First Christmas jingles

I know it's still November but my bestus quilting buddy Sam and I had our Christmas early this year as she will be in New York (envious sigh inserted here) on the magical day. Add to that the fact that last year we actually didn't connect until March and had a combined Christmas/my birthday celebration!!!!!!!
SO two weekends ago we had a lovely day celebrating.
I drove up at the crack of dawn to Auckland as I had a secret mission re jobs for next year... but Sam and I managed to crack open our pressies before I headed off into the city for that!

Inside these three tins (which at the time were wrapped and looking way more gorgeous) were.....

...the 'winter warmers' themed tin. I stopped drinking coffee about 5 months ago in the hope it might help with my migraines, and chai lattes are my treat... and I have coveted this snowman pattern to make up for a very special friend so what a super gift:) Then -

...the "quilting" tin. 1930's fabrics to help me finish the never-ending Wedding Ring quilt that I actually was working on the last time I was at Sam's house but ran short of certain colourways of fabrics. And Sam keeps telling me she is sure I can come up with clever ways of using yo-yos hence the heart shaped yo-yo maker!!!!! Then -

...the "Kiwiana" themed tin. Scrummy coloured felt cos I am making felt ornaments for some projects for Christmas, a Buzzy Bee dangle and 

the cutest caravan dingles (since Emma & Jen stayed in a little yellow caravan when they were over from Canada it has become a bit of a 'thing' with us all) 
 OH and not in the photo cos I had already snaffled it out was the most fab silver charm for my Pandora bracelet of a caravan. Spoilt. Plus ...

... plenty of Kiwiana themed wrapping paper to keep me going for a wee while.
Great pressie and so much thought in it - thanks Sam:)
Meanwhile, I had been working like a wee beaver the day before (yes, as usual I kept to my usual last minute deadline) on completing Sam's gifts although one of them we were going to pick up in Auckland later that morning.
Sam has recently heard she will head off to university next year to do a years training to become a teacher so I had a few teachery bits and bobs for her along with ....

...her very own banner to hang in her teaching office space when she has her first classroom. I appliqued the letters onto various schoolish fabrics I had and then backed it all in a sewing themed fabric that had tape measures on it so it still related to our quilty connection.

Sam and I also have a 'heart' collection and I try to make a heart to give to her for each celebration. I had an idea the night before but had to adapt it at a little after midnight when I was outside in the dark searching for a shell and could only find a large one that wasn't quite right. Onto Plan B.....

And to go with that 'Love" a Pohutukawa angel.
To add to these we headed over to Albany on our way to Calico Christmas - the Auckland Quilt Guild's annual exhibition - to pick up the final part of the present - a rimu cotton reel holder that I had bought off Trade Me (like eBay) which was absolutely in fab condition. AND exactly what Sam had wanted:) On this adventure we discovered a gorgeous wee settlement with a quaint cafe so celebrated lunch before embarking on the quilt show which, as always, was a great exhibition and interesting merchants to browse (although had to be very restrained). 
WIll share some photos of the show tomorrow.
SO lovely to have the first hit of Christmas - has certainly put me in the mood even though it's only November:)
Ciao

A sea of lycra, tulle and ruffles - HELP!!!!

Oh the joy of sewing cotton - give me 100% any day!!!! But for me over the last week or so it has been nothing but slinky nylon, tulle and lycra.

All because I forgot to say "NO" when a friend asked me if I could help make some costumes for her schools Jump Jam group. For overseas peeps this if probably similar to a hip hop style of dance although with more of a focus on health and fitness.

ANYWAY this is what I was handed

Mmmmm nice as inspiration but guys I really will need a pattern cos I'm not quite that good at sewing costumes!!!!!(Luckily patterns followed but needed to have 'bits' added)

Then came the bag of fabric - in my head I had forgotten there were fabrics out there other than beautiful cotton patchwork fabrics.....

Ohhhhhh boy!!!! I honestly can not remember the last time I sewed something that hadn't got an ounce of cotton in it - I saw my sewing machine shudder as I approached it.

BUT after several days, and two all nighters this is what I managed to produce following my 'brief'

Five skirts a twirling...

Which I had fully completed and then "they" decided needed another layer of tulle under the layer of bright lycra - aaaagghhhh!!!!!

Complete look for the girls - thank goodness I didn't have to make the leotards, but added the two layers of frills by hand.

Then there were the boys shirts...

CHECK OUT THOSE RUFFLES!!!!!!! And that was what the pattern didn't have in it so I had to work out how to do those! At one point I felt like I was gathering satin fabric for miles, and miles, and miles......

