2014 Goals

Happy New Year to you all !!
We are 3 days into the new year already and I've been setting up my goals.
At the end of last year I said I wasn't going to commit to too much that I might regret later in the year - well that one has flown out the window already!

But, ignoring that for the moment, here are my goals:
1. Learn, learn learn. I'm at my most happiest when I'm learning something new, no matter how small it is. I walk round with a smile on my face when I've achieved something for the first time. So I'm really going to try out a lot of new techniques in 2014. This means I might not finish a lot of quilts or knitted projects, but I'll try out new ideas, and be happy with just making a block or two. They can me made into something later on when the whim takes me.
I do have one quilt commitment - a quilt for my middle son, and I would like to make a medallion quilt
Maybe like this ?

2. Make more of my own clothes. I've been able to dress make since I was a child, but I don't do enough of it, nor do I knit enough items for me. I have good intentions and I buy the fabric and pattern or yarn, I just don't get round to making them !! So this will be a bit of a stash buster for me at the same time. First up is this top.

3. Have less chemicals in my life. Some of you may know how keen I am on organic cotton and that I grow my own organic veggies. I'm getting more into this way of life this year, trying to use only eco friendly cleaning materials, and eat a more simple and natural diet.
I've been experimenting with making my own body washes!

 I was going to start a second blog to talk about this, but I think it will be too much work. Instead I'm going to share my successes (and failures!) pictorially on Instagram. There's a link to my Instagram at the top of the sidebar if you're interested in following, and that way it won't distract from the blog, if you're not !

4. Set up a list of Block Tutorials on my blog
This really goes hand in hand with the learning goal. As I make blocks just for the experience of trying them out, I might as well do a tutorial on them at the same time. That way I get to record what I've made and anyone liking the block and wanting to have a go, gets to see how I've made it.

Now I have to confess that this goal is not what it was going to be originally - it was going to be a block linky party, but I got cold feet !! I spent so long trying to get the button made, and fretted so much as to whether anyone would link up, and whether I would have the commitment to keep it going, that in the end I chickened out !!

I think I've made the right decision. There are a lot of linky parties in the crafting blogland already ( I know I sometimes don't bother to link up even when I have something that would fit).
If I had got the button with the text underneath it to work, I think I would have gone ahead, but after 12 hours (yes, 12 !!!) I gave up.
If you think I've made the wrong decision, and you would honestly support another, let me know. I could be persuaded to give it a go if I knew there was enough enthusiasm.
In the meantime, I hope to post about my blocks on a Sunday, calling it Block Buster Sunday. I've left the button, minus the code box underneath (Grrrr!) in my sidebar. Feel free to add it to yours if you want, it will be a quick link to view what I've come up with.

There was a lot of fretting involved in the decision making, and the best way I knew to relax was to do some slow and easy hooky. The result - Linky Party 0 -  Stash Busting 6

What are your goals for 2014?

Looking Back on 2013

I hope everyone had a good Christmas. It flew by way too fast in this household. Time was spent with family and friends, catching up, laughing, enjoying good food and as we were very fortunate with the weather, we enjoyed some good walks too.

At this time we inevitably think back over the last year and look forward to what the next one might have in store.

Once the family festivities were over I spent a cosy afternoon looking back over my blog to see what I had achieved this year.

I made 6 quilts. I'm counting the Swoon (bottom left) even though technically it's still a working progress. It will get it's backing very, very soon!

I made 2 tops for myself. I want to make a lot more of my own clothes next year.

My niece was delighted with the baby bibs and blanket. The bunting and stocking wreath have adorned the house over the last couple of weeks. The circle of flying geese table mat is in constant use, as is the mariner's compass cushion, and the little bird pin cushion sits in my sewing room, keeping an eye on all  the activity.

My challenge to myself to make 52 items for  Greenfields Africa  in 52 weeks was completed ahead of schedule in early December. Not all of them got photographed and I kept adding last minute items to the box, so I'm not sure of the exact statistics, but there were over 52 items and they included blankets, quilts, cardigans, hats and booties and also some shorts and dresses for the older children. 

Looking at the pictures all displayed neatly together, I'm proud of my achievement, but my memories are a little rose tinted. It was an enormous undertaking, and I would have enjoyed the process a lot more  if I hadn't set the bar so high. I shall of course make more items for this wonderful charity next year, but without any pressure. Next year it doesn't matter whether I manage to make 2 or 20 items, it is going to be enjoying it that counts.

