In Like A Lamb!!

March came in like a lamb here in Pine Grove, NS. There was a mixture of sun, clouds, a few flurries, some wind (not much) and cool temperatures. It did get above freezing here in my backyard!!

This guy, last year's Dollar Shop find, usually sits on the edge of my piano. It gives me a chuckle every time I look at it.

Last week I was making lamb Shimmer Ornaments on the embroidery machine (click on the links to see more of my shimmer ornaments). Some of these (among others), will be found at Museums by the Sea. Shelburne's Historic Waterfront, NS, later in the spring.

• All Things Sheep  (cute, free patterns to knit, crochet . . .)
• Free Sheep Crochet Patterns 
• Sew a sheep softie (Free pattern)
• Crochet a Sheep Granny Square (cute one)

 Enjoy!!

Home Sweet Home: An Embroidery Workbox

This is the third book that I received for Christmas. I'm not interested in 'building' another workbox but I was curious about the embroidery stitches and how Carolyn Pearce used them. Beautiful coloured photos, detailed instructions and clear diagrams, provide all you need to embroider and construct the workbox and matching accessories.

The book has a full size pattern sheet and lots of step-by-step photos to help you create all the projects in the book.

Some sewing kits:

• On Pinterest: HERE, HERE & HERE    
• Tag Along Sewing Kit  
• Travel Sewing Kit   Another HERE  
• Victorian Sewing Kit 
• Matchbook Sewing Kit  
• Crochet Cupcake Pincushion Sewing Kit 
• Needle Books & Cases    

Enjoy!                     

Snowflakes

I recently purchased Tanya Berlin's Hapsburg Lace Snowflake Sampler. See it HERE.
Hoping to start it tomorrow at our Wednesday stitching get together.

More Snowflakes

• Snowflake Pillow    
• Free Snowflake Quilt Patterns
• Snowflakes on Pinterest HERE,    
• Free-motion Snowflake
• Hawaiian Snowflakes
• Crochet Snowflakes on Pinterest  HERE
• Paper Snowflakes

Enjoy!!         

I also linked up with The Needle & Thread Network. Check it out.

Brrrrrr - It's Cold Outside!

Winter has come early to St. John's, NL. Needless to say, I'm not a fan of snow, wind and cold weather and we are having lots of that this week.

Cold Weather Projects:

• Honey Cowl 
• Cute Christmas Yarn Basket Ornament 
• Knitted Snowman 
• Knit Jacket    
• Knitted Mug Cosy 
• Winding Yar

 Several of the links above came from my friend at Magpie's Mumblings.


Enjoy!!

Storm Watch and other Stuff!

There's a storm watch for this area over night and tomorrow. I'm glad I visited the fabric store today as I have a small project to sew up. I won't need it until January 1st but I will get started on it soon.

First, I have to gut out the studio in between been carpenter's helper. We will be very busy for the next week finishing the painting of back porch, powder room and hall as well as putting down new flooring. Any sewing will have to be done at night. I'm also hoping to get the tree up this week. This is the latest we've been putting it up.

Enough of that!!

From 2012

Check these out:

• Modern Christmas Tree Quilt or block. One of these trees could be a mug rug or small wall hanging. 
• Freebies for machine embroidery   
• This Table Runner caught my eye. It isn't difficult but takes a little time to do. It's on my to do list one of these days.
• Crochet Owl Basket   I like this one too.
• Christmas Embroidery  (inspiration & free patterns)

I hope you find something interesting!
Enjoy!!

Ideas!!

There is not much going on in the studio this week due to a nasty head cold. I've tried to do a few things but after having to ravel out a few rows in a knitting piece, I gave up. However, I did manage to surf the net and found a few things of interest.

• A cool Owl Hat Free Knitting Pattern and a Crochet Pattern
• Eye Candy from Jane Blair Quilts, click on gallery  
• Canvas Tote to make
• Applique Lessons - interesting
• Mouse Pincushion Tutorial 
• Mexican Waves Scarf (pattern on Revelry)   I think the colours caught my eye!

