Black & White Bag Swap

Hi all

I have recently taken part in the Black & White Bag swap, part of Cheryll's 'Lets Exchange' series of swaps. Cheryll is a great Swap Mama, so thanks again for all your hard work Cheryll xx

Boy was I glad I did when I got matched with Sharon from Lilabelle Lane. I am just amazed by her beautiful creations & how finished quilts & smaller items come out thick & fast. Her sewing machine must have smoke coming off the feeddogs!

This swap was no exception. The parcels arrived about a week before the post date so I sat them on the table & tried not to look at them, touch them, smell them or rip into them.

I hadn't even posted mine but that was soon remedied so I waited for Sharon to receive my parcel on Friday before I opened them. A nice start to a Friday night after the work week.

My bag is beautiful. It's roomy, has great inside pocket & I love the conversation print lining.

An added bonus is the embellishment is on a brooch pin or hair clip so can be moved or taken off the bag & used else where. It is very pretty close up.

The fragrant part of my present is a gorgeous set of lavender & chamomile body wash & body lotion. They are all naturally derived ingredients and beautifully packaged. Spoilt!

Thanks again Sharon, loving my swap pressies! xx

Here are my presents to Sharon; the black & white bag.

I have been saving that white & black swirly print for just the right project - it's a favourite & I think looks very posh in this little bag.

I also sent a glasses case made to match. I have been meaning to make one of these for ages & was pleased how easily it came together. It is from my favourite US magazine, Quilts and More.

It fitted my sunglasses very nicely. Here are both gifts together.

As you can see the pics are taken aboove my sewing table - no fancy settings for me, I just don't have the knack for doing that!

I forgot to take a pic of the smellies & extra but you can see them on Sharon's blog. I sent Blueberry & Raspberry Body Butter, Soap & Hand Sanitiser and a chocolate with a spoon in it all ready to make decadent real hot chocolate. Maybe I should trial things like that before I send them.........

My bag came from this great UK magazine filled with lots of great bag patterns.

Shez also used this magazine for the pattern to her amazing knitting bag that she made for Maria. If you haven't seen it, check it out, it's a beauty & on my 'to do' list. We both made a slight change by adding pellon to the bags but otherwise even though both patterns introduced us to something new, they worked a treat and gave excellent results.

Here's the original of my bag in the magazine. I think the pellon making it a more formal looking bag suited the colours & fabrics used. I have one cut out for me in red & black. I'm sure I will make it one day soon........

Happy stitching
Tracee xx

FNSI - Little Things

Last night I had a Friday Night Sew In along with many of you worldwide. It was a great Friday night for a sew in in Perth. The weather was stormy, the temperature had dropped dramatically & the rain was falling. A night in front of the TV watching the AFL footy semi-final, then 2 ABC police & forensics programmes while stitching was perfect.

For once there was no stitchery happening, just lots of little things coming together. I made these hexies on Thursday night.

And Friday night sewed them together. Little Brun helped by supervising which fabrics to put in what order.

Next it was cut up lots of little squares.

That orange circle is the large size clover yo-yo maker. And by bed time I had 15 lovely little yo-yos made.

Another 10 were made during the second semi-final footy game today so only 5 more to make. The yo-yo maker certainly makes it easy.

To see what everyone else did on their FNSI, go to Heidi's blog, Handmade by Heidi, where there are 127 bloggers signed up for last nights sew in. It's a great way to find new blogs & bloggers whose work we can ohhh & ahhh over.

Happy stitching

Tracee xx

Stitchery Queen!

Hi all

Now that I am back stitching, I am more than living up to my self proclaimed 'stitchery queen' tag. There has been so many stitchery projects in recent magazines that I just love.


In the latest Country Threads Jennifer Reynolds from Elefantz had a design for gorgeous 'On Christmas Day' Postcards. They have a cute pocket that you can put a tea bag in (or I was thinking a coffee sachet & a chocolate!) & send to a friend. The words are lovely. Today I finally managed to find a pack of little buttons & stars to decorate the trees with.

Here's a copy of Jenny's design & what mine will loosely end up looking like.

I have also finished my stitchery for my first mini quilt made for me but like most of my projects it is now in line for the machine sewing borders etc. It has turned out gorgeous already though. I'm sorry I can't tell you whose design it is as I found the stitchery traced on the white cotton in my UFO box & the pattern or magazine it came from no where to be seen.

 

 

The latest issue of Homespun definately had me swooning. See the table runner design on the cover (hanging off the table), it & the stitchery in the middle by Lisa Pyke of Cubby House Crafts is definately my cup of tea.

