Christmas? Tick.

Well, now all those spoonfuls of Christmas pudding have been tucked away under an ever-groaning waistband, the the last scraps of hastily ripped wrapping paper recycled, and the joys of British Rail endured for the return journey … I’m back!

I can’t say that Christmas was a barrel of laughs, my brother’s absence was so very deeply felt, as was the pain in my bloomin ribs, so I’m sure I was the most perfect house guest ever - NOT!  

I peeled some spuds but that was about it as far as my contribution went.  That was the worst part for me, but in the great scheme of things not that important, really.  What was important was that we were all together, safe and warm, to enjoy each other's company and to remember with love those who weren't there.

echino patchwork

ruby star rising

18th birthday

But, all the quilts I made for presents went down brilliantly well, so I’m really pleased about that … all that late night agonisingly basting was so so worth it!

Better still - look what was waiting on my doorstep!  My Secret Santa Swap with Stefy from ilcastelloincantatato in Italy …



Along with a sweet little card, Stefy sent me the most fantastic hunky chunk of parmesan cheese, some cinnamon, deliciously brick-like torrone, a little crimbo tree, two chocolate santas (one was horridly injured in transit) some Christmas fabric and a lovely selection of herby fruity teas.

I’d sent Stefy some chocolate in the colours of Italy’s flag, a festive mug rug, some homemade apple, chilli & sage jelly, some fabric and a little packet of yummy gingerbread … (I love how Stefy’s already snaffled most of it!)


I had started to wonder if I hadn’t had a partner at all - but it was the Post Office in the UK to blame, as per usual - they’d delivered it to the wrong address and then the snow had delayed it further … grrr … 

Anyway Stefy - thank you :)  It was a most welcome gift.  


Now to catch up on the pile of presents awaiting me in my Reader! 

… He Sees You When You’re Sewing …

So, nearly there on the Christmas front - just putting the binding on this little lovely - a present for my nephew Oliver’s 18th birthday, which is on Christmas Day!  He has Down Syndrome so I’m hoping that this isn’t too babyish for him, as at heart he’s just a little boy of 8 really.  

This is the first year he’ll experience Christmas and a Birthday without his Daddy, so I thought he needed a little something to cuddle up to at night.  Oliver’s favourite colours are red and white, and I’ve added a couple of Christmassy bits in too, along with two embroidered panels.

It’s hand tied (no way I can spend too much time on the machine with these ribs!) with red and white embroidery thread - but there’s a little surprise … the white thread GLOWS IN THE DARK!!  So he’ll see little glowing tuftiness while he’s going to sleep.

The pieced patches take their inspiration from Elizabeth Hartman’s Crazy Lattice tutorial at Oh Fransson! The old ribs suffered a bit with all the cutting involved, and the old head suffered a bit with the seam matching, but I think it was worth it!

So, that about wraps it up really for this festive season.  I’ll be spending spend time with my family over the next few days, so will be otherwise occupied stuffing my face with turkey and vegging out to the Dr Who Christmas Special - yay!

Thank you all for your support and humour since this little blog started back in August. I wish you all, my new bloggy chums and your families,  a happy and heartwarming Christmas, and see you soon …

xxx

No-one puts Baby in a Corner

I knew things were finally getting back to normal in the P&N household when I found myself indulging in a spot of furniture shuffling at 2am!  

I haven’t done this in a while but I was getting really cramped in this little corner which I claimed back in July  …  Ah look, there’s Mrs Singer before she had her breakdown …



Now, I’m luxuriating here, on the other side of the room!



I popped up the other leaf of my wonderful junk shop £20 table … and now … I’m vay vay happy!



Hmmm … that Tesco carrier bag lining the wastepaper basket is especially fetching, dontcha think?

So, time to play along with Sophie @ Her Library Adventures today and zoom in on the tree a bit …



This is my little (black) Christmas tree.  Usually adorned with miniature birds and tiny glass baubles, but this year … HEXIES! 

Oh yes … and attached with the humble safety pin … Ta-Da!

Do join in the fun and have a look here at the other trees …

Another quilt? Have you ANY idea what you’re doing?

