Christmas Advent blog a long December 1st...

Wow who can believe that we are here on the 1st December.. How quick has this year gone???

Well I've got another 2 things almost of my list. I've cut out part of the Rock n Roll Skirts for the girls. Due to the majority of the back of the pattern written in double dutch, both Mum and I under guessed the amount of material that I needed. So I only got 1mtr of each material instead of 2. I've cut out half the skirts each, and will head to Spotlight on Thursday to get some more, and finished them off. Hopefully I'll get them finished in time, as the girls are arriving next Sunday night. :)

list update.

Challenge Items.

K's skirt 25th Dec

P's skirt 25th Dec

P's Bag 25th Dec

P's bday present 14th Dec

L&P's Christmas Present. 15th Dec
Gr's Christmas Present. 25th Dec

J&V's Christmas Present. 25th Dec

Mu's Christmas Present. 25th

Us Christmas Present.  25th Dec
EB Secret Santa bag 1st Dec

Plus anything else, that I could possibly add and get done to that list in the time frame. 

Christmas Blog Along.

Ok so I followed Skip's lead and joined up to this Blog-a-long. From the 1st of December, the aim is for me to post a blog everyday, until the 24th December. Let's see how this goes. I've never done anything like this before, so it will be interesting for me.

just an update.

Just thought I'd quickly update how I'm going on my Christmas challenge. I've now finished 3 full lots of placemats, and have 1 and half more lots to do for those going overseas and interstate. Then I only have to work on 4 more lots for Christmas presents here. I've updated my list a few posts down.

While I have a child free day, and my house work is up to date, I plan on spending the day in front of the sewing machine and watching the Cricket. Whoo hoo... Hopefully will be back tomorrow with some more updates.

Christmas Card inserts.

Just thought I'd show off a couple of designs I've been playing around with to go inside our Christmas Cards this year.

might do a few more over the next few days, as I want to try and get some nice family photos with hubby in as well.

Christmas Challenge..

Ok so Skip has inspired me to start my own Christmas Challenge.

These are items that HAVE TO BE FINISHED come the 25th December, some of them are more important, so will have dates next to them as to when they have to be finished. Maybe doing it this way will keep me off the computer, and closer to my sewing machine..

Challenge Items.

K's skirt 25th Dec

P's skirt 25th Dec

P's Bag 25th Dec

P's bday present 14th Dec

L&P's Christmas Present. 15th Dec

J&Geoff Christmas Present. 15th Dec completed
 Jo's Christmas Present. - 25th Nov completed - sending this afternoon so it gets there on time.
 J&F's Christmas Present. 15th Dec completed
 Gr's Christmas Present. 25th Dec

J&V's Christmas Present. 25th Dec

Mu's Christmas Present. 25th Dec

C&H's Christmas Present. 15th Dec completed

Us Christmas Present.  25th Dec

1st lot of Christmas Presents finished.

Well here we are, the first installment of my Christmas Placemat's finished and wrapped...

Here is the final product.

On the Ironing board after I'd finished them.

  Placed on the table right sides up.

  On the table again but backside up

 

All folded up, wrapped and tagged.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Everywhere we go..

I love that song.. Plus I can't believe that Christmas is 5 weeks away tomorrow. I'm not even organized. I have all the Adult's presents ordered and 20% made, but have sorted nothing out for my own children.

I guess with organizing a 30th birthday, a 3 year old party, and the girls arriving, Christmas is the last thing on my mind, when in reality it should be the first. Oh well, I'll get there.

I went into Ned's the other day, and found the most gorgeous little Christmas tin's with teddy bears on them, so this year, insted of Bon Bon's I'm going to make up tins with goodies in them. I've raided some old Bon Bon's and opened them up, so each tin will have a Hat, the toy out of the Bon Bon, some chocolates, a Christmas Tree ornament, and for the Ladies/Girls a pair of earrings each, for the boys, a matchbox car each, and haven't decided on the Men yet. But I'm sure I'll find something for them.

 

 

More for my SIL!!!

A couple of weeks ago my SIL asked me if I would mind making a few more bags for her. So after emailing her a couple of times, she finally got around to sending me some material to make them.

