Monday's Show & Tell

I thought I'd participate again in 'Monday's Show & Tell' that Sandy from Cookies & Cream Craft has on her blog every Monday.  This is a Christmas present I made for my kids and finished it only just in time for Christmas.  I spent several nights sewing until midnight to get it finished for them - as I had to do it all in secret.  You may have seen these on a previous post as my Friday night sew in - well - now here they are finally finished, along with their family home.  Introducing Mr & Mrs Nibbles and their family home which doubles as a carry all bag with pockets inside to fit them into.  The pattern is from the last two issues of Homespun magazine and is a Rosalie Quinlan design.  They were fun to make and the kids were very happy to get them for Christmas.  

Add your link to Sandy's blog and join in Monday night's Show & Tell.  It's nice to see what everyone else has been doing.
Happy sewing!
Jody

Some Christmas Gifts

Well, Christmas day has been, and we all had a wonderful time and of course ate way too much! The kids are having a ball playing with all their Christmas presents, so I thought I would show you a few of the things I made. I have been using Rosalie Quinlans new fabric range - sweet broderie, so you will see that in alot of the things I made. I love this fabric and it has definately become a favourite of mine. I got mine from my local patchwork shop - Riviera Patchwork. Gayle got in the complete range, so if you go to her website you can probably still get some from there.

Here is Mrs Perkins - a Melly & Me design. Mrs Perkins is a favourite pattern of mine I have used many, many times. She is actually a gift for a newborn little girl that my daughter's teacher asked me to make for her.

The next one is Hooty. Another Melly & Me design called Hooty & Tweet. This was a birthday present for my daughter's friend. Her birthday was about 10 days or so before Christmas.

The next one is a clutch bag I made for my Mum for Christmas. It is a Janelle Wind design from Janelle's book 'Pieces of me'.

The last one I'll show you today is a little bag I made for 'The Great Global Christmas Swap'. It is a Natalie Ross design called 'The Jolly Gift Giver'. You can see the one that was sent to me by my swap parter in a earlier post below.

I've had a lovely time making all these things - and there is nothing better than giving them to people and seeing them smile when they are received. I will post another update soon with some of the other things I made before Christmas.

I hope you all had a very lovely Christmas and spent time with those you love.

Jody

Friday Night Sew In

I thought I would participate in the 'Friday Night Sew In' - you may have seen the link on the side of this page. Well - I have quite a few unfininished projects on the go - and one of them was a present for the kids for Christmas. It is Mr & Mrs Nibbles - a Rosalie Quinlan Design that she featured in Homespun Magazine last month and this month. I wanted to make the kids the house (bag) and also the Nibbles children - but I am fast running out of time before Christmas. Also it has been hard to make them in secret - so I can only work on them once the kids have gone to bed. So I sat down last night, got out the sewing machine and spent the night putting these two together. They aren't quite finished - I still have to hand stitch the ears on and then satin stitch the eyes and nose, but I'm very happy with how much I acheived for the night.




Jody

The Great Global Christmas Swap 2010

It Arrived! My package arrived from Betty - my swap partner in 'The Great Global Christmas Swap 2010'.

She lives in France and we have been corresponding via email since we signed up for this wonderful swap back in September. The idea is to make a small gift for each other and then post it off before Christmas. She has made me this beautiful bag which I just love. It has a lovely applique reindeer holding a present and a Christmas pudding and coming out of a present himself. It also has a piece of holly made from felt attached to the top. The bag also contained a fat quater of fabric which I also love, and a handmade card.

She is so clever! She received my package also which she loved too. We both made a bag using the same pattern from Natalie Ross - 'The Jolly Gift Giver'. It was one of the patterns you received when you sign up for the swap. What a lovely surprise to received this beautifully handmade gift and what a great idea 'The Great Global Christmas Swap' is!

Jody

Christmas Tree Decorations

Here are some of the Christmas decorations I have been making as gifts. This is quite a simple design I put together and very quick and easy to make. I call them Christmas Birds. If you would like to make them yourself and you can also download the pattern I made too.  Click HERE to go to my Craftsy Store.




Happy sewing everyone and I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Jody

Rudy the Reindeer!

Here is Rudy the red nosed Reindeer! My daughter made this for her teacher - isn't she clever! She chose the fabric, traced the pattern onto the fabric and used my sewing machine to sew the body and legs. She also stuffed them. I finished it off for her by doing the antlers, ears and eyes and attaching the legs. I think she has done a wonderful job (especially for a 6 year old!)- and she really enjoyed making this. I loved helping her too! I'm sure her teacher is just going to love it!