Enjoy!

 

Stockings

My mother made our Christmas stockings from red flannelette and hand embroidered our names with green wool. I still have mine. Santa usually had a special surprise in the toe of the stocking.  It wasn't usually anything expensive. However, I do remember one year, getting a compass in the toe. I was in Girl Guides at the time and it came in handy.

Here's some links for you to check:

• History of the Christmas Stocking  
• All Free Stockings 
• Patterns for Stockings       
• Sew an Easy Stocking 
• Knitted Christmas Stocking 
• Tutorial  another HERE 
•  10 Assorted Free Patterns 
• Stained Glass Stocking 
• Jingle Bell Stocking 
• Crochet 8 Stockings 
• Lots HERE    
• Pinterest: HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE 

I made this years ago!

Jake the Pirate

My little three year old granddaughter loves Jake the Pirate. She received the ship with all the characters for her 3rd birthday in March. We just finished role playing with the small characters on the ship. Out of curiosity, I did a search for Jake the Pirate and quilting. I was amazed to find fabric with these TV show characters on it as well as some knitting and crochet projects.

If you want to make some costumes for these characters, check HERE.
I also discovered some other projects for this kid's show, such as a party theme, and knitting and crochet stuff. It's amazing the amount of things out there for children's shows.
Enjoy!

Easter Projects

Have fun checking out the Easter related links below!

• Coiled Fabric Basket
• Patchwork Easter Wall Hanging
• Silk Easter Eggs Tutorial
• Easter Peeps
• Easter Crafts
• Eastern Patterns
• Free Easter Patterns
• Easter Quilts on Pinterest
• Easter Craft Projects
• Easy to Crochet Easter Eggs
• Free Craft Projects for Easter
• Crazy Easter Eggs
• Easter Egg Placemat
• Honey Bunny Applique Quilt Pattern
• Embroidered Felt Easter Egg
• Needle Felted Eggs

Check out an older Easter post with links HERE.

Shaun the Sheep

Shaun the Sheep is one of my little granddaughter's favorite shows. This is a British animation that appeals to children of all ages. It is hilarious!  Last summer while in Chicago, I searched for a pattern for Shaun to knit or crochet (something I could do in the motor home while we were driving home). I found one at Purple Linda Crafts. Looking back, I should have given up when I couldn't get the recommended yarns and had to use a substitute.

The pattern did not give the size for this character, so I figured it would be about 12 inches high or there about - until I got the body done!! The finished height of this creature is 27 inches tall. I worked on Shaun all fall during our weekly stitching group. Each part took longer than I wanted but I wasn't about to give in. Once I start something, I usually try to finish it. Shaun was finished last night. My friends have been watching my progress and since they won't see Shaun before he goes to Chicago next week, I'm presenting him here! Every time I look at him, I chuckle. Hope you get a chuckle too!

In my photos, I positioned him so his tail was behind him. When Shaun is standing, the tail between his legs, looks a little bit strange (grin)!
Enjoy!

.

Matryoshka Dolls

I'm still finding photos of my summer vacation that I meant to share. While walking around the Glebe, a neighborhood in Ottawa, I came across an alley with some beautifully painted Matryoshka Dolls. Doesn't the brick wall look interesting and so colourful! Can't you just see these paintings translated into a quilted or an embroidered piece?

This type of doll, also known as Russian nesting dolls, refers to a set of wooden dolls that decrease in size and placed inside the other. When I was a child, I had a set of  these.

The yarn, pictured at the bottom, was purchased at Yarn Forward, another shop I visit whenever I'm in the Ottawa area.

Check out these sites for some interesting patterns for these little dolls:

• Here's a free crochet pattern for making your own set of these dolls.
• Sew Daily has a set for you to sew. 
• Tutorials for making the dolls.  
• Doll ornament 
• Finger puppet 
• 'Tis the Season

Enjoy!

