Farewell 2014

It's hard to believe another year is coming to an end already. Like everyone, I have had my share of highs and lows in 2014. Although life seems mostly rosy on my blog, this year has certainly been something of a personal roller coaster.

Fortunately life goes on, and I am more than ready to welcome 2015. Lots of challenges ahead I'm sure, but lots of stitching, friendships and good times as well.

Thank you for your friendship and encouragement throughout the year. It's been wonderful to share another year of creativity with you all.

Wishing you a peaceful, fulfilling and creative 2015.

Susan x

Sent for SSCS

After much deliberation, I decided to make a clamshell zipper pouch for Karol-Ann. I'm getting better at keeping my clamshells straight!

A fussy cut K hiding amongst the clamshells.

So much pleasure in making and sending this gift.

Susan x

SSCS

It just wouldn't be Christmas without the SSCS. My gift this year was from Berit in Norway. A beautiful Christmas table runner. Lovely stitching and attention to detail, the reindeer are very sweet. It's a little bit wrinkly in the photos.........but who irons on Christmas Day?!

Heading home today so I am looking forward to finding a home for my new runner. Christmas may have to last a little bit longer this year. Thank you Berit and dear Chooky for organising SSCS again.

We have stopped overnight at Mittagong. Very sad to see this store closed for Christmas :(

I hope Santa found you.
Susan x

Christmas sewing

Between kayaking, fishing, walking, reading, swimming (too cold for me though) and eating, I've had a little bit of sewing time. Last week was so busy I didn't have a lot of time to plan my holiday sewing.
I started with this runner unfinished from last year. Not terribly happy with the circles, tiny ones are hard to keep neat. Hopefully it won't take another year to finish off the ends and backing.

My red cross stitch sampler came with me, but due to a miscalculation I have undone every stitch I have sewn since I got here! So no progress to show there.
This is the decoration I sent to Karol-Ann for Chooky's SSCS. I'm getting very excited about opening my gift from Berit tomorrow.

Yesterday I took my MIL for a manicure as her Christmas present. It was only her first time and my second. It was a lot of fun, but I chipped the nail polish within ten minutes. I'm far too practical for painted finger nails I think.

Being away from home is making our Christmas preparations very relaxed and low key. I hope your plans are coming together, that you can find time for a sneaky sew, and that Santa leaves you something special under the tree.

Happy Christmas
Susan x

Thank you

Thank you for all your lovely, caring comments on my last post. I was in two minds about it, but it's something I needed to share with my friends. I really felt your love and support so thank you. We had a wonderful celebration of Dad's life, and will now focus on all the happy memories.

It was a welcome break to have lunch with the Cassilis Quilters last week. I had made some little gifts for Christmas a while ago. Yes, more zipper pouches.

Lea made each of us a gorgeous tape measure cover in felt, with individual colours and designs. Of course mine is the red one. They are so incredibly cute.

School and work have finished for another year. We are on the South Coast for Christmas, a welcome opportunity to relax and recharge.

Susan x

Goodbye My Dad

My Dad passed away this week. Eighty three years old, fifty six years married, four children and twelve grandchildren. He was a kind and loving father, renowned for his sweet tooth (which he passed on to me). It's a sad time for us, but a relief for him after thirty years of Parkinson's disease.

I took this photo late last year........I don't usually do selfies, but love this last one of us together.

Love you Dad.
X

A finish

I finished quilting my nieces quilt at Middlebrook, but now it's properly finished with binding and label, ready to send for her 18th. It's not quilt weather at all, but it might keep her warm at Uni in Canberra next year.

I've been working on my cross stitch and a few zipper pouches for Christmas. Not nearly as much sewing time lately as I would like.

Happy weekend,
Susan x

SSCS and Sydney

Look at what was waiting for me when I got home from Sydney yesterday. My SSCS from Berit in Norway. So exciting to unwrap this gorgeous decoration that will most definitely be hanging on my Christmas tree later today. Thank you so much Berit, and Chooky for organising.

We were in Sydney to attend a presentation at the University of NSW for Mr 17 and Mr 15 who both achieved high distinctions in the University's school level English exams. It was a very proud parent moment, and a little scary to think my eldest son might be heading to University in twelve months.

I didn't go to any patchwork shops this trip but I did realise one of my life's ambitions............I finally went to IKEA. What an experience. Definitely will go there again. We had so much fun, and did some shopping too of course.

Christmas decorating today, and hopefully some stitching time too.

Let the silly season begin!
Susan x

A Christmas finish

Ta dah! I finished my Christmas bauble. A wee bit of cursing at the end as one of the segment points frayed so now sporting a little button at the bottom. I added 2014 on the star panel as some of the stars were just too small. I love how it turned out. Will probably make another one but not this year.

Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike stuffing things? It was my least favourite part of this project too.

Happy Christmas stitching.
Susan x

So so hot

It has been a terribly hot weekend, we reached 41 degrees today. Not as hot as some places, but way too hot for me.

After what was a pretty ordinary week at work, some stitching therapy was in order. So today I started my Joyful Bauble. It's a very sweet pattern but there are some VERY tiny pieces involved. Three sections finished so far.

Mr 13 completed his raw edge applique project at school. All those years of watching his Mum sew must have helped!

