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It's official, I am hooked on the Aurifil threads I bought a few weeks ago. They're so lovely to stitch with I was tempted to purchase more colours.
They arrived in time for Christmas and I eagerly anticipated stitching with them this week.
I have been stitching, but was captivated with the red. Funny about that!
These sweet little stitcheries are one of the projects from my club in 2012 - 'From Me to You'.
Details will be posted in the new year.
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Just like a particular salad and desserts have become part of our Christmas tradition, so has the making of a red & white quilt. Well it is more mine, since I'm sure my girls only pretend an interest to please me.
Apart from maintaining this tradition it is so good to have one less unfinished project in the house. (I know it still has to be quilted and the binding sewn on, but it's finished enough for me.)
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.
Marg
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This time of the year you'll find me with a pile of recipe books looking for a new cake or slice that will become a family favourite. The thing is they're not interested in trying anything new. When asked, all they want is the Layered Garden Salad, Lumberjack Cake and Pavlova. Now I am not complaining, I am very fortunate to have such easily pleased family and friends. The fact I've been making them for years, means they are pretty much fool proof. So when my youngest brother rang and said he'd be dropping in on Thursday, it was the perfect excuse to try something new, after all I've been testing recipes on my brothers all their lives!
I spent ages looking at the glossy pictures, reading through ingredient lists but kept returning to this book and the Hummingbird Cake.
I've wanted to try the cake for ages but you have to get the timing right since one of the ingredients is overripe bananas. It was an anxious wait to see if mine would be overripe in time. (How ridiculous is that? Well it is the silly season!) Bronwyn came to my rescue with one and by then mine were almost there.
It's very yummy and I've been very good and placed the left over pieces in the freezer.
This bowl of strawberries and handpicked blueberries, by Bronwyn, was delicious too.
Cake or fresh fruit, it's impossible for me to choose.
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Every year I find myself wishing I'd started making the Christmas presents a bit earlier. You'd think I'd have worked it out by now. Even the quickest of gifts take time when you do them in multiples.
I never get tired of making these. The great thing is they're all different and once the fabrics, decoration and threads are picked, I can stop thinking. I could almost make them them in my sleep. You will find kits for Ralph here.
Something different for a friend whose received gifts with Barb's buttons the past two years. The pattern for How Many Sleeps? is here.
The Ho Ho Ho kit can be found here.
And because I don't have enough to do I'd like to finish (top only) this quilt started about 18 months ago. The Friday Girls had a lovely day sewing at Sue-Anne's on Thursday and I'm inspired.
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The girls in my final class for 2011 got into the Christmas spirit with these hearts.
Can you see how perfectly, Kylie, Leonie and Deb fussy cut their fabrics? They look great and only needed to complete the glove stitch around the edge. I'm never sure who is more excited when things are so close to finished, them or me.
The pattern is Festive Trinkets and the buttons are Barb's.
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There's a reason why things should be put away in their proper place.
So you don't waste valuable time looking for them. I knew they were where they weren't supposed to be but could I remember where that was!
Michelle wasted no time last Friday, starting and finishing this decoration, and with time to start a second.
Considering the Friday Girls usually start late, chat and laugh a lot, have lunch with nibbles either side, this is very impressive.
Here's hoping tomorrow I have a chance to do some more stitching with these Aurifil threads.
I've always stitched with DMC threads but decided to try these after seeing them at the AQM. They're lovely to stitch with and it's a pleasant change not having to separate the strands.
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I feel very fortunate to have my pick of lovely patchwork shops within easy driving distance so what could be better than that? A shop totally devoted to Christmas, that's what!
I knew Michelle had opened The Christmas Beetle but it took me a little while to venture inside - sometimes it's best to avoid temptation. There were gorgeous decorations everywhere but I was focussed on looking for a new tree. Not to big and not too small.
This one was perfect - the size and arrangement of branches was just what I was after, the base was sturdy making it ideal for displays (you don't want your tree toppling over on a customer) but not that attractive.
So what to do. Something to cover it up. With thoughts and ideas for a new tree skirt buzzing around in my head I remembered the one I started last year and tossed aside when it didn't work first time.
I thought I would give it a second chance, easier and quicker to see if it was fixable than design and make a new one from scratch. With so many segments there is no room for error, 100% accuracy was essential and I was just a fraction out. A fraction out on a segment here and there meant the skirt didn't sit flat. Feeling disappointed it was set aside. Every so often I would come across it in the work basket and there it sat, unloved until today. With little care, I sewed a few seams a fraction wider and it looked a bit better. Deciding it would be 'good enough' I ironed a piece of pellon to the back which eased more fullness out of it. Then I cut out a back, made continuous binding and finished it!
I'm so glad I gave it a second chance. It took me ages to choose the fabrics, they're all favourites and it would have been such a waste of materials, time and effort to have 'binned' it.
Do you have something in the cupboard that deserves a second chance?
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Ages ago I asked Barb if there was any chance of having a white Santa to work with, so needless to say I was very excited when she showed me her 'White Santa & Co. pieces. Even better it was the large Santa and the tree I use on my Festive Trinkets pattern.
Arriving home from Melbourne on Monday, the first thing I did was head to the Post Office to see if my parcel was there.
There were other things I'd planned to do this week but you know what it's like, it's always more fun to play with something new.
Of course I had to try the tree and because I made it in next to no time at all, I decided to make another heart with the Everyday Angel button.
My favourite fabrics and buttons, a little stitching, - finished projects - what more could a girl ask for!
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