Project list for the coming year.

 My friend Sharon gave me a little chicken shaped blackboard a few years ago, and I use it to keep track of my stitching and patchwork projects, writing them on it, and erasing each one as it is finished.  I did rather well in 2014, completing most of what I aimed to do.  I don't know yet if I will commit to another year of "One Xmas Project a Month", but it was fun, and I was pleased with myself for keeping up!  My last project for 2014 (apart from the Xmas ones)  was a table runner for a cyberspace friend, which will be a surprise for her, so I am hoping she doesn't read this blog, or the surprise factor will be shot, lol!

I found this gorgeous colourful fabric in an opshop and couldn't wait to use it.  There was about 3 metres, more than enough to make a runner for my friend and another for me :-)  One is slightly larger, and I've changed the border colours around a bit for each. Isn't it amazing what a difference the border colour makes to the main fabric!   I think the green border looks better, and that is the one I'll be sending to my friend.   I used the same backing for each one.  I finished these two today.

So what is on my new To Do list?  A cloth book for an autistic child, some more rooster coasters, 15 chook mug rugs for the girls on a forum I participate in, a bed runner for a friend interstate, and a hundred other things that I've seen in magazines and just have to do!  What is on your To Do list in 2015?

Happy Christmas to all who read this blog.

Memory miniquilt finished.

We invited two old friends to dinner on Saturday while we were all available this close to Christmas.  I had been procrastinating on the binding of the quilt I was making for H, so it was a scramble to get it finished in time to give it to her, but I made it without messing it up!  They loved it, and started reminiscing over the photos immediately!  It can be used as a table topper or a throw over the back of a couch or chair, so it will be interesting for me to see where they decide to use it.

Projects in progress, other stuff.

Today my friend D came for afternoon tea, and I gave her the cushion that she had admired in my patchwork magazine. (the red robin cushion in an earlier post here).  She loved it!  I was so pleased because sometimes people will say something is nice, to be polite, then wonder why they are given the same thing down the track!  But although she didn't remember the magazine, she said it was the best Christmas present she would have this year :-)
She gave me a gift too, which she had seen in a craft shop and thought of me straight away (wonder why?)
I was equally delighted with this, and am looking for the right spot to hang it.

The 12 Christmas projects I've made during the year (thanks to Narelle's blog here) have been a bonus when it comes to impromptu gift giving.  Half of them have already gone to new homes, while I've kept some that I made for myself, and they are now decorating our house for the Christmas season.  I've been making some more items as well, with a non Christmas theme, but as gifts by request.  Remember those owl placemats I made for the Avicultural society hamper, that were snapped up by someone at the last meeting?  Well, I've made some chook coasters to replace the owls, and these are definitely going in the hamper.  If anyone wants them, they will have to buy tickets to win the hamper!

These were done in a hurry, as you can tell if you have a closer look!  I used up scraps of fabric left over from the chook bunting, and I didn't do a great job of binding, but the guys in the Avic. society won't be looking for stitching perfection, lol!

Then there is the memory quilt/wall hanging my friend Helen asked me to make after seeing what I'd done for other friends.  Inevitably it got left until the last minute, while I hummed and ha'd over which fabrics to use, but I finally decided on the theme fabric, which needed some matching colour homespun, so I got that last Saturday, and have been working flat out on it ever since.  Here is the top ready to be made up into a finished piece.  Once I've completed it, I will wait until Helen sees it and decides if she wants to hang it, or use it as a throw over a couch, or table centre.  If she wants to hang it, I will add a rod sleeve.

Finally I have also been making a table runner/centrepiece as a surprise gift for a cyberspace friend who sent me an unexpected gift some time ago.  I have since learned that she doesn't sew at all, but loves to see what others make.  I asked around among other ladies on the forum, and got an impression of her tastes, so hopefully she will like this when its finished.  I just need to add the remaining green borders, then pink binding to match the pink of the fabric.

I could have waited until I'd finished these last two items before photographing them and posting here, but it will all be done in a rush this week, and I might not have time to be back on here this side of Christmas!

More chook bunting, and a mug rug.

I had some flags left over from the bunting I made for our Chook house, so I made some more bunting for a friend.

When you cut fabric for bunting, you end up with a heap of odd triangles. What can one do with them? Made a mug rug of course!

For the back of the mug rug I used a piece of curtain material that I found in a remnants bin somewhere.