OFW and Mail

Wednesday was town day but I took my hexagon 'tin' with me and made one of these blue flowers between appointments. Then made the other last night while watching the final of 'Farmer Wants A Wife' ... what can I say ... I'm a hopeless romantic. Follow my sidebar button to enjoy more beautiful blooms. Bags are one project I love to make and I can see some of these in my future ... although that could be the distant future. Closer in my future is my next hexagon project. My first honey bun arrived in the mail and is destined for 1/2" hexie flowers. Sadly no UFO progress to report for this UFO Thursday ... click on the sidebar button to see who has.

Welcome

If you've found yourself here at Pins and Whiskers as you can see there's not much happening here yet.

Please pop back to my regular blog at Nells Notions to see what I've been sewing.

Finishes and Computer Hitches

Everything is going along nicely and then your computer won't start up ... oh no! Then you begin to realize how much 'stuff' you've got all over the place and then the OCD in me kicks in and then I start to hyperventilate .... well it wasn't that bad really ... I'm just being melodramatic :o)

I knew I had all the important things saved on 'sticks' but email access isn't the same when on a substitute computer. So I'm going to slowly convert my bloggy 'stuff' over to a new email that can be accessed from any computer easily (fingers crossed).

I've set up a second email address to receive any blog comments and will mostly reply from here as well. So if you receive a message from 'Pins and Whiskers' in your inbox it's me.

Before all this drama I managed to finish another Brutus and now have only one to go. Four of us in our patchwork group have been stitching along with Helen's Stitching Round the Block and last Wednesday we received our original blocks back. The girls have all worked their magic and I am thrilled to bits with my piece ... thankyou girls. Now to make it into ... ?

Thankyou for all your lovely birthday wishes and good luck!

Birthday Giveaway

Saturday meant it was time for a little ... or a lot ... of yummy chocolate mud cake for my birthday. So what better reason to have a giveaway?

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me which items you would like to win ... can be all 3 if you're super lucky. Then on Monday the 4th of April I'll pop all the names into corresponding hats and draw out the lucky winners.

As an avid reader of the 'Elm Creek' series, this book didn't have as much quilt content as I expected, but none the less I found it hard to put down. An enjoyable read. If you would like the chance to read 'The Alpine Quilt', just ask for "Book" in your comment.

Now that my little chicken is all finished he doesn't really suit my kitchen, so if you would like to give him or her a nice home please ask for "Chicken" in your comment.

These half square triangles were leftovers from my SIL quilt. I couldn't just throw them away but I know I'll never put them to use. If you would like to put them to good use then ask for "Squares" in your comment.

Have a great week!

Colourful Fridays ~ Copper

Cheryll hit the nail on the head when she said "Fridays are Fantastic". Every second Friday is colourful and once a month we can have a Sew-In. There's also some good TV shows on that I like to watch on a Friday night and I can get lots of sewing done. Then there's the chance like this month and last month that the 25th fell on a Friday for sharing Christmas items.

Copper was the chosen colour this round and I immediately thought of our old 1 and 2 cent coins ... I put a few away as keepsakes when they were taken out of circulation in 1992.

Please click on the realated buttons on my sidebars to see more colour, sewing and Christmas items.

I'd love to hear what you like about Fridays.

One Xmas Item A Month ~ March

How quickly are the months going by already?

Time once more to share what we've made this month to help lessen the pressure at Christmas. I didn't have any chocolates to fill my bon bon but I'm sure you can imagine it overflowing with 'Roses' or 'Favourites' or some such delicious treat.

Were you able to complete a Christmas Item this month? Remember there is no "must have something to post" in this group ... we all get snowed under with other things in life so just pop in when you can.

If you add your name to the Linky below, we know you've posted and can pop round for a look see at all the lovely Christmas Goodies. It's almost like unwrapping your own gifts at Christmas :o)

Happy Christmas Sewing

UFO Thursday and Brutus

Here she is! My little Holly Hobby and her washing basket ... already to care for my pegs.


I purcased this kit from a quilt store that closed down quite a few years ago and I remember starting it pretty much straight away ... all I had to do was attach the binding to each end and sew 3 buttons and button holes to finish. Another UFO down and an OPAM for March. Click on the UFO Thursday button to view more UFO's.

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Sitting at night with nothing to work on feels terrible so I grabbed the next Brutus I had prepared and began stitching.



This is Brutus #7 ... I'm working on #9B and then will only have #8 to go.

Yesterday was our patchwork group day so no Flowers to share this week. I managed a little bit of stitching but there is always so much to catch up on with the other girls.

FNSI Finishes, OPAMs and UFOs

Thankyou to Friday Night Sew-In ... I was able to get some finishes including a UFO.

