Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

See you in the New Year!

Jody



Christmas Gifts

Last night was the last Friday Night Sew In for the year and I managed to get another Christmas Gift finished off.  So here it is - another Tiny Token Gift Bag. 

I also finished these Christmas Birds off earlier in the week too. 

I can now also show you what I send my partner in The Great Global Christmas Swap.  This is a Sweet Box (which I filled with chocolates!) designed by Red Brolly.  I also sent her one of my Santa's Little Helpers' patterns and also a stitchery design by Rosalie Quinlan. 

I have really enjoyed making these Christmas Gifts.  It really gets you into the whole spirit of Christmas - although at times I didn't think I would get everything finished on time!  But that just adds to all the excitement of Christmas - doesn't it!  I still have two more gifts to finish off - and these are for my kids.  I have a week left - so I'm pretty sure I should get them done, as one just requires stuffing and the other is all prepared and ready for sewing.  How are you all going with your Christmas preparations?

Have a lovely day and Happy Sewing!

Jody

Tiny Token Gift Bags

For the Friday Night Sew In last night I worked on a few christmas gifts and one that I managed to finish was a Tiny Token Gift Bag. 

This is from Natalie Ross's book 'Get red red ready for Christmas'. So one gift finished and I still have a few more to go!  Hopefully I'll get them finished in time for Christmas. 
Happy Sewing!
Jody   

Friday Night Sew In

Ok - so it's that time again - the Friday Night Sew In! 

They are holding two this month so we can all get our projects finished in time for Christmas.  The first one will be this Friday night (the 9th of Dec) and Friday the 16th of December.  So come on, join in on Friday night and get some of your Christmas projects done! 
Happy Sewing!
Jody

Clucky

Here's another softie I finished just yesterday.  Her name is Clucky and she is a Melly & Me design. 

I do love her is these bright fabrics.  I think they really suit her.  I think the lawn needs cutting though - I could loose her chicks in there it's that long!  We've had so much rain lately that the grass has gone mad.  You cut it and it seems to grow overnight - it's hard to keep up with it. 

Here are a few other things I've made recently.  These lolly bags are a great idea and so I just had to make up a few.  I thought I'd make some more for our Christmas Stall at school.  They make great little gifts for those little and not so little people!  Also would make great party bags for kids parties.  They are a designed by Monica Solorio-Snow from Happy Zombie.  You can find the pattern HERE.

These are some more of my Christmas Birds I made too.  They are great Christmas decorations and are quick and easy to make.  Also make great little gifts too.  I made a tutorial for these last year - so if you want the pattern and steps on how to make it you can find the link on the right hand side of this page.  

 

Happy Sewing!

Jody

FNSI Results

Well I didn't get alot done for the Friday Night Sew In last night.  I was helping with the shearing of my parents Alpacas yesterday so was pretty tired last night.  It was also a really hot day yesterday which didn't help either.  But we got all the Alpacas finished and so they will all now be alot cooler for Summer. 
So we ended up getting Fish & Chips for tea, and then once the kids went to bed I sat down in front of the TV with my stitchery project.  I have shown you this one before and I haven't really done alot on it since.  So I managed to get another fairy nearly finished - just needs her face & hair done and some detail on her dress.

This is a Cinderberry Stitches design and it is free from the Lecien website.  It's called Flower Sugar Woodland Faeries. 

Happy Sewing!

Jody

Friday Night Sew In

It's Friday Night Sew In again tomorrow night. 

So join the sew in with us on Friday night and work on some of your unfinished projects.  I know I've still got a few I'm going to be working on!  'See' you then!
Happy Sewing!
Jody

A very busy weekend!

Well I thought I would share another couple of things with you as it has been a very busy weekend!  My son actually shares his birthday with his dad (he still says that when Max was born it was the best birthday present he ever got!).  So we also celebrated my wonderful husband's birthday too over the weekend.  So here he is with both the kids about to blow out his candles. 

 Also we added a new member to our little family over the weekend - and her name is Mittens. 

