A small giraffe

Well I have finally finished. This giraffe is a Melly and Me pattern that I shrunk by 50%. I started it before Luca was born and he is now six month old!! Not good.

I have a lovely book called "Giraffe's can't dance" that originally inspired me to start making these as gifts for newborns. Baby's can clutch the legs and necks with their tiny hands. 

Now I need to find another copy of the book and send it off.

Linking to these places.

Craft completions while camping

Over the Summer while we have been away I have been getting on with either finishing or starting various hand work projects.

I finished all the stitching blocks that I am going to do for a quilt that displays some of the kids Bible memory verses from school from last year. Yay, now onto the patchwork to put it all together. 

I started an applique using Asian woven fabrics  - eventually it will be the front of a  messenger style bag for me. 

I finished the hand piecing of these stretched look hexagons that I showed you when I started - here. I made a block big enough to make a new wallet and another little block to hold all my loyalty cards.

As you can see I am currently enjoying using my collection of Asian woven fabrics. So different to the normal American quilting cottons and such gorgeous textures.

I really enjoyed the hand stitching. Lately I have found myself reverting back to hand stitching things. I guess as the kids become older it is easier to do work by hand. 

I link to these places - I will be definitely linking this up to Finish it up Friday and WIP Wednesday.

A Protracted Project

Yes after 2.5 years I have finally finished the Hussif (short for housewife - a term from the roll of needles, thread etc men took with them to war). I still need to make a needle case and put a few bits and pieces in. So it is not quite finished but sort of is.

I made the applique pattern and did the applique over two years ago, we had a different caravan even. Aaron has been hassling me for AGES saying why can't I get a Hussif done for the caravan when I make so many. Hmph.

Anyway I am pleased it is done and it is good practise as I have enrolled for the zip purse swap with chocolate over at Sew Delicious. Am brainstorming about what I am going to do for that.

The Ultimatum

The mounting tower of stuff.

I have known for years that it would eventually happen - The Ultimatum - "Sort your craft stuff out!!"
Now I constantly sort, resort, reorganise all my craft stuff in the house. I try to finish projects, put it in sensible order and eliminate.

So confession time - elimination has just been to put it in the garage. It is a mess, I acknowledge it. But some is ready for sale so a bit will go. But I have been warned, if it is not sorted within a month then HE will sort it. ARGGGGGHHHH. What does an IT person know would be important to me or how to organise it. So now after years of procrastinating I am going to have to do it.

On Sunday I did an hour and managed to organise all the preserving and jam jars, the shelves that have cooking stuff on them and I cleared a whole half shelf space for Aaron to put stuff on. I also cleared another shelf for his stuff. But the big pile, the mission, is still to come.

Some of the stuff for sale made and boxed.

A few before shots for you.

Linked to the sunshine project

A newly sewn basket for the laundry

Thanks to Roz at Squiltz for the fantastic idea of making a laundry bag for the washing trolley out of laminate fabric. I got my fabric from Sew Pretty, an online shop that is fabulous and I use a lot.
Over my retreat weekend this was one of the non quilt things that I made. I did receive a lot of hassle about it as it takes more time and money to make a new laundry liner than buying a cheap one. Also being laminate it was pointed out that the water will not seep through when it rains. Which means either I need to bring it inside when not in use OR the water can collect in it and weigh it down to stop it blowing away when we have bad weather (it always happens to me - go outside and it is strewn across the section).
I used the old ripped one as a template and was quite worried about the fit. But it fits really well. The bag bit could do with being a tad smaller but at least it will hold a lot of washing.

Melly and Me patterns

Well six weeks ago I was invited to a baby shower. I came home all enthusiastic and started cutting out my Melly and Me patterns. Had them cut and sewn in a night. Then the next few soccer nights I stuffed them. Then it has taken me 5 weeks to get them finished!!! I kid you not. Why does the sewing up and finishing take me so long. Because I PROCASTINATE. Big time!!
So a frantic finishing session last night and they are all done.

My big hint when doing a Melly and Me pattern is that you trace it with freezer paper and then use that, rather than having to cut out plastic templates.

So I have decided "No more procrastination".
Last night I finished the toys, made the vanilla essence (which the ingredients had been sitting on my kitchen bench for three days). It only took 5 minutes.
Made a huge batch of shortbread (the butter had been "softening" on my bench for two days as well!).
Then to finish the night at 9.45pm I cleaned the toilet. Toilets bug me as they get dirty so easily and yesterday I thought yicky so last night I did it before I had a shower and bed. (It did make getting up this morning easier as all those jobs were not still staring me in the face).

I often "relocate" things to another place or put them on my "to do" list. Really it should get done there and then. On the way home from rugby at Oxford today Eli bought 1/2 metre of fabric at the Cust fairy shop and wants shorts/pj pants. I am going to make them tonight before that too sits around for the next four weeks!!!

Lets see what can get achieved with no more procrastination.