I've Made it!

Firstly, thank you everyone for your lovely comments and congrats on my 1 year blogiversary post yesterday!  I've had so much fun reading through your comments & choices.  I completely forgot to say when I'd draw the winning number, so I'll wait until Thursday and do it then.  

Good luck everyone (you'll need it 'cos Hadley has entered and she wins everything!).

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I've made it to the end of my Handmade Christmas Present list.  This will truly be a Handmade Christmas (Kirsty eat your heart out!).

Every member of my family will receive at least one handmade gift from me.   

Including teachers' pressies, the totals are:

3 mugrug/hostess box sets

7 journal/diary covers

3 sets of change trays

6 Tea bag wallets

3 tissue pouches

6 make up bags

1 gift bag

2 cushions

1 Batbag/toy pouch

1 laptop sleeve

2 doll quilts/pillow sets

3 mini baskets

3 pairs of crochet fingerless gloves

1 crochet headband

1 cot quilt for a Christmas baby (still to arrive!)

and a partridge in a pear tree!

I mentioned above a crocheted headband.  I got carried away making these cute flowers from a pattern Sarah gave me.

And I thought they would look lovely on crocheted headbands.  My youngest always wears headbands to tame her magnificent thick, blonde locks, so this will be an extra wee stocking filler for her.

Modelled by Daughter no.1

And one last pic (or 2) of the diary cover my hubbie requested.

Of course, just because I've finished my list, doesn't mean I'll be sitting back on my laurels. Oh no!  

The kids finish school today and tomorrow, which will mean a demand for Christmassey activities (hopefully not involving shops!) and I might even get a UFO from the summer finished (more on that tomorrow).

Hope you are getting organised and not getting stressed!

Judith xo

A Great Exchange!

Before the visitors descended yesterday I managed to finish the last pair of crochet fingerless gloves for daughter no. 1 (as modelled by daughter no.3):

Sorry about the hideous nail polish!

And then the visitors arrived and I'm chuffed to say the presents exchange went down a treat!

Bat boy loved his Bat Bag:

And the older boys were surprisingly enthusiastic about their cushions:

The Rugby player (with stitches in his chin from a recent training session!)

And my 'daft but beautiful' sister loved getting her wee treats.

This is my sister who has been selling some of my handbags and makeup bags in her Hairdressing Salon.  In total 5 Handbags and 20 makeup bags sold!  Result!

And my BIL got some handmade change trays, which after opening them looked at me and said 'Explain?' said he would definitely be using them!

So a fun day was had by all!

Wishing you a great start to the new week (1 week to go .....eeeeeeeek!)

Judith xo

Saturday Sewing

Well the present making fervour continued a pace yesterday.

Here's what I got done:

For my sister (to accompany a teabag wallet & tissue pouch):

For my mum (to accompany the mugrug/hostess box set):

A journal cover

Teeny tiny crochet heart by Attic 24

For my eldest daughter:

Journal Cover

Recycled crochet trim from lovely Terri

For my middle daughter (the footie fanatic):

Journal Cover

After seeing these book covers, my husband decided he would like a cover for his new 2012 diary, so I managed to get some pieces cut out from leftover Indigo Berries.  Will show you more when I get it finished.

My sister & her family are visiting with us today, and I can't wait to give them all their hand made pressies!  There is definitely more joy in the giving than the receiving!

Have a restful Sunday!

Judith xo

Sophie is Finished!

The cot quilt I've been working on for my friend's baby (due next week!) is finished!

The back - Sarah inspired me to go with large quilted wiggles!

The colours look a bit washed out in these pics, but in reality they are bright and vibrant.  

This isn't a big quilt, only 38" x 40" and I only used half the Sophie Layer cake.  I hadn't enough pink for the backing, hence the strip down the middle made from the leftovers, and my leftover Kona Azure I used for the binding wasn't quite long enough either, so I added 2 strips from one of the remaining 10" squares to make it work.

All that remains is for little one to enter the world and then I can make the label and post it over to England.  Wouldn't it be funny if they called her Sophie!!

And this morning I rustled up a few more change tray sets for my Dad and Brother in Law for Christmas. 

Well the sun is shining, it's baltic outside, but warm inside - aaahhhh! 

I'm off to have a bite of lunch before deliberating over what else to make Mum for Christmas!

