Mr F is always given the task of bringing home the perfect Christmas tree. This year he went out on a cold and frosty morning, and managed to fell a prize specimen! This one really was laden with pine cones, and it smells absolutely divine! In the evenings if you listen carefully, you can hear the pine cones popping as they're opening up in the warmth of being indoors... ...it has pride of place in the lounge, and so far Jasper (that hairy hound) has totally ignored it - he's much happier curled up on the sofa along with my Christmas quilt and my Christmas cushions!
0 Comments
Before I packed away the applique paper that I'd recently ordered from Patchwork Chicks, I thought I'd do some more applique before I got out my sewing machine for a bigger project! This is another kit designed by Lynette Anderson - "Christmas Night" - and again, the kit contained everything I needed - background fabric, ribbon, embroidery thread, scraps of fabric for the applique, and even the hand painted buttons that are used to embellish this picture once the stitchery and applique are completed. Once the design had been traced onto the background fabric I was ready to start. The frame was also bought from Lynette... ...once again, some wadding is added between the stitchery and the backing board, which ensures a snug fit and pads it out a little bit too. Buying the frame at the same time as the kit was a brilliant idea, as it meant I could get the whole project completed without it going in my "to-finish-later" box. This one will be used to decorate my lounge at a more seasonal time. It did seem a bit strange sewing Christmas project in the summer!
Have you all had a wonderful Christmas with your friends and family? We've had a very quiet Christmas here as Mr F had to work his usual shifts, and so the eldest daughter spent Christmas with her boyfriends family. Alice and me had a PJ day on Christmas Day as Mr F was working. We nibbled on smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels for lunch and a glass or two or three of fizz and watched films - Gone With The Wind and Casablanca - and had a jolly good time, which was repeated all over again on Boxing Day with more fizz and more films. It was very hard work going back to work on Friday I can tell you! We finally celebrated our Christmas yesterday at last, with Mr F and both daughters at home altogether. A glass or two of Croft's original were consumed whilst I was cooking the lunch to get me in the Christmas spirit. Actually I think it had gone off as it did give me a bit of a headache by the time it came to carving the bird! Anyway I thought you might like to see how I was celebrating yesterday, wearing my party frock and a stunning apron made by one of my friends, Jenny - and yes those Santa's really have got six-packs!! Needless to say eldest daughter was NOT impressed - eldest daughter's boyfriend thought I was seriously nifty-at-fifty, youngest daughter had apron-envy, and Mr F was just just jealous that he didn't look as fab as these Santa's haha!!!
Well it's Christmas Eve and my kitchen cupboards are full to bursting with treats and goodies, the fridge is as well stocked as Nigella's, and all the gifts have been wrapped. Now I can pack my sewing machine away for a few days and sit down, relax with my family and friends, and enjoy a glass or two of something fizzy and festive! Merry Christmas to all my blog readers (and God Jul to all my friends in Norway who inspire me so much with their beautiful handicrafts) - hope you all have a great time during the holidays. And that sewing machine is only being packed away for a FEW days - normal service will soon resume!!
A couple of years ago I made a runner for my dining table, using a pattern called "Kle kjokkenet i 60-tallsdrakt" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, that was featured in the magazine Quiltemagasinet Nr 4/07, and used a selection of cream and gold fabrics from my stash. I'd made a smaller runner for my coffee table, and as I had some fabric leftover, decided to make some matching placemats for my dining table... ...I used using the same backing fabric for these that I'd used for the runner that I'd made for my coffee table, and quilted these with straight rows half an inch apart, using the same metallic gold Madeira thread. I always use Schmetz metallic needles when I'm using metallic thread. It definitely pays to use the right needle with the right thread for a nice finish, and I used a plain cream Mettler quilting thread in the bobbin. Prairie points were added and secured into place with cream buttons. Single fold binding was added and hand stitched into place on the back using slip stitch... ...these place mats will be on my dining table over the Christmas holidays - Mr F will be shot if he spills any gravy or cranberry sauce on these!!
A couple of years ago I made a runner for my dining table, using a pattern called "Kle kjokkenet i 60-tallsdrakt" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, that was featured in the magazine Quiltemagasinet Nr 4/07, and used a selection of cream and gold fabrics from my stash. I had some fabric leftover, and needed a smaller runner to match for my coffee table, and finally this week I've made it! This was quickly pieced together as it just used 8 blocks and 2 end borders. I've used a gold metallic Madeira thread, and quilted this very simply in straight rows. I used a plain cream Mettler quilting thread in the bobbin, to blend in with the backing fabric... ...the wadding in this runner is Pellon, a felted polyester wadding that is quite thin, and my prefered choice for table runners and place mats. I've sewn some cream coloured buttons to hold the prairie points into position. I used a single fold binding, which is hand stitched onto back of the runner, and I've added one of my labels to a corner of the runner... ...this runner has got pride of place on my coffee table this year!
Well now the tree is decorated, the rest of the house needed a "seasonal touch to it too - so firstly a holly wreath was hung on the front door (yes I know the knocker looks a bit dull - I'll give that a polish later!!) with a smart tartan ribbon tied in a bow, and then I bought a beautiful Christmas bouquet, complete with a little bundle of cinamon sticks and gold leaves. Happy decorating!!
On Sunday I ventured off into the woods with Mr F in search of the perfect Christmas tree. Well actually it's not quite the woods - it's a field of Christmas trees owned by a friend of Mr F and he very generously lets us have whatever tree we decide we'd like - but the trees are so close together it feels like being in the woods. If the Gruffalo had appeared or even a hobbit or two I wouldn't have been surprised! Anyway it didn't take long and Mr F spotted one laden with pine cones. This is just what we were looking for... ...well Mr F didn't waste any time, and the tree was soon felled and hauled off to the car to transport it home, where Alice was waiting to decorate it... ...she made an excellent job and as you can see the twinkling lights really enhance those pine cones. In the evenings we'll hear the cones pop as they open up and it really is beginning to smell just like Christmas with this wonderful aroma... ...and here is our splendid tree, complete with twinkling lights and baubles and lanterns and of course it's got a star at the very top. Merry Christmas everyone!
At this time of year I always like to have a "Christmas" themed runner on my table. This one is the very first runner that I made with a Norwegian pattern, and started my love of Norwegian patterns! It is called "Adventsløper" and this pattern was featured in the Norwegian quilting magazine Quiltemagasinet issue 4/2008 and was designed by AnnAKa. The original runner was made in purple fabrics for Advent, however I used red and gold fabrics from my stash for a more festive theme. This runner is quilted very simply using the "stitch-in-the-ditch" method with a gold Madeira metallic thread - and a machine blanket stitch around the appliqued hearts. This is a great pattern for using up scraps of fabrics with the same colour-theme for the blocks - and I've made a start on another one using some cream and gold fabrics, but goodness only knows if I'll have time to complete it in time for Christmas 2013!!
|
About me...Hi - welcome to my quilting blog! My passions are my family, my dog, my friends and sewing, not necessarily in that order! Archives
July 2023
Blogs I followUK shopsThese are the UK shops that I use to purchase my quilting supplies - fabrics and threads etc.
Australian linksScandinavian links |