Advent mystery solved.....

The mystery of my advent quilt is revealed today...Christmas Day. Here are the 25 little quilt blocks on the reverse sides. I really enjoyed stitching them all. You can see the other side on this previous post.

There are references to the patterns my quilt group members turned in along with some things dear to my husband and I. A few examples are in the photo below but enlarge the first photo to see all the blocks. The "Joyeux Noel" as my way of saying thank you to the various French sites where I found some designs, a candle in a lantern on the 13th for Santa Lucia as Jos and I lived in Sweden when we were first married, the nativity for the 25th, a pretzel which reminds of the German Weihnachtsmarkts which we love so much and my kitty Dagi and Miss Pickles the Elf. These are just a few of the motiefs I used. 

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas wherever you are celebrating and may 2015 bring you happiness and many creative moments!

Heidi

Christmas bowl this year.....

Each season, I decorate my dough bowl. It is a great way to give an instant feeling of a season or holiday. This year, I put in springs of holly berries with pinecones around the collection of little pillows and pinkeeps. 

The quilt is one I made about 17 years ago. 

Heidi

Quilt group's annual Christmas party

Last night was the annual Christmas party for my quilt group. It was preceded by an incident that really tore into the core of the group. Words can be uplifting and encouraging but can also be used to be hurtful and hateful. We made it through the riff with all but the two members in question and it put a new light on our Christmas party. A couple of the ladies expressed how rich they feel from our group's time and friendships together.

The ladies trickled in and placed a gift under the tree. We sat down to a table set for an Italian style Christmas. Three courses were made by half of the ladies in the group. This meant the other half could sit back, relax and enjoy. We opened a few gifts after each course that was served giving lots of time to admire all the beautiful creations. Our theme for this year's gifts was "A Tisket, A Tasket". 

Elly found the pickle in the Christmas tree again this year. I give a gift to the person who finds it each year. This year, the gift was a winter themed key fob. I found the ice skate charm at a German Christmas market. 

And just look at the many beautiful gifts given and received!

I had MiekeV's name to make a gift for. I wanted to make something special for her and when I saw this sweet chart on Cathy's blog I knew it was perfect for her. Mieke loves her garden which is a thing we share in common. 

I also made her a pincushion. It is large at 8 inches square but you will see why I made it large. One the one side is a patchwork block which is called Cake Stand or Amish Basket. 

One the back, I stitched a triangle of fabric which I lined with lace and embellished with a button and bow. A piece of satin ribbon was sewn just above the triangle so that when a pair of scissors is in the holder, they are secure. A safety pin keeps the fob for the scissors also secure. I handquilted the pillow front and back before assembling it. 

My gift received was a **beautiful** quilted wallhanging by MiekeW. She made me a basket in all the pretty warm tones I so love. Even the bottom of the quilt has tiny baskets across it. Her husband made the wire hanger which says "yellow basket". How wonderful is that! And she "wrapped" my gift in a big burlap stocking with white yo-yo's on it. Humm....I think Jos might need to fill this stocking for Chrismtas...what do you think? *wink*

Heidi

Happy Halloween!

My blog has been neglected. Has it really been two months since I posted? At any rate...I have been busy. So I am stopping by to say Happy Halloween.

Even my garden gate is decorated for the season even if the spiders did this work instead of me. *Grins*

Last year, I had these designs to stitch and make pillow ornaments but was too busy with these so they had to wait until this year. It has been fun stitching them up. And remember when I mentioned the spray paint? It was to spray a green Christmas garland black for Halloween. Click on the photos for a closer look.

Wishing you a Boo-tiful and Happy Halloween!

Heidi

It's in the bag!

Back with another crochet finish. Some time ago, I started working on some Japanese blocks which I decided to make into a tote bag. It was a fun way to use them since I just wanted to try out some of the stitches. I have taken time making this one since I was making it with a friend and did not want to get too far ahead of her since she started after I had enough blocks for one side already. It was a fun project. We just crocheted the blocks together and then made a band of single crochet for the sides and bottom. I lined it with fabric from my quilt stash. I ran out of yarn so had to buy handles which I sewed to the lining with tabs. I added some small lace to the tabs too. Now I have a tote bag to carry my crocheting in when I take it to my friend's house...

I had made one block too many and turned it into a potholder (RAK gift) for Mieke who I crochet with regularly. It is a nice heavy design which is perfect for a potholder.

