Another Year Almost Gone

What an eventful December!  Dad I am delighted to say is back to his normal self, he no longer has the help of the care team in the mornings and is doing fine.  Our little grandson was a year old last weekend and we all enjoyed his 1st Birthday party, he had a great time, needless to say he soon got the hang of opening parcels, now well practised for the 25th.  I have to say though I think he had more fun playing with the wrapping paper and boxes than the contents!

Sewing has been slow but I did manage to make a little Christmassy something for our class swap.  We had a lovely evening at a local restaurant where we enjoyed a lovely meal followed by the usual chat and camaraderie.  The swap was great fun too - it's always good to see what others enjoy making, there was no fixed theme this year the only stipulation was it had to be Christmassy!  We as a group decided to buy a Christmas Gift for the whole group to use - a Sizzix Big Shot has been purchased with a few dies, I am sure we all look forward to having fun with our new toy next session.

This is what I made - I found it on the wonderful worldwide web and adapted it a little. (What would we do without all these sites to inspire and share ideas)  I hope C can put it to good use.

Sorry K - hijacked your photo - deleted mine by mistake!

In return I got a little parcel wrapped with a fat quarter of Christmas fabric!  Inside these 3 delightful little bears and the pattern too.  They are so cute I will need to make the others for next year.

Spot the 3 Teddies!

As this year comes to a close I feel although I have made a fair number of quilts I haven't challenged myself with new techniques.  I have managed to donate a few to good charitable causes.  Time is so precious and is spread sometimes thinly around so many different areas of life there is not always any spare to do the things you really enjoy.  I found this year I was sewing quickly to get things finished and not spending time on intricate cutting and piecing which I enjoy most.  There will be fewer 'simple' patterns used from now on and I will try and plan better and do some slow sewing.  I have a few plans for next year, techniques and projects I would like to try but who knows what 2016 will bring.  So for now I am signing off my blog until the beginning of next year and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2015

Christmas Quilt 2015

I have a few Christmas quilts in my display case which will be brought out of storage and will be decorating the house very soon.  Each year since starting quilting I try and have a Christmas project.  I realised this afternoon I had not made a start, nor had I even thought about this year's quilt.  

I remembered I had bought a few charm packs when I was in Canada this summer when I was already planning ahead for this year's project.  I ordered them online in a sale and I remember thinking when I received them they were not quite what I had hoped for, yes I know that is the problem with online shopping, the results are sometimes not as planned or hoped for. 

Never mind, I rummaged in my baskets and found them.  

I know I had a plan when I bought them involving HST's but not having written said plan down I have absolutely no idea now what it was.  Too many things floating around in my head as usual.  This is not the first time I've done this.  I buy fabrics with patterns and quilts in mind and when I come around to using the fabrics I can't remember what that plan was.  This is what I've done tonight.

I always make notes in my notebook when I make that first cut of fabric for a quilt but I think I also need to make some notes when I buy fabrics too, as I nearly always have pattern in mind when I see a fabric I like.  That may well be my first resolution for next year.

A new plan has been hatched and I have started, I'm not sure if I will get it finished on time but I will give it a try anyway.

I hope you are all safe and have managed to stay out of the wind and rain this week. How awful for all these poor people down in the Borders and Cumbria who appear to have been worst hit by storm Desmond.