Lucky old me.

Hi All. We've just returned from a week away in beautiful Cornwall so I'm refreshed and ready to start sewing again. As I mentioned in my last post I received a fabulous package of goodies from my Christmas in July swap partner Kelly. She sent lots of beautiful gifts, here they all are.

We had to make a Christmas stocking or santa sack. Kelly made this lovely, huge bag.

This Santa has been appliqued onto the bag with blanket stitch.



I love these jingle bells sewn onto prairie points.



Kelly also made this beautiful wall hanging.



I love the hanger, it's so pretty.



This is a shopping bag. What a great saying.



Look at this selection of delights. A magazine, Australian fabric, sewing theme badges and a pretty address book.



I even received some pretty jewellry which I've had the pleasure of wearing and a cute little bag which I used to take my jewellry on holiday in.



Just look at these cute little chaps, they'll look great on our christmas tree.



Thanks very much kelly, you sent a very generous, beautiful parcel.

Due to circumstances I received two wonderful parcels in this swap from Stephanie and Kelly and I've therefore decided to do a give-away which will be open just to other membersof the Christmas in July swap. As I've received so much I thought it would share things out a bit. I'm not giving away anything that Stephanie or Kelly sent though, they're all mine! I'll come up with a parcel of goodies, not sure what yet though. I'll post about it when I get my act together.

Bye for now, Maria.

Swap, Swap, Swapping.

Lots of pictures today all swap related. I recently took part in a seaside swap organised by Rachel. My partner was Viv from New Zealand. I made her this mini-quilt.

Slightly wonky stitching on the beach hut doors but I'm sure Viv doesn't mind.
Viv sent me a very New Zealand themed parcel which I love. It's great to be sent something personal to the area where the sender lives. I'm sure there are many seaside items that are mass produced and sold all over the world. I told Viv the story of when I bought a handbag in a small boutique in France last year thinking it would be different to what other people at home had but I've seen bags exactly the same on our local market and loads of people with them in the town.

Anyway, here is the super parcel that Viv sent. I love the New Zealand Paua shell, it is beautiful how it shimmers in the light. There's too much to mention each gift but here they all are. Thanks a lot viv.

Another swap I recently took part in was Linda and Stephanie's Christmas in July swap. I recently showed what I sent my partner. Well unfortunately it has turned out that the lady who was partnered to send me a parcel has been ill and we thought that she was no longer taking part, Stephanie kindly stepped in and sent me a beautiful parcel.

I gasped when this beautiful bag full of gifts popped out of the box.



Here's the bag in all its polka dot glory.



Isn't this fab? It's a christmasy craft apron. Don't you just love the fabric and the way Stephanie has fussy cut the fabrics on the pockets? Unfortunately I haven't got all the pockets in the photo.



Stephanie also sent some t-cloths, recipe cards, polka dot note cards, a needle case, a super soft flannel pillow case and a knitted dishcloth. Many thanks Stephanie, you are very kind.

We have since heard from my partner and she has sent a parcel too so it looks like I'm going to be the lucky recipient of two parcels!

I haven't been very productive with my sewing over the last week but I've started my quilt for the Doll Quilt 7 swap on flickr so I better get going with that.
Bye for now, Maria.

Update: I have just received a wonderful parcel from my original Christmas in July swap partner Kelly, I will do a post about it soon.

Paying our respects in France.

Yesterday we returned from a brief trip across the Channel to France. The reason for our trip was to visit the grave of my great uncle who died, aged 21, in 1918 during the first world war. He was the eldest of six children who came from Hunstanton, a small coastal town in North Norfolk , England and was the brother of my late grandmother.
He was (I think) a motorcycle despatch rider from the Royal Engineers regiment and he was sent to a camp to deliver mail or messages. As it was getting late he was told to stay at the camp overnight before returning in the morning, but tragically his tent received a direct hit and he was killed.

The cemetery is just outside the town of Hazebrouk in northern France. It was used chiefly by field ambulances and fighting units of the 29th division from April to August 1918 for the burial of Commonwealth casulaties sustained during the German offensive. There are 226 first World War burials in the cemetery.

The cemetry is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Comission and we assume a local gardener maintains the land. We were hugely impressed by how beautifully kept it is. There are red roses and other plants growing in front of and between the graves and the grass is neat and manicured. It is wonderful that the final resting place of these young men, who appeared to be mostly in their 20's, is kept so lovingly and respectfully over 90 years after the war in which they died ended.The picture below shows the headstones from behind and doesn't show the planting to full effect.

The image below shows the headstone of my great uncle Charles Robert Nelson Crown. We were unaware that the the headstone was carved with the crest of his regiment (as were all the headstones) and a personal inscription which we believe his parents must have chosen. I had imagined something far more simple.

