The Treehouse

A little update...

I seem to have been AWOL for a while :o In my spare time, I've either had my nose in a book or been stitching away like mad just lately. 

I've worked on my Tail Feathers quilt - I can see the end in sight now and am glad I didn't leave all of the log cabin blocks until the end! Not much has happened with the Bluebird quilt at all, in fact - I've decided that I'm going to concentrate on finishing Tail Feathers before I launch into anymore Bluebird blocks.

Matthew's quilt is finally all quilted. I was finding it such a chore of a job and really wished I hadn't started stippling it. However, it's all done now and does look nice...just need to sew on the binding. He keeps asking me if it's finished yet and finally I can say...almost!

 

Dear Jane has taken a bit of a back seat lately. I'm itching to sew some more of these little blocks though, I love them. I did make a triangle a couple of weeks ago but that's all the progress I've made this year :o I quite enjoy making the triangles :) I treated myself to the Dear Jane cd and have played with it a little - printing out foundation patterns. Gosh, it makes things much easier! This is TR2.

 

The latest Snowbound block was posted at the end of last week. I'm itching to get started on this - it's a skiing snowman, lol! Also, I spotted a lovely new BOM on the blog of Erin Russek - I just cannot resist hand sewing you see :) It's on my list of things to get around to.

I've done quite a bit of crosstich that last couple of weeks. I finished another Blackbird Designs stocking - I love these. This one though, I wasn't so keen on really when I started it but now it's done...I really like it! 

 

Here's the first one that I finished - it's called Winter Carnation. Once the first 3 are stitched, I'm going to have a little stocking finishing session.

 
I have started the next one which has a birthday cake on it and then stopped stitching it while I contemplated whose initials and date of birth should go on the stocking...these are serious matters after all and one must ensure not to stitch too many of one person's initials and not enough of another person's initials otherwise war may break out! While I was mulling this little dilemma over I did some surfing...big mistake! I stopped by at Annette's lovely blog and while I was perusing all her lovely stitches I spotted a link...to a SAL...with birds and hearts. Of course, I clicked upon the link and it took me here to Sylvia's blog. I visited a few times. I looked in my tiny stash of crosstitching fabric. I visited again. I looked again at my fabric and low and behold I had a piece of 28 count evenweave in cream that would do the job nicely.

 

This is how far I've got. I had thought to finish the boxes this weekend but I didn't get that far...that was Stephanie Plum's fault! Or maybe it was the Library's fault for calling up to let me know that they had a couple of Stephanie Plum books ready for me to read :cough:

I did finish off my FaLaLa a few weeks ago though :D I did a little frogging on the ladies. I had stitched them plumper than they should have been and I didn't think that was fair at all so I whipped out those extra stitches and finished them off. It's quite a big ornament but I really like it. I would have preferred braid to the pom poms really but couldn't find it in the correct shade. The pom poms are quite fun though.

 

I've taken a photo of this twice now and both times it's come out blurred but you get the general idea :)

As I mentioned, I spent a lot of quality time with Stephanie Plum this weekend. I've seen people say these books are not so good but honestly, I laughed until I cried! A very good bit of light hearted humour along with a good bit of detectiving and a few hunky chaps thrown in for good measure. Just perfect for in between some serious reads. I've read the first 5 and will be going on to read more as soon as the library can provide! Last weekend I spent some time with the new Jasper Fforde...it took a bit of getting through to be honest but I was determined to get there. There are more books to come in this series and I'm thinking that a lot of time was spent setting up the new 'world' in the book so I will definitely give the next ones a go. I also read a book by LL Bartlett yesterday - she writes the Booktown mysteries under a different name. It wasn't bad at all...a little bit 'Medium' like but with a hero as opposed to a heroine. I do have the next one in my pile to read and look forward to seeing how Jeff gets on with his new found abilities. I have rather a fine stack of books to read at the moment....I spotted the new book by Elizabeth Kostova while I was in the library the other day...that may be next to get devoured!

