OPAM's and progress

I now have the table mat ready for quilting.  I might do it by hand this time but am still thinking about it.

The pics aren't the best at 6.30am lol but you get the idea.  I have finished it off by using more of the Cottage Garden Threads.  Colours used are 401 delphinium, 303 wheat and 905 lamb's ear.  Michelle's project has been really fun to stitch and I have really enjoyed it so far.  

These are the white triangle pillowslips that I made to replace the nasty poly/cotton ones.  Very pleased and I might make another pair later with some battenburg lace trim on the edge that opens.  I will add these to my OPAM March list.

Finally for the moment I have another OPAM finish with the ironing board cover.  I had some thickish wool batting just the right size to used it too and it is wonderful for ironing on.  But it is not so nice to quilt through so didn't end up quilting it as much as I would have preferred.  I still have those slightly wonky squares left so will make a cover to go over my machine today lol.  That should almost see them and a lot more calico scraps used up too.

Well off to get busy again .... be back later

Some kind of wonderful

Well I have done it.  I've ordered a copy of Some kind of wonderful lol.  Will have to wait for it to arrive now before I can jump in and make some of those wonderful projects that everyone is making.  Nothing like blogger to expand our stitching horizons.

Tomorrow is going to be a stitching day for me as I have two triangle pillow slips to finish and I also want to make a matching ironing board cover for the sewing set.  Plus it has been such a hot and very busy week and I really need a down day lol.

Off now to hopefully finish the table mat.  Only have the butterfies to stitch and then it will be ready to quilt.  I might even do that by hand too.

Over the last week....

Snow Central

Remember this project I started on well it is all buttonholed with the exception of some parts of the house which I will have to do on the machine.  The old visofix stuff I used has made it way too hard to push a needle through due to the layers so I will complete this on the machine.  I also cheated and did the snowmen by machine too.

This is an old photo I will share a new one when it is completed.  I wish now I needle turned it lol.  If only I knew how easy it actually is back when I started this project.

Deerfield

Now this is one of a set of pillow slips I made a few years ago.  The designs and stitches are typical deerfield style and it was a project from Inspirations magazine.  Not sure of the issue but I can find out if anyone wants to know more.

Teacups and Roses table mat

I have finally started stitching on the table mat that Michelle had published in the latest Country Threads magazine.  I have decided to use my collection of Cottage Garden threads to do it and am loving picking the colours as I stitch along.  I did buy a few weeks back a green and red toned threads to match in with the fabrics I have used.  So far the colours used are
Sweet melon 1104

Ash 201

Tea rose 805

Wattle blossom 309 
Gorgeous names for threads too.  Not bad for a couple of hours sewing over the last two nights either.

Farmers Wife

I have also cut out a couple of Farmers wife blocks and got them sewn too.

Prairie Queen (who is a tiny bit wonky)

Wrench

Lance

Lance has also been cleared to go back to work this morning on very restricted duties.  I have loved having him home.  So as long as things go well over the next three weeks we will be over the risk period of the clot that formed in the aneurysm shifting and life can go back to better than normal for us.  Having the blood pressure lowered to a normal level has made a big difference to Lance's general health already because we have dropped about 3 of the 8 medications.  The others will have to stay but it does make you wonder how they interact with each other.  So hopefully our rotten start to the year has finished and it can only improve.  How about winning Tatts!  Now surely its our turn for the numbers to come up in the next big draw lol.  I'm not greedy I only want about $40,000.  So now that we know things are on the up this will be the last I post about such things but thank you for your support and kind words.  I don't know any of you personally but it did help me immensely to be able to share the stress around and see that there are some very wonderful people out there in blogland.

Another finish!

Here is the wren all finished.  I actually took it outside for a more realistic photo too lol.  Looks more like the real piece now.  I have also taken a pic with 50c to so you can work out the size of it.  I am thinking about framing this one so will have to go through some old frames to see if any suit then I can list it for OPAM.

Now maybe after putting the threads away for this project I should do some more buttonhole on the tree skirt before starting Michelle's table mat.

Give away winner

Congratulations Mistea you are the winner of the pattern give away.  Please email me your details so I can get it in the mail to you next week.

Finish! One birthday item a month

Here's a book cover that I made up this morning using the bird I needle turned last night.  I used the same method as the other ones I have made as it has a nice finish.  The first photo isn't the best due to flash but the second photo is more like the colour of the fabric.

Friday Night With Friends

Yay it's FNWF and I have just made an achievement!  There will be no more buttonhole applique lol.  I have in the last hour traced, cut out and needle turned this bird to a 6.5" block!  Couldn't believe how little time it took.  I can see myself doing more of this.  Why did it take me so long lol.

I have decided I would like to turn it into a circle which will then be appliqued with large ric rac onto a book cover.  I'll do that bit tomorrow in better light as the pic isn't that good either.  I will french knot an eye later too.

The other project I have been working on was cutting out some more Farmer's Wife blocks and have them ready for sewing.

I have also finished stitching the wren and will start on the other bits after some blogging.  It has been quite a productive day.

Also Lance had his ultrasound yesterday and it is the first time I have seen the size of the aneurysm.  It measured almost 3.5cm across so it would have caused quite a lot of damage had it burst or broke off.  But so far it is looking very stable and Lance will have another week off work to make sure he is out of the danger period before life gets back to normal.  The haematoma has also nearly resolved too which is excellent.

Happy FNWF stitching everyone.