January Catch Up

Now I have blogged about my Finish A Long lists for 2014 and 2015 and my square for stashbee hive 2, it is time to catch up generally.

I got some lovely fabrics around Christmas time. My stateside son bought me lovely Summersville fabrics by moda for Christmas. We have a great system. I look on Lark Cottons, here, and send him a suggested list, he narrows it down to what he thinks I would like and he orders and gets it delivered to him. It then comes to me at Christmas and birthday, which is conveniently mid year and between Easter and our summer holiday. Simples.



My daughter bought me some lovely Parisian mannequin fabric, Dress Up by Robert Kaufmann. I absolutely love this and admired it before online. I think it is from the same range as some lovely macaroon fabric. Now, do I use the mannequins on their own, or add to it? Or just keep it and stroke it?



My English son's partner, known to us on instagram as hippocamel got me a brilliant present. She has signed me up for the Eternal Maker Japanese swatch club. There are 6 swatches every month, as I received 3 this week, I am assuming they arrive twice a month! And, rather fittingly, one of the swatches this week has hippos on it. I do have a plan for these, or rather the beginnings of a plan. I will wait until year end when I will have 72 swatches and half square triangle them with a plain contrast. Claire also knit each of us a Christmas tree bauble from 55 Christmas Balls To Knit by Arne & Carlos. We each got a different one , beautiful. I know where they are from as I bought her the book for Christmas!! A good sign. And it was ok, as Claire's own book was in Flemish! I suppose knitting patterns are kind of universal.


 

I love both making and receiving home made presents. And a hand made rather than home made present was good friends. An infinity scarf made locally by Harriett Moore-Boyd , (website) and a lovely peach colour. Anne knows me too well!
Excuse the frowny face , never have managed this selfie trick.



On the makes side, there was very little by me as I was mostly spinning with the vertigo. I did some sewing but only what I really had to. A sewing machine with vertigo is an interesting experience, and doesn't lead to straight seams, so my plans to make everyone a useful pouch came to nothing.  I finished my SUFTUM quilt already blogged about. I gave a little helpful (?) advice as my daughter made book bags for three of her friends. All of whom loved them. The fabrics used were Little Apples by Riley Blake, a little birdie fabric by Suzie Ultman, from Fluffy Sheep Quilting, little sheepie fabric, can't remember the name but it is Japanese and came from the Village Haberdashery and kona for the linings. We added a little "handmade" ribbon and there you are.



 
 
The one thing I had made was a covered notebook for my genealogy friend Maria. Maria was originally Hazel's piano teacher and we just bonded through our love of needle things, cross stitch, knitting etc. Maria also got me into my family history, or rather she took an interest and made it an obsession. The big difference between us is she is a gadget person and my brain freezes over with confronted with a new gadget.


I have been quilting away on my giant plus quilt for my stateside son. I was sorry not to have it finished for Christmas, don't think he was overly bothered. When he saw it though he seemed ok with it and agreed it might be useful. He actually had a bad fall this week and is off work for a few days. Nothing like maternal concern to concentrate the mind. I am quilting straight lines through the blue squares, not quite narrow enough for matchstick. More like firewood kindling quilting I suppose. I have it all done in one direction. Just the other direction and then the binding to do.

Oh and I forgot, it seems so long ago now. I have never blogged about the lovely cushion I received in the Irish Modern Quilters cushion swap. I was lucky enough to be Anneliese's partner and she was spot on. I love hexies, love aqua and blue and robins!


Today I am finishing off my Schnitzel and Boo swap, which I haven't blogged about yet, and catching up on Anneliese's bee square from December. It is all half square triangles and I wanted to wait until I was well before attempting. And of course a little more plus quilt (or finnish/Swedish) quilting. And book number 2 for my 52 book challenge. I seem to be falling behind already............

sneak pic of schnitzel and boo swap


all the best and keep warm
Helen x

Comments

  1. Santa was very good to you....you can never have too much fabric and what a beautiful cowl!

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  2. Glad you are feeling better! Really like the covered notebook and you did well with your fabrics , gorgeous!

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  3. I hope you are feeling better! It sounds like you had a lovely Christmas break, and the notebook you made is great.

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  4. Hope you are better now.
    You really made me laugh with the firewood kindling quilting! I have to try that too because matchstick quilting sounds never ending!

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  5. You have got lovely presents. Pretty and so thoughtful.

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  6. How lovely to receive fabric as a present. I love the Summersville fabrics.

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