Merry Christmas to all!

It's Christmas eve and I'm slowing down and going at a leisurely pace.  Enjoying some Christmas carols and sewing.

The Belgian Waffles quilt is completed and I am using it as my chair back.  Love the burst of colours.

I managed to complete 2 cushion covers just in the nick of time.  One of them is not a Christmas theme so I've put it away till after Christmas.  I've combined some cross stitch pieces that I've done a couple of years back and added some pretty fabric all around.

Cross Stitch Design: The Sampler Girl.

 I just love the quirkiness of the verse.  As you will notice it was stitched in 2010!  I figured it's about time to finish it and figured a cushion cover with honey bun strips all around it log cabin style will make a cheerful composition.  I lined the top with flannel and piece of cotton, and did some big stitch quilting along the strips with Perle cotton No. 8.

Cross Stitch Design: The Sampler Girl (freebie)

Completed this on the eve of Christmas Eve which means to say yesterday.  I would have finished it earlier if not for me buying a different red for the piping's binding.  Gotta do it right, ya know.  Love how it turned out.  I referenced a tutorial here.  Instead of machine stitching the piping to the front I hand basted it, more control and accuracy IMO.  The fabrics around it courthouse steps style are CW Christmas fabrics.

The postman was rather busy sending lovely gifts from dear friends my way this Christmas.  

 Look at how Santa is decorating his own tree in his house!  I love, love, love that pillow house finish.  Lovely little gifts from Margaret W.  I initially thought it was a Mary Garry design but it turned out to be a PS OOP.  The cushion has now joined his friends in my basket of Christmas smalls.   

Jackie W sent along a spool holder along with this appliqued Yoko Saito-ish key holder.  I'm using it now and I love it.

And then an absolutely fantastic Christmas ornament from Lillie!  Heck it's just gorgeous!  It's a design by LHN.  Lillie just comes up with all these creative finishes!  I've hung it on my door so the bell jingles every time I open and close the door!  Ah ... simple pleasures!

Here are two more packages from my stitching pals in OZ.  Elyte and Merilyn.  This is our second Christmas swap.  May there be many more!  I'll be opening them Christmas morn.

That's about wraps it up for the year.  I hope to still churn out a blouse or two ;) before 2012 comes to a close.

Merry Christmas to everyone, may it be a safe and happy one.  Many thanks for coming by!

Welcome!

It's still me.  This blog will be more of the same.  Sometimes familiarity is good?  I hope you'll bookmark my new blog or add it to your reader.  Thanks so much for sticking with me. 

Here's what I've been up to this past month.

Beige cotton-linen blend short sleeved blouse

Some running stitches detail and love those flower buttons

Satin bias binding hem

Running stitches along the sleeve hem

 Very happy with how the collar turned out.  The hand stitching just makes the garment special.  And of course my favourite hem treatment.  I used French seams.

Pleated A-Line skirt

Invisible zipper, my favourite

In-seam pockets

Jump pleats lining

 Self-drafted A-Line skirt incorporating pleats and in-seam pockets.  I thought I'd try lining the skirt using a jump pleat at the hem.

 

White cotton long sleeve shirt

Flat felling arm hole seam

This shirt was an interesting experience with flat felling.  But I used this method only for the arm holes and hem.  I freaked out for the side seams.  The results were not good, I had to unpick it. 

Short sleeved men's shirt

Only the pocket cut on the bias interested me in this shirt.  It was fraught with mistakes :(  Well at least it will be a wearable muslin!

On the quilting front, I pieced 6 Jacob Ladder blocks.  This will be a very slow project.

With the 2 sides not added yet

Belgian Waffles by Moda Bake Shop

With Christmas so near I really wanted to do some Christmas quilting.  I got it all pieced in record time and I'm currently machine quilting this 47" square quilt top.  But the stitches are not regular.  I think I may have to tweak with the tension dial.  I'm using a Crazy Eight turnover with Kona Natural.  The inner red border is Kona Rich Red.