Scrappy dabblings

First and foremost Happy New year to you all and I hope you had a great great Christmas. We had a great couple of days, although both the beloved JB and I were back at work on Thursday last week. To make up for this I had a lovely treat of having  two of my gang home this weekend which was wonderful. Number One Son and the lovely Danni flew up on Friday night, through the wind and the rain (and a very dodgy landing at Turnhouse) to join me, Emily and the lovely Mr S. We had a hoot, although we missed my big noisy husband but did try to make up for this by a night of home made French Martini's which probably each had the alcohol content equivalent to about half a dozen in the average bar - and very scrummy they were too! No sore heads though which was a bonus.

It's pretty much back to normal here though come tomorrow, as my employers stick to the English one day hangover respite as opposed the Scots who need the two day cure. I thought I just has time for  a wee stitch today just to unwind and my original plan was to make my square for the Modern Stash Quilting Bee but I discovered that I had no plain grey for the first round background so that plan had to be shelved. Instead I had a bit of a play as I haven't had chance to use any of the Japanese charms I received from the swap back in the autumn. 

I thought I would have a look through these to see what I could find and it turned into quite a fruitful afternoon actually, as I managed to turn out 3 small makes.

First of all I made a small basket to use when I am stitching. I don't know  about you but I have a habit of dropping any small pieces on the floor as I move things around on my table to the machine, so I thought this little basket would come in handy to use for Work In Progress. 

Next I used some tiny little one inch squares to make this taller handle free version, which will hold pencils and the like. It was a struggle to line and a bit of an experiment in how small I could go, so probably won't be repeated again for that reason.

Last and by no means least I made a scrappy zippy pouch, based on the great tutorial by Noodlehead. I know this particular tutorial is very popular with a lot of my blog and flickr friends but just in case you are not familiar, I have attached the link. I needed a new make up bag as the Lancome girl has been seen rolling her eyes whenever I am in  for  a purchase, because the one I have been using I think was a give away about 15 years or so ago. This is definitely a bit more individual I reckon.

I think that's all my news for today. No New Year's resolutions from me, as I am more of a serendipitous nature, but I can say that the beloved and I are vowed to be more at home this year so I hope that means a lot more makes. Yippeee... 

Oh and most important piece of news of the Christmas period? Pepper Anne's engagement. This made us all weep like you would not believe. Brilliant news- our first son-in-law-to-be and you will never guess. She has asked me to make her dress. No pressure there then at all eh? Luckily I have a year or two to build up the nerve and who knows she may be the first bride to wear a dress made out of hexies? (Only joking by the way just in a case anyone thinks I have freaky taste.)

Till next time.

Homecoming

It seems an absolute age since I have written of the goings on in QD land and that's just been due to life in general going on around. The beloved JB has been home from offshore and the days have flown by. With the nights drawing in too I really can't start sewing after I have finished supper as my brain tells me its time to sit curled up under a quilt and indulge in a bit of autumn TV scheduling and of course a a bit of "Smurfing" the net to catch up on what's happening with my swappies out there in Flickr land. 

Cutting went well for the Japanese Charm Swap and my little squares where quickly winging their way to Narcoleptic in a cupboard in Lerwick and by some miracle I ended up with a fair size pieced left over for me to keep. Yipeeee! Cannot wait to get my bundle back come the end of the month. If you have popped by the group you will have seen that the gang have exceeded themselves in their shopping skills . I just have no clue at  all at the moment what I will want to make from the charms when they arrive.

my girl , herself

This weekend however, much hooting and a hollering could be heard in QD land as at last, the girl got to come home. Yes, that is correct. Emily managed to make it back north for a day and a bit and was welcomed by a very happy Mummy and Step Pa. Emily is a mad little whirlwind and I miss her like mad. I miss Number One Son constantly too, but I don't know if its him being a chap or because Emily actually did live in this house in Scotland for a while, but she has left a bit of a hole. This here was her home, where as for Tom, Cambridge will always be his home, although I am very proud that he constantly regales everyone of his home in Scotland and long may it continue. My tots grew up and life moves on...

Anyway, I digress. Emily managed to get home for a flying visit bringing her gentle and lovely man with her and we managed to catch up on events whilst he and the beloved JB bonded over a glass of red and stories of spanners and electrical supply theory. On Sunday it tipped it down with rain and so we decided we would have a bit of Mum and daughter time in my den. Em has been doing a lot of paper piecing recently but this is not really one of my favourite types of stitching so I had avoided it somewhat but we thought it was time for some role reversal with Emily tutoring me on the technique she uses. 

We chose a pattern of stacked teacups to practice on, from a pattern she found on Craftsy. We raided the stash and set too and to be honest, I am still not completely convinced that this kind of piecing is my bag, but I can see it has its place. 

Em's turned out a lot better than mine as she chose better contrasting fabrics . I went wrong with my top cup fabric as it is too pale and tried to remedy it with  a little embroidered trim, but hey ho. That's what practicing is all about. 

We had a great afternoon whilst the boys snoozed/watched the football and topped it off with a full tummy of Roast Pork and rhubarb Crumble. Yum Yum.

Em has now headed back to County Durham but I will be heading that way on Saturday as we have much work to do sorting out her stand for the Country Living Fair in Glasgow in November.  This is a HUGE thing for Emily and her fledgling business and I am so proud that I could burst. You will be hearing much much more of this event so I won't bore you now but if you want to pop by to see some of her work that will be on sale there just click here. There will be some new work in time for Christmas too, especially as it's a Christmas Fair so don't forget to bookmark the page, wink wink.....

See you soon when I am back and hopefully I will have news of not only the Japanese Charms that have arrived but also progress in the Mouthy Stitches 2 Swap. Can't Wait.

Swappy doings

mosaic10b6d8f788aa3b47cbba1807fb3d25b539a1a50f, a photo by Quilty doings on Flickr.

 MOUTHY STITCHES 2

Not much sewing gone on in the last week or so in QD land as I had the flight to London from hell on business, which wore me out, but more importantly the beloved JB is back home from work.  However much excitement has ensued as not only is the Japanese Charm Swap well under way, but I have also signed up for my first "make " swap.

The lovely Canadianabroad Susan has organised the second round of these mad women ( my goodness you should read the cat , its a hoot) and I am delighted that I made the cut too. As a new "Swapper" I am a  bit daunted not only because of the worry of letting my secret swap partner down by making  something she really doesn't like, but also because there seems to be a lot of techy type malarkey which flies straight over my head. However Susan has been a sweetheart and seems to have the patience of a saint so hopefully I won't go too wrong.
 

The first job of making my mosaic was scary enough as there is so much choice out there, but I hope it gives a wee feel of things which me ( and Emily) like. I am surprised its not just one big montage of moose and chickens to be honest, but then that would be just plain daft. Hold on a minute- oh yes, that would be me then.
 

Anyway I will keep you posted, if you pardon the pun, without letting the cat ( or chicken?) out of the bag to my secret swappy. You must pop by Flickr to see all the other amazing mosaics. These really are not only talented gals, but also have a great deal of taste and there are so many brillinat blogs linked in there. Too many to name but really great fun to read and very inspiartional in their stitching... And whilst your there have a catch up on the Japanese Charm Swap fabrics. We are all madly cutting and posting but the tension is rising as we await the big Shetland post off by Sarah. Boy that post office won't know what has hit them- perhaps we should be sending the postie a parcel of his own as a bribe to care for our precious cargo.

 

See you again soon, by which time I will hopefully have an update on "happy campers"