And the final look for the boys - with a cumberbund that I had to create with no idea what I was doing but hopefully it won't fall apart as they do their moves!!!!!!!

My friend picked them up last night and is blown away. First dress rehearsal is today but I will go and have a peek tomorrow. Just have my fingers crossed nothing needs 'tweaking" as I really have had enough of touching "THAT" sort of fabric for a while!!!!!!

Right, off to stroke some lovely cotton fabric - mmmm:)

Ciao,

 

Playing with dolls

Well not quite playing - more like making, or playing with a pattern that I found in some magazines I have had out from the library (and that are soooooo overdue I may as well have bought them!!!!).
Here are Pepper and Poppet

They are a design by an Australian lady called Fiona Lech of Dear Fii and were in an Australian Homespun magazine. I hadn't planned to make two but, as usual, didn't read the instructions and raced ahead to find out that you only needed one lot of panels for the front as the back is made from one whole piece of flannel or other soft fabric. So rather than waste those orange bits of fabric I decided to make another doll - hence the purple Poppet was born!!!!!

I haven't done any embroidery for ages so it was quite nice stitching the 'girls' hair decorations.

Now that I've done these, maybe I should return that magazine and actually have a go at some of the other patterns in the other magazines and try to get them back as well!!!!! I really am atrocious with library books. Maybe I should stick to lovely tutorials on wonderful blogs now that I have discovered them:)
Ciao,

I'm in on this swap: New Zealand Handmade Christmas Ornament Swap

I love Christmas - have been known as the Christmas Fairy in my time, so when I saw another Christmas ornament swap well, I couldn't resist. And it's only a wee commitment so it's not like taking on a huge new project.

As one of my goals is to theme our Christmas with a real New Zealand flavour I am hoping I will be able to make, and receive, some ornaments that reflect those things special to a Kiwi Christmas.
Head on over here - 
New Zealand Handmade: New Zealand Handmade Christmas Ornament Swap
to sign up - the more the merrier.
RIght, now to get my thinking cap on.......have a few ideas jostling around in my head already:)
Ciao, 

Take one plain blue sewing chair...

...that really was long overdue for a bit of a pep up

                         

Add some very funky Michael Miller 'Mending Madness' fabric picked up from Spotlight at some point in the past for a project in the future (must be this) - barely a metre though. SO there had to be some careful (yeah, right) planning and thinking, before cutting. 

Put it all together and you get this....

Voila!!!!! Now I am sure my butt will just be drawn to this chair and that my sewing will be soooooooo much funkier and fresher:)

Do I admit that I have walked past my sewing room several times and stopped to just gaze at my inviting chair??? Sad, I know.

Ciao,

Baby bunting and boosting book

It's been a productive couple of days and I was stoked to finish this bunting, which I was making for a friend to give as a gift.

Having never made bunting before it was pretty much a matter of just going with the flow but things seemed to work out fine. I found some firm denim at my local wee op shop and used that as my base, then used a selection of fabrics from my stash.

I hummed and haa-ed (no idea how that is spelled!) about putting a backing on them, but after I'd stitched the letters on decided that yep, it would finish them off nicely so hence this plaid. Then it was pinking shears all round and voila!
I think young Jasper will enjoy lying in his cot and gazing at these.
Meanwhile the job hunting continues. Last week I had my quickest rejection email to date - applied for a job on Tuesday lunchtime and had a rejection letter in my inbox by Thursday lunchtime!!!! Top marks to that company for efficiency if nothing else.
Have to admit that it doesn't get any easier so when I saw this wee book at the flea market on Sunday I decided maybe I should get it and have it by my laptop so that each morning it might just give me the positive boost to keep my head up

I'm starting to wonder if maybe I should "stick to my knitting" so to speak rather than trying to do something different ........ 

but then I read this and think ... I really don't know 'what I want to be when I grow up'!!!!!!
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

Bandana bib blitz

So I might've got a bit carried away with the bandana bib making perhaps ....

But once I got going they were sooooo much fun!!!! Some have got the chenille backing and some have got a lovely soft cotton flannel backing.
Then there were the decisions of which fabrics to chose from my stash - because these were for boys that at least helped narrow down the choices a little bit.

The burger one has to be for fast food restaurants.......

And can't you just see a little chap sitting up at a fancy restaurant or wine bar wearing this one while Mum and Dad sip on their chardonnay or sauvignon blanc?????