I surprised the kids and we picked her up at lunchtime on Sunday (they thought we weren't going to get her for another couple of days) and we brought her home.  She is everything that a kitten should be - full of beans and very naughty but also just adorable.  She is 3 months old and we adopted her from the pound.  It has been about 7 years since I last had a cat and now that she is with us I am just loving every minute of it!  I really missed not having a cat around the house.  I have been sewing this morning and she has been 'helping' me with the fabrics and treads and has been very curious about everything I have been doing.  She certainly does bring a smile to my face. 
Happy sewing!
Jody 

Drafty Junior

I have had a few requests to make a 'Drafty' Junior.  This is from my original 'Drafty the Door Sausage Dog' pattern.  So I finally got around to making Drafty Junior.  His is not as long as the original Drafty and doesn't have the weighted pellets or rice in him as he is intended to be used as a toy only.  Anyone that has purchased the 'Drafty the Door Sausage Dog' pattern can make this.  You just need to simply remove the two middle sections in the pieced middle (which on the pattern I removed pieces C & D and changed piece E to measure 2").  This then makes Drafty Junior a nice fit to put across the end of the bed.  I then didn't add the weighted pellets to his paws and also did not use a weighted bag in the middle.  I simply stuffed him with polyester toy stuffing but not too firmly. 
So meet 'Drafty Junior'. 

And here he is lying across the end of my son' s bed.

Happy Sewing!
Jody

My little boy turned 5!

My little boy turned 5 over the weekend!  Still can't believe he'll be going to school next year!  He asked for a Lego party so we invited some of his kinder friends over and we sent out Lego invitations and I made a Lego cake for him.  We also included Lego minifigurines in the party bags and had a Lego prize for Pass the Parcel.  It was a really hot day so we got the water pistols out and the kids had heaps of fun running around and shooting at each other with them, some of them ending up very wet indeed!  They all seemed to really enjoy themselves and my son had a wonderful birthday and seemed to love every minute of it.  Here he is first thing in the morning opening one of his birthday presents.

And here is the Lego cake I made him. 

It was a great day and a great birthday party and worth all the effort.  Happy birthday little man!
Jody

The Keeper Swap

I can now show you what I sent my swap partner in 'The Keeper Swap' that Sandy held over at Cookies & Cream Craft.  The idea was to make a Scissor Keeper to exchange with your swap partner.  I hadn't made a scissor keeper before so I thought it was a great chance to make something like that.   The lovely Cate was my partner in the swap and so this is what I sent her.

I used a free design by Lynette Anderson for the scissor keeper but added my own embroidery bird on the front.  I then used a pattern from an issue of Homespun magazine for the needle keeper.  And I made them using Rosalie Quinlans Sweet broderie fabric range - which is one of my favourites. 

I was then very lucky indeed to receive this gorgeous parcel in the mail from my swap partner Cate.  Look what she sent me! 

Aren't I lucky!  I love it!  Thankyou Cate!  This swap was fun.  Thanks Sandy for a great swap!

Happy Sewing!

Jody

Show & Tell

Lisa has just emailed me with some beautiful photos of Marina the Mermaid that she has made using my pattern.  I love seeing what other people have made with my designs - it makes it all so worthwhile!  So I thought I would share these pictures with you as they are just adorable.  Lisa made two different versions of Marina - and they both look fantastic and she has done such a lovely job making them.  Thankyou Lisa for sharing and sending me these photos!

Happy sewing!

Jody

Another Finish

I managed to finish the Lovebirds I started last FNSI.  So here they are - Lily & Lenny Lovebirds.  Sweet - aren't they! 

I would have finished them earlier but we had a lovely relaxing weekend - enjoying the sunshine with the kids.  Here's some photos of the kids having heaps of fun in the sun under the sprinklers! 

Happy Sewing!
Jody

FNSI results

Last night was Friday Night Sew In and I managed to work on a couple of projects.  I only finished one of them - which was a small notebook cover and then I started two softies - Lily & Lenny Lovebirds. 

They are from Australian Homespun magazine (Vol 12. no. 9), and designed by Melly & Me.  Pop over and have a look what everyone else has been working on for their Friday Night Sew In.
Another softie I completed earlier in the week was Rudy the Reindeer. 

He's also a Melly & Me design and I have made a few of these last year as Christmas gifts.  So now I have another one all ready for Christmas!
Happy Sewing!
Jody

FNSI - this Friday!

