Shakey Stitches

I have a feeling that this year is going to be GREAT! Last year was a hard one for me, so this year I'm starting fresh, out with the old in with the new. I just purchased a brand new car and I pick it up nest week. I have left my job of two years for a job in a totally different industry. I start on Monday, please send me some good vibes I'm so nervous. My new job is part time (only 25 hr/week) instead of 42 plus hours which means a lot more time for sewing but a lot less funds to buy fabric. I am hoping this will teach me to cherish every last scrap and maybe stop me from buying that totally cute fabric that I have know idea how to use and make me think a little more. I made this purse for a friend at work that I'm really going to miss. We are going to have monthly sewing days together. Now if anyone knows where I put the squares I cut out for the siggy swap I would be very grateful. Happy new year!!!

If you had thought I had forgotten about the garden steps quilt along you may have been right. I had pushed it right to the back of my to do list. Then I realised it is silly to have these blocks waiting in a box while I try to do all the other things I want to do. I am trying to do one block a week so then it will be finished and I can enjoy the quilt instead of feeling guilty that it's still waiting for me. So here are blocks two and three I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Christmas and I'm wishing you all a happy new year!

This year I decided to make these Reindeer Candy Canes for my work buddies. I think they turned out kinda cute. They were super easy to make just a candy cane, red pom pom, half a brown pipecleaner and some stick on eyes and a hot glue gun. I ran out of eyes at the end so I drew some on with black sharpie. The ones with drawn on eyes also have eyebrows so they look sassy ;) Wishing you all a safe and very merry Christmas xxx ooo

So I didn't do too well in Blogtoberfest, completing only eight post, I had a lot more planned but I didnt realise how busy I would be. I had fun so that's all that matters. I have finished two quilt tops. Using lines by Aneela Hoey. So far I have loved everything she has done. The first is a baby quilt made from a charm pack of 'a walk in the woods' by Aneela Hoey. I added a few extra charms and two borders to make it a bit bigger. I am so happy with how it turned out and it only took a couple of hours to complete thanks to my newly learnt technique of chain piecing.  I am in no hurry to finish this quilt as I don't know anyone expecting a girl at the moment.  I got the fox pattern in Hand Stitched class and I knew it would work perfectly with this fabric line  A prize to the first person who notices whats missing on the fox! Little Apples was the first fabric line that I fell in love with. I bought a fat eighth bundle at the start of the year or

I have almost finished my Harry Potter Mug Rug. I just have to quilt and bind it (and clean off the chalk). The swap is a fall, Harry Potter theme and my partner likes Dobby, lions, dragons, quills and pumpkins and is in Griffindor. Her favourite book is 'The philosophers stone' I had decided to do I quill and I thought it would be writing out a spell or 'I must not tell lies' but I couldn't work out how to. I decided to make it a floating feather. I hope the colours I used are 'fall' enough. I think I will bind it in an orange. xxx ooo

October has been crazy! I started of Blogtoberfest with all these grand plans but it all fizzed out pretty quickly. I have been super busy with sport, craft night, the gym, work and friends and I do not have a night free all week. Tonight I am treating myself to a night in so I thought it would be best to catch up. My phone is not sending photos to my computer anymore and I can't get them off. I don't know how to fix it. I made a bag using this tutorial  from clover and violet . It was super easy to make and it looks great. I made mine a little smaller than they did. I am using to to carry around my paper piecing. It is the perfect size. I have joined a siggy swap! It is still open if you want to join. It can be found here . I am planning on using this fabric as I have it in my stash. The swap is for modern fabric only and I know that the Little Apples line came out last year. Is it still modern enough? I am so excited about this swap. The first time

I had decided to do a little sewing today because I was inspired by this bag  over at clover and violets. When I realised I didn't have any white thread left and my white bobbin has just ran out. I am pretty lazy when it comes to matching thread colours and usually stick to white. This was the closest I am going to get but by the time I had bobbins filled up and everything threaded I didn't have enough time to sew left. I am hoping to get some sewing done tomorrow. I hope tomorrows post will be more eventful or else it's going to be a long October. xxx ooo

Last week was my mums 49th birthday! Do you know what that means? It means I have 51 weeks to make her a 50th birthday quilt! So far I have no idea what I want to make. I don't have a pattern, fabric line or even colour in mind. I am hoping some inspirations comes to me quickly. I am thinking of using some english paper piecing but that is my only thought so far. I have a few vague ideas Mum likes to travel, she has been to Paris, India, Egypt and a few other countries so that's something to think about. This is a wall hanging she got from somewhere. I thought this wall hanging could be some inspiration for colours but I don't know. I am the worlds worst decision maker. Mums bedroom window looks over our country cottage garden so that's an idea too. The problem with mums is they say everything you do is nice so it's tricky knowing what they actually love. xxx ooo

