Gifts and Exchanges

Hi Everyone,

Today I can at last show some of the gifts that I have been working on recently as they have now been seen by their recipients.  Firstly I was asked if I would like to sew a quilt block for Shez as a secret quilt was going to be made for her birthday this Autumn and I thought this embroidery design about friends and flowers was ideal.

The pattern is by Gail Bussi and actually reads `Friends and Flowers make life bloom´ but that was not going to fit easily on my block measurements, so I shortened the phrase.

I added a few crochet flowers to add extra interest.

We then had to add a small beige surround to our work and leave a message if we wished.

I think Shez was blown over by the surprise and you can see the finished quilt and all the different and pretty individual blocks here.

My other two gifts were for a partner in The Tea Cup Exchange organised by Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose and celebrated just recently.  I made my partner Eva a tea or mug rug - always handy whatever you drink.

The design is by Rita of Twinkle patchwork and I also made a small tea bag holder which might come in useful.

I loved the birdie fabric, a new acquisition, and might make another holder for myself.

Now I really must get on with some Christmas stitching.  Until next time.

Linking to Supermom no cape stitchery party.

Sheryl

October Smalls SAL

Hi everyone,

It´s time to check in with Heather at Stitching Lotus for this month´s Smalls SAL.  Most of my stitching done this month can´t be shown as yet as I have been preparing various gifts but I can show another Hardanger design which is one of the Round in Circles patterns by Mabel Figworthy.

I made this little stitched piece into an aromatic sachet filled with lavender as I love to put these in drawers and give as gifts.

The pattern includes spot eyelets in the centre, four lines done in Mountmellick stitch and beaded looped arrows in white and pink crossover bars.

If you would like more information about Mabel´s Hardanger designs, just click on my sidebar button where you will also find a link to the Smalls SAL.

                                                                                  Happy stitching,

Sheryl

A Bag

Hello Blogger friends and visitors,

I have done a lot of stitching  this week but  have little to show as most of the work is for gifts but I can show this little bag I made.

I just happened to pass our local needlework shop and of course had to pop in and say hello and that was when I spied this lovely fabric and knew exactly what I wanted to make with it.

I had problems taking the photos as we had dull dark weather during the week, the above photo shows the more exact colours and the below photos rather too pale.

Elena´s tutorial for a manicure bag can be found here and although I doubt that I shall use the bag as such, it will certainly come in handy for something or other as there is plenty of room to hold a lot of things. A large pocket with a zip at one end.

and three smaller pockets at the other end.

apart from the lined drawstring bag.

which I had to make smaller as I didn´t have enough fabric.  I don´t think it looks too bad.

A Lovely Gift

I had a surprise arrive in the post this week.  During the Pincushion Parade celebrated recently, Rosey at Ishkabibble mentioned that she hadn´t got any pincushions at all and as we certainly can´t have that, I sent her one of mine and look at this pretty book mark that she sent me in return.

Isn´t it pretty?  Isn´t she clever? Thank you very much Rosey, I enjoy reading and it will be very useful.

See you next week when the Smalls SAL check-in is due.... doesn´t the time just flash by?

Sheryl

Smalls SAL check-in September

Hi everyone, sorry about the delay in updating, I´ve sprained a wrist which has made typing, blogging and nearly everything else a bit difficult..  It is check-in day for the Smalls SAL hosted by Heather at the Stitching Lotus and I can show this little pattern finished recently but not yet made into a biscornu.

While DH was away for a week, I was going to sew up a storm, completing UFOs, catching up on taking photos and blogging in general but on the first morning of my -do-as-you-please- days, I sprained my wrist making the bed of all things and so my sewing plans went out of the window.

This biscornu pattern is a free one by Erba at CasaERBA

Before down to the use of just one hand, I had been making very good progress with my granddaughter´s crochet blanket squares.

I started making blue knitted squares months ago but we then decided on purple and pink crochet cotton ones and I needed to make about one hundred.  They are nearly finished now and I am doing the blocking.

SOME  HORRIBLE SCRAPS

I have been trying to organize my fabric stash and have these horrible scraps which I am going to put  together in a big envelope and send to anyone who might be in the need of horrible scraps, just let me know if you would like them..,,. they are mainly 90cm x 15cm.

This is all for the moment, see you next week.

Sheryl

Just Red

Hi everyone,

  August was a busy month with journeys and family visits, so I´m a bit behind with my blogging and blog visits.  However I´m really pleased to take part once again in The Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade hosted by Ida at My Sister Made Me do it.

I don´t have many pincushions but I made this one last week with Ida´s parade in mind.

It is a free design called May Flowers Pin Cushion and can be found here.  I made the pattern a bit larger because I didn´t have the 18ct fabric called for and used a piece of 28ct from my stash.

My Mr Hexie Hedgehog is used more as a paperweight than a pincushion as he is quite heavy but I like his bright colours.

Next is this little cushion which started out as a crazy patchwork `work of art´ but it fell by the wayside and ended up in the UFO drawer only now to see the light of day.

and my favourite at the moment is my strawberry pincushion.

I´ve seen loads of these on the Internet and had to make one, They are quick and easy and  make   useful gifts

If you would like to see some really lovely work or show your own pincushions, do visit Ida for the details and link up before the 15th September. 

 Until next week.

Sheryl

A Tablecloth

Hi everyone,

Last week I packed a bag full of my sewing paraphernalia just in case I found time to do some stitching while away for a few days at my late mum-in-law´s house but although nothing got to see the light of day, I did unearth a forgotten tablecloth I made about 20 years ago.

My mum-in-law would treasure anything made for her and when I extended the rectangular cloth unflatteringly over a round table to take these photos, I realized that it had probably never even been used.

With this tablecloth I started my adventures with Hardanger embroidery ....... nothing like starting out with something small ..... but it was a simple repetitive design and for some reason I didn´t embroider the outer border pattern.

The design was from my needlework collection called Agujas de Oro (Golden Needles) which I have referred to continually over the years.

Now back home I hope to catch up on my blog visits to see what you are all up to and get some stitching done before my visitors arrive next week.  Happy stitching.

Sheryl