Last Year, New Year

So, another decade begins and I am still not up to scratch with my blogging.

Like most of you, the run up to Christmas is alway so busy. I can see from my last blog that my Christmas sewing must have started pretty much after Halloween and first project was a stocking for youngest Grandchild, Murray. I used my favourite pattern from an old Thimbleberries book, I love its traditional look and usually add in the name using my embroidery machine.

Moving on from this, I had planned, in my head, a book cushion for each of my nephews. I looked on Pinterest and on blogs and cobbled up a mixture of all, taking hints and tips where I found them. Once again I made good use of my embroidery machine as well as using piecing methods for one of them. 

I included a torch in the smaller pocket, and slippped a book token and some chocolate into the bigger pocket. They were well received.

It was during this project that I began to entertain thoughts of upgrading my embroidery machine. I had been gifted my Janome 300E by my very generous employer, back in 2005 and I reckon I had given it a fair run but machine embroidery had never overtaken my quilting. It can however be successfully combined with quilting so my deliberations continued until I decided to go ahead and after even more thought I plumped for the Janome 500E, now affectionately referred to by me as Mission Control - suffice to say, furniture had to be moved to accommodate it. I am enjoying it a lot and got started quickly on my first project - an apron for my son in law. Now he loves to BBQ and will do so at all times of the year, with his addition this year of a pizza oven for the barbie, he has produced many a fine pizza, so was born my themed selection of gifts for his Christmas.

It stitched out beautifully and I have to say so far my favourite feature of the machine is its automatic clipping of jump threads - pure heaven. And I am glad to report that this gift also was well received.

My next project was a birthday gift for my quilty pal Janet who has this year, become the most amazing crocheter. I combined both of my techniques and with guidance from a You Tube tutorial, I made a quilted Japanes knot bag for her crochet. I added a little embroidery which might have tested the depth of our friendship, but glad to say all is well. (wink)

Other gifts that consumed my time in November / December were these Ouch Pouches and inspired by this pattern.

These were well accepted and make a great wee gift, can be tailored to the recipient's needs, and are so handy to keep in the car.

I continued to play with my new machine and made these quick projects.

A slightly wonky Christmas bird,

A cheery coaster

And a quilted notebook cover. 

Being back into embroidery I was re-acquainted with Emblibrary and bought this design for a "Pillow Wrap". I made a couple - one for daughter and one for daughter in law. It's a great concept if you have plainish cushions, to Christmas them up a little.

My current wip is a new hot water bottle cover and I am inspired in this by Helen, whose recent make has taken us from shaped cover to a more boxy (and brilliant IMO) shape. Just waiting to purchase some bias binding to finish this one off.

(SO far, made entirely from stash - a piece of very old flannel for top, a piece of Ikea microfleece in place of wadding, and yet another of son in law's cotton shirts to back!)

And I'll leave you lovelies with a pic of my own wee lovelies when I got them altogether on 28th.

                   Happy New Year. Linking to Mini Archie's Furtling Around the Blogosphere.