 

 

 

 I love the whole table runner design but decided to make the stitchery a bit bigger & stitch it for the Spring Mini Swap I am doing, organised by swap mama Cheryll from Gone Stitchin. Are you in the Spring swap? I wonder if I am stitching it for you??? I am definately going to have to duplicate this one & do one for me too.

 

 

Something else that took my eye when I saw the Homespun cover on Lisa's blog was naturally the colourful kitties. What could be more purrfect to add to the Quiltkitty household than a lemon stitchery kitten with pink ears? Of course he won't be an only kitty & there are plans for a whole litter in the fabric pile on my sewing desk.

 

 

 

So as always, there is a backup at the sewing machine of projects to be finished. My audit days at work start tomorrow so will soon be over. Even though there is catch up work to do I am already feeling a lot more relaxed. Soon there will be more time & energy for lots of machine sewing!

 

 

The last 2 weekends there have been big yard cleanup days to coincide with the verge pickup. Brutus coped by napping on the bed as usual, while Hun-bun tried to help but found it much more fun to sit in the neighbours rockery and watch the work being done. I'm sure he thinks he looks like a big, tough savannah lion. It's a good thing his honoury 'Uncle Neveille' doesn't mind him making himself at home in his yard.

 

 

Happy stitching

Tracee xx

Tuesday Treasures

Here's a funny treasure but one close to my heart in winter, even in Perth. The Bureau of Meteorology says we are having a low of  6 this week & highs between 17 & 21 with lots more rain until next Sunday when a nice fine 24 is due. The temps will have to rise dramatically before I put this treasure away in the drawer until next year.

I do like a good pair of fluffy slippers & warm socks but my winter treasure is a nice comfy pair of flannel pjs. Nothing flimsy, frilly or flirty for my winter attire!

I have brought two new pairs. A French theme, slightly woolley as worn & washed already....

And my new favourite - Dancing Moo Cows!

Little Brun & Hun-bun were a little put out - where's the kitty prints muma. They soon forgot about it, once snoozing in front of their favourite winter treasure - the gas fire.

To read about other treasures of join in go to Melody's blog, The House On The Side Of The Hill.

Keep warm friends!
Tracee xx Brun xx Hun-bun xx

Stitching Up A Storm....

Hand stitching that is & maybe less of a storm & more so just a passing front that I hope will lead to big things...

When at my most frenzied I always revert back to knitting & scarves, due to no thought required but accomplishing something. Here's the model of the family Hermione with the most recent creations;

At last Spotlight had in a few balls of the black Honeycomb yarn though I had to get the one with the bobbles on it. I stopped myself from knitting until the end of the ball too so this scarf doesn't quite hang to my knees like the others of this type do.

My new favourite, another single ball of wool from Spotlight & Moda Vera. The pattern was on the band & the wool is soft & elasticated. The colours in this one are just perfect for me. I went looking for more but they only have a blue one left & I really wanted girly colours for a change.

Needless to say in the rush of 9-10 hour working days I had forgotten how relaxing I find hand stitching so am pleased to now be stitching again on a regular basis.

Now for the projects that have resulted from my rediscoved stitching joy!

Lovely Leanne from Lizzie the Quilter & I did  birthday swap & not long ago I did a post on my gorgeous tumbler table runner & other gifts I received. Yesterday was Leanne's birthday & below are the pressies I sent her.

A little felt friendship heart with lots of baby buttons & pretty fabric.

The main present was a mini wall hanging that came with its own wire stand. The stitchery is an enlargement of Natalie Bird's True Friends stitchery from her Red Home Book. A few borders & a nice little peeper and this is the end result.

I was so happy (& relieved!) when the stands arrived from the USA in time to post Leanne's parcel to her. I meant to order them weeks ago when I did the Welcome mini swap, run by Cheryl of Gone Stitchin but didn't get around to it so fingers & toes were crossed they would get here in time for the birthday. The parcel did get to Tassie in time & Leanne posted she is very happy with the present. A great swap between friends - thanks again Leanne! xx

As for my stands (yes plural - quite a few of them & lots of headers), I will take pics when I have a mini quilt to show off on them. My Welcome Swap quilt has never been sent to me & sadder still I never got a thank you or even an acknowledgment for my birdy quilt.

Never mind, as I well know life sometimes gets in the way of crafting, so I am busy stitching my own mini quilt also with the birdy theme. Here's a peek & when I finish it I will post pics of my lovely hangers.

Happy Fathers Day to all our men!

Tracee xx