It's that time again - Friday Night Sew In is on again this Friday the 21st October. 

So click on this link to go and sign up and join in the fun.  I have quite a few projects I am working on - so I really hope to complete one or two of them on Friday.  So 'see' you there!
Happy Sewing!
Jody

Teddy Bears Picnic

Today Reuben the donkey is joining in the Teddy Bears Picnic.  He has his bag packed and is ready to go. 

Reuben is designed by the talented Jodie Carleton of Ric Rac and I fell in love with him immediately.  He will definitely have a permanent home here with me.  I love the details on his jacket and his satchel and he only took me a few days to make up.  I can definitely see myself making up some more from this design - although I will find it hard to part with them.
Happy sewing!
Jody

Santa's Little Helpers

Yes - we are getting closer and closer to Christmas!  So here's a cute little pattern I designed that you can make up in a weekend called 'Santa's Little Helpers'.  This pattern has been part of the Cookies & Cream Craft Christmas Club - so some of you may have already seen it or made some up!  If you have I'd love to see a photo! 
So here they are - meet Alfie & Evie Elf. 

Bring a little Christmas Magic into your home with these cute little Elves.  With their spotty gloves, shoes and hats and stripy tights they are sure to bring some Christmas joy & laughter to your home.  And with jingle bells on their shoes and hats, if you listen carefully, you might hear them helping Santa putting the presents under the tree on Christmas Eve!

This pattern will now be available from Cookies & Cream Craft online shop or from my local patchwork shop Riviera Patchwork.

I hope you love them as much as I do! 

Happy sewing!
Jody
 

Notebook Cover

This is a gift I made for a friend of mine.  It's a notebook or journal cover. 

I used the applique design from the Cinderberry Stitches book 'Cotton Floss' and the instructions for making the cover from 'In the Life of a Bag' by Anni Downs.  It was the Large Notebook from that book.  I can see I'll make some more of these as I was really happy how it turned out. 

Happy sewing!
Jody

Urban Stitches - Melbourne

On Sunday my friend Lisa & I went to 'Urban Stitches - Melbourne'.  It was a fantastic day and we received three lovely new patterns & kits in our goodie bags from Leanne, Rosalie & Melly.  We also had a chance to see all their displays and samples of their patterns and we also got to see the completed panels of Leanne's Vignette in Stitches quilt.  Wow - loved it all!  Gave me lots of inspiration to get stitching and sewing!  Leanne's 'Vignette in stitches' panels were just beautiful - her stitching is just so perfect!  A real inspiration.  We had a lovely morning and afternoon tea and a beautiful lunch too - so I felt really spoiled for the day. 
Here's a photos of the projects they had prepared for us for the day. 

I started Leanne's stitchery panel - wall hanging called 'Sew Laugh Love'.  It is the large one in the middle of the photo above.  Lots of work in it, but also lots of fun stitching. 
Here are some more photos of some of their work they had on display - just gorgeous aren't they!

   




A great day with lovely people, wonderful stitching and great food.   
Happy sewing!
Jody

FNSI results

I managed to get a couple of projects finished last night for the Friday Night Sew In.  These are both small gifts I have made.  So here they are - the Cozy Wine Koozie - which is a Moda Bakeshop design by Becky McGrath and an owl pin cushion which is from the book 'Cotton Floss' by Cinderberry Stitches. 

Pop over and see what everyone else has been up to for the Friday Night Sew In!
Happy sewing!
Jody

Friday Night Sew In

It's Friday Night Sew In tonight again, so get one of those unfinished projects out and join in the fun. 

I have several projects that need finishing - but I hope to at least get one or two done! 
Happy Sewing!
Jody

Stitching away..

Well, I have finally found some time to do some stitching!  Although this was not the way I would really have liked to find time - but we have to look at the positives! I went outside Friday afternoon and grabbed an armful of firewood to put in the fireplace and stepped on one of the kids shoes as I walked in the door and twisted my foot.  Somehow I have managed to break one of the bones in my foot.  So I am now hobbling around on crutches and have to sit with my foot up.  So this of course, has given me a great excuse to do some much needed stitching!  So a forced 'break' (hahaha) but I have finished one of my stitching projects that I started about 12 months ago.  I really don't know why it has taken me so long to finish, as I have really enjoyed working on it and I only had a little bit to go to finish it. 
So here it is at last and I am really happy with it and plan to use it for myself to keep other stitchery projects, scissors, threads etc in.

