I've had a great time this morning, as I have been to the Cool Yule Festive Market at Snape Maltings. There was a huge array of stalls, and I was even able to get a few more Christmas gifts AND a few treats for myself..... ....firstly I spied some beautiful linen cloths and lace on this wonderful stall - Clares Vintage Tea Party actually ALL their goodies were lovely - check out these cake stands Fran!! - anyway, I bought some lovely lace goodies and a tablecloth AND a fabulous vintage french cushion cover to use in my bedroom..... .....more lovely linen and lace - this time on the James and Joanna stall (hi Joanna - hope you warmed up a bit!!) - her cushions are really stunning and are beautifully made..... .....next up it was time to sample some goodies from the very nice man from the Stour Valley Smokehouse - the smoked cheeses were delicious, as was the salmon mousse - I bought some smoked goat cheese for supper, and some of the mousse too - it really is delicious..... .....I was tempted to buy again, and bought a vintage lace tablecloth from this stall - it will make a perfect Christmas gift - I also bought some lace trimming to use on my hand-made bags too..... .....there were some beautiful Christmas arrangements on the Flowers by Looma stall - she's local too, based in Aldeburgh, and I think I definitely need a trip a trip to her shop to choose a decoration for my dining table ready for Christmas..... .....and MORE edible goodies - delicious pies form the cheese and pie man. I was really impressed at the selection of stalls at this event today - I had some nibbles AND bought some Christmas gifts so had a great morning out. Next week it's the Woodbridge Festive Market - so you might see me there too, doing a bit of last minute shopping.
If you like patterns by the Aussie designers Janelle Wind, Brenda Ryan, Melissa Grant and Bronwyn Hayes then hop over to Quilt Fabric Delights and sign up for their Christmas in July programme - I did, and can't wait for it to start:) Yes, yes, yes I KNOW it's very early to think about the "C" word, but this fabric was on sale at Quilter's Cloth and I just couldn't resist it...... .....I ordered a fat quarter bundle of "Christmas Eve" by Makower, with extra fabric for the backing and binding, and will use it for a Christmas tablerunner and placemats, using my favourite tablerunner pattern, designed by AnnAKa, Kle kjokkenet i 60-tansdrakt. I'll use the bigger squares for the block centres, and will probably make a start on this on Thursday at quilt group. Hmmm - could use a metallic gold quilting thread for this one to give it a bit of sparkle :) Remember this fabric from an earlier blogpost?? I bought this from Quilters Haven, and I was going to use it to make some Christmas tablerunners and placemats. Well, so far, I've turned it into this table runner - yet another AnnAKa pattern, called "Kle kjokkenet i 60-tansdrakt" - it was in an old edition of Quiltemagasinet from a couple of years ago. I have quilted this runner with gold metallic thread... ...I've made a few of these table runners for Christmas presents for friends..... this red one was quilted very simply, and I used a green, red and gold stripey fabric for the binding and this green runner was bound with the same stripey fabric as the previous one - and used it to border the centre squares... ..and I've used the same pattern "Kle kjokkenet i 60-tansdrakt" to make this cushion cover for my sister-in-law. Phew!! All this sewing malarky is exhausting -just spent two hours tidying up my "creative outbursts" (Mr F would call it that bl**dy mess!!), putting all fabric and threads and sewing machine away until the New Year.
I've already said how I'm very fusy about my tree, and I'm fussy about my holly wreath too - it can't have flowers in it (that just looks like a funeral wreath), and can't have plastic ribbon on it (looks cheap and tacky) - anyway, I was really pleased with this one - it was from Windmills Florists in Woodbridge - the florist very kindly added the pine cones and ribbon while I waited - I'm really pleased with this one..... ..and I've been very busy sewing this week, finishing off presents for friends and relations. This is the finished cushion for my mum for Christmas - it's ok to post a piccie on here, as she doesn't read my blog! And this is an AnnAKa pattern - yet another pressie - can't say who it is for, as she MIGHT read my blog, oh please note that this is not a heap of messy untidiness in the background - it's creativeness!!
Well this was the sight that greeted me this morning - not only had "That Hairy Hound" devoured some more of my Christmas table decoration and left the evidence laying on the carpet (another chewed up tangerine and some more bedraggled looking bay leaves - see "The Perfect Christmas Tree" blogpost 2 for more info on that), and not only was she asleep in Mr F's chair..... but she was laying on ONE OF MY QUILTS!!! ..... she really is well and truely in the dog house today - but does she look bothered?? Not a bit of it!! Anyway, as it is bitterly cold outside today, I plan to spend the rest of the day indoors in the warm with my sewing machine. I bought this kit from Quilters Haven on Saturday, and I'm using it to make a cushion for mother-in-law's Christmas present. The pattern is really simple, a mixture of patchwork and appliqué - I'll use some of the Christmas fabrics in my stash to make up some more of these - although I might change the appliqué designs a bit.
A few days ago, I commented in a blogpost that I'd already bought something from the NorthernQuilts website, and here it is - "Julehjerter" (translated this means Christmas Hearts). And no, it's not completed yet - (don't get too excited) - but I have finished the stitchery hearts... ...this BOM has been running for 4 months, and each month I received the traceable pattern and full instructions(in English - wooohooo!! - no need for Google Translate!!). The final part has arrived, and now I just need to have a rummage in my box of Christmas fabrics to pick out something suitable for the blocks and borders and binding - when it is completed, it can be a cloth for the table or a wall hanging.
In an earlier blogpost, I wrote that May Britt and Hanne were having a competition on their blogs, to win a pattern for an embroidered baking cloth (here in the UK we don't use anything as nice as this, and usually in the Foreman kitchen, any old T-towel will do!!) - well, I didn't win the competition, but never one to be deterred, I ordered the pattern and fabrics to make the baking cloth directly from NorthernQuilts. It arrived promptly, and the fabrics are lovely - especially the linen, which is really beautiful, and this will be my first Norwegian project for 2011..... ...and I'd also done a little bit of shopping over here at Lappelåven(Patchwork Barn), and ordered this beautiful kit to make another AnnAKa pattern "Høytidsengler" (translated means Holiday Angels) - I had already bought the pattern a while ago, from Lapp-Elisa Quilts, and this will be my 2nd Norwegian project for 2011, ready for my dining table NEXT Christmas. How organised is that??!! This kit has all the buttons and embroidery thread to complete the runner, and the fabrics are beautiful.
It's all looking very festive at "Foreman Towers" - well, the tree is decorated, (my daughter Beth spent yesterday afternoon doing this), the mistletoe is hanging up and the fire is glowing. Oh and check out all these cute little pine cones! Last night we could hear a gentle "popping" noise as they are slowly opening out in the warmth of the room. ..and I've got a red and gold runner on my dining table - this is another AnnAKa pattern, called "Adventsløper" and was in Quiltemagasinet issue 4/2008... my Christmas centrepiece has pride of place in my lounge - just hope the dog doesn't try to eat too much of it - she's already sampled the dried tangerines and bay leaves!!
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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
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