Mug Rug Swap 2011

My mug rug swaps arrived this week from the talented Quiltjane in Australia. They are both in my absolute favorite colours, purples and lime greens and are both so different, in some ways too nice to use. I have promised Jane a photo of them being used so watch this space. Thank you so much Jane I am thrilled.

The two I  made to swap are now on their way to America.

A Little Bit of Everything

Its been a long hard, difficult week with DS2 but this weekend he has been with the respite carer. We did have a house full of teenage boys yesterday as DS had some friends round but peace reigned over the house. This allowed me to finally get down to the dyeing required for my diploma quilt. I'm not sure what has happened to my camera, all the photos in this post are not great. I think I need to check all the settings again so apologies.

The turquoise blue is for the mid-day sky. You can't tell on the photo but it goes from a pale shade on the right through to a shade darker on the left. The texture on the fabric also isn't showing. The brown is being dye printed so I have more control over the final shades. The three pieces need to be just a shade darker than the one before each time.

I have been inspired by some bloggers trying to complete UFO's so this Halloween quilt has finally been quilted and completed. I like to think that it is 8 months early!!!! You just can't see but I free machined pumpkins all over it in a varigated orange and purple thread.

I decided a few weeks ago to cut out a "turning twenty" quilt. I have mamnaged to do the piecing much quicker than I had thought. I will have 16 blocks, here are some laid out on the floor to give you an idea of how it will look. Again not great photo which doesn't show up the feature monkey fabric in the centre of each block.

I wasn't sure whether or not to show this because of the photo, the colours are washed out. It's one of my mug rug swaps. The batiks are rich jewel like purples and a deep pink. I just have to bind the other one before they can be posted off to America and their new home.

I spent a peaceful four hours at a sports centre today whilst DS joined a power riser/jump stilts group. I concentrated on the sewing and not what was happening down below. If you have never heard of them just look at this clip. DS isn't at the point of doing stunts yet though.  

Paper Work Conquered

For the past few weeks I have been battling with a mountain of paperwork. Somehow over Christmas I let everything slip and creative things have had to take a back seat. I'm now back and have a list of UFO's that I am determined to complete this year. As I wanted a small project I joined the Mug Rug Swap and have been sent my swap partner. This is a tiny part of what I have made. I will have to read the rules and see if I can show it all, until then a peek..

DS keeps moaning that he hasn't a quilt that is big enough to cover his body (he is now taller than me). Anyway he has made me feel so guilty that this week I cut up a stack of brown and red fat quarters which will become a turning twenty quilt. The idea is very simple if you haven't heard about these quilts. You cut up the fat quarters in the same way, stitch together and fairly quickly you have a decent sized quilt. The monkey fabric you can see will be in every block. I will post progress soon. When he was younger he loved anything to do with monkeys so they have got to be in his "big" quilt. As he won a prize at FoQ last year I should really get him to make one for himself but he is already starting his FoQ 2011 one. I do have a sneaky plan though that he will help to machine quilt it once complete.

I managed a day out yesterday with Sweetpie to visit Trudi at Quilt Prolifically to see her new Quilt Studio. It is a fantastic space and I know she will be even more creative with her quilts. We have been invited for a sewing day soon and I can't wait. Here she is in her new home. Pop over to her blog and you will be able to see just how quickly it went up.

New Year Update

Happy New Year to you all. I'm not sure where the past 10 days have gone really. At least everything has slowly begun to get back to normal after the Christmas holidays. DS got some jump stilts for Christmas but it has been too snowy and icy for him to use them. In the end he had a little try at home inside. It was tricky as he couldn't really stand up straight due to the low ceiling.  Since this photo was taken we have managed to get outside with them. He was born at 29 weeks and is now taller then I am, on these silts I come up to about his waist!!!

Smocking started back last week and we moved onto using smocking dots rather than checked fabric.

This was a sample that someone did at home over the holidays to try out different stitches.

I have some exciting news. Last Saturday I went to visit an incredibly talented group of textile artists known as Textile Lincs. They are a small group who regularly stage exhibitions of their work. After showing and talking about my work I was later invited to join the group. I was so excited as I haven't really exhibited any of my work before. 

