers Metallic gold thread as well as an aqua poly neon & black threads. The first gold I tried was an old one I had, that in the past I had always had problems with, but I thought I would try it again.......but I had problems again (AKA.....get grumpy & throw the thread in the bin!), so I went to my local & bought Mettler Metallic, popped in a metallic needle, & off I went, no problems!!!
 I quilted Feathers, curling ribbon, straight lines & Celtic bubbles.
Lois has made this quilt for her daughter.........lets hope she likes it!

A view of the back...................................

I have finished another book, the first in the series called "A Someday Quilts Mystery" The Lovers Knot, by Clare O'Donohue

Nell Fitzgerald is looking forward to her wedding, and her grandmother’s gift of a wedding quilt, but things don’t go as planned, especially when Nell’s fiance calls off the wedding and Nell finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation – with her former fiance the chief suspect

I borrowed from my local Library, but unfortunately the second book is missing from the Library, they have book 3 & 4. So I have ordered it from the Book Depository, when I have read it I will donate it to the Library.......nothing worse in a series that needs to be read in order, one missing.

Enjoy the funny video!