Happy New Year!

And here's to a productive 2011!  

I would like to really improve on my garment sewing skills, at present it is so mediocre.  Keep telling myself ... I should be a neater / more accurate seamstress.  Also I want to work on some stitchery patterns.  Sure like the look of quilted wall hangings with a stitchery panel.

Red & white Bear Paw quilt to date.  It's 39" square now.  There is still the outer border in white.  I'm thinking of having a slightly wider outer border ... we'll see ...

 While taking a break from cutting all those HSTs for the bear paw quilt, I fooled around with another method of making HSTs and eventually a Pinwheel block.  I followed Jenny's tut on YouTube.  Sewed it up in a jiffy!

A small order of tea towels from Bird Brain Designs.  Here's where the stitchery comes in :)

Anni Downs' pincushion is on my to-do list.  However I will be changing the concept of the pincushion.  I'm not a garden buff but I'm surely a needleworker!

My New Year start at the stroke of midnight.  That's the measly result of 20 mins of work!  By far for me cross stitch is the most time intensive hand work I do.  It's Prairie Schooler's Friends - Friendship is a sheltering tree.  Margaret W and I set out to complete 10 pcs from both Friends and More Friends some years ago.  But somewhere in between realty kicked in ... or truth be told ... laziness :)  This will be my last block of 4 that will be converted into a wall hanging quilt.  Here's the other 3:

Amish Star Quilt - WIP

  All 42 blocks are finally completed and their arranged on the floor as above.  This will be a square quilt with a 6 x 6 blocks layout.  And the balance blocks will be for a pieced backing.  A narrow and a wide border will be added in time.  A block is 11 1/2" square unfinished.

  Christmas gifts from Margaret W that arrived in the nick of time.  Love the tatted motif with silver beads and the labels by V&A.

  A pair of shorts for my dad using the Burda pattern Andre.  I lengthen it according to a sample.  Also I've added in-seam pockets.  The fabric is black cotton drill and if it fits well I'll make another in grey.

Merry Christmas one and all!

I received a lovely ornament pillow from Lillie today.  Just super perfect for the season!  It will join my row of ornaments given to me by my friends over the years and some that I've stitched below.

 I've completed the binding for my sis' XS piece.  Added plastic rings at the back of the wall hanging for a dowel to pass through.

Still working on the red and white bear paw quilt.  There's sashing and HST borders to be done.  Loving those red and whites!

Lori's CC & C is in the pipeline for next year.  Pulled out all the fabrics required.  This will be pretty slow as the placing of these blocks need careful attention.

Thank you all for coming by and leaving comments.  I do so appreciate it. 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Stashing all the way :)

Purchases from Fabric Shack and This-N-That!  More shirtings, precuts, Judie Rothermel and Jo :)

Christmas presents are all wrapped and ready.

There will be a Trouser Sewalong starting on 3/1/11.  I am using Angela Kane's Wide Leg Pants pattern.  We'll be working on a muslin first hence I need to get some metres of calico.  Really looking forward to this.  I am sure I'll learn loads!

Online Christmas shopping!

Civil War reproductions by mostly Judie Rothermel and Jo Morton.  There's another package coming from This-N-That.  Couldn't resist their terrific Cyber Monday sale :)

 I've got some table toppers / runners in mind for these pre-cuts.

 

Fabric for binding my sis' cross stitched wall hanging.

 Some muslins and Kona fabric for dolls.  Right most is Kona Amber which will be my cheddar for Lori's Cheddar Cheese and Crackers. Again I was enjoying Fabric Shack's deep discounts on pre-cuts during Cyber Week.

 Purchases of a metal clamp make-do, heavy muslin for my future stitchery projects ;) , packets of crushed walnut shells and a strawberry emery kit from Bird Brain Designs.  They're having FREE shipping till Christmas! Can't beat that!

And I've only got a cushion cover to show for a finish this week.  Please ignore the points not meeting :p  Bad patchwork on my part.  I like the colours nevertheless.  May make another with CW reproduction fabrics!  I've got a red and green piece of Colonial Christmas collection by Judie Rothermel on the way ... amongst other fabrics ;)

I've got loads of projects lined up next year and I intend to revive some BAP cross stitch WIPs.  Gotta make my list.

Bear Paw - WIP

 

Just had to get a block going of a red and white Bear Paw block into my quilting pan.  It's pretty huge at 14" square.  My plan is a 4 block quilt with a million HSTs for it's border!

Season's Greetings all bordered up.  Need to look into the applique for this baby.  And the 5 miserable blocks of orange peel appliqued to date.

Design:  Christmas Eve Flight (Freebie)  Designer: The Sampler Girl  Fabric:  Scrap linen  2/2 Floss: DMC

Christmas Star Block with borders sewn in ready to be sewn into a cushion cover for a 14" pillow form.

Ellen pants by Burda is completed.  Along with belt loops.  There's some puckering on the front right waist band but no matter as I never tuck in my blouses.  I like it.  I've got another piece of dark grey cotton drill for another pair.  It's either another Ellen pants or Angela Kane's trousers.

Pieces up on my design wall on this cold and rainy morning.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I've got the borders to put on and I think I'll make this into a cushion cover instead.  The points are somehow not quite meeting up on this :(  Entirely my fault for not cutting them right. 

Love letters.  Designer: Blackbird Designs.  Fabric: 32ct Vintage Country Mocha Belfast 2/2.  Floss: DMC

Started this cross stitch piece some months back.  Finished just in time for Christmas. Beneath are the red (RJR Supreme) and Kona Snow that will become my bear paw quilt ... soon.  I lean towards red and white come Christmas, no wonder with all those lovely quilts I see during my blog travels during this time.

The start of a small cross stitch freebie piece by The Sampler Girl.

Cheri Payne's Seasons Greetings to date.  I had to go slow when piecing the strips and had to get it on the design wall as it can get confusing when the setting squares and triangles are added.  I've got to piece the rows and add them borders and then there's of course the applique!

The orange peel applique is coming along just fine.