And finally, I designed 7 new knitting patterns last year. To be honest, most of the work was done in 2012, but they were finished early in 2103, so that's what counts, right?

I was pleased to be able to include this collage because, in my head, it seemed ages since I'd finished a new knitting design other than the little Christmas stockings.

These three little girls have grown enormously over the last year, but I know the eldest one (top left) is still wearing her hat.

So that was it for 2013 !

I've been thinking for a while that my blog was veering more towards the quilting than the knitting, but I think it may just be that it's easier to show the progress of a quilt than a knitted item. In output the knitting won !

I shall be back in a few days with some thoughts on what I hope to make in 2014.

Have a Happy New Year, everyone !

Precious

A precious gift set for a precious baby!

I managed to get these finished in good time, after all. The set comprises a swaddling blanket:

A burp cloth:

A traditional bib:

and a bandana style bib:

These are made entirely from organic cotton with organic flannel on the reverse of the blanket and an organic cotton/bamboo blend on the back of the bibs and burp cloth.

I blogged about the making of the traditional bib here.

I chose the word precious for a very special reason. This set is a Christmas gift for my niece, who is expecting her first baby in February. It's the first baby in the family and we're all very excited. At her second scan, however, it was found that this little one is not growing how we would have hoped. The simplest way to describe it is to say that her heart has developed back to front. From the moment  she is born, she will have to stay a very, very long time in hospital whilst they operate to try to put her heart to rights. She will need many operations as she grows.

I pondered for a long time, trying to decide what would be an apt gift for this very precious little girl.

Hospitals are wonderful places that perform life saving miracles for many, but for a new mum, they are not home. The more things of her own that this little one can be wrapped in during her long stay in hospital, the more comfortable and comforted my niece and her husband will feel. There will be chemicals a-plenty surrounding this little baby, most of them life saving, but the fewer there are in the cloth in contact with her skin, the better in my opinion.

So, hopefully with this little set, they will be able to swaddle her, cuddle her, nestle and feed her, knowing there is some nice organic goodness, right close by. I'm sure they'll need no reminding just how precious she is, but it's embroidered there, right on her bib, just to take care of any low moments that come along in the difficult weeks and months ahead.

I can't wait to see their faces when they open this on Boxing Day. I'm already planning a great many more items, but I'll gift them one at a time, as and when they're needed. (after all, it's a good excuse to buy more organic cotton!!)

As luck would have it, the topic for this month's challenge over at le-challenge is "precious", so I'm definitely linking up today!!

We Have Winners!

Well, taking part in Giveaway Day on the Sew Mama Sew blog was so much fun!
I loved reading all the comments, and seeing which quilt pattern you all would like to win.
Marcie's maze was easily my reader's favourite

Sadly though, there can only be 2 winners, and earlier today I used Mr Random to pick out 2 numbers. They were 117 and 71.
The 2 winners are jmniffer who chose Mandeville Place
and  Jill Rockefeller who asked for Marcie's Maze.

Congratulations to you both! I have emailed your patterns to you.

I can't wait for the next giveaway on Sew Mama Sew This blogging lark is a whole lot of fun!

A Gift Set for a Precious Baby

I have been busy cutting into my stash of organic cotton. Oh happy me !! I'm making Christmas gifts for my niece who is expecting her first child at the beginning of February. First up is the receiving blanket, which I have finished.

It's 27"x35' and has two layers - The top is part of the organic Safari Soiree range by Birch Fabrics. That fluorescent looking red is really a coral colour. It was such a dark day when I took this photo I had to do some serious adjusting, which has distorted the colours somewhat!

The base is also organic. It's brushed cotton, which will be lovely and soft and cosy and warm against a newborn's skin.

We know the baby is going to be a girl, but my niece does't want a pink overload, so I thought these giraffes were perfect. I have a bit of a thing for giraffes anyway, and the heart shaped trees are so cute, I couldn't resist choosing this fabric.

I shall be making some burp cloths to match, and I'm part way through making a bib. The top half of the bib is solid white organic cotton and the bottom will be the giraffe fabric.

I typed the word "precious" into a Word document, printed it off and then traced it onto the fabric using a water erasable pen.

I'm embroidering it with a simple back stitch using a coral pink thread.

