Stitch By Stitch

Hello!

It's been a bit since posting, so sorry.  I've been busy this month.

I work retail and survived working the whole Thanksgiving weekend.  It was fun and things went much smoother this year.  The birthday went under most people's radar.  True friends don't know how much the tinyest gesture is appreciated but it really is by me, especially this year.

I have been doing a lot of hand and frog stitching.  I didn't get my "Picnic" Schnibble done, that's what needed frog stitching.  Decmber's is "Tuffets".  These are mini pin cushions.  I have to order my pattern because the quilt shops around here don't carry Miss Rosie's Quilt patterns.

I was wondering if the Christmas spirit would come this year.  It's late but it has arrived.  Mini houses have been purchased in hopes that the village will go up this year.  There just isn't enough room to display my larger one.  I have thoughts of how to decorate little nooks and crannies.  Will they get dressed up?  We will have to see.

Below is the hand stitching project.  It's a new twist that I found last year on All Sorts blog for an advent calendar.  It took me longer than usual because it was to be a complete surprise for Cassie.  I just realized this year that one of "her" traditions is advent calendars.  It all came about when she told me she needed some chalk.  What for I asked?  She's outgrown the chalkboard.  I hadn't realized that I started this tradition and it was so important to her.  There has always been one type or another each year for her.  It started as cottonballs for Santa's beard on the placemat, a mouse that was tucked in each night, the usual cardboard window, a mini chalkboard with the countdown.  So it was time for a new one.    

It's just made from felt.  Hand blanket stitched together after you sew the button in place.  It's a mini enevelope where the flap goes over the cord (white & red rick rack twisted together 2 1/2 yds) and the string wrapped around the button to shut it.  I filled each one with Peppermint Bark from Ghirardelli.  I hung it yesterday and boy was she surprised.  It took so long because she is always around and I don't always feel like stitching when I get home from work.

Because that one took a while I experimented with the sewing machine and this it what happened.

I fused the numbers onto the flaps.  I ended up gluing mini velcro buttons to close them.  This one is filled with mini Hershey bars.  It didn't take as long to do.  Next time I will sew on a button and make a button hole before top stitching them into the envelope.  I also thought that they could be attatched to something in the shape of a tree.  Both of them span my double window.  They will take at least 2 yards of cording strung out depending on the amount of drape you want.

Tracey's baby shower was mid November.  It's so nice to sew for a baby again.  I guess I'm showing my age

with burp cloth's.  I had to show her what they were.  I made 2 cloths to match the receiving blanket. I made them larger than most you purchase now.  I made 2 sets using different fabrics. 

I also made this little crib quilt.  I love how the colors (30's prints) go together.  For some reason these prints always say baby to me.

I have to get back to sewing her quilts for xmas.  Remember I was making identical ones for her bunk beds.   Oh yeah, just remebered I still have to replace some zippers for a good friend who works outside and it's just now starting to get cold enough to need them.  We haven't had snow yet which is unusual this time of year.  It was spitting little balls of styrofoam last night when I got out of work but not enough to cover the ground. 

I'll be back again, Soon I promise.

Dona