Squirrels and so on

We have a real possum problem here in the orchard at the moment but I didn't really expect to get bitten by a squirrel.

But bitten I was!

Last month I noticed Larisa on Instagram (stitchingnotes) running a wee sewalong with Irina (nordiccrafter).  They called it a 'Sip Tea and EPP party' with a mystery project which ran over several weeks.

I admired it, naturally, but was being pretty strict with myself about starting anything new. 

Well, along came that squirrel and the rest is history.
I spied a wee bundle of Liberty fabric and found some hanky linen leftovers and got to work —

First was a sweet wee hexie flower —

Making a panel —

This is how far I've got; I was trying to use what I had on hand but need another small piece of hanky linen before I can continue. It will become a stitching folder — 

I'm signing up to this month's DREAMi linky party...where Sandra helps us to celebrate those Drop Everything And Make It moments. Thanks Sandra for enabling us!

I had a special request for some more Wayfarer shoes for young Mr Odie..."a summer pair please Mum which don't get too hot and cosy".

So I rummaged and found suitable fabrics and decided, while I was at it, to make a second pair using  the Oilskin canvas and fleece combination I've used previously.

Production line sewing —

(These are a Twig+Tale pattern.)

For the soles I used scrap fleece from our dear (late) Oscar-Riley's blanket. While she was waiting to take delivery of the wee puppy many (15) years ago, YD made little cushions and a blanket for him. Remnants remain and now her 'second son' (the dog being her first) is using the fabric. Yes we're a sentimental family around here! (And the Moda tape from a jelly roll makes perfect tabs.)

(These soles have soul!)

Mum is visiting at the moment as it had been a while since she'd seen all the kids. There are a few sniffles around so we are having socially distanced visits to help keep her germ free (and Omicron is taking off here in NZ). 

These two brought out everything but the kitchen sink to show Granny!

I have signed up to take part in the Time In A Bottle bloghop next month. I really need to start focusing on my project for that!!!!!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Winning......

I've had a few minor successes lately.

Recently I completed the last few blocks needed for my Star Pop quilt. The last photo I shared showed it looking a little like a jigsaw puzzle —

It didn't take much to complete it, of course, and here it is —

Backing and batting decisions need to be made, and then it will be on the quilting pile —

I was determined over the weekend to get the Barbie doll sewing done and dusted. While the family were away camping for the weekend, I was able to borrow two of the dolls for fitting purposes.

One pair of pyjamas were shared in my last post. Here are three more (the kiddies have 2 dolls each) —

(Our resident, olden days, Barbie with the big hair assisted with the modelling.)

(Fabrics used - scraps from PJs made for our son when he was about 9. Dress I made for myself a good 20 years ago. Buttons salvaged from old clothing over the years.)

I ran out of steam at the sleeping bag stage and only made two. ED assures me that two dolls can fit in each bag so no problem!

(Fabrics used - a dress Miss Lily has grown out of, a shirt I made for our son when he was about 10.)

An outfit each. These shorts look pretty baggy but are made for muscly Ken, who was away camping—

(Fabrics used - leftovers from something ED made herself as a teenager, orange fleece from the sleeves the MOML cut off a farm shirt a couple of weeks ago.)

High on the wishlist were some towels (!!) so four hemmed pieces of towelling later —

(Fabrics used - scraps from a beach outfit Mum made my sister YEARS ago, and bib making scraps.
EDIT Mum's just told me that my grandmother made herself a beach cape from that pink towelling fabric, the scraps were used for a beach outfit for my sister and now Barbie has a towel from it...that's 5 generations of family handling that fabric!!! )

And one last outfit. These jeans are very skinny, so will only fit skinny Ken!

(Fabrics used - legs cut off a niece's jeans about 10 years ago, and sleeves cut of the MOML rugby shirt eons ago.)

(I tend to save all sorts for mending farm clothes, etc.)

I took this to show that all closures use velcro - what a wonderful invention that was!

(The velcro is unpicked from special twin-baby cot sheets.)

As you can tell, I had a fun time using up bits and pieces that have been stored away for donkeys years. I think this is where the savings happen when you're a home sewer - being able to re-use, re-cycle, use up and a well stocked resource centre leads to so much fun - like making scrap quilts, as well as these dolls clothes. To buy fabrics for making such a variety of dolls clothes would be ridiculously unaffordable!

ED got out her machine the other day and made these cool flags for the kids' new fort (and she used her scraps for dolls clothes) —

When I called in they were flapping marvellously in the wind —

 OK, running really late now,  so I must away,

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Stitching away

Friday Night Sew-In saw me settled in my comfy chair with a bit of hand sewing.

I've started another block for my Wings and Pretty Things quilt; there's not much to show yet but it is a good little start!

I finished the flower but needed to do a little prep work before I could continue, so I pulled out my current stitchery project, Memory Lane, to work on instead —

Since I last shared this project, I've finished a couple more blocks so I am nearly done with month 3 - still very behind though!

This weekend I'm trying to get the requested Barbie clothes done so I can put all the 'doll-making' bits away. 

Pyjamas are on the cutting board at the moment and here is a pair I completed yesterday —

(NO, I didn't do tiny little buttonholes, there's Velcro tape sewn on the underside and the buttons are for decoration only!)

Well I'd best get back to those fiddly seams, thank you Wendy for hosting FNSI!

'til next time,

happy stitches,