piano topper and more holiday sewing

Jo asked me if I could make a topper for the piano which is now at her house. She told me to do whatever I fancied and this was what I came up with. It never ceases to amaze me what you can make out of scraps of fabric!

Jo loved it and here it is on the top of the piano. I love that tiger lamp! 🐯

Next it was more holiday sewing for me. Another couple of blouses using McCall's 5359.

I worked hard to get Emily's cardigan finished. With arthritis in some of my fingers, it's not always easy to knit but I knew I had to get it done and I did. Like Isla's one I showed earlier, it's going to be huge on Emily but that's the way they like their cardigans so who am I to argue?

Next I made myself a bag to take as my handbag on the plane. I wanted one with a zip, with pockets inside and out and the inside had to be big enough to take my iPad. I used the Mia Messenger Bag pattern from Blackbird Fabrics. I am really pleased with how it turned out. It was hard to take good photos of it but here it is:

The zip:

An inside pocket for my iPad:

and another sipped inside pocket perfect for passports.

Next I amused myself by making us luggage tags on my embroidery machine. These are for our suitcases:

On the back we have our names on them.

I made two like this for our bags for inside the plane. Obviously, Douglas's has his name on his! I made his blue - I can't find it right now to take a photo of it! I think he's already attached it to his bag!

I also decided to make the girls their Christmas ornaments just in case Canada Post goes on strike again this winter like they did last year! I'm very happy with these!

Last, I made myself a spec case for my sunglasses. I don't think it even took me half an hour to make but it will be well used!

So that's all my holiday sewing done. We head out on the 8th until the end of July. It will be wonderful to see Debbie and the girls again. It's nearly 4 years since they left and I miss them sooooo much. See you when we get home!

pinnies, oven gloves and joined up bump

I had some of the faces fabric I'd used earlier for pinnies and oven gloves for myself and Jo so I used it to make more of the same. First off, a couple of pinnies for Debbie:

and a pair of oven gloves:

Then I made a couple of mini versions for Emily and Isla. I won't be posting these as we're visiting them in Canada in July. I can't wait!!

This next "make" is a bit strange but, honestly, I am so pleased with it. Every time I make a quilt there is always bump left over - the wadding used inside the quilt. It's always small strips or bigger strips, small squares or bigger squares, small rectangles or bigger rectangles. You get the picture. Well, I decided to join all my leftover bits together to see how big a piece I could make. This is what I ended up with. It measures 52" x 50" so big enough to use in a quilt. All made out of leftovers. And, when it's used in a quilt, nobody would ever be able to tell it was joined up bits. I feel like I definitely got something for nothing there!

I made up some half square triangles for a future quilt. I hope to be able to show that soon!

I told you last month I was knitting a cardigan for Isla. I got it finished and I'm chuffed to bits with it. I know it'll be a bit big but, apparently, that's how the girls like their cardigans so it should be fine!

So, that's my March makes. I wonder what I'll get done in April?

October's makes

I spent most of October helping Joanna move house but I did manage to get this quilt made too. It's a pattern for a donut quilt. Doughnut?? Anyway, I wanted to make it with Christmas fabrics so I added a bow to the top of the "donuts" and called them Christmas wreaths. I am more than delighted with the results!

As I forgot to take photos of the individual wreath blocks, I took photos of each "quarter" of the quilt:

Here it is in full:

Tilly wanted to join in the fun! 🐶 💕

I used grey fleece on the back.

And the obligatory label made on my embroidery machine.

I LOVE it!

Mmmmm, I just spotted that the label says it was finished in September! Actually, that makes more sense because, as I was helping Joanna move, I hardly even set foot in the sewing room, far less made a quilt!! 😳

I also finished a couple of cardigans for Emily and Isla. They seemed to take me ages to do but, in truth, Emily's sat half done for months and, once I finished hers, Isla's was much quicker!

They look a bit big but that's not a bad thing really. It just means they'll last them more than one winter! These will head off to Canada in the next few weeks along with some small Christmas gifts and their traditional Christmas tree ornaments made by me. I haven't even thought about those yet so I need to get going! I can tell it's going to be a busy November!

mostly doll's clothes and quilt blocks

October's sewing has mostly been making doll's clothes and quilt blocks. I did start the month with another patchwork runner. This one will go under the telly when the Christmas stuff comes out. (Not long now!) I worried when I was making it that it was too busy - nowhere for your eyes to rest - but, after finishing it, I really like it!

Then the doll's clothes making took over. Grace was very obliging in modelling them all!

Dresses:

Yes, Grace's shoes are on the wrong feet. I sorted them for the rest of the photos!

Sundresses:

Tee shirts - I made 2.

Then the knitting needles came out and I knitted jackets and hats.

I don't know if I'm finished yet but I had fun making them and I know the girlies will love them!

I've been making more quilt blocks. Every time I make them, voices in my head keep asking me what I'm going to do with them and why am I wasting my time making something I have no plans for. I just tell the voices to mind their own business! I can make whatever I want with them or just put them aside until I do decide.

The blocks are all made using this book:

As it says, it has 501 block patterns. Not all of them finish at the size I'm making (9½" which will finish at 9" in a quilt) but there are still plenty more for me to make! Yay!

Here are the ones I made this month:

Electric Fan:

Four Knaves:

9 patch straight furrow:

Pavement pattern:

Pennsylvania:

Turnstile:

Twelve triangles:

Union Square:

Windmill II:

Windmill Square:

Economy:

I'm still enjoying making all the quilt blocks so will keep doing them off and on until that stops or I come up with a plan for them.

So that's October done and dusted. I wonder what November will bring?