Catching Up

I really don't know how you bloggers out there manage to stay on top making regular posts to your blogs. I seem to be forever lagging behind but even when I'm quiet I'm still beavering away making something so here are a few updates on some of the things that have been keeping me busy.

I've done some sewing and no post would be complete without a bag. Two of the ladies at my quilting group wanted me to show them how to make one of the bags I've made recently so I worked alongside them putting this one together. Fabrics are Madeira by Blackbird Designs for Moda. It's a pattern you've seen before but it's a nice easy one to make and always turns out great.
Here's the front of the bag



and this is the back (you can click on any of the pictures for a close up)



I love to make things out of nothing so with the few scraps that were left I made the matching zippered pouch



I learned to knit when I was a child and have knitted for most of my life until cross stitching took over about twenty years ago. A couple of years ago I started a lace shawl in fine Alpaca yarn. I got bored with it and put it away until recently when I decided to finish it



It's not the best picture. It was difficult to photograph but I hope you get the idea. The pattern I used is the Flower Basket Shawl by Evelyn Clark.

Still in the mood to work with yarn I had seen a lot of lovely granny squares being crocheted and shown off on various blogs so I decided to have a go. I was never taught to crochet but have managed to pick it up with the help of some online tutorials, You Tube videos and Jan Eaton's book 200 Crochet Blocks from which I worked to make these squares.
I used acrylic yarn for my practice squares but now that I feel confident enough I'd like to crochet a granny square throw in cotton




I've also done a lot of cross stitching recently. I finished all of the stitching on the Flowers for Sarah needleroll that I showed in my last post. I've just received the fabric I had ordered for the finishing so will hopefully have that to share next time.
Meanwhile here are some scissor fobs that I stitched and finished a while ago.
The charts are a series of four seasonal Whimzies by Just Nan. I liked the idea of a fob for all seasons rather than framing.






I did take an individual picture of the Winter fob but it looks a bit unseasonal hanging off the Christmas tree so I've left that picture out :)



Hopefully I won't leave it so long before I make my next post. As always, thanks for visiting my blog and for your lovely comments.
Margaret