The first Monday of the new year and it’s time for Christmas to go back in the box.
If you’d popped in a couple of hours ago, this is how you would have found me on Monday. I like to read the cards again, as I take them down, and think of the people that sent them. It makes the putting away of all the festive bits and pieces a bit less sad. I’ll just have to make the most of all the new found space….
….and remember the fun we had decorating.
Waving to Sian, as always, at the start of this week.
I’m starting the year with a look back at some of the things I made during 2014.
My favourite project from last year was, without doubt, the Friendship Quilt. From January to October I made squares and sent them off. I found photos of most, but there always seem to be one or two that get forgotten before popping in the post.
Then, in June, it was my turn. Such a lovely feeling when each one arrived. Carefully chosen fabrics and lines of stitching. All different and yet fitting together. Again, I couldn’t find photos of all of them. I’m so excited to sew them up into a quilt top, once the last two have arrived, as a reminder of our lovely blogging community.
I carried on teaching my original class and started a new one in May, which filled up very quickly. These are a few of my favourites from the past year. I’m looking forward to starting again next week, with a “Back to Basics” session.
Finally the sewing projects. To my shame, 5 of these remain unfinished. Can you guess which? Yes, the dressmaking! I seem to be incapable of making an item of clothing as the pattern intends. There is always an element I want to change, but I don’t have the necessary skills so I end up getting frustrated and moving on to something else. I need to change that and I’ll tell you how I plan to go about it when I blog my “Intentions” next week. 2015 *will* be my year of sewing. I’m determined.
Here we are on the last day of the year and my desk remains behind the sofa for now. Today’s work space on show is the ironing board.
All the pieces, for a rabbity hare, cut from delicious wool felt and a scrap of Liberty for the insides of the ears and pads of the feet. The Liberty beneath is not my ironing board cover, but the fabric I’ve just pressed for her simple dress. It’s the perfect little project to sew in front of the TV.
I’d like to thank everyone who stops by to read my ramblings and most of all those that take the time to leave a comment. They are very much appreciated. It’s good to know I’m not talking to myself and that some of the things I say resonate with others. Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year.
Today I’m quietly reflecting, while I watch Moonrise Kingdom catch up with the ironing, on the past few days of family festivities.
On Tuesday….
…..the children decorated the tree.
On Wednesday…...
…..I packed the hampers…..
…..ready to deliver……
…..and whipped up a chocolate tart for the Christmas pudding haters.
On Thursday we….
…..ate…..
…..drank (the shandy that defied logic) and were merry with the inlaws.
On Friday…..
…..we did it all over again at home with Mum.
And we had clementines, always clementines, because…..
…..”Nobody likes the tangerines.”
That was ours. How was yours? Waving to Sian for the last time this year.
Julia asked us to share (if we had the time) how we leave our desks over the Christmas holiday. Mine has been de-legged and tucked away behind the sofa, to make way for the Christmas tree. The kitchen table is empty too. Cleared and cleaned, ready to bake up a storm this morning. All that’s left for me to say is,
“Wishing you all a….
….from our home to yours.
For the last time this year, I’m dusting off a Christmas memory with Sian.
At Christmas we….
….took old sheets, corrugated cardboard and tinsel….
….a (too large) glittery purple hat….
….and an older cousin’s page boy waistcoat….
….and turned our children into cowboys and angels.
Thanks Sian for bringing back Christmas Club. Same time next year?
I’ve been meaning to join in with Annie’s cheerful meme for a long time and today I’ve finally made it! This little chap seemed the perfect candidate for raising a smile. Who couldn’t do with one of those on a Friday afternoon?
It was my last class of the year on Wednesday and if you visited then you would have seen the little penguins being assembled.
I threw it open to my class goers to choose what they would like to make. I thought it was probably a little late into the month to be making Christmas cards….
….but apparently not. I was asked for a card suitable to give to grandchildren. I didn’t think I could top last year’s tumbling gingerbread man so opted for a revamp….
….and swapped him for a penguin. Using icy blues instead of the festive red.
I’ll be back on Sunday with the final edition of Sian’s Christmas Club. Hope to see you then.
