Finishes for May

Hi everyone,
I'm just back from a short visit to UK where it rained a lot. I enjoyed seeing my family and I did a bit of shopping but there was no time for stitching or sewing.
However, I always have a few things in reserve that have not previously been seen on the blog so at least there is still something I can show you.

This is The Fancy Brown Sewing Pouch by Stacy Nash





I really enjoyed stitching and sewing this and would like to make more in this style.
Stitched on 28ct linen using the recommended DMC threads.
Fabric used for finishing is Sturbridge Village Harvest by Judie Rothermel







Next is Leanne Beasley's Couch Companion
which I have made a couple of times before. I decided to use linen for the stitchery this time and I like the way it looks.



Here's a close up of the stitchery. As you can see I used buttons for some of the flower stems.
You should be able to click on any of the pictures for a better view if you wish.



Plenty of pockets and a pincushion inside


The fabrics used are Rouenneries by French General for Moda

Next up is Our Hearts Pin Cushion which is a kit by Shepherd's Bush. I loved stitching and finishing this and want to stitch it at least once more



It is almost as pretty on the back as it is on the front


Still with Shepherd's Bush here's another little pillow



and here is how it looks on the back



I stitched this pillow for my lovely friend Pat who has a May birthday.


It is one of Dany's designs and seemed just perfect for Pat as she loves Lily of the Valley.
I had the perfect piece of fabric in my stash to use on the back too



The wording says
A best friend is like a four leaf clover.
Hard to find and lucky to have.

I'm sure we all can relate to that.

One last thing is this little bunny which is another of Dany's designs.


This took very little time to stitch although the making up was a bit fiddly. This was something else I had stitched for Pat and I found it very hard to part with.
However, a few days after mailing it I received a bunny stitched for me by friend Angela :) I'll show a picture of that one next time.

So that's it for now. Thanks to everyone who visits my blog and welcome to new followers. It hardly seems a minute since I did a giveaway for 200 followers but it looks as though the numbers are creeping up to 300 so there will soon be another one.
I am way behind on my blog reading and commenting but hope to catch up with all of you soon.
Margaret

Tea and Toast

Hi everyone,
Time for another blog update. The star of the show being this beautiful pincushion which I received as a belated birthday present from my lovely friend Pat.
I understand this dainty china cup and matching plate is called a tea and toast set.
The pincushion design is from Blackbird Designs Christmas Garden.
It's a miracle this fine china made it all in one piece on the long journey from the USA to Spain. I would have been devastated if anything had been broken.
Pat really spoiled me as she also gave me the two latest Blackbird Designs books. A Schoolgirl's Work and For my Friend. I can't wait to start stitching something!


I've been doing some finishing and am happy to have finished the Stacy Nash Pears and Strawberries Sampler Sewing Bag.


It is stitched on 40ct linen using the recommended DMC threads. Fabrics are silk matka for the outer bag and checked homespun for the lining.



This little finish is a freebie from Patrick's Woods Designs and can be found here




Backing fabric is Pure by Sweetwater for Moda




Way back in 2008 (it doesn't seem that long ago but that is the date stitched on the piece) friend Sheila came over for the day. She'd stitched My Favorite Kitten Pinkeep by Primitive Betty's and she'd stitched it a second time for me.
We sewed our kittens up and then we spent a very messy time distressing them with walnut ink and stuffing them with sawdust.
I'm afraid I'm not into extreme prim and my poor kitty looked as though it had spent the night in a coal bucket! The sawdust wasn't a success either as it seemed to sink to the bottom so that the top of the kitty was very saggy.
Last week I decided to give my kitty a makeover. I took it apart, washed it and stuffed it again using a mix of toy stuffing and some soya beans to add a bit of weight. I think he looks a lot better now :)



I saw on this blog a SAL for a paper pieced pincushion. You just need to email Kris to request the pattern.
I don't think I could make a whole quilt using the English paper piecing technique but I did enjoy making this pincushion. It's a big sturdy pincushion and one I intend to use every day.