I have just discovered Dulce de Leche. It is so delicious I wanted to cry. I used a David Lebovitz recipe I have to confess I had a spoonful before breakfast this morning. xxx ooo

I finally finished taking the basting stitches out of my EPP hexi from handstitched class. I am as proud as punch. Now I just have to decide what to do with it. I was originally going to sew it onto a simple bag but now I am not too sure. I feel like I need a pretty heavy duty bag and I don't think I am experienced enough to make something like that. I really enjoyed the whole process so I am thinking of making of making a whole quilt of them. It will have to be scrappy because I used scraps for this one. I like scrap quilts because they are like a journey or all the quilts a person has made. I hope you have a great weekend. xxx ooo

It was only yesterday that I decided to join Blogtoberfest! I am already feeling behind. I have only just got home and had my dinner and it's more than an hour past my usual bedtime. I had all these grand plans for today. A friend from work in leaving for maternity leave tomorrow, I bought a panel from spotlight that already has the batting, backing and is already quilted. All I had to do was sew on the binding. The machine sewing side is done. I took it with me today, to do at lunch and between work and sport but unfortunately I forgot to trim the edges and I didn't have scissors. I'm tossing up between staying up late trying to finish it tonight and sending it to her when the baby is born. My bed is calling so I guess I have made my decision. xxx ooo

I have decided to join Blogtoberfest 2012 over at I saw you dancing . I am hoping that this will help me to grow as a blogger. It's already the third of October so I'm two days behind but I'm not too worried. I already have a few ideas and I'm hoping to have a bit of fun. Me and my puppy/kitty I have a feeling that October is going to be great. xxx ooo

I have been super busy. My life has had a few changes and I haven't had much time to do any craft let alone blog about it. Things are starting to settle down so I hope to get back into the swing of things soon. It's been almost two months since I last blogged and this is what I have been doing. I made this little teddy for a friend having a baby. I even made the cord and tassel The only problem was it was too cute and took alot of time and effort that when the time came I couldn't 'bear' to give it away. So the night before the baby shower I made a little blanket with mitered corners. On Monday nights I go next door and do some craft with a few of the older ladies in our craft. As the youngest member I am spoilt rotten and everyone loves teaching me new techniques and organising different projects for me. My latest project is a needle case. I know I have already made  one in Handstitched class but I didn't have the heart to tell her that I ha

So I started my Sashiko coasters from Hand stitched class. I have only completed one but I really like it. I was a little down so I used the colours grey and yellow. That colour combo always make me think of sunshine sneaking through the clouds on a rainy day. The pattern reminds me of chicken wire. I will have to finish the others so I can use them. I have found a use for one coaster. It sits on my bed side table (or should I say bed side filing cabinet) and I put a glass on water on it at night. I quite like it and will have to make a whole set soon. Someone at work said we need coasters in the lab because there are coffee rings all over our desk. I thought about making these coasters for everyone but they are too pretty and I don't want people spilling coffee on my hard work. especially when I don't even drink the stuff.

Look what I got in the mail I have big plans for the 'a walk in the woods' charm pack. Well not big plans, a baby quilt but if it turns out how I imagine it will be great. In other news I have joined a mug rug swap. It is combining two of my greatest joys. Sewing and wait for it... Harry Potter!!! It is a Harry Potter Mug Rug Swap. I am so excited. They need more members though so if you like Harry Potter you should join too. This is the group .

I am a little behind in Hand Stitched Class. I finished hand sewing the centre medallion. I redid it because I wasn't happy with my points and the size and spacing of my stitches. I couldn't get my points right the second time so I made a modification. I added the bubbles on the end. I am really happy with it. I haven't trimmed the yellow border yet because I want to have a little bit extra in case it frays when I'm doing my hand stitching on the white border. IMG_1731[1] , a photo by Shakey Stitches on Flickr. That brings me up to date on week one. I have only completed one project from week two so far. It's a head band. It was so quick so I will definitely be making more in many different colours and patterns. I like that the elastic makes it gather just a little bit. I have loved looking at everyones projects on the flickr group. There is some serious talent in this class!

Week one of Rachel's from stitched in color  handstitch class has come and gone. I loved it. Each week we do part of a quilt and a couple of single projects. I haven't done the quilt centre yet but I have finished the other projects.  Needle book  My needle book is actually an inch smaller than it should be because I wasn't paying enough attention when I was cutting the felt whoops! It is still big enough to hold my little scissors, a few needles and a bit of thread so I'm not worried.  Flocked tank  I love my top!!! I only bought a cheap top to practise on. It was on sale for $6 and when I went to pay it was only $2. Bargain! I really enjoyed the whole process. I put it on as soon as I finished the last stitch and I wore it out only to spill 'italian hot chocolate' down the front. I want to try a pair of pants next. I think it would look really good around the bottom of each leg. I will have to think about that more though.