I've spent all afternoon in front of the fan (It's really hot here) cutting and sewing. And this is the final result. I still have 2 more to do, so will try and get them done this afternoon or in the next few days. Especially seeing as I'm child free tonight and tomorrow. :)

 

 

Quilt.

Here we go photo's of the quilt so far. I had a really productive night last night with my good friend Skip. We spent the night on MSN talking and sewing away, we often have these "sew-a-thon" nights, and I LOVE them.

Photo's at last.

Whoo hooo...

Now that I've got my camera AND internet back (don't ask about the net side of the things) I can post a few photos..

This is the pile of squares that I said I've been cutting up over the past few days. Now that they're all cut out I can start sewing, and might even do that tonight with a few good DVD's. I'm kid and hubby free tonight, so perfect excuse to sit down with the sewing machine.. yay....


And the place mats. This is 52 cut out, I still have another 8 to do, and another 10 lots of border to cut out, but ran out of the border, so will have to wait till I can get to spotlight in the next week or so to get some more.. Such a HUGE project, not sure if I'll do quite as much next year, but will wait and see.


Look at all that sewing that I have to do. Luckily there isn't too much more to cut out, and sewing them together is quite easy!

Sick of the sight of squares..

I have been busy the past few days cutting out fabric for the quilt cover and placemats. I can safely say that I have cut out all 500+ squares and triangles for the quilt cover, and around 180 for the placemats. I still have lots more placemats to do, but thought I would take a break. My hands are killing me.

I can't wait though till I can start sewing everything together. Not to mention I get my great camera back tomorrow so will be able to start taking photo's again and uploading them on here. YAY!! Can't wait.

Dora Dress.

I have finished the little girl dress that I've been working on for the past 24 hours. I went to spotlight yesterday and found some "Dora" material, and thought that it would be perfect for a little girl's birthday that we're going to on Saturday. I also found a really cute dress pattern to make, so bought both. Spent all day yesterday tracing and cutting out the pattern and material, and then last night sewing it together. This morning was spent doing the finishing touches. I'm really happy with the way it turned out, especially for my first proper clothing pattern.

Quilt.

No photos to show off tonight, but I can happily say that I've started working on my Step Daughters quilt cover for her birthday.. I've cut out enough blocks to sew together and entire colomn, and have sewn together 1 block to see what it looks like. So far so good. Will post some pics in the next few days as I get some more done.

Just wanted to update. As I want to try and get in here at least once a day. :)

Backpack...

Well this is what I've been working on all day.. Pretty much since I last updated. I cut out and sewed together this new back pack... I had a heap of soccer material sitting in my cupboard so thought I'd see what I could make up with it.

The front view of the bag

Inside view of the bag.

The back view including the straps.

Slack....

...in posting that is not sewing...

Wow I can't believe the last time I posted in here was back in July...

I have been busy though.. I finally finished the quilt cover that I was making.. And now that I've given it to the recipient I can tell you who it was for... It was for my step daughter who turned 13 back in August.. Her and her sister came for a holiday in September so I was able to give it to her. She absolutely LOVED the quilt cover. Here it is all finished..


I have also been extremely busy making Invitations for my Birthday Dinner in December. I'm turning the big 30 this year, and have decided to have a big party. So I hand made over 35 Invitations and RSVP cards for that. Finally I've finished, and they have all been sent out. So far from the response I've gotten, everyone loved them and thought they were really well made...



Another thing that has been keeping me busy is making placemats for family members for Christmas. I have about 60 of those to make, as I have 10 families to make for and am putting 6 placemats per family. So once more I'm going to be extremely busy.



And last but not least, I have been/am working on more bags. I've had a few birthday's lately so in the past week have had to make up 10 bags, with a few more to go. I'm also still trying to get my shopping bags done, so that I'm not using the yucky green bags that are out here in SA. But so far haven't got any made. Maybe one day I'll get to that.

Well I think that's it for this update... I won't be able to post many pics of what I get done in the next 4-10 weeks, as my camera has been taken back to the shops for repair. I'm hoping it's back in 4 weeks, but not expecting it back for 10.. ggrrrr...

A bag for a friend...

