Hugs n Kisses

Yes they can be for you guys but it's actually this oh so snuggly baby wrap

... finished on Thursday for a friend to give to a school colleague who was having a baby shower on Friday. Must say I loved it cos of its funky brightness and the fabric was just soooo snuggly. It was a remnant I picked up at good ol' Spotlight so I have no idea what it is unfortunately.

As I was making it I couldn't resist stroking it!!!! Wouldn't mind snuggling up to it myself. Hope the new mum-to-be liked it:)
Finally worked out what my Christmas card design is, and actually made four last night. Rate of production is waaaay slow so may be sending out New Years cards if I don't get a move along!!!!
Ciao

'L is for...', and k-ute Kiwi

Am spending some 'chillax' time with my quilting buddy Sam which is always great for getting ahead on some quilting projects and have managed to complete a couple of wee things so far one of which is well overdue.....

I have been part of a swap I organised for our New Zealand online group Kiwiquilters. Each person chose either a block or theme for their swap, and this persons theme was "L is for.....", for her daughter Leah. My block is  'L is for Lovebug' from a design from Linderella and I'm pretty happy with it, as I think Holly dog (my friend Sam's poodle) is too:)

Next wee project finished is this 'k'-ute ( I know, pretty corny pun) kiwi that I made from start to finish on Monday night after Vince dropped me off here at Sam's house. Sam was out so I amused myself 'til she got home by making up this kit that I bought at last years Calico Christmas. I figured with this years exhibition fast approaching I'd better actually make up what I had bought before I went along and bought something new (how's that for justification of spending)!!!!!
Isn't he just great ..... am thinking he could make pretty groovy Christmas decorations for my Kiwiana Christmas theme.
Spread out on the floor at the moment are not one but two WIP's that involve 1930's fabrics - so not me normally - and they are both quilts that have been in my cupboard for quite some time. 
Will keep you posted on them ....
Ciao

'All you need is love' baby quilt

Where has the week gone? Well, I can actually answer that as I've been happily attached to my sewing machine:)
I was able to give the mum-to-be the baby quilt today and she was just so pleased with it.
This is how it started out 

I had a piece of fabric with the printed nursery print blocks in the bright primary colours with the black and white lurking in my stash so thought it was a great starting point. Aims loves aqua and I had used some of this aqua fabric in the quilt I had made to celebrate her wedding, so it seemed to work really well with these.

I bordered the blocks in a black fabric that was scattered with small red and blue patterns which looked fab. 
And then the back I managed to piece from polar fleece, which I thought would be great for Aims as the house they are living in has polished wood floors, and I was thinking this could be a blankie to throw on the floor for bubs to lie on.

And just to tie it all up - there was one block left that worked brilliantly for a label:)

Now can't wait for this wee treasure to make his or her presence known but that won't be until October sometime.
This is the quilt I made Aims for her wedding on behalf of our school - the photo isn't the best and I'm waiting for one from her now that it is in her home but it gives you an idea of her love of aqua.

It was sewn onto a blanket I had had as a child so was very special in lots of ways.
RIght, heading off to a 60's themed 50th birthday. Made my dress and the birthday girls dress so will post photos tomorrow........well, only if they look ok.


Ciao, 

Beaut Banner and aching bits

Spring has sprung and it's brought some much needed blue sky this week although the rain is still hanging in there unfortunately. 

I had a great start to the week with two days relieving. Such fun in first a junior class, and then a Year 3/4 class. I'm loving spending time back in classrooms with kids, rather than being in the management area.

Have managed to get some creative time along the way as well, and worked on a 'commission' for a friend whose husband sells plants at local weekend markets. Tanya wanted a banner or flag that her lovely John could put up at his stall.

So with that brief.....

this is how it turned out.  He grows wonderful hibiscus ..... umm hibiscii?? Well they are gorgeous anyway so that's what Tanz wanted featured on it and red if possible. I'm pleased with the end result, although hung this out on the line in a rush to take the photo before heading over to go for our training walk and it's a bit wonky.

That one's a bit clearer although the background fabric colour is way wrong. The hibiscus is appliqued on and then I felt it needed some free motion embroidery in yellow to give it a wee touch of highlight. It is backed in a funky black fabric with groovy white retro type flowers, and has side slots so he can run poles up it. Should look very bright and draw the customers.
Meanwhile, I sit here in my PJ's after having walked 14.5km in 2 hours as Tanya and I do our pre-training for the Hamilton Half Marathon in early October. Mmmmm not sure quite which bits of me are aching tonight, but feel happy that we improved both our distance/time on last weekends training walk. Yay.


CIao, 

A finished find

Home alone at the weekend and I seemed to have fits and spurts of energetic moments. Which has resulted in wee piles of part projects or decluttering scattered around the house - oops!!!!
But I did have some productive episodes along the way!!
Remember those two yellow placemats I picked up a couple of weeks back from the op shop? Well....

Da da!!!!! Aren't they cute? I'm really pleased with how they turned what were plain ol' yellow placemats into funky mats.

Here's the pukeko - one of our native swamp loving birds with his funny white tail feathers and lovely blue body. They are a kooky sort of bird that intrigue me. And yes, they do have a reddish beak 

                                  Then, of course, there is our dear ol' kiwi.

This chap is particularly appealing with his rotundness. I chose to do him in a more orange toned fabric to lift him rather than browns. Think the feet fabric was pretty groovy.  


So all in all I am feeling quite proud of myself that from woe to go these placemats have not become stuffed in a cupboard as "something I'll do one day".  
Not sure what I'll do with them now.


Although I did make an unconscious decision on Saturday that as September 1 is officially Spring maybe that would be a good day to set my sights on launching my Felt shop.  Perhaps they could be one of the first stock items to go on the midget magic 'shop'......mmmmm..... and how many days away might that be?


Ciao,