If I did this again, I would work the embroidery before I cut out the neck shaping of the bib. I had to be very, very careful not to distort the fabric as I secured it in the embroidery hoop.

I've deliberately cut the strip of fabric for the bottom so that I can make the seam line along the top of the green bunting, and if it works like I want it to, and I don't mess it up (!!), the grey heart tree will be in the centre of the bib. 

That's the plan, anyway.

The embroidery is done, so hopefully this will be finished in the next couple of days. It is my entry for Le Challenge  - a monthly challenge which accepts any kind of handcrafted items. This month's theme is "Precious" and the challenge date is the 15th. The items do have to be finished ones to count though, so I'd better get a wriggle on !!

Linking up with Work in Progress Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Giveaway Day

Mandeville Place Quilt Pattern

Today is Giveaway Day over at Sew Mama Sew (well actually, it lasts all week!) and so I'm getting into the Christmas spirit by offering a Mack and Mabel quilt pattern to two lucky winners.

These are PDF patterns that will be emailed to you, so anyone can enter, regardless of where you live.

The easiest way to see what I have on offer is to scroll through them on the Craftsy widget on right hand side of this blog.

Some, like  Mandeville Place photographed above are a little challenging, others like Marcie's Maze and Picnic in the Park are very easy.

Marcie's Maze Quilt Pattern

Picnic in the Park Quilt Pattern

If you are one of my knitting loving followers, rather than a quilter, you can still enter the giveaway - just tell me which knitting pattern you would like. Again - look at the widgets in the sidebar to choose your favourite.

The giveaway is open all week until midnight GMT on Friday 13th December (It will be lucky for some!!)

It is very easy to enter. You don't even have to be a follower, but of course I would love it if you do decide to follow! Just leave a comment below letting me know which pattern you would choose. If you are a no-reply blogger, make sure you leave an email address.

I will contact the 2 lucky winners on Saturday morning.

Once you've entered mine, I suggest you hop on over to Sew Mama Sew  and enter a few more. There are some amazing goodies on offer and it's a great way to find some new blogs.

Wishing you all the luck in the world!

Julie

Birthday Weekend in Cambridge

I think I said in my last post that I was going away for the weekend. What I didn't say was that it was in celebration of my birthday…….my 60th birthday! Oh my, that has taken a lot of getting used to!

Two of my sons and my soon to be daughter-in-law accompanied me.

We set the tone right away as we arrived at lunchtime and promptly went to Wagamamas for lunch.

The rest of Saturday was spent wandering around the city with plenty of stops for refreshments.

 On Sunday we headed to the river and took out a punt

It wasn't nearly as cold as we had expected and the views were wonderful.

I can hardly believe this was England on 1st December!

We didn't even get cold, although that didn't stop us getting mulled cider afterwards!

In the afternoon we headed to Anglesey Abbey, a National Trust property about a 15 minute drive out of Cambridge. We had tickets to see the Winter Lights event in the evening, but wanted to see the gardens in the daylight too.

They were as glorious as everyone had told me they would be. 

In the evening we returned, and were delighted to see that they had been transformed into this:

As fellow blogger Maria said when she spotted my photos on Instagram - there must surely be some quilty inspiration there!

So, I'm back home now, and pondering life at the grand old age of 60. The last 10 years have tested my strength of character, but I think I've come through them stronger and even more in awe of just how wonderful human nature can be.
Almost 10 years ago, when we both just 50, I lost my husband, my soul mate, to acute leukaemia, and you know what? I've survived! In those intervening years I have put my three boys through university and seen them grow into wonderful young men.
One is married and lives in Toronto, Canada and another will marry next year. We are a very close family, and we have always been there for one another whenever needed. They may now be grown up and responsible adults, but they never lose their sense of fun - especially when they are together!!
I am very fortunate indeed!

As well as looking back, I have also been thinking what might in store for the next few years.
I hope to design many more patterns, both quilts and knitting.
I want to make a lot more of my own clothes.
Maybe, just maybe, there might be some grandchildren to sew and knit for?
I also hope to keep growing much more of my own food and reducing the amount of chemicals generally in my home - I'm thinking about starting a second blog about trying to live organically and sustainably. It would be a good place to keep all my healthy recipes too.
And in the short term ? - Well, Yikes! It's December! So many gifts I want to make, so little time. It's going to be busy few weeks, but I have some wonderful memories of a great weekend to speed me on my way, so I'm off to do some sewing!!