More Christmas Gifts

This year as I went shopping for Christmas gifts for my family and friends, I needed to stick to set budget for each gift.  I have been reading several frugal blogs over the few years. All bloggers state that it is very important to set your budget and stick to it.

This year I wanted to make something special for my three young nieces.  But what should I make?  I then found these beautiful cuddly bunnies and there were three left. Plus they were within my budget.  

When I got the bunnies home I decided that I would make each bunny it's own bed complete with pillow and quilt.   

 The top photo is Jessica's gift.

 

 These are Eliana and Amelie's gifts.

Happy New Year to all my family, friends and followers.  May 2014 be a peaceful, healthy and fantastic year for you all.

Christmas Gifts

I teased you with clips of photos of Christmas gifts I made for my family last month.  I am pleased to say that the family loved their gifts.

  

The green table topper was made for my mother-in-law.  

The table topper with the blue border was a gift for my mother and the other for a special aunt.

I enjoyed designing and making these table toppers that I have added this new design to my workshop programme for 2014. 

Some Kind of Wonderful

This year's Stitch-A-Long has finished. I am still working on my Some Kind of wonderful quilt, which was last year's Stitch-A-Long.

I have not worked much on my SKoW quilt this year due to my family and work commitments. I have decided that this quilt will be the project that I will try and complete over the holidays.  I would really like to take part in 2014 Stitch-A-Long.      

December OPAM 2013

I have been making birthday presents for two dear friends.  The first one I did make at the end of last month but forgot to add it to my OPAM total. 

 The blue note book I made at the beginning December for a special birthday last Saturday.

These are little note books.  I loved making them.  Simple and beautiful gifts.



December OPAM 2013

I have made another nineteen Christmas stockings.   

I have started cutting out more stockings.  I am not worried if I do not get time to make them this year.  I will put them into a plastic box and make them in January for selling at next year's crafts fairs.

Christmas at Daisychain Quilter all 2014!!!  Maybe I will start a Christmas challenge blog.  Does anyone want to join me?    

December OPAM 2013

My Christmas stocking sweatshop has open once again.  I have made fifteen stocking over the last few days.

I have another fifteen cut out and ready for sewing.  I gave myself a little talk at the begining of this year about making at least ten of these stocking each month so I would have enough made for those last minute orders I receive in December every year.

Now I must get to my sewing machine.

Sealed Pot Challenge

Today is the day that I get to open my sealed pot!

I have been saving coins in my pot all year.  I gave a empty sealed pot to Mr D, Little Boy and Baby girl as well.  I know that Mr D has been using his pot and we are going to pool our savings to buy some Christmas presents for the family. 

I managed to save £193.03 and Mr D £97.30.

Grand Total £290.33

Sealed Pot Challenge 2014 has started.  It is never too late to join in the fun.  Just click on Saving for Travel for more information. 

November OPAM 2013

I can only show a small portion of these finished projects as they are Christmas presents for close members of my family.

This month I have made two Christmas presents, two pair of large curtains, one birthday present and a table topper. 



Welcome Holly

After a few sleepless nights , Henrietta has finally gone home to Sew Creative in Cambridge this morning.

This is Holly.  My new Janome Horizon 8900 QCP.  She arrived this afternoon.  Why call her Holly?  The reason is she is my Christmas present for this year and next as well as next year's birthday present.  

Thanks to all at Sew Creative and to Mr D. I am off to play with my new machine.     

Goodbye Henrietta!

Henrietta can home with me from the quilt show last month.  Well she is going back to Cambridge as she does not like living in Devon.  I had finally found time over the last weekend to get to play with Henrietta and she does not like living Devon.  So I phoned Janome this morning about my problems with the machine and they advised  me to take the machine back to the dealer.

Sew Creative have arranged for the machine to be collect from my house on Thursday and a brand new one to arrive straight from Janome to be delivered on the same day.  I would like to thank all the staff at Sew Creative for their help and support.

Now I will box up Henrietta and get poor old Jan out of retirement. I will update you all on Thursday.  

November OPAM 2013

Just a quick post to update my finishes for this month's OPAM.  I made and quilted this table topper some time ago.  I just needed to sew on the binding.  