Charlie's parents or siblings never had the opportunity to visit his grave so I feel proud that three generations of his family - my dad, myself and my son - have now visited and paid our respects. His parents died in the 1950's and they never had the oppurtunity to visit their son's grave. To them France would have seemed so far away but to us it is just a few hours away. We drove to the Channel tunnel which is about 2 hours, drove onto the train and arrived in France after about 30mins and the cemetery was about another 30 minute drive. I wonder what my great grandmother and grandfather would have thought if they had been told that one day in the not too distant future you could drive onto a train that would take you under the sea to France.

Sadly my grandparents also lost their youngest son Sydney but this time during the second world war. He died age 27 as a POW whilst building the Burma-Siam railway and his grave is in the Chungkai War Cemetery Thialand. Maybe one day we be able to visit his grave too.

When we returned from our trip I stole a few minutes to look at a few blogs and was amazed by the co-incidence of the post by my seaside swap partner Viv. She wrote about an exhibition she had attended in New Zealand where she lives which was about the battle for Passchendaele, Belguim by New Zealand soldiers in 1918 during WW1.

Until next time, Maria.

Christmas in July

I recently showed a sneak peek of the gift I was making for Linda and Stephanie's Christmas in July swap. Well I'm pleased to say that it's all finished and the parcel has safely found its way to its new home on the other side of the world in Australia. My partner was Kriston
We had to make a christmas stocking or santa sack and I decided to make a santa sack/bag.
I used a stitchery pattern by Gail Pan and included it in the bag design, I didn't use a pattern for the bag. I've seen the stitchery used in a couple of the other gifts sent by other participents in the swap.

I also made an oragami christmas tree. And sent a few other little gifts which I failed to take photots of.

I'm pleased to say that I've heard from Kriston and she says that she loves the gifts. I've not recieved my parcel yet but more about that another time.

I have some finishing touches to do on my Seaside swap gift and then it's onto the next round of the Doll quilt swap on flickr.

Bye for now, Maria

There's a storm at sea brewing!

Do you ever get an idea in your head and even though you know you really shouldn't you just have to go with it? Well, that's what I did last week. I've started another quilt despite the fact that I have some swap items to finish, a project Linus quilt to complete and a recently started quilt that I've only made four blocks for.
A friend recently borrowed this book and made a gorgeous quilt from it, I've had it for about ten years and haven't used it for a long time. Her quilt inspired me to make a quilt from the book too.

I was drawn to the idea that from Storm At Sea blocks it is possible to get a circular effect using only straight lines. I chose this quilt from the book and although I don't like the fabrics in this particular one I thought I'd like to use this pattern.

This black and white picture shows the effect of the circles more effectively.

I wanted to use some of my hand dyed fabrics but also needed to purchase some fabrics.I chose a rather bright, but in my opinion, beautiful batik for the stars and possibly for the border. So far I've made one block and cut out some more squares. I was too impatient to do all the cutting before I started on the sewing as I wanted to see what a block would look like. Not the most perfect points in the world but I'm not too worried. Eleven more to go now plus all the sashing. There's along way to go before I see how effective the circular illusion that I wish to create is going to be.

I just had to show my little seven year old boy's first go at sewing. They have been doing a project on pirates at school and made felt pirate parrot puppets which they designed themselves. I love the colours he's used and just look at those little legs!

Bye for now, Maria.

Autographs this way please!

Earlier in the year I was contacted by a journalist from a new UK sewing magazine. She asked whether I could answer some questions about my blog for a feature she was writing on sewing blogs.
The magazine is called "Sew" and low and behold I make an appearence in the second issue.

I'm in a feature called "Meet the Bloggers". The magazine states " They design, sew, and discover gorgeous things -and then write about them with wit, enthusiasm and stunning images. What's not to love?" I can't believe that I've been included in this description but no, I'm definately there.

If anyone has found their way here after seeing the feature in the magazine please do leave a comment to say "Hi".

I've started on my next quilt this week. It will be used as a throw for our living room. I'm not sure what the block is called but it's similar to a log cabin. I'm going for a scrappy look with each block being slightly different.

This is a sneak peek of the gift I'm making for the Christmas in July swap I'm participating in. I won't show much more incase my partner reads this.

I thought I'd show this picture of a poppy that self seeded in my garden. Unfortunately its beauty was fleeting as the flower only lasted a day but I'm glad to say this little buzzy bee seemed to enjoy visiting.

Bye for now, Maria.

Summer pools quilt.

I've finally finished what was previously known as my dining room quilt, I've decided to re-named it Summer Pools. I'm pleased with the summery, fresh, bright look.

The quilt won't be going on the wall for a while due to the dust from decorating our living room.
Now this is finished I can start by next quilt without feeling guilty!

Bye for now, Maria.