January's FNSI

Gosh, the weekend has really flown by and I'd best get myself organised to write a post... I signed up to take part in Friday Night Sew In with Wendy of Sugarlane Designs...and part of the deal is, you write a post by the end of the weekend. There's also a Facebook option but, although I have FB, I'm not really active there and rarely post anything. So it's the (less instant) blog option for me!

Last post I mentioned that I was stitching a wee scissor keep set. So I continued on with that on Friday night —

I suspect I should have used a single thread for my Xs but I'm not changing that now! 

These are the pin keep stitcheries. The thread isn't as washed out looking in real life.

I'll make these two items up and then stitch the third, the scissor fob.

Thank you Wendy for hosting us. Please visiting her blog *here* to see who else joined in.

I realise I haven't shown the Hugs and Kisses stitcheries I was doing earlier in the month. It was suggested we stitch one-a-day during December but that didn't happen!

This was what I had done last time I shared.

And this is where I am up to. I'll pick this up again when I've finished the blue stitcheries.

In the same post I showed you the Loon that Mum was stitching while she was here. It was very fiddly as she was using a tiny weave, and there are lots of similar shades of colour use, plus lots of 3/4 stitches. However she made good progress and when she went home she'd done this much —

Yesterday three of us had an extra day at work; it was sort of a sew day but turned into more of a planning day. I took, and set up, my machine but didn't sew a stitch! We had fabrics piled from one end of the work room to the other.

 It's always hard work going through shelves of fabric and dreaming of sewing, but it was a fun day! I came home with a new pile of fabric to sew, but that will have to wait for another post.

It had been a busy week with two days of work, two days of children, and visitors for a day. So this morning I was quite happy to potter and catch up on washing, tidying, cleaning etc. I cooked up some plums, and some courgette marrow so felt quite happy with all that.

I wondered where wee Miss Tammy kitten had gotten to while I was busy and discovered her when I sat down after lunch to do the farm accounts —

Hmm shame she didn't pay them for me while she was there!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

December Day Eighteen

Tonight I finished the stitchery on this piece.

I had hoped to have this completed well before now so that Odie could enjoy it before Christmas. Looks like he will have to wait till next Christmas to enjoy it!!

These are wall hangings I made for the other families in previous years. 

2022 —

2021 —

(Can you guess this one went to the family whose Dad was at Antarctica for Christmas?!!)

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

December Day Four

About this time last year I bought some cute little 'kiwi' flavoured Christmas stitcheries (shown *here*).

Me being me, I stitched them up but did nothing else with them.

The other day I pulled this one out —

There aren't many NZ/summer themed Christmas designs so of course I had to have it. This Christmas kiwi is sitting under our beautiful Pohutakawa, which flowers at this time of the year. I took these photos a few years ago; I haven't seen any blooms yet this year but they aren't too far away.

I selected a few fabrics and decided to border the stitchery with narrow strips. I sewed them on quilt-as-you-go style i.e. as I attached the strips to the stitchery block I sewed through the batting and backing as well (forgot to take photos). The one thing I don't like about this technique is that the back often has messy looking lines that stop and start seemingly in the middle of nowhere. However I used a busy (Pohutakawa) backing and they don't show too much!

I used a single fold binding which seemed to be all it needed. I cut the binding at 1¼". You sew it on the same way as standard binding, you just don't double the binding strip before attaching it —

I sewed corner triangles into the binding to insert a piece of dowel for hanging.

And here is the finished piece. It didn't take me long once I started it, so I'm pleased I tackled it!

Now I just have the rest of this set of stitcheries to deal with as well (and I've just discovered there is a new design in this series out now too)!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

December day two ...

I pulled out my current stitchery project tonight, hoping to get a bit more done. I had aimed to complete this by the end of November so Odie could have it displayed before Christmas - I'm running a little behind! 

I just have the gingerbread house at the bottom to do and I got a little further along on that.

We had a busy Saturday,  starting with a brunch/ morning tea here at home as a family get-together because our son is out of the country (for work) for the next few months. Bacon and eggs for some, waffles and strawberries for others, and biscuits for everyone for round two. 

Not everyone was able to come but here are the MOML and I with his parents, ED, and our son.

There were five cousins here - this photo is indicative of the fun they all had together.

Of course we all sat around chatting for longer than we thought we would and before we knew it, it was milking time. 
Lily and George stayed on when ED left, as she had her work Christmas 'do'. 
They love helping with the chooks.

They are learning how to approach a chicken to encourage her to squat down so she can be picked up. Of course, the chickens get fed up with the idea after a while, so I have to be careful that it doesn't become a chase-fest.

I took the kids back to their place and they were asleep within minutes.

Vinnie the greyhound kept me company while I was stitching.

'til next time,

happy stitches

Raewyn.

Friday Night Stitching

I was keen to get home from work and the supermarket on Friday night so that I could start a new project. And it coincided with Friday Night Sew In so that was even better!

The new project is Gingerbread House by The Birdhouse. Great that it comes pre-printed, which meant I could get straight into it.

I haven't got much to show for my night's stitching though. However a start is a start!

Earlier in the week, I stitched this cute little elf. I'm not sure what it's for but I had itchy fingers so here it is!

For both stitchery projects I've used Snapdragon, a Cottage Garden thread. I like it as a Christmassy one.

I've also recently knitted this wee singlet. We had some damaged yarn at work, not really sell-able but reasonably perfectly ok, so a group of the ladies have been using it to make singlets and beanies for a premature baby unit.

So tiny - all my babies were big and it's hard to imagine that these will fit. I'm sure they would be too big for some of the babies needing them.

I've started on a second one and then will use the leftovers for a beanie or two.

Yesterday was a children day while their parents had a benefit golf tournament. Exploring the beehives, tree climbing and the swings all featured on the agenda. 

It's a quiet day for Ganma today, hopefully I will get some sewing done ♥

Don't forget to pop over to Wendy's blog to see what others got up to for Friday Night Sew In.

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

First FNSI of 2023

Friday night marked the first Friday Night Sew In of 2023...thank you Wendy of Sugarlane Designs for continuing on with this fun little sew along. It's always nice to connect with other crafters through the link up.

Friday nights are a push for me; after work (away from home) for the day, a visit to two 4 year olds and then a quick supermarket shop, I was more than happy to relax in my comfy chair and catch up with a little handwork. I work on Life Is Beautiful by Hugs n Kisses from time to time and just had the running stitch to do around the outside.

This is my previously completed block. I have a few lined up where I have done the applique element and they are waiting for the stitchery.

Once I completed that block, I continued on with this Christmas stitchery; it's a repeat block from the set I shared about *here*...I bought a second one of this design as I thought it would make a nice gift for someone one day —

A little progress —

And then I realised that I didn't stitch the flower in the corner of the sheep/kiwi block so I will do that before I forget about it again!!!

The rest of the weekend flew by (which is why I am posting this on Monday morning and not Friday/Saturday or Sunday as would be ideal!). On Saturday us 'girls' who work at The Country Yard went for a road trip down to our main wholesaler to top up on fabrics for our new projects for the year...we are currently trying to stitch up a storm for our upcoming New Year's Launch.

On Sunday we had family visiting - I did do a spot of sewing - YD had me do some remedial stitching on some new togs to improve their fit. Can't have them falling off in the pool —

It looks like another busy week is heading our way....

'til next time

Happy stitches,