Firstly is another Sewing Caddy which had binding added and hand stitched down. The Caddy is now wrapped and safetly hidden away ready for a Birthday this Thursday.

Secondly I quickly machined around this chicken scratch potholder, turned the right way out and hand stitched the opening closed. I think this could be my first UFO for the year and am too scared to work out just how old it was.

Lastly my peg basket, another very old UFO ... binding added and hand stitched down. Just 3 buttonholes and buttons and another UFO bites the dust.

I'm very pleased with this month's FNSI and can count two things for March OPAM ... how did you sew?

One Christmas Item Reminder

stumbleupon.com

For those of us who would like to make One Xmas Item a Month ... here's a little reminder that the 25th is only one week away ... wonder what goodies everyone will be sharing this month.

Merry Sewing

A Little of This and That

Since my post on Friday 'things' became very busy and will continue to be busy over this weekend also ... but it's all good :o)

Saturday night I managed to stitch the second block from Paula's 'Home Sweet Home' BOM found here or by the link on my sidebar. Finished block is 4 1/2" square.


I've been meaning to share all my lovely hexies that have been coming or going since joining the Inchy Hexagon Swap hosted by Jane of Want It, Need It, Quilt.

December 2010 made for Shruti

December 2010 received from Janet

January made for Jessica

January received from Jacqueline

February made for Elizabeth

February received from Joanne

Time once again for Friday Night Sew-In this Friday the 18th. If you haven't signed in yet there's still time ... just pop on over to Handmade by Heidi.

Wishing all a lovely weekend.

Colourful Fridays

Good morning and welcome to this spotty dotty day!

Colour Friday really makes you open your eyes when out and about ... these moths/butterflies were enjoying some pollen in my garden and waited patiently while I raced back inside for the camera.

You may have noticed that when I photograph bags, they're usually hanging in a tree ... this tree ... one of the poinsiennas in our garden.

Do you know the chances of finding a ladybug when you want one? Twice in the last fortnight I had one land on me when I was outside and without my camera. So with camera in hand I ventured out to the garden with eyes peeled ... this shiny ladybug was spotted on a rose leaf.

Robyn has many more spotty dotty items to share so pop over and say hi. From there you can visit other Colourful Friday players too.

A Meow of a Giveaway!

Jody of Jody's Crafty Creations has answered the call of we cat lovers with ...


Sandy at Cookies and Cream Craft is going to make one cat lover very happy with a pattern giveaway so 'Poppet' over and put your guessing cap on.

Drafty was Jody's first creation to keep those nasty drafts out.

O.F.W. ~ SAH Robin 9

Today I finished off the last three 1/2" hexie flowers for the last round of Stitching Round the Block. Sorry it has to be in black and white Kerry, can't have you getting any ideas.


We will each have our own blocks returned at our next patchwork day on the 23rd March so I still have some work to do. I also cut the green fabric into squares ready to baste the last hexies for my table top.

To visit more colourful gardens head over to our lovely host Karen for more links.

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After the little flowers were done, I pulled out my two SAH Robin blocks to see how I could add some embelishment for round 9. I thought maybe a dragonfly to go with the snippets of dragonfly fabric used in the blue piece.

Jayne thought she'd help me out in case the breeze tried to flip it over.

On the tan piece I decided to add a touch more blue and stitched 3 little blossoms down the left side.

Each month our lovely host Kate gives a small direction for the next round and then it's time to put the thinking caps on. If you'd like to see other gorgeous creations head over to Stay-at-home Robin.

UFO Thursday

My craft cupboard is full and tidy once more. I've kept the new found UFO's out of the cupboard in the hope that the UFO Fairy might make an appearance.

Bead Work

(an Angel in progress)

Chicken Scratch

(needs the remaining white stitches completed)

Chicken Scratch

(just needs sewing into a pot holder)

Counted Threadwork
(maybe half done?)


(close up of stitches)

Patchwork Peg Bag

(just needs the end bindings and buttons)
Shadow Applique

(needs basting threads and then stem stitch edges of fabric)

So now I have a few more UFO's to work on. :o)

O.F.W.

No excuse now ... I managed to track down some more of the green for my leaf hexies ... phew!
So now I can finish off my hexie table topper and get to the quilting part.


I've been cleaning out one of my craft cupboards which holds lots of craft "stuff" from before I began patchwork and quilting ... and I found these crochet hexagons. No idea where they've come from or who made them but they were in a bag with balls of wool.


Another item that I have no recollection of ... 1" hexie template and the fussy cut template with clear plastic in the centre.

A few other UFO's came out of hiding as well ... I'll share those tomorrow for UFO Thursday.

I hope this horrible Aussie heat isn't affecting too many gardens.