I love making table toppers as much as I love making bags.  I might keep this one as a Christmas present.  

Now I must get back to work on my new workshop project samples and writing up the notes for each class.      

October OPAM 2013

I started cutting out Christmas stockings in January with the intention of making a few each month! I have only now just got round to making them.

 Fourteen Stockings to be added to OPAM total for this month.



Henrietta

Yesterday I travelled to the Malvern Autumn Quilt show with the girls.  I wanted to visit the show as the Exe Valley CQ group have been invited to exhibit some of their quilts. I am a member of this group.  We meet about four to six times a year in Exeter.  I try very hard never to miss a meeting as we have so much fun together.  One of the best things about this contemporary group is the friendship.      

Anyway back to the show. I have been saving to buy a new machine for some time.  I knew what make and model I would like to own. I have had my Memory Crafts 4800 QC for twelve years. I used her every day and to be frank I have warn her out.

As soon as we got through the door at the Malvern Autumn Quilt show I came across a Janome dealer with a great deal on the model I desired.  I phoned home to speak to my dear Mr D about the dealer's offer. 

As you can see Henrietta the Janome Horizon 8900 QCP jumped into the car so she could come home and live with me.    

Those of you that know me well, I am going to tell you that I was not the only one in the car that came home with a sewing machine!!!  I will say no more, just ask Sue for more details.......  

Craft Fayre

Today I had a table at Just Tracys craft fayre.  This is the second fayre this year at Just Tracys that I have attended with all my hand crafted items.

This fist photo shows the difficult time I was having fitting all my wares onto one table.  Sorry I do not know why the photo has turned to a side view, this is the first time in all my years blogging that this has happen to me.       

And it has happen again! Never mind I am off to the Malvern Autumn Quilt show tomorrow with the girls. Do not forget the clocks change tonight.    

Quay Quilters

These photos were taken today at Quay Quilters.  I taught this workshop last month. 

September OPAM 2013

I have made these large fabric boxes to hold the raffle tickets for the Chinese auction at the Quilter's Guild day on the 2nd November in Saltash. 

Quay Quilters

 I had a wonderful day teaching at Quay Quilters today.





I was teaching my Christmas wreath pattern.  All the ladies were able to go home with a quilt top.  I am looking forward to seeing them again at next week's meeting.  

www.quayquilters.co.uk

August OPAM 2013

Another month has gone by and I only managed one finish for OPAM.  I started this table topper several years ago.  I could not get the binding in one corner to lay flat and square, so I threw it into my UFO basket.  All this project needed was for me to finish the binding!!

 

At the beginning of August, I decided to pull one item from my UFO basket and what every item came out it would be finished.  I am so glad it was an quick project to complete. I may pick another item from the basket for next month's OPAM.  Well, I really do need to make a dent in my UFO basket.

Festival of Quilts

Baby Girl and I went to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham at the NEC.  We had a very enjoyable time.  We managed to view all the exhibitions and do a little shopping.

I am only writing a short blog today as I need to recover from my visit to the Festival of Quilts. The first photo is Baby Girl standing in front of one of her favourite quilts.  It appears she has very traditional tastes unlike me who loves bright contemporary quilts. The second photo was taken at the Horizon exhibition.   There were sample books that you could photograph and touch.  These sample books gave you more information about how each quilt was made. 

I will write more about the Festival of Quilts over the next few weeks.  I just need so time to recover from a very busy month.

July OPAM 2013

I have completed this month fourteen fabric boxes, ten tissue packet covers, one large tote bag, one table topper and one Christmas wall hanging.  Total 27 items. Wow.



June OPAM 2013

I have just one finish project this month.  I have started several projects during this month but I just ran out of time this month to finish them.

So I will see you again next month.

  

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May OPAM 2013

Remember the quilt I was making for Marie? Well here it is finished!!

I like the design so much that I am thinking about making another in a different colour for me. So watch this space. 

I quilted this version by machine with rayon threads and using a simple square shape. Actually I drew squares on to the quilt using my square ruler.  I am always telling quilters to use what they have at home to design quilt patterns for their quilts. Life is too short so why make life harder for yourself.
Anyway I am off to pick out fabrics for my version of this modern quilt.