Sewing Time!

So, this year I finally have some time to myself to get some sewing done. Am I inspired? No, not really. Funny how that works, you finally have the time but not the inclination. So, instead I have been playing way too many computer games, I told you the machine would eat my time up, and I'm making teeny-weeny projects which are fun but not necessarily productive. Here you see the double eye glass case I just made for myself thanks to this online tutorial by U Handbag. I had the purse frame in my stash of craft supplies, Who knows when or where I actually bought it. I purchased the funky fabric to make a laptop case for my niece. Maybe I'll make the laptop case for myself one of these days, if there's enough fabric left!

This other item is a thread catcher from The Stitching Room. Yes, I fancied it up a wee bit with some beading. It's small enough to go with me on quilt get-together nights. FYI, that's not a stain on the yellow batik, bt part of the fabric. It's made from scraps left over from Rachel's Star - remember that one? Well I gave it to my work colleague at his retirement party . He and his wife were thrilled! I got lots and lots of hugs for this one, and I'm very please. It was a total challenge, Rachel's Star that is, but I'm so glad I persevered. This thread catcher was also a challenge, my dyslexia got in the way several times. I won! WooHoo!

So to all those out there that think I'm nothing but a nasty bitter ole crone ... well guess what! Not so!! I have my moments, like we all do!
TTFN

Doom, I'm doomed!

I am totally doomed! This past year TVO, our local public broadcasting network has run the Charles Dickens Little Dorrit series. I have NEVER been able to catch the whole thing in it's entirety from beginning to end. I am fated to always come in somewhere in the middle. Yes, they have rerun the series several times, so I have been able to catch the beginning episodes, but that is simply not the same as seeing it from beginning to end! I'm doomed to never see it whole! So this year they ran the first three episodes Christmas eve and the remainder on Christmas evening. I missed the episodes on the 24th! I guess that's fate and I should accept it and move on, but really BBC productions are soooo good, and Charles Dickens is a classic! What's a girl to do? Empire of the Word is the other TVO series I've been watching, and since I also missed several episodes of this one I plan to catch up online!

Like my newest Christmas decoration? I couldn't resist as I got the glass bowl at half price, the pine cones for free, the ornaments from the dollar store and the I already had the ribbon! Once the season is over I plan on filling it with the dried hydrangea blossoms from my garden so I can enjoy them until the spring! Enough about Christmas. Onwards to a new year. I have lots of NY resolutions to make, and lots of quilty things too!

This year's tablescape

TTYL

  

HO Ho HO

So I thought I would get a pic of the lap quilt I made my father for the laptop he gave me! I kinda think that's a fair gift exchange. Now you can see the multi fabric border I boasted about in a previous post. No big deal but something new for me!

So last week was our first annual (at least I hope it will be annual) Christmas potluck for the quilt group I organize. It was a really good turn out, especially for this time of the year when everyone is so busy. I hope all the ladies enjoyed the evening. We went for an unplanned - bring whatever kind of potluck and it worked out wonderfully! Everyone brought luscious dishes, and I must admit that my green bean casserole was OK. Thanks Kraft Canada!

I'm still pretty much a basic point and shoot with the camera, so please nobody take offense if I left anyone out of a pic. A really big THANK YOU to JP for being our gracious host and making the initial suggestion. Playing secret Santa at the end of the evening helped top off the fun! It has turned out to be such a fun eclectic group and I'm really glad to be a part of it. I had 2 potlucks to go to this year and both recipes came from Kraft, I highly recommend this one!

Anyway, hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.

TTYNY

 

Ho Ho Ho

Final Christmas present completed .... TaDa! This free pattern came online to me from Quilt Arts magazine. I like free. Above is version one, which is yet to be quilted. I may wait until after my machine quilting class in January as I think it could use some nice machine quilting. Below is my completed version, yes done by machine. A colleague at work gave me the center (under the white Ho) poinsettia fabric which I also used on the back. The funky Christmas fabrics I found at the F.....Land store where I also found some nice green with light green stars fabric on sale for the binding and the funky buttons. All in all I rather like it and hope my niece likes it as it's her present (SHHHHHH)

Now, all I have to do is get through this season without killing anyone. Who said Christmas was supposed to be happy? Bah Humbug!

Postcards

Yesterday was a good day ... I actually made 11 fabric Christmas postcards! WooHoo! I know I know, this pic really doesn't give you a good detailed look, but since guild is next week, and some of these are for the postcard exchange, I don't want to give a zoomed in pic just yet.  I've been collecting themed ribbons and used some of them as my message - so in the above pic you are seeing some of the backs! On the abstract Xmas trees I placed a gold star sequin and gold bead at the top of each tree. I used my new Kenmore embroidery foot and machine quilted them all. I must say I'm beginning to like machine work!

TTYL

Seasons Greetings

It's December finally and all the fun begins! I've been sewing my head off and hopefully it will all pay off and people will enjoy their gifts. Just when I think I'm finished I find another project ... when mother moved from her condo last year she downsized and I inevitably received anything fabric related. So, many many years ago she purchased these machine made lace panels and red broadcloth with the intention of making placemats.  Yes, you guessed it .... I found them and feeling somewhat guilty that I have not completed her project (what? why am I feeling guilty?) started by hand sewing the lace panel onto the red square behind. There are a dozen of them - so stay tuned ....

We have a transit strike here in home town. So I have been providing rides to a young man in my complex, and rides home/errand trips to a co-worker, both of whom are dependent on the bus. So last night my co-worker gave me some "extra Xmas fabric" as a thank you. Looks like approximately 2 meters! so there's another project to complete. What shall I make, what shall I make?

Did I tell you I solved the porch light problem? I finally took a really good look at the original, shorter photosensor thingee and lo and behold I didn't have it completely open! So, I returned it to it's home in my front porch light, inserted the 150 watt light bulb and now I'm no longer in twilight when I come home! WooHoo! See, told you I would solve all the problems of my world!

Now, if only I could get myself in gear and out of my housecoat! But it is Sat am, PBS is on another fund drive so my quilting shows aren't on, and Vinyl Cafe is on CBC!

TTYL