I've promised myself NOT to spot anymore SALs or BOMs or the like, I must surf with my eyes closed. Particularly as I'm feeling the need to make a bag...it's been a while since I did the last one, lol!

 
 

Quick Update

I've been meaning to do a post for days now and not getting around to it. Festive and sporty social engagements for the children are taking up a fair amount of time and when not doing the usual 'jobs' I've been finishing off my DJ swap blocks - they're all done now and on their way to the hostess (phew!). I was a bit hesitant about joining in with this swap having only recently started making these blocks but it went better than I expected. I made one block that I've made before and two blocks that were completely new to me - all with plenty of needleturn applique on them. The more practice I get the better the results are :D 

 

 

 

I've also spent a little time with the curly tree - it's quite a challenge but I'm determined that it will be done...eventually!

 

I think I need to make a list of things that I intend to work on and finish next year. I recently dug out some cross stitch as a little break from the applique and then of course, I went surfing and discovered some beautiful Christmas ornaments that needed to be stitched! I fell in love with the designs of Little House Needleworks and Country Cottage Crafts earlier this year. It was very difficult indeed to pick a design to begin with - they're all gorgeous. I love Geraniums so I began with Geranium Cottage from Country Cottage and then got thoroughly distracted by various things so there's only a little bit of stitching done on it - I intend to try and finish this before the New Year (!!!)

 

Not a brilliant picture, it's a bit dark here this morning.

Now - the ornaments. These are by Little House Needleworks, as mentioned above and there will be one a month to stitch. The first one is called Fa La La and I've been having a bit of fun with it...well it wasn't too fun when I realised that I can't count and had to undo :o (that's why it looks like I've started stitching one tree before finishing the other one!) 

 

I intend to finish this to hang on this year's tree!

Far too many lovely and tempting things around to sew at the moment. I've signed up for a SAL to encourage me to get my Blackbird Designs stockings stitched...and guess what? While I was reading the SAL blog I spotted another few things that were calling out to me. Enough though, I'll be tempted no further until a finish occurs. There's a new Inklingo collection out as well - Orange Peel. Gorgeous designs to be made from that one but I dare not download it, my POTC require some attention (planned for over Christmas).

I'd better go and squeeze in a little sewing before it's time to collect the children from school, lol! 

 
 
 

 
 
 

Feeling Festive

Yes, the festive feeling descended upon me this week. I was hunting around in my fabric drawer and came across poor, abandoned Santa. I'd made a start on him last year...a small start, I'd ironed the fabric onto the steam a seam ready to cut out the shapes for the jolly old chap and that was all. I think that at the time, I was all Christmass-ed out having finished making the Christmas countdown from the same pattern book - 12 Days of Christmas by Art to Heart. Anyway, Santa was looking at me in a pleading fashion and I felt that having waited for 12 months he really deserved to be completed so I set to with scissors and got him all cut out. This was a rather fortuitous job to discover as Matthew and I spent a few days last week glued to the sofa with some ghastly lurgy and it was the ideal thing to do while all snuggled up and watching a film in front of the fire. Santa is just needing a little embroidery and a few buttons stitching on and then I can sandwich him together ready to hang on the wall - I have a lovely hanger ready and waiting for him.

I think the festive feeling had been approaching for a little while as I was feeling the need to stitch a Christmas stitchery and was looking with needy eyes at one of Lynette Anderson's beautiful designs which I'd seen on May Britt's blog. Having a failed to find the pattern over here I decided that by the time it arrived from Australia I would probably be too busy getting ready for Christmas to play with it and so I went looking for something else to stitch. I happened upon a pretty design on Gail Pan's blog and decided it was perfect for my needs...and it was available right now, straight away and free of charge - a lovely gift :D

I've also managed to join in with a Dear Jane festive swap and have been preparing some blocks ready for applique.

