Deadline...

I'm not used to working to a deadline anymore.  I have tried really hard not to let it stress me out too much.

Tomorrow evening, I have a table at a fund-raising evening in Warwickshire, with my friend.  A table to try and sell some things I have been making.

I had grand plans to have a really good assortment of items to sell but my time has been taken up with goodness knows what.  So, I am taking along a few bits of crochet and some fabric-y bits that I have made out of all the scrap materials from my quilt-making.  I have tried to photograph it as I go, but to be honest, the light is so dull it's been hard to capture the colours.

Perhaps tomorrow I can get some better pictures...  Perhaps, I'll even sell something!

*****

I am going to do some more training tonight at Helen House.  Things have been moving forward in this area for me lately and when I get a chance I will post about some things that I am now involved in.  As ever, I have many balls in the air.  Hopefully next week, I can get myself more organised and finish some projects that have had to sit on the back burner for a while. 

1:2010

Why do I love to see a newly completed quilt folded up? 

I'm liking the orange-y binding on Harry's quilt.  It's Sun Spots in tangerine from Amy Butler's Love collection.  I backed it in the same fabric but different colourway and did something I've not done before - made a panel of fabrics from the front to brighten the back up.  I'm liking that too.

I hand-quilted around each 8inch square so you get a double row of stitching on the back.

My first quilt of 2010.

It has all the right elements for a boys quilt... well, ok, maybe not slugs, but snails and puppydog tails!

The backing for Max's quilt arrived yesterday so I've got plenty to keep me busy!

Don't you just love it when...

...despite having paid absolutely no attention to cutting strips to make into quilt binding and then joining them together, you get one (in a million) that is perfectly pattern-matched!

Love is...

...a Valentine cupcake for breakfast...

...home-made packaging filled with hand-made pressies...

...a lovely day.

Purple and pink...

It seems I'm not the only one who has developed the need for glasses.  Last Wednesday, I went for my first eye test and came out with a prescription for not one, but two pairs of glasses!  One pair for reading or sewing and one pair for driving!  They were ready for collection on Friday and I have worn them... maybe twice! 

I chose a 'youthful' purple pair for reading (youthful, being the lady in the opticians choice of word!) and a more restrained tortoiseshell pair for driving!  No2 said it was typical for me to choose purple!

*****

On a completely unrelated note, but one I feel the need to share, I bought this divine pink hellebore at my local garden centre on Saturday.  There was 30% off all plants so I had the perfect excuse to buy one.

I used to have several hellebores in my garden but over the years they have disappeared.  I am planning to plant this one in a pot so I can position outside my back door where I can see it in all it's wintry splendour.

Long distance amigurumi...

So, the random number app on my iPhone generated number 6 as the winner for my amigurumi giveaway.

Mary - that's you!  Your greedy comment paid off!  Hee hee : )

I will start making your bluebird mobile as soon as and despatch it to the other side of the planet.  I'll email you for your address.

The penultimate Day of Specialness...

If I'm honest, I don't want it to end - I've loved opening my pressies in the mornings.

On Friday, I shopped in style and had lots of admiring glances and comments when I declined bags from the shops I visited and packed my much more stylish tote.

On Saturday, there was the most chicken-y box...

...filled with colourful buttons...

...including 2 with the teeniest embroidery on them...

Today there was a beautifully trimmed gingham and floral purse (with a lucky penny tucked inside) and a fabric-filled keyring.

I love the trim - want a closer look?

*****

I will be selecting a winner from my giveaway tomorrow, so if you haven't already posted a comment why not go for it!

Monkeys and magnets...

On Sunday I made my way over to Islington to the make lounge with Kristina to do some extraordinary embroidery.

It's been a long time since I really embroidered anything and one thing I have always struggled to do is a French knot.  Not anymore!  I think I could have quite happily sat and made them all afternoon!  Our lovely teacher, Catherine, showed us the crucial tip of holding the carefully wound thread close to the fabric as we pulled the needle through to produce perfect little knots.

We got to choose a Sublime Stitching transfer pack to embroider.  There was much ooh-ing and aah-ing at all the designs and minds were being constantly changed.  I settled on Monkey Love just because.

After ironing on our transfer, we set to embroidering our design.  I outlined his face in split stitch and filled in using the same stitch but in a lighter brown and then finished him off with two French knots for his eyes.

The carousel of threads in the window has inspired me to do lots more embroidery.  So I came straight home and got started on another design from the pack.

*****

Days 2 and 3 of the Seven Days of Specialness swaps have been filled with gasps of delight.  For Day 2 there was these fab fabrics...

...and for Day 3, these gorgeous fabric magnets.

A magnet board is on my list to put up in my workroom, so these will soon have a very important job in there.  Look how cute that little deer is!

Loving this week still!

Seven Days of Specialness...

I signed up to Ali's swap and today was my Day One.  Oh yes, when I got back from my walk, there was a big fat parcel tucked in next to my front door from Moogsmum, my partner. 

Aqua tissue paper!  And a red tag!  My favourite colour combination!

It was ripped off in my excitement to lookie inside.

I love bonbons.  Love them!  Then there is a fab set of stitch markers.  Want a closer look?

Just the thing to get me back on to my sock knitting.

Thank you so much, Lesley!

  **  It's going to be a good week  **

A thank you...

As a little thank you for all the wonderful comments for my first attempt at NaBloPoMo, I am going to have a little giveaway!

I will leave it open for one week, so will draw a winner on Monday 8th February 2010.  To enter just leave me a comment on this post, making sure you leave me some contact details especially if you are a 'noreply-comment@blogger.com' commenter!

I will make the winner an amigurumi of their choice, so just click on my amigurumi link on my sidebar and make your selection and let me know in your comment.  If you like something from my new book that I posted about here, don't be shy - I'd love to make something (anything!) from there.