Eeeeek!! I don’t know … It just kind of happened …

Imagine!  It’s just like the old buses adage - you wait for ages and then three come along at the same time!  

So, while I’m procrastinating wildly over the binding on the echino quilt, I’ve cut, and am now putting together, the blocks for this one.  

I wanted to prove to myself that I could make something fab out of the few remaining ruby star rising scraps Melody Miller sent me … I thought it would be cool to mix them with some of the Andover fabrics that I won from I’m A Ginger Monkey … 

The colours are bolder and more blocky to give the whole thing (with any luck) a strict graphic theme and tie those wildly different fabrics together.

Even back in October I never ever really thought that I would make a quilt using yer actual sewing machine; I’m just so delighted that I have learnt enough to even consider giving it a go, and then trying another one to learn more!  

I’m not up to learning the whole machine quilting at this stage, no time - am making presents after all! -  so this one will also be tied, and then big basic long stitch sashiko style quilted, with embroidery thread.  I like it.  I like the way the rigid machine sewing perfection is broken up by my sometimes wonky hand-stitching on the echino:




One day soon I’ll give the machine quilting a go, i.e. when it doesn't have to get wrapped up and given to someone else, but for the moment I’m really excited to be doing something using plains, prints, measuring, cutting and sewing!  All my crafting phobias in one! Muhwahhah ...

Phew!  And to think you lot out there in the Blogolopolis can all just whip up a quilt in a weekend ?  Ha ha ha … Sorry, let’s be more festive … Ho Ho Ho! I've got lots to look up to :)




 
 
 
… don’t forget -  click on the pic to enter my giveaway - I’ll post pictures of watchageddin tomorrow …

100th Post/Pay it Forward/Christmas Giveaway -

source unknown

--edit-- Something went wrong with this post, so I'm reposting - apologies if you've already seen it!! - I've also simplified the entry ... heh heh heh ... 

Okay - Now, much as I’d love to, I can’t give you all Christmas presents.  But what I can do is give everyone an equal chance to win one!

For this giveaway I’m going to include a little something of each fabric that has come to me since I started blogging: 

- a FQ from Sarah Fielke’s giveaway 

- a FQ of the Andover fabric and a piece of ribbon I won from I’m a Ginger Monkey ’s Technicolour Yawn giveaway

- some scraps of Melody Miller ’s ruby star rising 

-  I’m also going to make a little secret something too  (I’ll try to make sure it’s not too bin-worthy!)

- and a couple of other bits and bobs

I'll post some pics tomorrow ...

Read on to see how to win!




Now, I loved the weather report comments from my snow post -  

This is what Janet @ Caribou Crossing wrote - I think it reads like a poem: 

Here in Yukon it's about -25 C and supposed to get colder. We've had snow storms for the last two days so we have a great blanket on the ground. Days are short, there is lots of cloud and little sun. Three more weeks until the Solstice, then we have the return of the light.

… it’s amazing how much you can express in a few sentences …  
  
So, in order to qualify for my last giveaway of 2010 please spread the word by blogging about it ( - and telling me here - ONE entry) 

Then, for another THREE possible entries you could leave ONE comment for each of the following:

1. The best gift you have ever given

2. The best gift you have ever received

3.  The worst gift you have ever received and secretly re-gifted or binned - (names can be changed to protect identity!)

- one sentence, three paragraphs, a whole post of your own - it doesn’t matter.  I know you’re all busy, but kick back for a couple of minutes and reflect a while! 

All followers (I really dislike that word) by the closing date of December 10th, who have entered above, will also receive an additional entry.

Good Luck!

D’ya think?

more fantastically non-pc advertising here to brighten your Tuesday …

Made by You, well … Me … Monday … Festive Mug Rug

A little festive mug rug I posted on Skip to My Lou’s Made by You Monday space 

Look!  I even managed to quilt in neat-ish parallel lines!

Woo Hoo!

… If you scoot over to Cindy's you'll see some tremendous festive makings ... 

Baubles, Hexies Sequins & Beads

I’ve used these fill-able Christmas tree baubles for years - you’re supposed to put photos in them but I usually fill them with sequins or glitter or some such -  

I think they’re much more fun with little beaded hexies suspended inside, don’t you?