    I've always liked the Buzzy Bee icon so 

this one was a definite to be made. Every Kiwi baby needs to grow up having had a pull along Buzzy Bee toy as part of their childhood memories.
On some of the bibs I have used velcro fastening - I put this on the ones with the chenille backing as these were a bit thicker - and on the flannel ones I've put a snap dome fastener.
Now I just wish we'd had some of these around when my boys were young chaps - how trendy would they have looked.


Right - off to catch some good sleep before heading off to Hamilton for my Half Marathon walk .... 21km, mmmm .... only a few butterflies in my tummy ....
Ciao, 

Feet are made for walking....?

  

FIrst step (excuse the pun) towards my half marathon was walking the City to Surf 12km on Sunday which was a bit harsh after not getting to bed til 2.30 daylight saving time....mmmm.... hadn't planned that one too well had I!!!! So when that alarm went off both Vince and I had to drag ourselves to the car to drive the  2 1/2 hours back to Tauranga from Auckland ready to hit the pavement along with a couple of thousand others who looked way more energetic and alive than us.

But we don't look toooooo shattered afterwards do we? Although I do wish I glowed healthily rather than looked like Rudolph with bright red cheeks.
It was great that the day was nice and clear - in fact the last couple of kms round Mauao (that's the Maori name for Mt Maunganui) was literally stunningly hot, and I was hanging out for that energy drink at the finish line......no breakfast meant my blood sugar levels were somewhat lacking, not helped by the two nights of limited sleep from my quilting marathon!!!!

Now training wind-downs as I head into this Sunday's Hamilton Half Marathon....... remind me why I'm doing this again?


And not that I am into extrinsic motivation but I will share my certificate with you all, as well as my not too shabby results: I came 94 out of 760 walkers yesterday, 71 out of 612 females, and 14 out of 91 in the female 45-49years

Meanwhile on the home front I am enjoying doing some smaller sewing projects and a friend wanted some baby gifts so yesterday I began making some bandana bibs that I have been wanting to try making.

This is one almost done and the next one about to be cut out. I found a great cotton candlewick/chenille dressing gown at the op shop and have used that to back it with, and then discovered in my stash some lovely soft flannel so am using that to back some others. Need to finish them today with snaps or some velcro, and then see how they look. It's fun to be working on some little projects for a change.
Ciao, 

First sewing room 'revealing' and madly quilting

Here it is - the first reorganised, sorted space in my sewing room/creative space. I know it's only a small area, but positive thinking - it's a start:) 

I love the old treadle machine but don't use it and at one point used to have my machine sitting on top of it but it was at totally the wrong height to work at. So now it can hold my baskets, which in turn hold my fabric scraps and patterns. The one on the pedal has my stash of new and vintage buttons.

        

The cape on my big torso is one the team at school made for me a couple of years ago when I finally completed the last few papers for my degree and graduated. It is very much 'me', covered in bright funky paper flowers.

The wee, blue suitcase was my first schoolbag - I remember swinging around with it on about my third day at school and hitting a girl in the mouth and knocking her tooth out!!!!! The nuns were not impressed. I've yet to decide what to store in that. Above it is a sewing basket I have had since I was a young girl, and perched atop that is a little tin sewing machine I used when I was a girl. Many a seam was hand cranked with that little treasure. It's past it's use by date now, but I do love it.

So that's possibly 1/6th of the room sorted. 

As for what else I've been doing ....... still waiting to hear about the job I applied for...... 

found this bright, rainbow mat at the op shop

  

which I think my lappy quite likes sitting on while I work on it in the dining room. Certainly makes tapping away a lot brighter:)

Then there has been the mission to de-fabricate an old lampshade that Gran gave me. Man has that ever been a mission.

Ripping the fabric off was fine, but the problem was the it seemed to be almost glued as well as stitched to the metal edges. SO I soaked it all day on Friday in a hot bath, then spent more time picking and peeling. FINALLY I managed to have success. My plan is now to wire and bead it and make a funky sort of chandelier for my creative space. Watch this space.

Oh, and in amongst all this was our midnight trip to Hamilton to collect our son from the airport after his 5 months working in Jakarta. Was lovely to see him, even if he was the last one to get through customs as they decided they would check every single item of his - and I mean every single item!!!! We were literally the last people to leave the airport at 1.45am, so didn't get home until 3.30. Ah, but he's worth it.

And since Saturday I've been madly working on putting together some blocks I got back from a block swap....... but more on that in a couple of days.......

Ciao,