Saturday 19 January 2013

Snow bear!

Well it had to be done, with that big a garden and that much snow (well it wasn't that deep really) we just had to make a snowman or two.  I started off by myself with great plans for some amazing work of art.  But then the snowball got bigger and heavier and harder to move, so I drafted in some small people to help from next-door.  Then not wanting to be left out (although he should have really stayed inside in the warm), Mal had to come and help too.

Turns out that sitting on top of a massive snowball is great fun....


I'm not quite sure how they managed it, but somehow Mal and Charles got the three bits of the snowman on top of each other, then everyone started packing him out a bit. Of course, it didn't take long for the small people to get bored - snowball fights and sledging down the meadow provided light relief.



My plan was a whole family of snow people, but I was overruled so we ended up with a snow dog/bear thing.  Turned out that a wood saw is quite good on snow!




Monday 14 January 2013

Catch up: Two


Exceptionally cute Christmas placemats for Mum - I love them so much that I'm making myself some. Got Insul-Bright layer and batting layer so they're nicely padded and heat resistant.  Christmas patchwork fabric is from a Moda Joy by Kate Spain jelly roll, and the back is just off-cuts from Abakhan, along with the grey binding.  All the quilting is in vertical lines, some with green thread, others with red.




Catch up: One



All delivered and correct so I can write it up now! Here's the baby quilt all finished and looking warm and cozy.  I love the brightness and the way it crinkled up after I washed it.  I learnt lots along the way - matching the seams is much easier when you iron in opposite directions, and make sure the quilt back is at least a few inches bigger than the top to help when pinning.


And, everything is much easier when you have a walking foot on the machine....


Need more practice on the hand embroidery!