I’m back

This is one of those posts where you don’t know where to start because you’ve been quiet for so long! ;o)  I am still coughing, a bit, but not as much as I was, finally, thank goodness.  Ah, that’s better.  I’ve broken the ice. 

The project that I didn’t want to show just yet is now finished. Yay!!!  For a smallish piece it has taken me a long time to complete and I have been working on it over the last 2 weeks between all the coughing.  (Johnathan, if you should be reading this post could you bale out now, please, as I’m going to put a photo up. Good lad)

Has he gone yet?

Are you sure?

OK, so I’ll show you what I’ve been doing.

My nephew and his wife are having their first child in February and, although I had said I would never make a quilt again I really wanted to make one for this new member of the family.  The fabric is not pieced as you can probably tell.  It is made by Andover fabrics.

I wasn’t sure what design to use for quilting and eventually decided to use spirals and some wavy stitching (very technical terms!) with some little hearts.  When it came to the panel of flowers I followed the shapes of the flowers with the stitching.

Before I started on the quilt I practised on a sample first and was able to make this into a bucket bag.

Actually it doesn’t look quite like this now as I have lined it and turned the top over but you get the gist.  I am really pleased with the quilt and the bag and I couldn’t restrain myself from showing you all so I hope my nephew hasn’t looked in.  The quilt is just less than a metre square but I still found it quite strenuous quilting it on my little Janome.  Fortunately I found that I could use the extension table from my embellisher to support the quilt so that did make the job a bit easier.  Will I make another one?  Hmmm! Quite possibly as my friend’s daughter is expecting a baby in the summer next year and I would quite like to make her a quilt too.  Watch this space!

So, how many of you are snowed in this weekend?  We have been fairly lucky and just have about an inch of snow but it is freezing hard.  Hopefully we won’t get too much more.  It’s surprising how localised the snow has been in this part of the country.  If you pop across to my DH’s blog he has been posting a few photos of our town in the snow.  ( I stayed home and got my sewing room ready for my Mum who will be coming up for Christmas).   There will be more over the next couple of days, I’m sure.

Today brought me some exciting Christmassy post.

 

The very lovely Dilly sent me two parcels and they both arrived today.  The larger parcel has some very green bows on it.  Green is one of Dilly’s favourite colours. Well, she is a baby dwagon!  I am going to be very good and not open these till Christmas Day. Is that all right Dilly?

I’ve had 2 special cards today too

This very pretty card from Dilly and Helena, not forgetting Bob T Bear and his daddy.

And this lovely card from Carolyn, my very dear friend in St Ives Cornwall who is not too well at the moment.  Hurry up and get well Carolyn xx

I have a confession to make.  I have been so busy with trying to get my baby quilt finished in time for my brother to take it to my nephew this week that I haven’t found the time to make any Christmas cards for my many blogging friends.  I hope you will forgive me and know that I wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to rush off and watch the final of Strictly Come Dancing.  I still can’t decide who I want to win.  See you soon!!