Fingers crossed for a cooler week, and a bit of rain would be good too.
Susan x

SSCS

My swap gift for Chookyblue's SSCS will be on the sleigh tomorrow to...........

Have a great week.
Susan x

Oh dear

So much achieved on retreat last weekend, and so little done this week. Hoping to put the final stitches in my SSCS and get the binding on my nieces quilt this weekend (just have to get a pesky assignment finished out of the way first).

A little retail therapy at Hatched & Patched to cheer me up. No idea when I will sew this......hopefully before Christmas!

And a progress pic of my cross stitch which I am loving.

We are having really hot, dry weather at the moment. It's almost too hot to sew! We're having an air conditioner installed in our bedroom today so I may retreat to sew in bed later today.

Hope you have a happy weekend with lots of time for stitching.
Susan x

Middlebrook Retreat

Having a wonderful time on retreat at Middlebrook near Scone. A lovely rural outlook, lots of cows, calves, sheep and lambs in the paddocks.

Way too much yummy food and drink. Here we have Cardy, Raelee, Janette, Kristen, Julie and Lea enjoying lunch. Unfortunately Kylie couldn't make it.

After a huge day quilting, I finally finished quilting my nieces quilt just in time for a photo before sunset. Doesn't really show the true colours but you get the idea.

Lea and Julie are busy making Fancy Fox quilts. I made six blue ones last night, but not sure if I want to keep going just using blue scraps from my stash. Not great lighting again.

Another night and half day of stitching fun ahead!

Susan x

Two more sleeps

Only two more sleeps until I head off on retreat. I'm joining up with the Cassilis quilters and some Newcastle girls to stitch the weekend away at Scone, in the Hunter Valley. It's only a small group, but with lots of talent and personalities, it promises to be a fun weekend. I've only been on retreats with a tutor or classes, so I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone's working on and having a more casual format.

I know I'm taking way too much sewing, I might have to stay a week. Even my sewing machine is coming along........just in case I need to sew a fancy fox.

Susan x

Secrets on the stitching front

Thank you all for the feedback about my corners. I have decided on a similar petal shape. You can see it here with some linen I bought for my fancy fox quilt. For anyone wanting some nice linen for zipper pouches or fancy fox quilts I can recommend what I bought from Kelani Fabrics. It's 140cm wide and a lovely warm, natural colour. The service was excellent and fast too, Elissa was very helpful with my enquiry.

There has been some secret sewing happening as well. I'm very happy that I have finally made some good progress with my SSCS. Inspiration finally struck for the decoration this week, but obviously I can't show you that either!

The weather is very strange at the moment. Thirty five degrees yesterday and only 20 today. I think I should take the opportunity to do some hand quilting on my nieces quilt!

Happy stitching,
Susan x

Second border attached

I finally finished all the applique and got the second border sewn on Irish Circles today.

Well almost. What do you think about the space in the corners? I wasn't happy with the shape on the pattern. Should I add the petal shape or leave it blank?

The final border is a large saw tooth, I'm looking forward to digging through my scraps again.

Hope you find some stitching time this week.
Susan x

Progress

Absolutely loving working on my new cross stitch. Not so great for my eyes, but very addictive. Alternating with applique.

Hubby returns tomorrow, and Mr 17 is on the loose in Sydney tonight, so I expect to get lots of sewing done tonight.

Happy Friday.
Susan x

New projects

Whilst my hubby is away on his annual pilgrimage to the Moto GP at Phillip Island, I have been sewing up a storm. Lots of sashing added to DJ blocks, and more applique for IC border, only one and a half borders to go. And quilting my nieces quilt.

You may recall that I put myself on a fabric/project diet earlier in the year. Well I have been very good, but fell off the wagon this week. A new project has arrived from the Crewel Gobelin......a cross stitch sampler of all things!

And then in a moment of weakness I downloaded the Fancy Fox quilt pattern. Check out Sharon's. I am in love with this little fox. Instant download is so instantly gratifying, if only I could do the same thing with fabric! It didn't take very long to whip this block up this morning. I wish, wish, wish I had enough linen in my cupboard to keep sewing these blocks TODAY. I think I might make one from my stash only using blues and teals, with one red fox!

And if there was ever any question about my sanity...........there is a baby fox too! Please don't judge him by his odd ear.

If only there were more sewing hours in the day! Hope you're having a lovely sunny, stitchy weekend.

Susan x

A Stitching Sunday

Three of my menfolk headed off to the Bathurst 1000 car races today, and one went to work. So after a few chores and restocking the cupboards I got to stitch all day! I totally understand the atmosphere of actually being at the races, but it's pretty comfy watching it from the couch.

Some more DJ, border prep for Irish Circles, and a little secret sewing.

Yesterday we went to Sculptures in the Garden at a local winery. There was some amazing talent on show, we loved the chickens and wire animals.

Chocolate and cake for lunch makes for a pretty good day. Hope you had a good weekend too.
Susan x

Happiness is.........

...........the beginning of six months long service leave! DH is taking six months leave for some long overdue R&R. I'm hoping that his days will include a little bit of cooking and cleaning, because I will still be at work. Maybe he will take up patchwork???

I have had a lovely day stitching in the garden at Cassilis with Raelee and Kylie. A small group today, but still so relaxing. Kylie worked on her B&C hexies, Raelee was finishing off some cross stitching and I finished a DJ block.

Happy Friday.

Susan x