Sesame Street

Ages ago I saw a Sesame Street panel at Fabricville. My two year old granddaughter loves the show. Her favorite characters are on the panel so, of course, I bought it. Needless to say, it was supposed to be an easy quilt to do. I do wish that manufacturers of printed panels were as particular as quilters! There was no such thing as straight sides and there is never enough space to cut them apart on the bolt. I did manage to finally finish it yesterday. Thanks, also, to my friend, who had the perfect colour of fabric for the back and binding.

Pinned on the fence, it looks good! You can't tell that the sides aren't exactly straight. Anyway, what two year old is going to be looking for that.

Here are a few Sesame Street patterns for your enjoyment:

• Knitting Patterns
• Crochet Finger Puppets
• Muppets from yarn
• Crocheted Sesame Street Hats
• Cupcakes
• Grover Hand Puppet
• Elmo Colouring Pages

Brrrrrr!!

Let's just say, until last night, we really didn't have any winter weather! Now we have piles of the white stuff. In fact, Environment Canada classified the weather as blizzard conditions. By the way, it's now raining outside - go figure. Here are a few ideas to keep you from getting too bored during those long winter evenings.
Enjoy!

Winter Pines Wall Hanging
Silly Snow Quake Pattern
Snowman Block
Snowflake Embroidery Pattern
Winter Colouring Pages (great for stitching)
Snowball Freebie
Crochet Snowman (scroll down for pattern)
Wintery Red Work
Snowmen Pins
Crochet Snowmen Hats
Snowmen Pincushions

Cup Cakes

The Cup Cake theme seems to be everywhere these days! I read that cup cakes are even taking the place of the traditional wedding cake. They have been used for years as treats for kids parties so why not weddings. I remember having them at parties when I was a child. Because this is such a popular theme, I did do a journal cover with a cupcake motif. But that is for another day.

These two fabrics are from the Robert Kaufman cupcake collection.

In my research for cup cake themed items, I found some interesting stuff. Some you might like while others you may wonder about. Anyway, have fun - you never know when an occasion will arise that cries out for a cup cake!



Cupcake Purse
Cupcake Doll
Cupcake Coin Purse 
Cupcake Pin Cushion
Felt Cupcake  (I like the way the icing was constructed for this one)
Needle felted cupcakes and other treats
Cupcake Crocheted Hat
Fancy knitted cupcake
Cupcake Ornament  (check out the other free patterns on this site)
Check out the Quilted Cupcake's Sewing Machine! Free quilted cupcake pattern here.
Rug with cupcake applique
Cupcake Embroidery Patterns. More here and here!
Cupcake Mini Quilt

    

Fun Food!

It looks like we are going to have a green Christmas this year unless it turns cold suddenly. This week the temperatures have been well above normal. Today we are having strong winds and lots of rain. The kind of day you want to stay inside and do something creative! At the moment, my 'creativity' revolves around baking cookies and cakes for Christmas. Part of my parent's gift is edible stuff.

I found some interesting 'Fun Food' to knit, sew & crochet. Enjoy!

Felt Cookies
Pineapple Art Quilt - idea, not free
Fabric Eggs
Chocolates Quilt Pattern - applique
Chocolate Cake Tea Cosy - knitting
Knitted Ice Cream Cone Patterns
Cherries knitted pattern
Pizza Party!
Knitting, Crochet & Sewing Patterns - lots of food patterns
Canned Crochet 
Honey Pot - Crochet
Felt Food - Eggs & Orange Slices
More Felt Food  - scroll down the page
Play Food 
Ice Cream Cone 

Steamed Christmas Pudding

This year I made a steamed Christmas Pudding for the first time! It turned out to be a good one!

However, this is the Christmas Pudding Decoration I made yesterday for a friend. I can't take credit for the pattern. The original pattern is from The Contented Quilter and is a pincushion.

Check out the following patterns:

Here is another pudding ornament
Christmas Pud Pincushion
A cute crocheted pudding - scroll down
Knitted Christmas Pudding  
Knitted Christmas Tea Cosy -  suppose to resemble a pudding but there is no photo. Thought I'd include it anyway.
Christmas Pudding Tree Ornament
Line drawing of a pudding - template

Have Fun! Merry Christmas