Friend Sheila came over last Wednesday and we went into Alicante to visit the quilt shop. The fabrics are very expensive and for that reason most of my fabric shopping is done online but it's nice to go to a shop to see and feel the fabrics every now and again.
Here's what I bought


I love the green fabric with the tiny sheep. A piece of blue homespun, two pieces of Sweetwater Hometown and one FQ of a sewing notions fabric.

I think that's about it for rhis time.
Just a reminder that if you are a noreply blogger I have no way of getting back to you if you ask me a question. New reader Barb asked me about the designs in my blog header but I had no way of replying.
Welcome to my new followers and, as always, a big thank you to my regulars and for the lovely comments that you leave.

Margaret

A Happy Sewing Weekend

Hi everyone,
Time for another update of what I have been up to lately.
The first thing I have to show you is this knitting bag. This is the Baguette Bag by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches the pattern was published in the Australian magazine Homespun.



Here's the back of the bag. Fabrics are Objects of Desire by Sandy Gervais for Moda Fabrics.


I enjoyed working with these bright colours. Here's how the bag looks inside



Next up is a little fabric basket that I'd seen on this blog and of course I had to make one.




Since I had to cut into two fat quarters of fabric I had to find as many ways as possible to use every last scrap and I managed to get a zippered pouch, a needlebook and a four patch pincushion so I think I did well.



The needlebook is a favourite pattern from the book Remembering Adelia by Kathleen Tracy
and the two fabrics I used were by Tanya Whelan.



Yesterday I spent some happy sewing time making blocks for a little quilt from this book which is another book by Kathleen Tracy



the little blocks are just 4 inches square and are a lot of fun to do




The pattern I'm doing is Little Red Schoolhouse and with the the exception of the red homespun the fabrics are by Thimbleberries.



The other thing I've enjoyed doing this Easter weekend is to bake (and eat) some hot cross buns. Well, they don't actually have a cross on them but otherwise they are the same recipe.



I made the dough in my breadmaker until it was time to add the fruit and then they were baked in the oven.
While the dough was being kneaded in the breadmaker I was in another room when I heard an almighty crash. It nearly stopped my heart and when I went to investigate there was the breadmaker lying in bits on the kitchen floor LOL.
It must have been kneading so hard it jumped right off the counter top with a force that pulled the plug right out of the electric socket.
I didn't know if anything was broken but I managed to fit the lid of the breadmaker back on. The dough was safe enough in the metal pan. It was actually halfway across the kitchen floor but happily the dough did not touch the floor.
I plugged the machine back in with bated breath and it started up again! Phew! Note to self to push it well back on the counter top next time.
Finally, a new book on my bookshelf is the latest from Lynette Anderson and shown with it are the beautiful fabric Secret Garden fabrics that I won on Sigrid's blog





Thank you so much Sigrid. I can't wait to make something out of the book using the gorgeous fabrics you sent me.

Well, I think that's all I have to show you this time. I'm sorry there is no cross stitch - hopefully next time!
Thanks as always for visiting my blog and for your lovely comments.

Margaret

Feeling Spoiled!

Hi everyone,
A few weeks ago Stephanie at Loft Creations
was doing a sponsored giveaway on behalf of Connecting Threads
The giveaway was only open to USA/Canadian residents but not wanting to disappoint her international readers Stephanie also offered a gorgeous Dresden Plate candle mat giveaway especially for them. Of course I had to enter. Who wouldn't want their very own piece of Stephanie's beautiful work?
Well, imagine my surprise and delight when I received an email to say I was the international winner!
I waited anxiously for the package to arrive. The Spanish postal service is slow but they say good things are worth waiting for and was this package ever worth the wait!



Inside the prettily wrapped packages was the much anticipated Dresden Plate candle mat which is gorgeous. I love the fabrics and the way the quilting follows the lines of the Dresden Plate.



and just as lovely on the back as it is on the front using this neat hexagon printed fabric




When I opened the second package I was completely blown away to find a copy of every single one of the gorgeous bag patterns that Stephanie designs. There are eight in total and I have to wonder how I can ever pick the one I like best because I love them all.
Here are the first four



and here is the second set of four



Also tucked into another little package were two reels of Connecting Threads sewing thread in yummy colours of purple and lime.