 

Last night I spent a bit of time printing some Inklingo shapes. I love the apple core and bought the download quite some time ago and was super eager to start stitching the shapes until I decided that I would make a mess of the cutting out! I had a nice project in mind to use these shapes for but kept on putting it off because I was convinced I'd make a mess of the cutting. Time for a trial run, I thought. I decided to make Tilde's little bag and see how things went. I thought this was a free pattern but I can't find a link to it now on the Inklingo site. I used some charm squares to print onto and the cutting went much better than I thought  -  I used my little 28mm rotary cutter and held it in a different manner from usual and now I have a pile of lovely apple cores to stitch into a bag :D 

 

Next printing job is to get some more POTC hexagons printed out. I'm going away for a crafty weekend with friends next week and I've got some stitcheries to take, the little bag and hopefully a couple of POTC blocks...I won't get all of that completed of course but it's nice to have a selection to choose from!

Triangle Tuesday

There are 3 triangles to make each month. Thought I should try and make one a week. They're a bit stressful. Those pieces are very skinny. It took a long time but I survived and the result isn't too bad. Thank goodness I thought to put matching marks on the fabric and double thank goodness that I had the forethought to purchase the rulers! I need to go and lie down in a quiet place now and tonight we'll visit the library for some new reading material and then I'll stitch something that's less stress inducing tonight!

I think this scan is a bit wonky, it looks much better in real life and the green fabric is delicous.

I finished Shattered Silk by Barbara Michaels (library book) last night. It was an ok read. I made a start on the first chapter of the second book featuring these same characters as I couldn't nod off last night. At first I thought a new character had been introduced but no - one of the main characters is being called by a different name - Kara, instead of Karen :o How strange is that ? I flicked ahead a few chapters to see if it was a printing error but no, she's still Kara there. Perhaps an explanation will be forthcoming or perhaps it is indeed a printing error of gross proportion!

Christmassy post...

I meant to post about my lovely post arrival yesterday. I received a lovely parcel of Christmas goodies from Janey as part of the Very Quick Christmas Fabric, Buttons and Trim swap organised by Jenny - isn't it all festive and lovely? I've plans to make some Christmas tree ornaments with the fabric I think...and those cute little Santas.

 

I'm sure every crafter is the same...stuff expands to fit the space available. I have my own sewing/crafting room but yet what do we find on the sofa? A little pile of craftyness :o

 

Proof that the cardigan is ongoing although the fact that it's covered up by a Dear Jane block in progress doesn't really bode well for its completion.

Neither does this...

 

While it isn't the one that I've been having trouble with...it is the one that I've been longing to make since I bought it. It was one of the first three that I bought I think and I kept looking at all those points and thinking...Nooooooooooo, I'll mess it up. Helen does say in the pattern that you can do it with fusible web but...I wanted mine to have that needle turned edge finish and so I kept leaving it.

After yesterday's little success courtesy of the Piece of Cake dvd I'm ready to dive in and try it! I really should fix up the other block first but I want to redo the birdies on it and I've not enough blue fabric left so...if I complete a couple more blocks then I might have sufficient scraps left to give my birds a makeover :)

Needle Turn Applique

I read the blog of Quiltsalott on a very regular basis. Actually, sometimes I just stop by to drool over and admire her stunning hand applique. Of late I have been frustrated with my applique-ing. When I first learned to applique it was using freezer paper. It's a fiddle of a job and it didn't teach me how to do sharp points and curves and other such tricky matters. I've experimented with just about every technique I could find...except needle turn, because I was scared of that! I did have a little go but I just couldn't get that needle turning the fabric under. I was unhappy with the results I was getting...freezer paper, starch, iron on interfacing stuff just wasn't doing it for me. This is the reason for the neglected Bluebird block that I keep harping on about.

This morning I decided to have a little 'me' time and sat down to watch a dvd called "Hand Applique the Piece of Cake Way." I bought this from Amazon for a seriously bargainous price after Quiltsalott recommended it. All I can say is that it's absolutely the bees knees. I watched it all the way through this morning and then watched the bit about points again. Then...I cut out a Dear Jane block that's all applique and dared myself to take a deep breath and needle turn it.