I also started a new afghan since the weather has cooled off. I am making Lion Brand's Harvest Patchwork afghan using Stylecraft DK yarn. I found out that this shop was selling it now here in Holland. What great yarn this is! Since this pattern calls for a chunky yarn, I am using a double strand to get the thickness and a 6,5mm hook. It is working up a treat and I am so looking forward to having another autumn feeling blanket to use in the coming season.

Back though to my stitching. I have another fun project in progress for Halloween. As soon as I get the spray painting part done, I will share this latest project. And yes...I did say stitching and spray painting. Intrigued? *grins*

Heidi

It's C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S once again!

The postman rang my doorbell today and handed me a package from Jeanne. It is Christmas in July once again today. Yippee!

When I saw the adorable paper, I hated to open it for a minute. Just a minute mind you! I had to see what was in the packages. *grins*

Jeanne made me a project bag with a beautiful vintage Christmas postcard fabric. That is going to be put to good use already as my current project is going to be held in there while I work on it. It needed ironing with the instructions Jeanne sent along to protect the vinyl front cover. Jos was working in my studio so I had to wait with the ironing.

Here is the beautiful ornament. She told me she choose this pattern with a cat on it to remind me of Dagi. Just look at Santa's scissors. I do love it and want to thank Jeanne for a fun swap. I told her this was a perfect time to do the swap with all our hot weather this summer in Holland. It is reminding me that the holidays are going to be here before we know it.

Heidi

It's C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S!

Remember that little peek at the ornament I made for a swap with a blogging friend? She emailed me that it arrived already. That went so fast and it got to her on Christmas Eve...lol. Well a girl can wish in the middle of a heat wave, can't she??? Or maybe the heat has really gone to my brain and I am hallucinating? *wink*

Anyway...my swap partner was none other than Jeanne over at WillowTreeStitcher. I wanted to make an ornament that looked European for her. The St. Nicholaas is stitched in reverse on the other side so even if it turns on the tree, it will always be facing the right side. I added a little snowflake to the bottom and all is sewn together with some of the French ribbons I bought in a needlework shop up in the north of Holland.

I also decided to use the opportunity to RAK Jeanne as well. I sent her a couple of non-stitchy things but also made a fob for a pair of embroidery scissors. It is made with silver, white and blue beads and a porcelain Delft Blauw wooden shoe with a windmill on it.

I am thrilled you got it all in time for Christmas in July (25th) Jeanne and hope you will enjoy using both items in the years to come. Just as the feeling of Christmas, I am anxiously awaiting the postman ringing my doorbell with your ornament. Can't wait........

Heidi 

It's hip to be square.....

Okay...okay...I am dating myself but I have this Huey Lewis and the News song going through my head as I write this blog post. Do you remember Hip to be Square? Way back in 1986?

"You might think I'm crazy, but I don't even care
Because I can tell what's going on

It's hip to be square,
It's hip to be square......"

But then what better music to share my latest update on my printer's tray? *grins*

I love home so I filled these squares with a heart, home sweet home, my sweet kitty Dagi and flowers for my garden.

Now I have a start on the nest four squares with a thimble. I have to decide on the next designs to use. Yep...it IS hip to be square.

Heidi

Oh this is so much fun!

This year is my year to give things to others ... handmade things. I am having so much fun being able to surprise people who up to now have had no idea that I was doing anything for them.

This is a WIP roll. It is a mini quilt that is used to roll up your stitching either while you are working on things or for finished pieces waiting for their final finishes. I had this laying in half done for Barbara for ages. My RAK year seemed the perfect time to dig it out and get it finished to send to her. She shares my love for autumn so I knew what I wanted to do with it from the start.

I just got an email from Maine saying it arrived so I can now share it with you. I need to get my March RAKs out now. Wonder where those will show up??? *wink*

Heidi

Extra, extra...read all about it...revisitied!

..."Does this bring visions of young boys in knickerbockers out on the street corner selling newspapers? Actually my father was one of those boys in a time far, far away. But this is news about my new big project. I am going to use the entire year to work on this one. No pressure or press deadlines for me."...

This was part of the text from a blog entry I posted back in March of 2010 (click here to read the original entry). It is about time that this UFO came back to life and got some serious work done. I think I took that "no pressure and no press deadline for me" just a bit too seriously. *grins*

I love this printer's tray and it was hung immediately when we moved into our new house two years ago but it has not been worked on for ages. I want to get a couple of larger projects finished by the end of this year. The printer's tray is one of them.

