Happy Christmas

I hope that all of you bloggers and your families out there have a lovely Christmas and that 2010 brings you all that you wish for.

It has been a while since I posted and whilst I haven't managed to be truly creative I have managed to get all my Christmas presents made. These beautiful felt hearts are filled with sweets and were made following a pattern that Linda provided. I had to adapt it to half size as I hadn't got any felt big enough but I still think they look lovely.

In a previous post I was making cones to distribute to all of my shift as we are all working on Christmas day. Jackie was interested in seeing them completed so here is just one of them, filled with chocolates and ready to go. It was a little difficult to photograph as they are all wrapped in cellophane.

I've also received some lovely surprises in the post. Thank you so much to both Ros and Angela

From Ros

From Angela

Throughout the year I have been involved in the Popular Patchwork monthly Journal Quilts. I still have one to go but we are now in the 2010 challenge which is called Square Dance and involves making 10" square mini quilts. The first technique was right up my street as it was printing images onto fabric and I got carried away and made 4!! See my obsession with Red Kites surfacing here?

The Popular Patchwork postcard swap has also been in full swing.

Fireworks from Jan

Toys from Jan

Fireworks from me to Irene

Toys from me to Sue

And finally on the PP front, one of the Forum members is currently having treatment for breast cancer so a group of us made blocks all involving flowers and in her favourite colours. The pattern for this block is from a series called Shabby Roses from Jenny.

 

After trying to clear the drive yesterday, and having it fill up with snow again ten minutes after I came back in I decided that it was time to make a slip cover for this year's diary (yes I do mean 2009!)

Front

Back

... at least that got me going with the free motion quilting again - nice way to practise and to use up some of the fabric strips that were left over after piecing the kaleidoscope quilt.

I don't normally make New Year resolutions but this year I am going to make an exception and try to do a weekly blog post. I have enjoyed reading everyone else's so much over the past year even if I haven't always commented.

I hope that you all have a truly wonderful Christmas whether you are sewing, chilling out, enjoying being with family or even working. See you in 2010

Maggi

Loss of direction

I had a lovely surprise in the post today, my PIF gift from Jan. It is a beautiful trapunto quilted bag and postcard. Thanks so much Jan, I really love it. I will be announcing my PIF in the new year.

On a non-creative theme, I do try to shop local but unfortunately my local independent health food shop has been taken over by Holland and Barratt. They have stopped stocking most of the items that I used to buy there in favour of their own brand so I have been forced to travel further afield to Ashbourne. I usually  combine a trip there with a visit to replenish supplies at the RSPB shop at Carsington Water which makes it more economical. Yesterday, however, having shopped for the birds and my healthy essentials, I remembered that there is a lovely shop called Equatorial in Ashbourne that I have not visited for some time so, as I had plenty of parking time left, I decided to have a look around. It is one of those shops that only sells Fair Trade ethnic items so I didn't feel too guilty. It was, I should add, the coldest day of the winter so far and as I don't have a warm jacket the temptation to purchase a Nepalese wool jacket was just too great to resist. I think the beautiful patterns also may have had something to do with it.

At least I will be warm (and visible) this winter!

I ought to address the reason for the title of this post I suppose. I feel, at the moment, that I have lost direction in my creative work. I realised that when I decided to try out a Ricky Tims-style kaleidoscope hanging.

This is yet another quilty piece that I have started but is, as yet, unfinished. I have never been one to have loads of UFOs lying around but now they seem to be stacking up. I wonder if this is because I have been leaning towards more pieced items, not something I normally enjoy doing, rather than the art quilts that I do enjoy. It seems like a vicious circle as well because I feel guilty at having unfinished items lying around which prevents me from starting on other designs. Maybe it's just that the days are short and dark. Who knows. I'll be sure to let you know if I get my inspiration back.

Until then I hope that your inspiration is keeping you company.

Maggi