Now - I know this isn't absolutely perfect but I tell you - I'm thrilled to bits with it. Apart from the much pointier than usual points - there are curves and no frayed bits, I didn't burn my fingers and my iron isn't covered in spray starch either. 

I will conquer that Bluebird block after all :D I think 'Jane' will have to take a little holiday for a day or two while I get that block all done and dusted.

D£ - Jason's Jacks

C1 - Trooper Green's Badge

This one turned out well - finally, a successfully paper pieced block!

 

Cardigan has progressed - just needs its sleeves sewing on now...that's tonight's job with another episode of Bones. We're trying to relieve the Sky Player of some of its burden, we record far more than we make time to watch!

A1 - Pinwheels Gone Awry

Learned quite a few lessons from this block! It was the first one that I started to make (because of the pinwheels of course)...on my birthday, ages ago. I abandoned it after I'd paper pieced the first two rows and sewn them together. It was too lumpy bumpy and the seams weren't matching. I pulled apart the first two rows and put them in my Rainbow Jane box for a later date.

Today was the later date - I have quite a few blocks left to make for this month's Rainbow Jane so I thought I would try to finish this one off.

It's not too bad I suppose - hopefully the lessons that I learned while making it will mean that Flowery Jane gets a better Pinwheels Gone Awry!

There was progress made on the cardigan last night - at last! Just need to cast off the button/buttonhole band and sew up the rest of seams and then I'll be wearing it - woo hoo! Would have been more but DD needed a scarf knitting - her class are sending Christmas gifts to an orphanage in Bulgaria. It was difficult to know what best to send really as there was a list of things that weren't to be sent. We opted for some fashionable woolly gloves and a scarf like the ones I showed on here a little while back, this one was lilac and grey. No picture as it's gone off to school this morning to get gift wrapped.

I bought a nice little book of cardigan patterns the other week...there are a few in there that are calling my name and they're knit in lovely soft, non-scratchy merino wool - the children don't like proper wool...it itches when they snuggle up.

An Afternoon with Jane...

t's been rainy and wet here again today. Not fit for going anywhere at all so with jobs and DS' badminton done this morning, it was an afternoon indoors with a little television, a little surfing and some sewing. I finished off that starburst block this morning...only had the little triangles to applique onto it and this afternoon I've made a Bachelor's Buttons for both Flowery and Rainbow Jane and a Sweet Tater Pie for Rainbow Jane...I would have made one for Flowery as well but the material hasn't arrived for that block yet. I'm having fun with these little blocks although I'm no expert at making them it's all a fabulous learning curve and I'm enjoying it.

Bachelor's Buttons for Rainbow Jane...I LOVE that fabric.

This is one of my favourite blocks, not because of the colour (I'm not big on red) but because I LOVE pinwheels. Can't wait to make it for Flowery Jane now. I finally got my windows printer drivers installed on the Mac this afternoon so that I could print from my Inklingo triangle cd and that is what I used to make this block - really super quick and easy.

and finally, a Bachelor's Buttons for Flowery Jane. I did both of these using reverse applique which was a new thing for me - turned out to be easier than I thought :)

Aunt Elsie's Phlox - E1

Another Dear Jane block finished last night, this one is all applique. I love the background fabric on this one - so pretty.

I finished two books by Cindy Woodsmall this week. The final part of the Sisters of the Quilt Trilogy - "When the Soul Mends" and also 'The Hope of Refuge" which was...I'm hoping, the first in a new series of books. I need another one now but the only one that I've not read isn't yet available over here - "The Sounds of Sleigh Bells" so I'll just have to be patient until the paperback is published.

I'm itching to start stitching one of those Biscornu that arrived last week...but I've got a Quilt Aid block that needs some attention and a POTC block that I'd like to get completed this week...poor Biscornu will have to wait