Friday, March 25, 2011

Time for an update

Hi everyone,
The days since my last post have flown. I've had some computer woes and some lost mojo days but there are a few things to show you so first up is a cute little sewing bag.



The pattern is from Australian designer Bronwyn Hayes book The Flowerbed Quilt
The front and back have the same stitchery design.
Here's a side view



and a view of the bag when open showing the inner drawstring pouch, needlecase and scissor holder. Fabrics are Rouenneries by French General for Moda.




By the way, Bronwyn has the sweetest little Easter bag pattern with a stitchery bunny on her blog as a free download. I wish I had time to make it but even though it looks quite small I just can't fit anything else in at present. Perhaps next year.....

Another bag! This one is from a pattern by Australian designer Natalie Ross




I used a selection of Tilda fabrics to make this bag



and of course there had to be a matching needle case






I managed to stay with the 2011 Christmas ornament a month challenge. This is the one I've done for March. It's a Little House Needleworks design from the 2009 JCS Christmas ornament magazine.



finished as a simple hanging pillow and backed with Peace on Earth fabric by Moda




Sorry for the rather unimaginative photo but all of my Christmas "props" are packed away!


I finished this small Blackbird Designs piece a long time ago and have only now finished it into a pillow. The date I had stitched on it was 2009 but I decided to unpick that and replaced it with the three buttons



I found the perfect backing fabric in my stash. It has tiny birds on it but you probably won't be able to see them without clicking the picture for a close up.




I've been very much into crochet recently and have been looking around a lot of crochet blogs. I was lucky enough to win this lovely pincushion on Rachael's blog





Rachael said I could choose my own colours so I went for Cath Kidston type colours.
I just love it. Thank you Rachael :)



I don't usually show my cross stitch WIPS until they become finished objects but I've been taking part in a SAL on this blog stitching the Blackbird Designs Hedgerow Birds project bag.





This is how it looks after two assignments. Just one more assignment and the front will be finished.
I'm afraid it's a bit creased but I stitch in hand and I don't want to press it until I'm ready to do the finishing.

Finally, I was going to show a nice sunny beach pic but the weather has been quite gloomy the past few days so I'll show the cake I made this afternoon instead :)
This is coconut and cherry banana bread from Nigella Lawson's latest book Kitchen.



now I don't want to blow my own trumpet here but I actually think mine looks better than Nigella's which looks a bit sad in the middle LOL.


Sad or not this cake is delicious but then Nigella's recipes usually are. This book is my favourite of hers to date.

Well, I think that's it for now. As always a big thank you for visiting my blog and for taking the time to comment. I do love to hear from you.

Margaret