As some of you know I've started going to Weight Watchers lately, and over the past few weeks have made a few friends (whooo hooo!!) well I happened to mention one week that I was going to be busy sewing up some bags.. One of my friends asked what kind of material I had, so I told her, as soon as I mentioned the cupcakes, she asked if I could make one for her, as her friend is MAD on cupcakes. So this is what I came up with.....

All done!!!

All 3 bags for my SIL are done!! Whooo hooo!! Took me a while but I got there!!!! Now I can concentrate on a few other projects that need doing, like my mother in law's birthday present (whose birthday was 2 months ago!! - That's how snowed under I am!!! )

1 down.... how many more to go....

Well here it is.. I've finished 1 of the many bags that I have to do.. Not to mention that I got another order tonight from my Weight Watchers meeting. So I'm happy with that!!! :) :) :)

lots and lots to do!!

Well I think I've finally bitten off more than I can chew....

I've worked out that I have 8 projects on the go at the moment. 3 for my SIL, 1 for my MIL, the quilt cover for a friends daughter, a bag for me, and I've decided to make some placemats for our table! I'm sick of my boys making a mess on the table. So if I can make up 8 out of the material that I've got, then I'll be happy.. I can have 4 in the wash, while I have 4 on the table. hehe..

At least the bags for my SIL are coming along, I've finished cutting them out, and now just have to sew them together tonight, and send them either this week or next!!!

The quilt cover is really coming along. I haven't sewn anymore together yet, but I've been really really busy cutting out all the squares and triangles. I have quite a thick stack, so am going to try and sew some of those together tonight as well, all while watching All Saints. Let's see if hubby cracks the poo's at me. lol....

Well that's it for now, just wanted a quick update...

It's coming along...

Well as promised here's an update on the quilt cover that I'm working on.. :) I managed to get quite a bit sewn up today while my boys were asleep.. (well in bed, not sure how much sleep they got. hehe)

I'm hoping to get a bit more cut out tonight so that I can spend tomorrow sewing as well!! I'm really happy with the way it's coming along...

Quilt....

Ok.. So I managed to get some material cut out tonight for the quilt.
I've changed the design as I wasn't overly impressed with the rail looking one. But this new design I love. So here it is..


And after 2 hours of sewing, it comes together, plus a small rearrangement of the way it goes together.....

Will be back tomorrow with more!!! :) :) :)

A birthday present...

Well I finally got it finished... A bag for my Grandmother in law... I really hope she likes it, as I spent AGES trying to find the right kind of material for a 94 (to be) year old woman.


Now to spend the afternoon getting on with either my Mother In Law's bag, or a friends quilt cover... Haven't decided yet...

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!

Ok so it's been a few weeks since I last wrote anything..

We moved, and then were without the internet for a while, but I'm back. Totally love our new house, it's soo big and roomy, and I have a HUGE area for sewing..

So now that everything's back on track, I'm going to get back into my blogging and craft work more seriously.

As well as the quilt cover that I'm doing, I've made a new shopping bag for myself. Which I don't have a photo of right now, and I'm working on a present for my Grandmother in law. She'll be 94 next week. She lives in England, so I guess I'd better get my finger out of my bum and get on with sewing it together.

I've also got to make up 3 bags for my Sister In Law. She sent the material a few weeks ago, and because everything's been so hectic here, I haven't had a chance to make them. I guess I know what I'm doing tonight while I'm watching the Cricket.

Well that's about it for now. Just wanted to update those of you who read!! :)

New project...

Thought I'd pop in quickly before the computers get packed up, and show off my newest project. Skip and I went to spotlight on Friday morning, and I came home with some gorgeous pink materials. So thought I'd make a patchwork quilt cover for a little girl's birthday, unfortunately I can't say who it's for as I know that they read my blog!! But I can deffinately put photos of it up as it comes along!! :)

I haven't done too much of it, as at the moment I'm having to do everything by hand, cutting it out with scissors, then hand sewing it, all because my computer is over at my Mum's in storage for the next 48 hours until we move!! :( But when we've moved and settled, I'm going to get right in and finish it off, being that I only have until the end of June to get it done will mean lots of nights working on it...