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