Easter bunnies and birdies ........

Isn't this wee guy the cutest?  I was lucky enough to be a winner in Carol's Spring Giveaway a couple of weeks ago, and this Just Nan bunny has come all the way from Pennsylvania to live at my house.  Carol's finishing is beautiful and she has a whole lot more gorgeous bunnies she's been stitching up for Easter.  I feel SO lucky to be a winner in your lovely giveaway Carol, this is the first giveaway I've ever won, so thanks!  I don't enter many giveaways, unless it's a blog I already visit, so I feel very blessed.    It may not be spring here in NZ, but it is definitely bunny time with Easter only a day away!

My stitching from last weeks FNSI is now finished.  This is the April block for the Birdie Stitches BOM, with a cute Easter egg tree.  The tree is a little hard to pick out, maybe I should have chosen a darker green.  Sadly the cross stitch I had planned for Easter has not eventuated ...... yet!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter, we are heading away tomorrow for a few days to my in-laws, so I'll catch up again next week.

Till then.............happy stitching...................Nicky

PS:  Miss Moe - if you could email me    nickyw76 at yahoo dot com    as you are no-reply, and I will get back to you about the SB stockings.  Thanks.

Friday Night Sew-In Progress

I didn't achieve a lot on Friday night for FNSI - but anything is better that nothing I suppose. This is April's Birdie Stitches block, featuring for now, half a tree and half a birdie.  You can find the designs released so far over at Little Miss Shabby's blog, along with lots of other beautiful quilts and cushions.

If all goes well I'll get this one finished up tonight, then I have plans for a little cross stitching.  Watch this space!  I failed in my OPAM goal for March, so I really don't want a repeat in April. LOL

Have a wonderful weekend for what's left of it, thanks for visiting me today.......Nicky

Some stitching progress

It was so interesting looking at the comments on my last post about searches that have sent people to your blog.  Turns out there really are some strange people out there, some in a funny way, and obviously some in a scary way! 

It's been another busy week here, but here is a little progress made this past week. First up is the quilt top I finished up last weekend for my dear little niece. This is Bloom's Abracadabra pattern, using the lovely Bliss fabric I've been drooling over lately. My youngest is behind the top here helping me hold it on the line for a windy day photo.

I'm so pleased with how this has come out, now I'm just waiting on the backing fabric I've ordered and then I'll have to give this quilting lark a go!  I've had a wee play with my new walking foot, and I can't believe how much difference it makes. 

Below are my first two blocks from Tis the Season.  You can check out a whole lot more of these over at the Stitch-Along Blog.  These are fun and quick to stitch, and I've cut out all the pieces for the block borders today, so now I just need to try and keep up to date with the stitching.  (Do great intentions count? lol)

 

And finally, my March block for the Birdie Stitches BOM (link in my sidebar) - this also was a quick stitch this month.  These wee guys put a smile on my face every time, they are so sweet.

I hope you have something lovely planned for the weekend, stitching or otherwise!

Till next time, thanks for visiting me today............................. Nicky 

PS:   A couple of posts ago Annette asked if I could share some stitching tips here for neater stitching.  Thanks Annette for your kind words about my stitching.  Not sure if there is much I can suggest but I will work on a post with some thoughts over the next couple of days.

Sometimes life gets in the way..........

................. of being a regular blogger.  Thanks so much for the kind words on my last post for the people of Christchurch.  From what I've seen and heard life in Christchurch is still incredibly difficult, with ongoing aftershocks and life turned upside down for so many.  I'm still thinking of you and hoping for things to improve for you all!  Your netball girls almost did the impossible last night and came so close to beating the Waikato-BOP Magic - Go the Canterbury Tactix!(and of course Southern Steel)

Despite the lack of blogging I have acheived a little stitching, here finally is my sixth A Gardeners Journal block.........

Oops..... just noticed the top flower on the left needs a few more stitches!  I'm undecided on whether I will applique the hearts into that big green block, add something different, or even leave it blank.

Over at the Stitch-A-Long blog, the 2011 SAL has commenced, a lot of the girls have finished their GJ quilts, and are on to Tis The Season by Natalie Bird.  But you know me too well... and I've started the next one too.    LOL    Here are the fabrics I've chosen, all French General in pinks and reds, and stitching with DMC 115 thread. 



Next up is February's Birdie Stitches BOM block, these are fun, and pretty quick to stitch up too.

And finally, here is a sneak peek at what I'm making with my Bliss Layer Cake.  This is part of a little quilt for my gorgeous wee niece, using Bloom's Abracadabra pattern.  Excellent instructions, and I have enough to make a single bed size quilt for my elder daughter too.  She has been watching me piece this one and has been begging me to get some more fabric and make her one too!  If only she knew I'm already a step ahead of her!

Well, thanks for sticking with me this far, I hope you're having a fabulous week, I've been catching up with some blog reading today, so I might just 'see' you soon!

Take care and of course happy stitching......... Nicky

Should I be committed?

Or maybe "I should be more committed"  or even " I need to commit to less". LOL

Committing myself to new things is never a problem  - it's just finishing them that takes me a bit longer!  So after committing to finishing some WIPS this year, and actually crossing some things off my list it's probably about time I committed to starting some new ones too.   :-)

And so.................... here is some of my weekends work.     This is one of the cutest little birdies I've seen in a while ........ and I'm a sucker for anything with little birdies.  This BOM is designed by Little Miss Shabby and the blocks are being released on the 1st of the month.  I bought a charm pack of Moda's Hunky Dory by Chez Moi a while back and when I saw this BOM decided it would be perfect.  So now I've bought my first ever Jelly Roll - if I'd known they were so easy to work with I would have started a long time ago. LOL.    I've always admitted to being a slow learner!

Isn't this wee fella a sweetie?

All these pics are clickable, cos I know you'll want to have a closeup look, then head on over and download the pattern  and go running for fabric and thread immediately(and I wouldn't blame you)

I enjoyed the cutting and piecing so much, I made up the next block ready to go too - and that is not like me - normally my sewing machine and I have a very delicately balanced relationship.  The original is stitched with 6(!) threads of DMC, but I'm sticking with my normal 2 threads for a softer look.

I've also confirmed today to Chookyblue that I'm keen to carry on with this years SAL for Tis the Season by Natalie Bird.  It doesn't start till March, so I have exactly a month to get lots more done on A Gardeners Journal.   Of course, the realist in me knows it won't be finished by then, but a girl can dream.  And thankfully, my Vignette threads haven't arrived, so I can't rip into that one yet either!  A blessing in disguise, I think.

I hope wherever you are, you're not being blown away or fried in the heat, sounds like weather extremes all over the world at the minute, we've had a very windy, wet few days, so my gardening days turned into stitchy ones - it's not all bad then!

Thanks for visiting today..................happy stitching......Nicky