Christmas all bagged up!

Maybe you are thinking of this!?  Have you cleaned up after all the present unwrapping that has been going on?  Have you taken down your decorations?

But I was thinking of this actually .....the last two Christmas bags or pouches I had partly made....  Two star blocks here in Christmas fabric with a lot of hand quilting which is nice enough - ooh you can tell I made these a while ago by the dark colours!

Now the other side with the nativity scene had not been even started  - so how to marry the traditional Christmas colours with something a bit brighter...well put both styles of fabric in and hope for the best of course.

What do you think!?

The angel one has a bit of a wonky log cabin round it - think she has been celebrating a bit too much...

And the Magi has a rail fence border suggested by the print....think this one has worked out better...




Both are bound so no nasty raw edge seam inside as each has a Christmas fabric interior - slightly marrred by the seams at the zip - may have to think of a way over that little problem....mmmm!

Very useful for holding some of the many scraps I have and it looks pretty too!


Anyway the bags are done for now though I still have more of this printed nativity scene fabric so I could carry on a bit longer....or leave it till about this time next year no doubt!




Happy New Year everyone!  Looking forward to 2012 are you?

Visits, moving and more Christmas making!

Haven't had time to post of late as my sister-in-law has been visiting with her young boys!  Forgot what energy little ones have!  Phew!


Before they arrived I thought I had better tidy up the guest room which doubles as my sewing room.  It did need it!  These were photos I took months ago but the room was in a similar state when I started!  I have posted them before and several of you thought I should clean up....

Well at last I have and this is how the guest room looks now.....

Perhaps a bit too clean??  Well I had been leaving room for a travelcot but my youngest nephew has just moved into a proper bed so shared this large double with his mum!

While thinking of tidying up this room I had an even better idea - hence the lack of any sewing paraphernalia!


I decided to take over the poor abused playroom downstairs which was needing even more tidying and has not been much in use because of all the mess!  


I am not completely heartless though as there is still one corner area for my youngest and her Playmobil though territorial battles may well ensue...  (this area is bigger than it looks - honest - I just cannot get in there to take a photo for all the toys on the floor!)

So I ended up tidying two very messy rooms and moving most of my sewing stuff downstairs!  I am feeling very cosy down here now with more space, extra light and a hard floor which will be easier to keep clean as the threads used to stick to the carpet before!  


You can see my trusty table, with cutting mat and sewing machine.  And behind are drawers full of rulers, rotary cutters, WIPs.


There are books, jars of buttons, boxes full of scraps!  Vintage baskets of fabric and little projects !  Love those!

Here you see a lot more books - mainly lace and embroidery ones....and the purple cat food boxes are just the right size for holding patchwork pieces once they have been cut out...it's ok they held pouches of food so are perfectly clean inside!

I also have a large built in cupboard ....this is just a corner of it....which is ideal for fabric, part-made quilts, wadding and stuff!

Hoping I can be more productive in here and there is even enough room for a friend - or there will be once I sort out a few more of the toys - time they went to a charity shop or something as they are not being played with anymore!  Think that will be a Work-in-progress for a while!

Now I promised a bit of Christmas making....I had the idea some years back of making Christmas bags to wrap presents in as a way out of all the midnight paper wrapping I used to do and to save on the paper.  






My intention was to make a few every year until I had enough to help poor old Santa!  or should I say Mrs Claus!  But having started on the project the general feeling was that everyone found tearing paper much more satisfying so I was sort of out voted!






So I have finished a few more that I had started anyway!  They can double as small Christmas cushions/decorations - and next year if I get my way those men in the house who do not like wrapping may use them for their presents instead of getting me to do their wrapping for them!  Maybe need to make some bigger ones...?

And here are the ones I made earlier.....(quoting from Blue Peter and all those other craft-making shows!)

With a few close ups....a paper pieced tree with trimmings

the cross and crown block....

A bit of strip piecing....

Making them has used up several orphan blocks and has let me try out a few different techniques.  And now that zippers hold no fear for me I can choose between buttons and zips for closing them!   All have blocks on one side and then a printed naive nativity scene on the other!


I have two left to finish unless I decide to make some more...in a larger size perhaps!!?

Frosty the Snowman.....

Here is another hanging from the Debbie Mumm book - but as this one was created more recently it is in brighter colours as you can see...

and some closeups....

As you have probably noticed this is the quick version of applique - the no-sew version !  Just a quick cut out and iron on job but as a wall hanging I do not think it will suffer too much!  The fun of this one was seeking out all the grey background fabrics - I especially love the trees behind the central snowman!


Then all those little buttons!  Too cute!  And instead of embroidering eyes I used little black seed beads for that 'pieces of coal' look!


Still like this one too! 


More golden oldies to show you but am keeping advent calendars until they have more 'bits' added so you will see the final effect.


Also want to tell you about my day out!   Need some photos of my purchases though - hope to take those tomorrow!

How I started patchwork and applique....

I went to a patchwork and applique evening class for a term in 1989 in my local town - it was my way of escaping the home for one night and getting some much needed grown up conversation!




I was bitten by the bug and soon bought my first ever patchwork/applique kit and book Quick Country Christmas Quilts by Debbie Mumm  - still available!

The kit turned into this

Close up it looks like this....

See I liked reindeer even back in 1989!

And little snowy log cabins...and even bears!

My first attempt and it is all needle turned applique - no shortcuts till later on!

I was truly proud of myself and completely smitten with my new hobby!          




I made several hangings from the book but these are the first two....

Some pieced soldiers with a bit of hand quilting 

And lots of Santas....

I had found Bondaweb by this time and finished each piece off with button hole stitch.


They were all fun to make and I still like them though my colour palette of choice has lightened and brightened since those days!


Was that all the fabric that was available in those days or was I just following the Debbie Mumm colours - not quite sure!? 


This is the beginning of my getting ready for Christmas ....there are more hangings to come as I kept adding to my collection over the years.  And hangings was all I did for several years till I summoned up the courage to try out a quilt.

The table runner runs on!

Well I couldn't wait for the advice to come through I just have to get on and finish this table runner - it has an impetus of it's own!


I picked not red but a deep pink for the accent border - I think it is Kona Pomegranate!  And made a scrappy outer border!


The top is complete!

My hubby, who doesn't actually give me much feedback on my projects, said he liked it better without the borders!   I think they lift it and finish it off!  Just hope you don't think I've ruined it...?





On the back I want large quick log cabins so I can hide my less than perfect quilting and the job will be done!


I really like it and you know what that means - I won't want to let it go!  But partner if you love it then I may just manage to wave it off!


Next stop is to get on with the goodie - there may be a choice here - a mini hoop with a FM robin in it or a feltie elf - though now I'm thinking a reindeer may be more appropriate....?

  

Matroyshka bunting!

I have been busy making my Russian styled bunting.

First of all I took my matroyshka fabric

I cut out scallop shapes which I then backed with polycotton and trimmed with burgundy ricrac braid (from http://www.daisychaindesigns.co.uk/)

Next I cut out some plum coloured felt (from Paper and String)  into an upside down Russian onion dome style shape.  I layered the scallop shapes on top of the felt onion dome shape and sewed the two together. 

Lastly I made binding out of some stash striped fabric matching my colours and attached it to make a string of Russian themed bunting for Christmas.

And there you are  (Вот вам!):

How easy was that - don't know why it took me so long to get on with it.



I also have some Christmas nutcracker fabric which has been waiting for a project....hmmm!  I can see more bunting in the offing!


Told you I was a bit obsessed with bunting?   But why not join in?   Feel free to ask me any bunting related questions you have and I will try to help!


Nicky