I used elements of three samplers in the book ABC Miniatures by Francoise Prax to create this sampler. It was fun putting them together to work well for this space. It was also great fun to work on something so small again. This sampler measures a little less than 3-1/2 inches square. 

I am going through my patterns now for the next spaces. I will be filling the four tiny squares next to the row of scissors. I am hoping to keep the momentum going and get them done by the end of March. Wish me luck.....

Heidi

Finishes 2012.....

I wanted to review my finishes for 2012. I was a little disappointed with myself on my UFO Challenge list. I stayed at 12 finishes from that list. Now I did keep adding projects as I dug them out but I ran out of steam with them. They are all going back on a new UFO Challenge list for 2013.

One of the things that stands out is how many afghans I crocheted this year which is one of the reasons I think I got less UFOs done. *grins* There are my last two finishes for 2012 at the bottom of this list so I will talk to you more when you get to the bottom.....

I did not forget May. I had no finishes as in April and May I was having major problems with my hand. The pain got so bad that I had to simply rest. Thankfully, the medication I am using is keeping the problem under control.

On December 26th, my friend Sonja and her husband came over for dinner. She brought her yarn and crochet hook and wanted to make some Christmas trees. I also made some stars and created a garland from them.....

I also finished my snowflake afghan yesterday. Yeah! It was quite a job as I wanted to make it larger than the pattern. I ended up adding 3 extra rows. I cannot wait to snuggle under it during the winter season...

Wishing you and your family a happy and safe New Year's eve! May 2013 be a year of creative inspiration!

Heidi

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! May you enjoy an old-fashioned and handmade holiday!

For us, this Christmas is extra special as our cat Dagi turned 15 years old on December 23rd. It has been a touch and go year for him. He has aged to a cute little old man when his breed normally never reaches this age. We are really feeling blessed this Christmas!

Here is the applique block I made of him back in 2010. If you want to see more of this, read this old blog entry.

Heidi

Will the real elf stand up?

Miss Pickles is so busy with real elf duty instead of playing around on the advent calender. *grins* She has made a few more gifts. This is a yarn holder for Mieke. Miss Pickles crocheted a cover for this tin to hold the yarn and keep it from rolling away on the floor.

Miss Pickles also stitched up two snowflakes. Did you know that elves make snowflakes? This is a hanger that she found while in Germany last month. It is supposed to be hung outside with a suet feeding ball for a bird. But Miss Pickles sees things other than what they are and decided two snowflakes would be very pretty hanging there instead.

There is so much fun in looking at things in a different way. She hopes Silvia will enjoy her gift...

Are you helping the elves to be creative this week? Miss Pickles is still very busy with a surprise...

Heidi

A Christmas Potpourri

This post is a true Christmas potpourri of things to share. I have been and still am sick so not posting much but I have lots to add as the last weeks of the year wind down.

Remember my large dough bowl? I played around with my stuffed Santas I had made of the years and decided this year to use a couple of them in my small dough bowl.

And part two of my advent quilt calender.....

I love being able to use my collection of ribbons, laces and trims on the number side. For my other side, there is a mixture of images.....

And what is Miss Pickles the Elf up to? She is wrapping your gifts and placing them under the Christmas tree.....

Our annual Christmas party has come and gone. This year, I gave the group a Make Do and Mend theme for their gifts. They were to either rummage in their houses for something old or buy it at a charity shop or flea market. The idea was to take something unloved and give it a new second, homemade life.

I bought an old footstool. Sorry to say that I forgot to take a photo of the before but I did include the ugly heavy fabric that had been on it in the first photo of the collage. Jos sanded the dark brown wood and painted it a matt black for me. I sewed a crazy quilt top using my black fabrics and various lace trims. It went from being out of date to being trendy.....

A tradition of mine is to add a gift on the outside of my gift for the quilt group. This time, I also bought a huge paperclip at the charity shop which was a very ugly baby blue. Jos again sanded and painted it for me. I stitched a small design and them glued it onto the front of the clip. Now it can be used as a pretty card or photo holder or to hold a pattern as you stitch.....

The point of these gifts was not to spend much money on the item but to invest time and creativity to make something really beautiful. I am working on the pictures for the next blog post to share more of these Make Do and Mend gifts.

Heidi