I've been very lucky this month because I've received two lovely gifts in addition to winning a pattern on a designer blog.
I've managed to stay on top of my one Christmas ornament a month challenge, made a couple of bags and finished a cross stitch piece as well.
So, on with the pictures!
One of the gifts I received was a wonderful surprise package from Valie in France.
A few months ago I had admired her purchases from Rouge petit coeur so
I was thrilled to receive this elegant pinkeep with a little ceramic bird mounted on cream linen on the front
and backed with a very pretty fabric on the reverse
Valie has made other pinkeeps in this style so if you'd like to see more of her lovely work please visit her blog.
My other gift also came from France. Francoise (no blog) sent me the tiniest little pillow which is stitched over one, edged with beads and backed with palest blue silk fabric.
Francoise also sent two Sajou thread winders depicting the Eiffel Tower which you can see in the photo. That should give you an idea of how tiny this pillow is!
You should be able to click on any of the pictures for a better view if you like.
The win I mentioned earlier was the latest little quilt pattern from Gail Pan
Gail is one of my favourite Australian designers so I'm really looking forward to making this up. I love the name she chose for the quilt. Simple Times sounds so nostalgic.
Now on to the things I've been making........
The first is my ornament for this shared blog where we are challenged to make one Christmas ornament a month.
The design I chose for this month is a free design on Tanya's blog called Christmas Eve Flight.
I stitched this over one on 28ct linen and I love how it turned out
I also stitched another of Tanya's designs as a Wednesday night SAL with Angela, Barb and a few others. This is the At Home with Jane Austen Sampler.
I really enjoyed stitching this and want to do a few other of the designs in this series.
What would a blog post from me be without a bag or two? I needed a quick gift so I made another Charm Party Tote. This is a pattern I've made several times before and can almost do it without even looking at the pattern. The fabrics are Plume by Tula Pink for Moda. They are bright! You may need sunglasses :)
Finally a little bag from a pattern by Australian designer Lynette Anderson
This was such a fun stitchery to do although there are a LOT of laisy daisy stitches and French Knots dotted all over the back not to mention some very tiny stitching on the circular design
and because I always love making things with sewing accessories I made a needlecase
using a pattern I have used a few times before from the book by Kathleen Tracey
Remembering Adelia
It's made with reproduction fabrics in the book but the pattern lends itself equally well to more modern fabrics. The fabrics used in this needlecase are all Lynette's designs
and because the fabric with the same design as the back of the sewing bag was just screaming out for one of those round pincushions I couldn't resist seeing how it might look.
I really like how it looks finished off with one of Lynette's wooden buttons in the centre
Well, that's it for this time. As always a big thank you for your visits and for your encouraging comments. I love to hear from you.
Margaret
