The 25th......Already?

Yes, it's here again. Time to shake the tinsel out and share your One Christmas Item for this month. I've scraped in again putting in some marathon stitching over the weekend to finish my last letter for the swag. Now to make up the last 4 letters and join them all together.

How did everyone elf go this month? I look forward to seeing all the lovely creations all ready for Christmas ... getting so much closer now and I've already noticed some countdowns about.

If you could leave a comment here when you post, or drop me an email, it would be very much appreciated. Then I'll add this months pictures to the One Xmas Item page for everyone to share.

Happy Christmas Sewing

Lost in Time

Where have I been?  Nowhere ... just plugging away at the daily grind. Get up; go to work; come home. Weekends are spent catching up on last week's chores and getting ready for the next week. Been hanging out for the school holidays as an 11 week term seems to be the worst ... everyone gets tired.

I thought Spring was the season between Winter and Summer but we seem to have jumped straight into summer ... a hot, dry summer after a warm winter.

This is the view from the end of our verandah. We've never been this dry going into summer, the trees are showing their stress and our rainwater tanks are almost empty. The lows of rural life.

On a brighter note, I have managed to squeeze in some sewing of a little gift for one of our teachers who is getting married on the weekend. I thought she might like somewhere nice to keep a spare pair of shoes.

Also this little teddy bear card will be on it's way shortly to welcome a beautiful baby girl into her loving family.

My challenge to work on my Red Delicious has been up and down. I started off ok the first week and by the end of the second week spent a catch-up night and was on track again by the 17th. Time for some more catch-up me thinks.  There's also been some last minute embroidery for One Xmas Item which I shall share tomorrow. I have been missing visiting bloggy friends terribly and hope to do some catching up here and there over the next 2 weeks. I'm also looking forwarding to having our patchwork girls visit my home for our next patchwork day.

May your needles stay threaded.   >^..^<

OPAM and a UFO

Just remembered it's the last day of the month today.  Not only that but it's also the last day of Winter, if you could call it that...it's been more like spring for weeks now.

I finished this scarf last Sunday night but am only getting around to taking the regulation finished item photo. One more ball of wool that didn't make it to the 'lost' box.

Tick for OPAM August, yippee!  Thankyou to the lovely hosts Kris and Peg.

Last night while deciding on what to stitch next, this particular UFO popped into my head and was even easy to find so ....

Red Delicious - Part 7 has come out to play. This particular quilt was commenced in February 2009 as a free block of the month by Esther Aliu and I still really like it, just never seem to work on it much. You can find a progress pic on my UFO page. 

My Challenge:  There are 12 'scrolls' and last night I blanket stitched the first 1. So I'm setting myself the task of stitching at least one length of thread each day until this part is finished. Check back in at the end of September to see how far this tortoise has advanced. (1 thread doesn't go far)

Happy Spring Days   >^..^<

August One Xmas Item

UPDATE to Elf Check List:  Mardi Meanderings has also added to her stash each month but was unable to post last month. Well Done!

Wow! A whirly wind just wizzed past and now it's all quiet again. A bit like my sewing really. Last weekend I was in a whirlwind of sewing and this week there's been very little to show.

Thanks to the movie 'Madagascar' on TV last night, I managed to put the last stitch in my letter "S" for my Christmas Swag.

Just one more letter to stitch and then the final 4 flags to be made up before joining them all together.

This past week would have been perfect for ice skating around to visit all the One Xmas Elves to see what you've been creating this month. Our temps dipped as low as 1 deg. C here and I heard that Bundaberg had their coldest August morning in 17 years. I took some photos on my drive to work.

 

 

 

Happy Sewing    >^..^<

Sunday Seams Update

I know! It was a shock for me too, lol.  One last dash to finish off the next leg of the race quilt and then outside to battle with the breeze.

I'm hoping to use only strips from the 2 jelly rolls I started with, hence the coloured sash.

Spectating is so much more relaxing.

>^..^<

FNSI and Sunday Seams

Had a lovely time Friday night stitching along with everybody. The vine around my 'S' grew lots of holly leaves.

Before

After

There's never enough time in a day anymore so even though I don't get to leave many comments, I always like to take a quick look around as many blogs to see what they've been creating.

Usually when it comes to my sewing I am the 'Tortoise'.  If at a class or workshop, I'm always the student that's bringing up the rear and taking home the most homework. As evident by my many few finishes this year, my projects can take a considerably l-o-n-g time in the making.
BUT!
I do think I can count myself as the 'Hare' this week with my next photo. Those 16 blocks that have been appearing here and there can now be called a finished centre...and in only 1 week. Lots of seams to match up!

Now back to 'Tortoise' mode as I play with sashing and the border.

Hope you find some time to create this weekend.    >^..^<

FNSI

It's been so long since I've been able to join in or just remembered which Friday night was which. I'm planning lots of back stitching tonight.

There's still time to sign up ... hurry over to Wendy's place and settle in for a fantastic evening.

Last Two Finished

Monday evening I gave the last 2 blocks their final press.

Block  #15

Block  #16

Looking forward now to laying them all out and getting the centre joined. Then to start playing with leftovers for a second border after a 2" plain sash.

Sunday Seams

Remember these?  They seem to be a long way between block finishes but I can tick another 2 off and now there's only 2 to go.

Block  #13

Block  #14

Happy Sewing  >^..^<

Check In Time

Won't be too many days and the 25th will be here once more. I really do need to make a start on this month's stitching ... how about you?

 As Chief Elf  I would like to extend a huge WELL DONE! to the following Elves who have been able to add to their Christmas stash each month this year. A great achievement as we all know how 'things' can get in the way of our plans.

Jeanette's Place

Sisbabestitches

Enjoying Life

Gone Stitchin'

Quilty Bits from the Blue Room

Quiltmekiwi

Cheryl's Stitchings

 

Quite a number of you have only missed once which is also a super achievement! 

 

BubzRugz

Charlotte's Webb

Hibiscus Stitches

Anita's Quilts an Handwoerken

Lou's News and Crafty Creations

Mardi Meanderings

Channelbank Creations

 

 If you've been like me and found a gap or three in your stash, not to worry. We still have 4 more opportunities to add to our gift or decorations boxes.

 

Thank you all so much for joining me on this journey to get ahead with our Christmas Sewing. At times it would be too easy to think "no, not this month" but then I work out how many days till sharing time on the 25th and get crackin'.

 

Please, please, if I have made a tally error, please let me know. I try to visit everyone but sometimes it's a rush.

Happy Christmas Sewing and see you on the 25th.     >^..^<