Whilst out and about this weekend I also saw an exhibition by Peter Moss called "Past, present and Future" at "The Hub" in Sleaford. This is only on until 16th January but is well worth a journey if you are near.

Didn't mean to upload these parsnips. DH "found" them in the veggie plot so we had to eat them for Sunday lunch. The theme for the Sketchbook challenge 2011 is "highly prized" and I have done some pages in my sketchbook, I just haven't taken any photos! I did wonder whether or not these parsnips could be considered highly prized as they had been sown last March (ish). They have been in the ground through all the snow and ice yet still were intact when dug up and were very tasty when roasted.

Happy New Year!

I'm sitting here not quite believing it is already New Years Eve. I hope you all had a good Christmas and a peaceful time whatever you did and wherever you are. I have travelled a bit over the past week to visit relatives and much to both DS delight we found snow again driving west. I had intended trying to knit a scarf whilst DH did the driving but packed wool, pattern and no needles. I was lucky enough to get some books I have been looking at and a basketful of Clarins wonderfulness (my one guilty pleasure). DS got some jumping stilts, thankfully the weather has been too bad for him to start practising with them. I'm not too worried as he has used them at Scouts. One thing has been bothering me, I think I have good hand-eye co-ordination, I can sew, knit, embroider so why do I find it so hard to do Mario Karts on the Nintendo Wii? DS has been giving me lessons and I'm practising.

I have made lots of Christmas presents this year, the cushions above were some that I made for my nieces and nephews. An advantage of a big stash is that I was able to use fabric that was appropriate for all, Sean loved his trains and sister Aimee liked her rabbits. I've also made several book covers, small make up bags and some larger bags.

For those of you who are really observant  I have added a link to the Sketchbook Challenge for 2011. The idea is that you follow along and share your pages. There will be a different theme set each month and it sounds like there is going to be lots of ideas and inspiration shared. I just love their definition of a sketchbook which is, "a book filled with dreams and inspiration". I've got an A4 sketchbook and I have stated to make a cover by stitching small samples. I had the idea from Sweetypie who got the original idea from the blog Teesha's Circus. I have been carrying them around with me so it will all be done by hand. I'm using up some odd bits of hand dyed fabric and edging them in black. I have really enjoyed doing this freehand and stitching whatever comes into my head.

I would like to wish everyone who has visited me a happy and creative New Year and 2011. I really do appreciate all your visits, even if you just lurk. I've enjoyed sharing all your blogs and learnt lots from you all. The last thing to say is that I'm nearly at my 100th blog post and will be having a giveaway very soon, a good excuse to keep popping back.

In The Bleak Mid Winter

I was going to start this blog post on a positive note but I'm cold and fed up with being cold. Today the fog hasn't lifted and the temperature hasn't been above -7. When I was young my favourite books were The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls. I remember my favorite one was The Long Winter (sound familiar?).  

All my recent energy/sewing has been on completing paperwork and making Christmas presents which I can't share photos of. DS has also spent time making presents and has just about mastered how to put a zip into a bag. Instead here are some frosty images of my garden taken this morning.

This was the frozen washing line.

 This robin was a little photo shy but you can still see his/her red breast.

I was looking for colour amongst all the white and found this red onion skin in the compost heap.

The fields are still full of Brussel sprouts that haven't been harvested

I found this on Emma's blog A little Bit of Everything. Despite the weather I went to two carol services and this carol was sung at both. This Enya version is really beautiful that I thought I would share it with you.



I found some sock knitting today from last year, my first attempt at toe up socks knitted on a circular needle. I love hand made socks but am a slow knitter. I'm off to spend the rest of this evening curled up in front of my log burner. I hope you are all keeping safe and warm.

Help...

Does anyone know how to make these woven, folded paper necklaces? My recycled craft group wants to make them next Friday and although I've made them before I can't find my notes. I've also had an unsuccessful trawl through the Internet and can't find any instructions unless I subscribe to a site.

I've fingers and toes crossed...