2015 - where did that time go?

Can't believe there is not one post from 2014!  It wasn't my best year ever - and I'm hoping that it will always be my worst.  My parents both had health issues and my teenagers seemed to detonate in front of me.  I seemed to move from crisis to crisis.

I got very little sewing done - for me.  I did sew costumes for a musical and a dance concert.  I think, all up, over 50 costumes.  But even though I like doing that, it's not quite the kind of sewing I get the most pleasure from.  The theatre group I'm involved with are a great bunch of people and we have some fun times, so not complaining too much there.

In 2015 I will be making costumes for two productions - one set in England in World War One (it is the 100th anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli - so will figure prominently in much of the community's thoughts this year!).  I'm a "Downton Abbey" fan, so I'm really looking forward to creating costumes for this period.  The second production will be "Wizard of Oz" - and it will be lots of fun, but will make a very busy second half of the year.  My girls are taking a break from dancing - so that should make life a little bit easier at the end of the year.

So, my list of items to sew for this year - firstly a quilt for my son's 21st.  It was supposed to be finished by 19th January.  With all the family dramas of the last twelve months, that is not going to happen now.

I also have a candle wicking quilt on the go.  It's a queen sized quilt and I'm doing it as a BOM.  I find this type of embroidery very relaxing and enjoyable to do at night.  I'll post some photos of the blocks I've completed so far.

I also have a hexagon quilt on the go - has been for a few years now.  I would like to make lots more progress on this one as well.

Of course, there will be a number of smaller projects that will take my time throughout the year.  Plus my scrap booking.  Always trying to make progress on that.

So my next post will include photos.  For this one I just wanted to get back on my blog.  One of my New Year Resolutions is to be more active on my blog and to catch up with others I met when last active.

Here is to a fabulous year ahead.  I'm convinced it is going to be a great one.

xoxo

April and May completed

What a saga my last two projects were!

I finished the three stitcheries for the April project in March. Then I lost the pattern. Then I found the pattern. Then I lost the stitcheries. I've searched and searched for them. To no avail. Thought about doing them again, but then couldn't find the pattern.

I have a bit of an excuse - the builders were here fixing the damage to the house from the fire we had on New Years Eve. So a whole rom had to be packed and cleaned out as the fire had damaged the wall and floor.

May came along. A busy month. My 6 monthly scrap booking retreat was on and my second son was a partner in a debutante ball. So slightly busier than usual in our house hold.

This week, I was back to sorting my craft out so that I can get some organisation back into the new room and my craft room - which was used as a storage room while the builders were here. I was packing away the latest BoM package I'd received in the mail and here was the stitcheries. Yay!!

This was my prompt to get going and get up to date with the monthly projects. So yesterday, I put together the mini wall hanging and made the bag. I've bought linen to make onenwith the stitchery but realised that this was going to be unrealisitic. So for now, I've taken the option of making the bag without the stitchery. It's a lovely pattern and a nice little bag.

Here are the pictures:

The Stitchery.

The bag.

Not great photos. But I decided it was more important to write the blog and post the oictures than to get the best photos.

So, Chooky, can you mark me off for April and May. I'll make a start on the June project this weekend.

Cheers

Marg

A Finish for April

My first scarf for 2013. I love making these through winter. Love the rhythm of the knitting. I love the colours. I really enjoy knitting - taught by my mother before I started school, but ive never been a great knitter, so have usually stuck to simpler patterns such as scarves, rugs, etc. Since I've found these scarves, I've knitted quite a few.

My almost teenage daughter has already claimed this one.

Tonight I'm working on stitching this BoM from Quilt Fabric Delights - "Twas the night before Christmas". Its been a fun project to work on.

Apart from this, these school holidays have been spent card making and scrap booking.

Cheers

March Finish

Another finish for March. So excited. Started last year so this counts as a Sew its Finished as well!

And another OPAM.

Yay!! Very pleased with colours.

Marg

Chenille Table Centre

This week we made a table centre. It's chenilled. Hasnt fluffed up really well but another wash and dry and it should be much better. I made it to sit with me Blue Willow China.

A fun little project.

March Finished

It's the 10th March and I've finished my project. Wow!

It's such a cute little pin cushion.

I'm making a start on the stitcheries for April as I know how easily time can get away. We'll have two weeks of school holidays thrown in there, too.

Cheers

Marg H

Projects for a long weekend

Well, it's been a wet weekend in our part of Queensland. Where we are we dont have to worry about floods but it must have been very scary for other people.

While cleaning and sorting was on my agenda I wanted to spend some time sewing.

Saturday afternoon I spent working on scrap books. I'd had photos printed and really wanted to get some of those sorted. I had bought a mini Christmas album with pre-designed pages - just insert photos, journalling and a few embellishments. Creative Memories publish them.

In about an hour I had Christmas Morning sorted.

I then went on and put together the main part of our big Christmas album for last year and made a start on my daughter's graduation. A very successful afternoon.

Yesterday I spent time sorting DVDs and found lots that had been used and not returned to their cases! Mostly by that person who dwells in our house and causes lots of trouble but is yet to be seen by anyone - "Someone else"!

Saturday night we watched a re-run of Legally Blond 2. And while this was on, I made a start on the first Project from the Little Things Club. I've subscribed to this through Quilt Fabric Delights. All English Paper Piecing. I think all by Sue Daley. The first one is clam shells. I've done lots of hexies but never tried these.

I spent Saturday night glueing and last night sewed the clams together and got started on appliqueing the rows.

Love the colours Sarah chose. It's a great hand sewing project. Looking forward to month 2 - which I know is coming soon!

The sun is shining here this morning. Although they say the rain hasn't completely gone but even a little bit of sunshine is welcome at the moment.

A big week of craft here - Sewing Guild tomorrow, monthly sewing project on Wednesday, scrapbooking tonight and card making on Thursday! All come together in the one week.

Cheers

Marg