I have finished my fisrt block for my clover and violet garden steps  quilt a long. I should have pressed it before I took the photo. I really like it. It's got my own shakey twist to it. Tomorrow the handstitched class starts at stitched in color . I am super excited!

A while back I mentioned I was doing the garden steps  quiltalong  at clover and violet . I even have a button on the side of my blog! I finished the blocks. I'm a little behind but that doesn't matter. The problem is I made a mistake, I don't know how it happened but I have three rings around my centre square instead of four ':( Its a bit small I am thinking of adding some sashing to make it a bit bigger. Maybe a border too but I don't know if that will be too much. Any advice will be much appreciated. I'm off to try some hand stitching.

Yesterday I helped my brother sew up a ripped pocket on one of his coats. He also sewed on a button. He was pretty chuffed. Then he brought out his favourite button up top and asked if I could fix it. It is a nice shirt, its made from Italian cotton but it's old. It wasn't good. The seam from the arm to the collar was ripped. There were holes all along the back seam. The fabric was disintegrating. I thought about it, I could put some thing like a lining under it but then it wouldn't be as soft and I think that it would be a bit out of my skill level. I put on a sympathetic face and told him "there is nothing more I could do" I used a piece of it to make him a little sewing kit. He can leave it in the glove box of his car and hopefully it will come in handy one day.   It had a red binding to match the pocket but he didn't like it so I took it off and used a zig zag stitch around the edges. It comes with needles, pins, safety pins, butt

Lynne at lilys quilts  is having a small blog meet. It is for blogs with less than 50 followers to meet other people in blogland (yays thats me! I just got my first follower this week yay!!!) You link to the page and then visit and follow four other blogs that have also linked to the page. There is a button but I can't remember how to add them and I'm too tired to try right now so this link will go to the page which I'm pretty sure is the same thing.

Happy 132nd Birthday to Gideon Sundback the inventer of the zipper . I have never sewn a zipper on anything so it's about time I learn how to do it. I am off to find a tutorial. Expect pictures soon. It's on my to do list.

Today I covered my curved safety pin container. I took the easy way out and used glue. Its not perfect and there are some rough edges but its good enough for now. I looked for a tutorial on the web but couldn't find anything so I had to make this up myself.    A lone turtle on the back I also made a green chili jam today. I was my first time making a jam and I enjoyed the experience so I will have to look for some proper jam jars so I can make more. The chillies are from my veggie patch. They are about the only things that survived the summer. We had too much rain. I harvested two Jap pumpkins today. I bought a sourdough loaf today so I'm thinking bacon and eggs on toast with green chili jam sounds like an excellent plan for a Sunday night tea.

My quilt is bound, washed and dried. Need I say more.  The Front  The Back   Butterfly binding!   I am sitting under it at this very moment. I would like to thank Bec from  Chasing Cottons . I used her Quilt Class 101 . It was easy to follow and I am so happy with the result. I think the class ran last year but that doesn't matter. Not too bad for a first try. xxx ooo

I had a lovely Easter and I made some very cute gifts (if I don't say so my self). I saw a picture somewhere on the Internet years ago and now have finally made my own version. I have no idea where I saw them so I cant give recognition. I just love the little shawl I have finished quilting my quilt and have sewn on about half of the binding. I am really happy with my fabric choice. I am looking forward to the hand sewing. It has been so cold here it will be nice to snuggle up in front of the telly and do some hand sewing. I have joined a quilt along. I even have a button! More on that in a later post. I am already really behind.

I have received my postcards from the swap. They are both very different but they are both beautiful and I love them. It's nice to think that someone on the other side of the world that I have never met was thinking of me when they were making these postcards. This one was sent to me all the way from Manchester! I love it, I'm a country girl at heart so it's perfect for me. I don't have the envelope this one came in so I'm not sure where it came from. I'm pretty certain it was America but I can't remember where in America. The stitching is so neat. It's beautiful. I'm sure there is a lot of meaning behind this card. I can see my own special meaning and I think each person could take something different from it. It's really something special. I want to thank both my partners for sending a postcard to Australia. I can't wait to join another swap. All the postcards can be found here!  

The fabric postcard swap is finally over so we had to post our postcards this week. I sent two. This one is going to America. I wish I knew how to flip photos And this one is going to Canada. This one is going to the organiser of the group. I hope they like them. I was a little worried as it was my first swap. What if they are not good enough but then I realised that's not the point of a swap. It's funny to think that something I made is on a plane going overseas. I can't wait for mine to arrive. I love getting mail.