See ya later!

Judith xo

There's A Book In Us All!

'Sophie' is taking shape:

All 20 x 6.5" blocks done!

I also got the sashing on yesterday but no pics yet.  Need to decide on borders, backing & binding now (I rarely plan such things ahead!).

This year I've committed myself to a truly handmade Christmas, where each family member will receive a handmade something from me, no matter how small!

As usual, the male members of my family are the hardest to make for, but thanks to some of your wonderful suggestions, I've at least sorted an idea for my nephew (17).  

Elisa's suggestion of a laptop sleeve was spot on, and as of last night, I got the laptop dimensions so I can get started on that.

However, I'm at a complete loss to know what to make my brother, who has already received from me a mugrug, wallhanging & Stocking for previous presents.  Any ideas?

I've been wanting to try out book/journal covers for ages, as a female gift option. 

So with my Christmas present mojo in full swing, I thought I'd have a crack at the Moda Bakeshop pattern last night.

I used some leftover 'Sophie' strips and am pleased with my first go at one of these.

The cover takes a standard A5 notebook

Now that I know what goes where, I've adapted the pattern to allow for inserted ribbon ties/elastic loop closure & also tweaked the measurements so it's not just sooooo snug (had to sew less than 1/4" seam to make the one above!).

I've almost finished the 2nd one, and then I'll play around with the patchwork designs/fabrics for different recipients I have in mind!

Before I go, you have another chance to win a Go! Baby with my friend Karen.  Pop on over for your chance to get yourself a Christmas pressie!

Hope you've had a lovely Wednesday!

Judith xo

Boys, boys, boys!

Well I got my gorgeous Kona Azure today and got stuck into the binding for the value quilt.

The colours look a bit dull here as this is in my kitchen (& it's been dull and wet all day!).  But I'll do a proper post soon with better pics to link in with next term's program.

I just need to get a hanging sleeve on this as it's ultimately destined for my bedroom wall.

Other things I've been working on today involve the words 'Christmas' and 'boys'!

This will be a cushion for my nephew who received the colour brick quilt earlier this year.

And this will be a cushion for his big brother (17) who plays for Lurgan Tigers Rugby Club, hence the team colours of black, red & yellow.

I have one more 17 year old nephew to make for, but I'm completely stumped! I hate to make a difference between my nieces and nephews (I have 7 on my side of the family alone) but boys are so difficult to make for!  

Any ideas for a typical, football loving, lanky teenage boy?

Happy Wednesday!

Judith xo

P.s. Thank you so much everyone for asking about how Shannon got on in her Mock GCSE Art exam.  All went well, and the nerves were soon replaced with the 2 hour Maths exam which followed the next day!  Another week and a half of mocks and she gets her life back (for a while anyway!). Jxo

Doll Quilts & Ramblings!

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days.

It's not that I haven't been making stuff, just too busy to get photographing and writing!

This is my busiest season of the year.  I'm frantically churning out class samples for Christmas classes and also trying to get next terms programme of classes sorted and samples made for those too!

But this weekend was all about fun, friends and playtime!

Saturday I had a lovely afternoon out with my special friend, Sarah.  We don't often get to spend quality time on our own, and we can easily spend 5 hours talking solely about fabric & quilts!!  We visited a local (ish) store called The Craftswoman, which is an Aladin's cave of all things fabric related, then had lunch, then stopped off at another fabric shop before heading for home.  The perfect day!

Most of my purchases were for other people, but I did get some extra wide, medium weight calico at a bargain price! (sad what gets me excited!)

Yesterday I was intent on playing with an idea that was formulating in my dusty old brain!

I recently saw these on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22833158%40N05/3984143785/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22833158%40N05/3952226512/in/photostream

... and thought I could make some doll quilts for my 2 small nieces along a similar idea.

So in my usual organic (aka 'make it up as I go along') style, I came up with these:

My youngest particular likes these wellies - she's a bit of a wellie addict!

With hindsight, there are a few things I would do differently next time i.e. use a heavier weight linen or calico rather than this stuff which was too thin.

But on the whole I'm pleased with them and enjoyed making them.

The matching pillows

So, apart from getting these ready to post to England, I can tick 2 Christmas pressies off my gigantic list!

Hope you all had a great weekend and a good start to the new week.

Judith xo