Here is a picture of her and Rudy the Reindeer.

The pattern is a Melly & Me design called 'Rudy'. I am also making up another couple of these as presents for other teachers too.

How is all your Christmas sewing going?

Jody

Art Smock

I have been quite busy doing some Christmas sewing (which I can't show you - as it will spoil the surprise) but I have also been making a few other things too. Here are some pictures of two Art smocks that I have just finished. They are made using Kellie's free pattern from her website 'Don't Look Now!' The design is a slightly simplified version of the pattern but I am quite happy with the results.



Now back to my Christmas sewing....

Jody

Mum's cushion

Finally finished the cushion for my mum's birthday! The design is from Kelly - from Don't Look Now! and it is part of the boarder from her Meg's garden quilt. It's done using raw edge applique and free motion quilting. I'm giving it to mum today - so I hope she likes it!





Mum picked out the design for the quilt a while ago as I said I would make her a quilt. As this technique that Kelly uses was new to me, I said I would make a cushion first. So I did a workshop with Kelly and then I made this cushion. I'm really enjoyed making this and am very happy with the finished product. Now for the big project.....the quilt! I have my Christmas sewing to do first, so I will probably start the quilt next year - but I'll keep you posted!

Happy sewing everyone!

Jody

Mrs Nibbles

Meet Mrs Nibbles! She is a Rosalie Quinlan design from this month's Homespun magazine. I think she is rather cute! She was a birthday present for friend's 3 year old little girl. There was also pattern for a Mr Nibbles and then in next Month's magazine there is going to be the Nibbles children and their family home. Both my kids want one of course - so I might make them the whole family & house for Christmas!

Workshop cushion

I have had a few unfinished projects on the go lately plus I have also been creating my own design - how exciting! Unfortuantly I can't show you what I have been busily designing - but please be paitent with me and I will show you soon. I managed to complete one project today - which is the cushion we started in the workshop I attended a little while ago with Kellie - from 'Don't Look Now!' The cushion pattern is called 'wish you were here!'. We did this project using raw edge applique & free motion quilting.





Hope you like it!
Jody

Immersed in stitching

What a wonderful day I had at the stitching retreat at Immerse in the Yarra Valley on Saturday. I met some lovely ladies including the very talented designers - Rosalie Quinlan, Leanne Beasley & Melanie Hulston.
We had a lovely day stitching some lovely new designs by Rosalie, Leanne & Melly and got a wonderful 'goodie bag' which inluded a kit from each designer, Cosmo thread, some handmade soap, embroidery needles, chocolates and more! The ladies at my table were lovely to chat to and it made the day so nice to be in such wonderful company.

I also had a chance to see Rosalie's new fabric range - 'Sweet Broderie' which is just fabulous and also Melly's new fabric range 'Where the wind blows' which is delightful too. There was a great show and tell where we were inspired by what others have created and we had a lovely morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea - so it was a real treat! Here are a few more pictures of the day. This is Melly with me and my 'show & tell' of the hobby horses I had made using her 'Giddy Up' pattern.

And here are some pictures of Rosalie, Leanne's and Melly's display. Aren't they just beautiful! They are such talented ladies!

Of course I had to buy some of Melly's fabric and patterns from each of the designers too! I would have loved to buy some of Rosalie's fabric but it hasn't been released yet - so I'll just have to wait for that one. Next post I should be able to show you the finished product from our stitching day.

Jody

Little Cottage Fabric Buckets

Today I have just completed one of Janelle Wind's Little Cottage Fabric Buckets from her book 'Pieces of Me'. I loved the colours she used so tried to use very similar ones on my version - and I really love the results.

I also made another (yes another one!) of her mobile phone pouches for another friend of mine who really wanted one!

You may have also noticed a link on the right hand side of this page to 'The Great Global Christmas Swap'. If you click on this link you can read what this is all about but basically is about making contact with another stitcher from another country, who shares your passion for this craft, and exchanging a small gift.
You get to choose from 3 free patterns to stitch a gift bag for your partner and then send it to them for Christmas! I think this is a great idea and signed up and have already had contact with my partner - Betty, from France! It has been wonderful to hear about her and where she lives, and I am looking forward to making up one of the gift bags to send her for Christmas.
It is not too late to sign up - so if you like, just follow the link and be part of this wonderful swap!

