OPAMS & more ETSY

What a weekend, I planned and worked on Friday cutting and preparing, and hoping to achieve lots...but well, it was a gorgeous day and with the girls stopping over on Friday night, we had a leisurely breakfast on Saturday and well before you know it over half the day was gone...so I got in and got started on my Block Keeper, having been inspired by this blog to make it. I designed and stitched this little block for it on the Friday.

I love it's little vintage button pin cushion ends......so me...
It took me most of what was left of Saturday to complete it, with it's patchworked and quilted side, but it's perfect for storing my blocks that i am working on in the stitchery for my quilts. - I even popped a divider page so that i can store my sitch-a-long blocks in it too. If you look closely, you will see that my Hatted lady with Brutus the cat is now complete too.

Then if you remember back to January, Bianca and I did some Babushka crazy applique, with the intentions of making them into bags for the etsy store....well I finished one...and I love it, this one I don't think will be leaving home, but I have four more pretties on my pile to work on this week....cutting and prepping takes time before i sit at the machine.
And so my Babushka Tote is born - this bag is just perfect for toting back and forth to Uni we have decided...long enough for those A4 folders and with a great over the sholder length straps.

Next up on my cutting mat is this wonderful Neopolitan mix of goodness....I so love the colours of this lot.

We have the Neoplitan Ruffled Bag with 3D flower Brooch (another vintage button appearance), fully lined with a little phone pocket on the inside and of course that zipper close. It also has a matching little zippered pouch, for that ipod, pens, glasses or even the cosmetics..you choose...and of course another little 3D flower Brooch, that can even be pinned onto a headband to complete the outfit....just love the lot - this lot is making it's way over to Etsy in a moment ...

So as you can see that's another 6 OPAMS for me this month, wow I am really doing well this month, when i get on a roll I get on a roll.

Today's Stitching

Well with great intentions to get lot's done....it's always the way.

I managed to complete my Snickerdoodles Girls Best Friend HANDBAG swap here are a few sneaks...can't reveal it all or Cath won't get a surprise now will she.

So that's my first OPAM for April too. Not as much as I thought I would get done, but a new design planned - so the etsy store will get some of these some time soon.

Might be lucky to get time at the machine again tomorrow.

Stitching Saturday

Lot's of stitching got done today, well it was a very stitch filled week actually, with a birthday this week, last week I spent the time creating the perfect gift and found my Cinderberry Stitches - Me and My Shadow Kit from last years Stitchery of the Month Club with from Under the Mulberry Tree perfect for the job. I have saved the kit fabrics for when i get to do this for myself...yes I do have hopes of it. Always the way, i complete the gifts for friends and never for me, at least by making it with fabric to suit Di {she's a blue girl} I have the kit still ready to go for myself oneday. {sigh}

I loved doing the embroidery, and really got on a roll with all the satin stitching done in the variegated threads completely...they are such cute little elves. I did have to contact Natalie, as I found there was an error in the pattern and after much head scratching I worked it out....such a little thing but it was getting me confused.

Step 19. should read
19. Sew together the 91/2 in square and 91/2 in x 5 in rectangle

NOT
19. Sew together the 91/2in x 14in rectangle and the 91/2in x 5 in rectangle

And then of course i did a little altering as well to the pattern as I wanted it to have a button closure, and felt that a felt circle would work as the centre of the needle case. And I loved the zippered pockets technique...just perfect.

I also love that I have mastered the art of Freezer Paper Applique with the help of this tutorial

After completing the above items, I was still in the create mode, and the cleaning and sorting of the sewing/office was getting done, whilst I was sifting the piles I got to put together a couple of blocks in prepared to stitch, of my Gingham Girls Quilt that I am working on with Mum, Di and Heidi. I still need the perfect piece of lace to finish off the Fat Quarter Teachouse Block. The teacakes block is coming along nicely, I love that they look so tasty.

Next up was the little chai tea girl...how cute is she, and mine is so much bighter than the girls, which is what i love about working on the same project at the same time as others, just how we each colour our worlds differnet - it's amazing.

With all my love of the freezer paper technique, I have decided that I need to purchase myself one of the Clover Mini Irons, after getting the hearts ready and realising that they aren't as easy as the cirlcles and ovals of the earlier projects of the week.

Then i decided it was time to make a bigger commitment to the stitch-a-long and trace up the first block ready to stich over the easter break. I was annoyed that the pattern didn't have a cutting template for the sititching blocks.

Then I printed off a couple of rainy day patterns in the catalicious stitch along...LOL ....I so wish there was a month of rainy stitching days at times, and that the real world would just stop so i could sit and stitch without the guilty feeling of letting my every day chorse slip by!!!

OPAM - finishes & more

Well summer colds have invaded our home, and blogging hasn't been happening, but rest assured I have still managed to stitch, and when your running a fever, it's nice to be snuggled under something.

So thanks to Gail Pan's A Christmas Wish BOM from last year I was kept warm whilst doing my snail trail border and then the binding..... and isn't she pretty...yep I am in love.And Miss Lily kept me company too....

Then a quick birthday make and another finish for a little miss 3 - a little handbag filled with all things a little girl needs in her bag, lipgloss, hairbrush and wet wipes oh and don't forget the candy....hope she likes it.