This is 'The Two of Us' little carry bag, by Rosalie Quinlan designs.   

Happy stitching!
Jody

Having fun enjoying life!

Life has been very busy but enjoyable in the last few weeks.  The sewing machine is feeling a little neglected but our little family has been having a great time together.  The only sewing I've managed to do was to make another hat for Max - another lazy days hat by Make it Perfect.  Here he is trying to be cross with me but giggling instead while I took his photo. 

And here he is again posing for me! 

He's such a character and makes me smile and laugh all the time.  I can't believe he'll be going to school next year! 

We've had dress up days at school and kinder.  Max went as a Ninga (one of his favourite things at the moment!) and Samantha went as Felicity - from the books Felicity Wishes (as dress up day was the end of book week at school). 

Don't you just love dress ups!  I know I do and the kids have so much fun pretending to be some character and making up stories. 

We also had my mum's birthday last week so Max and I baked her a yummy chocolate cake and she and dad came over for a nice roast dinner to celebrate.  Birthdays are great fun!

Of course it was also father's day on Sunday - Happy Father's day to all the dad's out there!   I helped the kids make up a father's day booklet each, with photo's I'd printed out and questions for them to answer about their dad.  Some of their answer's were just gorgeous and it was very well received and loved when they gave it to him on Sunday.  We had a lovely father's day just being home together and kicking the ball around and enjoying the sunshine.  

We also picked up the first 4 poddy calves this weekend so we have been busy setting up the shed for them and now feeding them twice a day.  Samantha has taken a real interest in them this year and has been more hands on and not as afraid of them as she has been in the past.

So it has been a very busy few weeks - but a fun few weeks too.  The sewing machine is calling me and I am missing my sewing - so I do hope to get back to it very soon.  I will also be going to Melbourne for 'Urban Stitches' on the 18th of this month - so I am really looking forward to that.  It should be great fun.
Until next time - happy sewing everyone!
Jody   

Toadstool Pin Rests

It was Friday Night Sew In on Friday and so I cut out and started putting together a few of these cute Toadstool Pin Rests.  They are from Natalie Lymer's (Cinderberry Stitches) book 'Cotton Floss'.  This is a beautiful book with enchanting stitchery projects throughout.  I have made one of these pin rests before and I just love them, so I thought I'd make up a few more. 

Click HERE and pop over and see when the other participants of Friday Night Sew In have made.
Happy Sewing!
Jody

Party Turtles made by the kids!

I went to school yesterday and helped the Prep/Grade 1's made these cute tiny Party Turtles.  They were also helped by their Grade 6 Buddies - and they all worked really well together and did a fantastic job of making their turtles.  They had a great time and really enjoyed it.  Here are just two of the turtles they made. 

A big Thankyou to Jodie Carleton from Ric Rac for allowing me to use her Party Turtle design (a free pattern from her website).  I adapted it slightly and had everything pre-cut and with sewing holes punched in it so the kids could easily hand sew it together. 
Here's a photo of some of them holding their turtles.

I had heaps of fun helping the kids make these.  So thanks kids - I loved it!

Happy sewing!
Jody

Monday's Show & Tell

For Monday's Show & Tell I thought I'd show you another softie I finished over the weekend.  Here's Darcy the Dinosaur - who is another character I made from the new Melly & Me book 'Sewn Toy Tales'. 

I am loving this book, and you'll probably see more characters from it as I continue to sew my way through it! 
Pop over to Sandy's blog and see what others have to share for Monday's Show & Tell
Happy sewing!
Jody. 
 

FNSI results

Last night was Friday Night Sew In and this month I managed to finish off a softie toy.  Here is Pearl the Zebra. 

She is a Melly & Me design from their new book 'Sewn Toy Tales' which I just had to buy!  It's a gorgeous book filled with heaps of photos and 12 cute characters to make.  I also managed to cut out and prepare Darcy the Dinosaur - who is also another character from this book. 

Happy sewing!
Jody