Jody

Softies...

I thought I would show you a few pictures of some softies & a bag I have made earlier this year. These are all Melly & Me designs and so gorgeous I almost didn't want to give them away! But they all went to loving homes as birthday presents - so I am sure they are all happy there. I have also put a link on the right hand side to another page with pictures so you can see what else I have made. Just click on Softie Toys I have made.. to have a look.

Monkey business...

Here is Magoo the Monkey. He's very cheeky and loves hanging around. I made him for the kinder raffle - so hopefully he finds a nice home with a little boy or girl to hug because he just loves cuddles.





Jody

This Week...

This week I have done another raw edge applique project - in the same design as we did in the workshop last week. I wanted to practise the technique and found it easier and alot neater the second time around. Here is a picture for you. It will be made into a cushion once finished.

I also made up a dragon for a friend to give to her 2 year old nephew. This is 'Darrius The Dragon' designed by Jessica Ween that was in the Homespun Magazine a couple of months ago.

Workshop

Yesterday I took a trip to Traralgon and was lucky enough to do a workshop at Miss Millys Patchwork with Kellie - from Don't Look Now!. Kellie showed us her wonderful quilts - which included 'Meg's Garden', 'Little Monsters', 'Worry Dolls' & 'Alphabet Soup' just to name a few. They were just gorgeous! She taught us raw edge applique' and free motion stitching/machine quilting techniques. It was a fantastic day and I learnt heaps. Here is a picture of what I did yesterday, and we do another day in 3 weeks time where we complete the project and start a cushion design from the 'pretty 'n pink' pattern.



The technique is tricky to start with - but with practise I'll get better at it. I love this way of quilting as you get instant results and it is quilted as you go!

Today I also finished another pony for a friend - so here is a picture of it too! I love the pony's - they are just adorable!

Jody

One Hour Bag!

I desperately needed a new bag so found a tutorial by Jodie Carleton - '1 hour bag'. So I have just made up one in no time at all - and now I finally have my new bag.



It is such a great design and was quick & easy to put together. I think it looks great - hope you like it too!

Jody

Pony

My daughter is going to a 6th birthday party tomorrow so she asked if I could make a pony as a present. So I have just finished it off today.



It's a Melly & Me design and I just picked up this lovely fabric from my local patchwork shop. Hope you like it too!


Jody

Pieces of Me...

This week I bought a fantastic book from my local patchwork shop Riviera Patchwork. The book is called 'Pieces of Me..." by Janelle Wind. It has some great sewing projects and I found it very inspiring. She uses gorgeous bright materials and has some fantastic projects that would make ideal gifts. I have just made up three of her iphone/ipod pouch's. The design is just so beautiful, and I just love them. I will definitely be keeping one for myself! Here's a photo of the finished phone pouches.

Kinder Girls!

I have just finished a doll for my daughter. The pattern is called 'Kinder Girls' by Jodie Carleton. You can find her at http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com/

I just LOVE this pattern. The fabric she suggested to use on the doll it 'Doctors Flannel' and you can buy doll size pieces from Ballarat Patchwork. The fabric is wool and is so beautiful and soft and very forgiving when you sew it together (so can hardly see the stitches). The hair is felt and she has shoes and knickers sewn in (very clever).

The dress is reversible which I think is so clever, and she also has a cute little cardigan made from felt. My daughter loves her - which is the most important part and she has already taken her to school. I will definately be making more of these - as they are so cute and the design is so clever. I may make a whole class full of these kinder girls and kinder boys too (as I bought that pattern also - couldn't resist!!)

Jody

What a crafty week!

Wow, what a crafty week it has been! I think I have been sewing every day and have completed 2 softies and a bag! I have also started designing my own little softie - it is still in the early stages but I'm happy with it so far. I also did some new kinder pockets for the Kindergarten which had to be finished before the beginning of this week - ready for the new term. So it has been a very crafty and busy week - but I have loved every minute of it!

Here is a picture of the little Alien I made. It is a Melly & Me design and I made two of them - one for my son's friends 3rd Birthday and the other was for the school raffle.

I also made a bag in that gorgeous fabric that I used on my daughter's bag. It is a Melly & Me design again and it has a cat face on the front, with 2 buttons for the eyes.

Jody