Quilting - pinwheel (lesson 6)

and with the same technique...

Quilting - star (lesson 5)

Quilting - boat (lesson 4)

This is one of my favoutite blocks

Sassy Apron Swap - Spring

Remember this?


Well, it's part of this:

and it has been sent across the 'pond' to my swap partner as part of the Sassy Apron Swap hosted by the lovely Lucy.
(I can't name my swap partner yet, otherwise it would ruin the surprise... but I hope she likes it)
She has received it now(or should I say alreay?!)...it went to Mary ...have a look!!!

Other aprons from this swap can be seen here.

xx

Quilting - Shoo Fly and... (lesson 3)

and a variation.....

Quilting - Friendship Star (lesson 2a)

Using the same techniques as the previous block...

Quilting - Jacob's Ladder (lesson 2)

This one uses squares and triangles..


they say quilting is very forgiving....I surely hope so...some squares became rectangles (hope you didn't notice )

xx

Quilting- Nine Patch Block (lesson 1)

I started a quilting course, for beginners, in early January. There will be 9 sessions in total. In each session we learn/improve techniques by making at least one new block.

Lesson I: Nine Patch Block

Homework: a variation of the previous block, using the same techniques

more to come...

xx

Chicken scratch

...a type of embroidery done on gingham.
You can get beautiful results ...the final result looks like lace ....
This is my first attempt...

Do you like it? I do!

xx

What I have seen ... recently

from my trip posted previously...

I found all of these in a fantastic restaurant called "O Bernardo" in Boavista dos Pinheiros (near Odemira and Vila Nova de Milfontes), in Portugal.
I wanted to take everything with me...and I did...in pictures...



...a rag rug...
... a lovely couple...
(sewn by the owner of the restaurant...and she says she can't sew?!....)

...some patchwork bags...

I've seen some of these posted in A Saloia ... she calls them 'Talegos'

xx

Where I have been...recently

a town....





a city...
(some will argue it should be 'THE' city ;)

surely some of you will be familiar with one of these?!?!?!

(Also) handmade for me

As they say: "better late than never"

So here it is, these beautiful (Xmas) presents that my frieng G made for me.
I am such a lucky girl!!!!

(tres chic...oh la la )

( I need to make something worthy of these beautiful buttons)


(funky!!!!)

(romantic...)

Handmade Christmas...by her

My sister made/embroidered these two presents for her in-laws:

* Embroidery on dressing gown for the mother-in-law; and

** A headband for the father-in-law who likes running. The 'G' is for Gambrinus, a Czech beer, his favourite!

Good job!!!!

xx

2007 Handmade Christmas

Handmade for me.... the perfect handwork from an 89 year-old Grossmama...




Handmade by me....

my first handknitted gloves....

xxx

Merry Christmas

...to all my friends and their families!!!!




This was my handmade card for this year...soooooo cuuuuuuute :p

xxx

a mouse or a cat?

well...
I made a mouse but my friend insisted it was a cat.
I made this mousie for my friend's 3 year old son and he loved it! At least he was playing with it all day; I guess in kids terms it means they like it?!

The pattern was taken from the book ' For Sweet Baby' (isbn4-07-246385-X), one of those cute Japanese books you just can't resist.

Here's some more pictures from the book in Angry Chicken's blog.

xx

still sewing....

... believe it or not...

this beauty is used to hold plastic shopping bags and is now in a beautiful country kitchen. Perfect!





xxx

BBQ in Winter

It took me so long to update this blog that it's almost like a far distant memory...except for my friends, of course!!!
Here's some pics from my party in Bolton...

Only me to decide to have a bbq 'out of season'... and always struggling to get some coal...

xxx

smells like...

lavender!

I made this little sachet for C's mum.


This is the kind of stuff I come up with when I am totally bored and have nothing to do. Fortunately, it seems that Frau S. always has everything I need... and the lavender is from her garden, handpicked that day.

THE business card wallets!!

Here they are, the business card wallets finished sometime ago..but I hadn't had the chance to show them off yet....

Sam's:



Tina's:



Marie Louise's:



Marguerite's:



Aren't they so cute?



xx