I think I must have spent most of yesterday looking at my gorgeous new bag patterns and pulling out this fabric and that while I pondered which bag I might make first but of course the plan is to make them all eventually.
Thank you Stephanie for such wonderful gifts.

On to other things. I stitched a small cross stitch design called Bless my Scissors by Notforgotten Farm and finished it into a little pillow. It is stitched over one on 28ct linen using DMC threads.



finally some stitchery from a vintage 1970's design that Helen of Bustle and Sew offers on her website for free




It's called Funky Chick and uses very bright colours of DMC. As soon as I saw Helen had finished the design into a pillow using Cath Kidston fabrics I was hooked and had to make it for myself. I spent today putting the pillow top together.
I'll add some thin wadding and do some hand quilting using perle cotton.


I wish I'd had some of the darker prints including some reds or dark pink but I was using from what I had and think it is quite pretty.
As it is Mother's Day in UK today I want to wish all of my UK readers a very happy Mother's Day. I hope you are being totally spoiled and enjoying your day.
Thanks to everyone for your continued visits to my blog and for your lovely comments and a big welcome to my new followers.
Margaret

Gifts to Go

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post to show you the latest items to roll off my production line.
There have been a flurry of birthdays lately so I have been kept busy!
I've made Nellie's Sewing Bag before and in the same fabric line too.
This time I changed things round a little bit to make the assembly a bit easier.




The needlecase is another old favourite. I've made this huswife from the book Remembering Adelia by Kathleen Tracy a number of times. It's so easy to make and always turns out great.




The pincushion is Petite Gateaux by Fig Tree Quilts.




I needed a quick birthday gift so I stitched this little set from a Chessie and Me pattern Chessie's Fern Pincushion and Fob.



I didn't have the Belle Soie silks listed in the colour key so I just did my own thing with an assortment of threads from my stash.

I finished the pincushion in scissor pocket style using a piece of Nancy's hand dyed trim and the fob is finished with a beaded edge.



Finally a little bit of stash shopping that might interest some of my European readers.
I love Nancy's hand dyed threads and trims and have found a lovely Dutch webshop selling little packets that don't cost too much and postage is very reasonable too.
Here's a picture of what I bought



The little try me kits are so nicely presented. Mine has a chart, floss, hand dyed ric rac, chenille trim, two buttons, a key charm and a small piece of co-ordinating fabric to finish the piece. No affiliation just a very happy customer.




There are some lovely freebies on the website as well

So that's all for now. It is a beautiful day here in Spain. I hope everyone is having a great weekend.
Thanks for visiting!

Margaret

Winners, gifts and a UFO finish

Hi everyone,

It's time to announce the winners of my giveaway.
First prize goes to Debbie
and
Second prize goes to Kaye

Congratulations to both of you! I'll mail your gifts as soon as I have your mailing address.
Thanks to everyone who entered. Hopefully I'll do another giveaway before too long.

On to other things..........
I finally finished long term UFO Sanctuary by The Drawn Thread. I've been looking longingly at everyone's new year starts and finishes but knew that I had to bite the bullet and focus on this piece. Here it is stitched on Elegant Bean linen using NPI SILKS.


Here's a close up of each of the four quadrants. I think the pictures should enlarge if you click on them.









Now to show you some gifts I have received that never made it onto the blog before now.
There are two new mermaids in my collection. The first is a beautiful pinkeep stitched for me by dear friend Hazel (no blog) in the UK



The other is a gift from friend Angela and also in UK. It's hard to get a good picture of this mermaid as she is made of clear glass but take my word for it she's gorgeous.



Finally these lovely gifts came from Sandra in UK.



I absolutely love the sewing machine thread holder and the gorgeous quilting fabric. There is also a FQ of cream evenweave.
Sandra doesn't have a blog but she has the most awesome Picasa album
Take a look and prepare to be blown away.

That's all I have to show this time but I'll be back soon with pictures of the latest bag I'm making.
The new word verification thing on Blogger is driving me demented so I have changed my setting to moderated comments so that you don't have to be bothered with trying to read unintelligble script.
As always many thanks for visiting and for your encouraging comments.
Margaret