quiet Christmastime... (a ted and a wren)

... here. Although my cold was not as bad as last year I did have one. John was far worse with an awful cough and he has had this for a fortnight now. I had some lovely presents including a book and cd rom of tapestry images.

I also had a new quilting calendar.

Many of the presents I gave were ones that I made and I can now reveal what I have spent the last few months making. I found the pattern for a fun bag in a UK patchwork and quilting magazine and this is the version I made for my daughter.






The front and back are slightly different and I used a variety of fabrics and embellishments from my stash. I also made her a pair of fingerless mittens from the pattern I used for my own.



I also made some cats. I really liked the one that Shashi made

The pattern is from this site

and I also made a beanbag cat too

I had trouble with this one! Could not get it to sit right, then I realised that I had sewn the head to the wrong end!!


Up here in the sewing room live a variety of bears and dolls. One belonged to my son when he was small. He came with Shaun from the children's home and has only ever had one eye. Consequently he has always been known as One eyed Ted. Over the years he has become rather forlorn looking and I decided a couple of days before Christmas to take out all his sponge stuffing, wash him and restuff him with poly filling. He had a spotty ribbon for Christmas and yesterday was given a brand new jumper, furiously knitted by me over the Christmas period. he looks so much happier now.



Biddle also got a new ribbon in his stocking


We had great excitement in our garden yesterday. Usually our bird visitors are sparrows, the pair of collar doves, some greedy magpies and the odd blackbird and blue tit. But yesterday we had a new visitor... a little wren, it was very hard to photograph from the kitchen window but here it is


It has been nice not to have to worry about phones ringing for school jobs. I just hope next term will bring some more pre booked work.

I have now got to think about what I am going to make over the next few months. I have to fulfil my obligations in a X stitch swap and design and make a doll for one of my dolls groups to be going on with.

I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year

Not much to report

Nothing much is happening at the moment. On Saturday John and I went to Manchester. We visited the Whitworth Museum so see a textile exhibition. but also to look at the craft fair. It was lovely to meet Jackie from Dogdaisy Chains

Her work is even more beautiful "in the flesh" I would have loved to have bought all sorts of things but had to settle for a small brooch in Autumn shades of hand dyed silk.

Then it was off to China town for lunch dodging the many puddles as we went. Manchester seems to have a dreadful puddle problem.


I can show one thing I have made recently: a needle case for my internet friend Sherre in USA








The snowmen are two pictures from a panel I had in my stash. I designed it as I went along and I am quite pleased with the result.

Other makes are hidden until after the Christmas gifts have been opened.

Last night we went to see Kate Rusby at St George's Hall and despite having a cold her voice sounded nearly as good as it always does. She sung mainly Christmas songs from her new
album


Its still chilly here but the forecast suggests that it will be warmer wetter and windier

Still chilly...

.... here after the excitement of a reasonable amount of snow last Thursday



it was considerably more than last Tuesday. Most of the schools that I could teach at were closed for the day.

On Saturday I put the Christmas tree up and was quite pleased with it. I have not put the little tinsel strands on this year because the few that found their way to the carpet when I was sorting out, Tia decided would be nice to chew. And I am paranoid after one cat came to a tragic end having eaten some yarn a few years ago.


Everything is looking very festive and mother nature is finally finished. I need to move the shelf to get a really good picture but here she is


Today was the designated date to open a package from an ornament swap I participated in. I was so pleased with this cute little chap



Thank you so much Nancy. I will post the one I sent out when I know its been opened. I love swaps.

I am almost done with present making and buying and will have plenty of makes to show in the new year.

Brrrrr

We woke up to the tiniest covering of snow this morning. I love snow as I have mentioned before. So I was happy but I expect that is because I am home today and not travelling in it.


Last week I hadn't worked up much enthusiasm for the coming Christmas season but at the weekend pulled out the various things I have made and was anxious to start putting them up.
The nativity scene is always first. Stored in Biddle's box,

I bought it the first year John and I were together so we have had it 19 years now.


The new advent calendar is hanging supplemented by one with chocolates in!

Today the snowmen came out of hibernation and began to gather



I expect a few more will appear over the coming season. I have to put a bit of thought into where some of the pictures will hang this year because we have changed things around a bit from last year. Christmas decorating seems to be an on going event here.

Mother Nature is almost finished, I have added leaves to her head-dress now. They are pinned but stay in place better that way.


I have to finally decide whether her skirt leaves are positioned to my satisfaction and finish her make up.
Work picked up a bit last week despite Thursday being cancelled. I made up the day on Friday which turned out to be a good day despite a traumatic taxi journey! My worst nightmare. No work so far this week but I signed with a new agency yesterday which increases the chance of morning phone call stress but might bring in a bit more work.

Thank you for all the comments on past events