Who needs to shop.....

...when you can make things yourself? Today is Black Friday in the US but hopefully some of my friends there are home being creative instead of battling the crowds.

I tried my first crochet purse and love how it turned out. It helped that I found the neatest chunky yarn to use. I just love the browns and greys in the yarn! I used this blog tutorial but must admit that I had to to start it three times to get it right. It was coming out the size of a shopping bag so I played with the starting stitches until I have the size just right for me. I also did not add a ribbon and did add a crochet flap with a button to close the purse.

I had a touch of yarn left and with yarn this yummy...you have to use it up. So I used the cowl tutorial from Annaboo's House and created this...

Again it had to be altered slightly and is not as big as it should be as I had only so much yarn. But I love how it fits around my neck to keep me warm! I might make another of these with some more leftover yarn just because I loved making it.

Last but not least, while being snowed under with snowflakes for my afghan, I needed a little diversion. I decided to try out one block for a project for next year. I have to rip out the mocca color yarn though as I should have used another color for those two rows. My mocca yarn will be the last row to connect the blocks and my edging. I love this block since it reminds me of my Bull's Eye quilt I made about 7 years ago.

Heidi

Tuesday Tallies...slowly but surely...

I am a tortoise this week I think as I only have 30 now sewn together on my snowflake afghan. I had 22 last week with some ready to sew on but I did not get as much done this past week. I decided to start the hand quilting on another quilt and it cut into my time for crocheting. I have 6 ready to sew on so I should get more done this week...

One evening, I decided to throw all my projects aside and make the two pink coasters that were the gift from MollieMakes this month. They were done in no time so fun to do in between other things...

If you want to see more One a Day projects, stop over at Carole's blog for the latest links.

Heidi

The advent of a quilt - part one.....

I have talked a little about my quilt group's project for 2012. Every January, I pick a new theme project and everyone makes one of their own. I choose the theme of an advent quilt. First, I designed the quilt itself using the simple Attic Window block. The focus on this quilt is not the actual quilt but instead the little mini quilts that will hang from each window.

Here is the quilt which is hanging in my quilt studio as I finish my mini quilts...

I have stitched all the numbers and am embellishing each one with various trims, laces and buttons. Each mini quilt will hang from a button sewn above each Attic Window block. As each date of December arrives, you simply turn the correct number around to show a picture on the other side just like opening a window on an advent calendar. I am sharing the first ten blocks so far...

I had been wanting to add some touches of myself to the quilt. My mother nicknamed me Miss Pickles the Elf. So I decided that Miss Pickles will be helping out to count down the days until Christmas.

When Miss Pickles was a tiny elf going to elf school, she used to stop at each garden on the way to leave a little gift behind...a snow angel...

Miss Pickles is always willing to help out at Christmas. She will help you write a letter to Santa and send it on its way to the North Pole...

Here are the mini quilts from one through ten. The other blocks I have made following patterns various members submitted for the theme. There will be a mix of applique, patchwork and stitchery blocks...

Come by again soon for more of the advent mini quilts...

Heidi

Tuesday Tallies...thinking ahead to Christmas...

I just cannot help myself. Does anyone else have that? Halloween is over and my thoughts turn to Christmas. It is helped along by my latest One a Day project. My snowflake afghan is coming along. I have 29 snowflakes completed with only 2 of them needing sewing onto the afghan. A further 4 are waiting for the red edging.

But I also have to give this granny throw a little love and attention. I had it sitting along with a couple of others in a large basket. It must have caught on the edge but I found it ripped. See the thread sticking out and my grey cluster left dangling. I have to carefully repair it and needless to say, it will not be sitting in that basket any longer. I would love to have a big basket of afghans sitting out in my living room but I would have to have a fabric lined to I see.

And yesterday, I made this cute little miniature version of a gnome's hat. It is for a larger project that is not quite finished yet. I will share more very soon.....
 

If you want to see more One a Day projects...stop over to Carole's blog for more links.

Heidi

Tuesday Tallies...better late than never!

I ended up having to miss last week's Tuesday Tallies and am late this week. With my Halloween party to prepare for and my elf work, I have not been able to keep up with myself. I am a perfectionist and worked many hours to make sure things were all just right. But now November is almost upon us and I am hoping for some time to work on a couple of big projects for our home.

In the meantime, I did keep making snowflakes. I guess you could say there were snow flurries whirling a little around our house. I have a stack of 9 snowflakes awaiting their red edging and 18 sewn together so far. I have started making one and sewing it on instead of allowing them to simply stack up. I am really loving this and have decided that I will make it as big as my yarn stash will allow. I bought 2 10-packs of each color at Aldi's when they were on sale so I should be able to make a nice big blanket with this. Wonder if it will be big enough for my bed???

I mentioned back in September when we were staying for a week up at Cranberry Cottage that I was making leaves out the leftover yarn from this throw. I made 15 of them but then I came home and they just sat. I finally made a chain for them to hang.

This is not a great place for the garland but I do not have a mantle. I want to hang them on little hooks by my entrance to the kitchen but have not yet begged Jos to put some hooks up for me. *grins*

For more inspiring projects, go to Carole's blog and see the One a Day Project links.

Heidi

It's a Quilted Halloween!

The early hours of Sunday morning were very noisy at our house. We heard a few loud bangs and thuds and went out the next morning to find this...

Witches flying around waiting to come to our Halloween high tea party. One missed and landed on the side on the house while another went head first into the flower pot.

But some did make it inside to hang their hats and party...

Like this one who looks remarkably like Saskia...

And she brought her witch sisters Mary and Nell along...

But oh my! What have they done to poor Mieke??? Must be that ornery Saskia! *grins*

Remember that project I was working on and could not yet share? Here is the treat I made for the ladies for Halloween. I made each a personalized quilted project bag...

Every bag is different and has their name on it...

And that tea dyed fabric is the lining making each one individual also as they all came out differently...

But the ladies came to celebrate Trick or Treat with treats of their own to share with each other...

But wait! It is the witching hour and we had some hungry little witches to feed or they might get up to some trouble...

The recipes of some of my party food will be posted on my food blog BookShelves and StoveTops tomorrow...

And they were entertained with a surprise little quilt show of their own work...

Still some ornery witches like to play tricks. Right Saskia? This spider was left on my bed pillow...

It was great fun to share my countries tradition of Halloween with my quilt group.

I will be late with my Tuesday tallies post this week but will be posting soon...

Heidi

Tuesday Tallies...It has started to snow...

Yes...it is snowing in my house. Lots of pretty snowflakes. I have 7 done completely and 4 more half done. I had a number of people ask about this pattern. I found it here. I love the way the red pulls it into a delicate snowflake.

I also have a few ta-dahs to share...

The man's scarf is done and ready to package up and send it on its way. I ended up making this 46-inches long at my mother's request. The person I made this for will not wrap or knot it she told me so not to make very long. I decided to sew a label on and still have to do the same with the two afghans.

Speaking of afghans, my little tester has been helping me out. He had to make sure this one was Dagi approved. *grins* Our little man is growing very old by the day and we are taking each day as it comes with him. He is really having a hard time but at the same time so happy for us to be together. He does not want us to leave him now. And we appreciating his cuddles each day!

I finished the second afghan. I only wish I had taken a photo sooner...like before taking back the left over yarn. I now wish I had added a few rows of the light grey and then a couple extra rows of dark grey to balance it out. *sigh* Still I am happy with this and think the person it is for will like the Indian blanket look.

So now I have almost finished my Elf work for the time being. Not quiet as I still have my workshop open but I am glad that I am well on time this year.

Check out Carole's blog for my One a Day projects.

Heidi