Tis the season SAL -- about time...........

I suppose I'm alot like many of us, I keep meaning to 'do this and that' and when you actually get around to it - five or so months have passed!! One of these moments relates to the 'Tis the season stitch-a-long organised by the wonderful Chooky. I completed my stitcheries for this SAL a while ago but had to wait for my machine to get serviced and then ended being lucky enough to receive a new (beautiful) machine from my family for Mothers day/birthday (and then work out how to use it).

So, with hubby away and two of the three kids at their grandparents it was time to get the cutting mat and the new baby (machine) out. Its amazing how busy I thought I was when we only had one child! Now I can actually get some craft done with only one child at home to take care of!

With this stitch-a-long we are supposed to do two a month but when I'm on a roll I really have to run with it!!

I did muck up one block putting it together so I unpicked it all then I realised I had also mucked up another which I decided to keep.

Suprisingly I also found some time to stitch them all together.

I'm really happy with the result - I wasn't sure how the colours were going to all come together........... I had only six colours in the original batch of fabric and had to locate another .25m of some more of the range.

Now to border and bind!

Happy Stitching all

Susie

Handmade gift for a new baby

This is the first time I've ever made something as a gift for a baby (for anyone for that matter!).

This adorable baby's mother and I have been friend's since kindergarten, (that's a long time now). Over the last 7 or so years my friend has been through some terrible trials and tribulations. When she told me she was pregnant with another girl I was so happy for her and knew I wanted to make a quilt for the baby.

I used a Lily and Will charm square pack. I placed all of the squares out in an order that I was relatively happy with. I had no idea whether I was going to just bind or add a border. Clearly I decided on this gorgeous fabric (name unknown...but its new at Amitie). The binding is just a chocolate brown and cream stripe.

Its not a cot quilt size - more like a pram/floor quilt.

The backing fabric was purchased from Spotlight. I think it ties in with the Lily and Will fabric quite well. Bunnies and so forth........

I'm a huge handquilting fan............so portable. Especially once all the kids are in bed - its so easy to get out and put away again.

I was trying to capture the little bunny on the chocolate fabric - can you see it? Its so cute!

Well this gift is heading to its new owner tomorrow morning and I can't wait for cuddles.

On another note....I was lucky enough (after a week solo parenting the three kids and a little one with croup) to spend two days when hubby returned attending a machine quilting course at Amitie. It was so much fun and finally I am getting to use my new sewing machine.

Anyway, happy stitching everyone........

Susie