Cold thoughts in a warm summer.....

Months ago, I started making a Dutch crochet 'pronkrol' being created by Wieke. I loved the idea as I had often heard from two of my friends here about them making knitted ones at school as little girls. They are a long roll in which all the various stitches are practiced to learn to knit. But mine was becoming huge (choose too heavy yarn using 4mm crochet hook and wish I had bought a dainty yarn for it) and I was running out of yarn as this was leftover from this project.

My mother kept saying she thought it was a silly thing to make (see me rolling my eyes...lol) and just did not get the idea of a roll to show off your stitches. I jokingly put it around my neck as a scarf while we were talking on Skype and guess what. The idea stuck! It would make a really cute scarf. So I added a little more to get the length I wanted and added this beautiful lace edge. Now Miss Pickles has a scarf to keep her warm when the weather turns to nice crisp cold in autumn and winter.

And speaking of the weather, it has cooled off to a more normal temperatures with lots of lovely rain. The garden is happy and I am happy.

Heidi

A terrible thing has happened.....

As the temperature registered 40C/104F here in Elf Central Workshoppe, reports came in about a terrible accident with Miss Pickles the Elf...

She melted away in the heat. An SOS has been sent out to the North Pole and reports are that they are working away on restoring this elf back to health so she can be busy again soon with making gifts.

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 

Want to peek?

Here is a little peek at my surprise in an ornament swap with a blogging friend. I have been fun playing with my of my French trims and laces. I am so excited for her to receive it so I can finally share the finish. In the meantime, a little bit to wet your appetite...

Lots of projects are on the go but in the meantime, I am adding to my potholder quilt which is my quilt group's theme project for 2013. I would have been done but I changed my mind about how I was going to put it together. This means I need to come up with more ideas for the blocks. My latest ones include this one of buttons. I decided instead of simply stitching buttons that I would attach real ones...

I am adding more sayings since it is going to be a little larger than I thought. I found this saying online and loved it...love is the thread that mends worn hearts.

I made a friendship star for my next patchwork hexie. This block was chosen as the red and brown fabrics I used for it were some I swapped with a good friend for our potholder quilt. I have known Sonja for about 16+ years. I met her at my bobbinlace lessons. A couple of years ago, she wanted to learn to quilt. It was fun teaching her but also very easy to do since she has the touch when it comes to quilting. This was the first time we have been able to swap fabrics to get more of the right colors for each of our potholder quilt blocks. She has been building up a stash and it is nice to be able to raid her stash as she also does mine.

I will remember next time to show you the new set up for my potholder hexie quilt. It is really fun to make and make personal too. Our group's project was provided to us by Tammy who kindly shared it with us. Her own potholder quilt is really beatuiful.

Heidi

Christmas in July 2013

Welcome to Christmas in July 2013 with its theme of a Strawberry English County Picnic...

Come in to my garden to celebrate with us...

Place your present under the Christmas tree and have a peek at our picnic buffet table...

When the evening is over, the members of my quilt group take home some wonderful handmade gifts from their secret partner. All with a strawberry theme...

My own partner had to be spoiled with a couple of items as I could not decide on one so made them all...

...a little strawberry pincushion...

...a crocheted strawberry drawbag...

...embroidery scissors with a strawberry fob...

...felt scissor holder...

...a strawberry mug bag to carry to work...

...strawberry sweets and tea added in for good measure...

It was a wonderful evening full of laughter and wonder of seeing such creative strawberries. What I look forward to most each year is seeing how the ladies create things based on my given theme. Each time, they seem to outdo themselves once again. I feel privileged to host this group of women! Last night was a memorable evening once again.....

*Enlarge the photos to get a closer look.*

Heidi

A busy but happy dance.....

Wow! It has been longer than expected to do any blogging. I have been really busy with my quilt group as we started a fun group SAL and Christmas in July is next week too. Lots of fun things happening which I can share with you next week.

I have also been busy with an ornament exchange I am doing with a blogging friend. It must remain a secret until she receives it. I have set a goal to send it on its way by next Friday at the latest. I am enjoying the Christmas feeling around here with everything I am working on right now even though it is the middle of the summer.

In the meantime, I do finished a new crochet poncho last week which I have not shared as of yet. I wanted to make a poncho that would look really good with jeans. It is chilly and rainy in Holland this week so it is already coming in handy. I used this pattern from Drops. I then added a double scalloped edge with picots to the bottom. The neck turned out to be far too large and I added three rows of tc to the neck before adding two lacy rows of which I wove in a crocheted tie to the second row. If you decide to try this pattern, I would recommend you make a size smaller than you need to make up for that huge neck size. I am really happy with how it turned out. I like being able to throw on a poncho if I feel chilly and like having them in colors that work with what I happen to be wearing that day.

Have a creative weekend!

Heidi