A Christmas Sock for Penny.

Both my children have hand made Christmas socks, made by my Mum.

My Daughter thinks Penny needs a Christmas sock, with it being her first Christmas!!!

With fabric left over from the Christmas skirt and to avoid thinking about Christmas shopping, work began.

My Daughter arranged the colours.

I didn't add any wadding, just lined them with white fabric.

Then onto the binding.

All ready now for Father Christmas!!

(Just a quick reminder for my Mum, those beautiful twin grand daughters will need a sock in three weeks. So you better get sewing!!)

A Christmas Skirt.

Saturday was the day for our trip to the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching show.

We always take our own lunch and get to use the Royal Hall, it really is lunch with a view!!

I was very restrained in my purchases this year.

The book stall I love wasn't there this year and many of the smaller fabric sellers seem to be missing.

I did get a scrap bag with a hint of Christmas through the little window.

Although the rest of the party doubted I'd finish by Christmas (this year). . . . . . 

Well here it is, a skirt for our Christmas tree.

Now its time to put the sewing machine away and start some Christmas shopping!

A bit of sewing . . .. . .

I'm struggling to get my head around the fact that it is in fact NOVEMBER!!

November is the time for our trip to Harrogate for the Knitting and Stitching show.

I have to confess I still have fabric, in a bag, from my last quilting show

 (and the one before that . . . . )

So after locating the graph paper and pencils I started to draw.

Charm packs are great if you use all of it for the same project, no waste!

(as apposed to random squares being stuffed back into the cupboard never to be seen again)

So with some white/cream fabric from my stash, a lot of cutting, some laying out. . .  

Then sew, sew ,sew.

Just one and half squares left over.

I am pleased with the layout but I think the colours look a bit 'muddy'.

Anyway, fold it up and get ready to buy more fabric tomorrow, well I have used some up so its relativity guilt free.

Previous visits here, here, here & here

Drum roll please, Ta-dah

 I love starting a new project, the collecting fabric, the planning, the experimenting . . . . 

I don't like finishing things  . . . . .

This project started in March this year

It got folded and stuff in the cupboard for another day.

But the challenge in September was to finish it without buying any more fabric!

So the back was pieced together using some fleece and a few leftover squares of fabric.

This is now on the arm of our cream sofa. 

(To keep dirty paw/hand prints off the sofa which is difficult to clean or I could keep the children and the dog out of the house as an alternative)

Another long term project was new cushion covers.

This one started way back in June 1016.

I'm not sure where the idea came from, probably Pinterest. 

Its now got a back and is almost ready for stuffing.

This curvy cushion front was started in January 2015

This was an idea from Pinterest, as soon as I started putting it together I wished my fabric was more contrasting, not quite so green.

Another idea from Pinterest, but no idea when it was started!

And the last one to be completed was another Pinterest find.

This really needed hexagons to be randomly placed on the cushion, but the area really wasn't big enough and I hold my hand up, I'm not very good at random!!

If I made one change to all the projects it would be the background fabric.

It is a 'Linen Look' fabric but it can be a bit unstable, sometimes it gives you an extra bit of movement when sewing but it can be difficult when you need to be accurate.

The very best bit about seeing all these finished projects is  . . . . 

I can start multiple new projects without 'Unfinished Project Guilt'.

October? How did that happen?

So September is long gone and I'm not really sure where it went!!

The children are now both relatively settled in High School, but it has become clear that organisation is not something that comes naturally to my son!!!

My days are now filled with all the 'home jobs' that I've put off over the summer.

And lots of walking with Penny.

This week I'm hoping to finally finish the sewing that's stacked on the kitchen table.

And we have a house guest coming later in the week, the four legged variety.

Summer Holiday - Snap of the Day (Catch up)

What happened to the last week of the holidays?

It started well, we had some lovely weather and did some Family walking combined with an ice cream.

Bank Holiday Monday and my Son was due at Summer School

 (Getting him ready for the move to Big School).

He wasn't feeling great when I dropped him off and when we collected him it was obvious something was not quite right.

 So we spent the evening in the local Urgent Care Centre, followed by Children's A&E, then X-ray, etc. 

We got home just after 1:00 with an appointment for later in the week!!

The best part of Tuesday was the news that my Sister-in-law had given birth to two beautiful baby girls. 

So it was back to the Hospital to visit the babies, who are sooo beautiful.

Then back the day after for the all clear for my Son, who by then was feeling much better.

On Saturday, I left the children at home with there Dad and made a dash for it!!!

After six weeks of children's chatter I needed a break and it just happened to be Harrogate Quilt Show.

(Don't ask what I'm planning to do with my new fabric, I'll probably just add it to my collection)

Summer Holiday - Snap of the Day (Kittens)

On Friday we had arranged to visit my Sons friend from school.

Not a normal 'call around to play'.

A long awaited visit to see there new kittens!!

All super cute and very playful . . . . . and then its time to rest!!!

Now every time we pass the end of there street I get 'Can we go and see the kittens?'

I said ' I don't think your friend will be in'

He said  'We could just look in through the windows, we'll be able to see the kittens!'

I'm not going round peering in through peoples windows!!!!

Summer Holiday - Snap of the Day

How exciting, on Thursday I went to the car showroom to pick up a new car!!!!!

Sadly it wasn't for me, I was just the chauffeur.

But my lovely Niece is now the proud owner of a shiny new car!!

Summer Holiday - Snap of the Day

Earlier in the Holidays we did a bit of Mum/Son DIY.

We made a planter for an ugly/shady area in our garden. The ferns went in on wednesday, all we need now is some barkchip mulch to finish it off.