WOYWW...

 It's Wednesday and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at Sewing by Annie's....

I've been working on 3 different designs for my Christmas cards...

There's been lots of ironing fabric onto bond-a web, drawing on my designs and then fussy cutting it all out.

These will be reindeers when they grow up.

These will be candles and holly when they are finished.

And these will be patchworked Christmas trees when they are finished.

I've had a quiet week with sewing so I've been making the best of my time with Christmas card making.  

The parcel coming from Swansea that was posted last Monday with clothes to make 3 Memory bears in it still hasn't arrived....I really hope it arrives eventually as clothes from a loved family member are so special.

As you can see I've had a little helper in my sewing room.  Milly is so funny when I pull out one of my boxes full of materials she likes to climb on top....she's always done this since she was a puppy.  I think she thinks she's helping :-)

That's all from me for today.  I really hope you are alll keeping well and filling your days with things to make you smile.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

It's been another busy week here at Sewing by Annie's [but what's new I hear you say].  My desk has seen lots of activity so here's a few snaps of what's been going on here in between my alterations/repairs.

My orders for Memory bears have been coming in fast and furious [I still have a further 11 pending if they all turn up].  Here's the latest three I've made.  I really love the colour combo of these three.  They are wanted for three Granddaughters to remember their much loved Grandmother by.

I made named hangers for the Christmas stockings and used my poppers to attach them.....so they just need filling with goodies before handing them over.

I then made a start at the toppers to go on my Christmas cards....I've wadded them all and sewn round each one with machine embroidery.

I then made a few more in a different colour way.....I think that's about 32 in total so far so still got lots more to make yet but at least it's a start.

That's all from me for today.  If you leave me a comment I will do my best to pay you a return visit in between my sewing jobs.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

We are creeping ever closer to Christmas and my desk has seen lots of action this week....as always I can't share it all but I'm snapping away and may do a show and tell post after Christmas.

For now here's a few bits I can share...

My desk has been full of Wedding dress this week.  I've had to take all the bodice apart to reduce some pleating, take it in and hand stitch on some diamante trim so it's needed several sessions at it to complete the work.....but I will add it's all back together now and looking good.  :-)

The other project I can share with you is a few snaps of my Christmas card making.....

Using Pinterest as my inspiration I bond-a-webbed the back of some bright juicy coloured fabrics and chopped them up into coloured piles.

I then ironed them down into place to look like little Bethlehem scenes and.....

....machine embroidered them to finish them off.

Hope you like them.  

That's all from me for today.  Leave me a little message so I know you've called in and I will do my best to pay you a return visit.  I'm sorry to say I didn't manage to get round all last week as I had a sad week having lost a dear old friend and had to make arrangements for her funeral etc........but I will aim to do better this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello all.  Happy Wednesday.  I've got a manic week this week with lots of sewing so thought you'd like to see a few things I've been making and can now share with you as they have been seen by my son and daughter-in-law.

A few weeks back I showed you a moses basket that I had lined for the next little family member due soon.....well, here is the little quilt I made for it.

Under the hood were three fabric loops just crying out for three little matching elephants to hang.

I found enough fabric to make a matching snugglefant [to my own design] and cos I had just enough fabric and, in case he looses the one of course, I had to make two the same....it's what I do :-)

Here it is all ready to snuggle little 'Bert' in it and now it's been handed over at the baby shower last Saturday I can say his mummy and daddy were thrilled to bits with it.

They have also seen the Advent calendar I've made for him so I can share that with you too.

Forgive me for all the Christmas makes but I am now working on my first batch of Christmas cards too... a bit of applique and machine embroidery so far....more details to be put on before finished.

Sorry if it's all a bit picture heavy today but I knew some of you have been patiently waiting for the show and tells.  I have moved my normal sewing workshop from Thursday to Wednesday this week so will be busy all day today and have a very special visitor coming to see me tomorrow with rather a lot of sewing jobs for me......our very own Neet has been saving all her sewing jobs up and is driving all the way from Bolton to bring them to me.....I can't wait.

I will do my best to pop over to yours when I get the chance but please be patient with me this week as I may be a little late.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW......

Wahoo wahoo wahoo  I've actually managed some time in my sewing room this week and have something on my desk to share with you...

I have been busy doing some machine embroidery on the last bunch of Christmas tree card toppers.

I have now found cards and mounted up 64.......every one is slightly different :-)

It's been a fab way to use up some of my fabric stash making the little patchwork trees and I've really enjoyed spending time playing on my sewing machine. :-)

And that's not all.....

Amy asked if I could make her a Christmas tree that would hang up and could be played with by the children so I delved in my fabric stash, found some card [no shortage of that when you've just had 150 boxes with your new kitchen in them], sorted out some ribbon, felt and buttons and hey presto.....

....I have a feeling they will have fun deciding where everything hangs don't you?  And I had fun making it. :-)

And just in case you thought I'd had a quiet week this is the latest pic of the kitchen looking from the French windows/doors.

• Double oven ....working and in use
• Dishwasher ....working and in use
• Sink ....plumbed in and in use
• Gas hob ....still to be fitted
• Curtain pole is up and I have shortened the curtains and they are up [and you know how much I love shortening curtains :-) ].

As you can see we are getting there but still lots to do yet.  I'm getting my exercise going from the old kitchen to the new....mugs in the new kitchen, kettle in the new kitchen, so I make a drink but have to fetch the milk from the fridge freezer that's still in the old  :-)  I'm sure the exercise will do me good.  Now all I need is a cat.....cos I now have a kitchen that's big enough to swing a cat in.  :-)  ......and I love it.

Please leave me a little message and I will pop over to yours to check out what you've been up to this week.  Thanks for calling in.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

What a busy time we have had since last Friday morning.  Our Ikea kitchen arrived as planned first thing Friday morning....in 150 boxes!!!!! We have spent many hours doing the jigsaw but of course had to check all the codes on each box to make sure it was the right piece of the jigsaw we were using!!!

So since then there's been no time [even if I was able to get past the boxes] to get into my sewing room.  I did manage to finish 27 of my Christmas tree card toppers before it arrived....

Sorry the photo isn't very clear ....I just snapped it quick on my phone as I finished my first batch.  They are all little patchwork Christmas trees but I have free machine embroidered some and used machine embroidery stitches on others....every one is different.  Lots more to do yet but I have been playing support act to my hubby fitting the kitchen cupboards since.

I know some of you will want to see the progress so here's a few quick pics....

On the left we have a tall larder cupboard, our fitted cupboard with the double oven in, a little infill cupboard then a corner cupboard that comes out into the room like a breakfast bar.

On the right is the dishwasher [have managed without one for 15 months so can't wait for it to be plumbed in], then will come the sink, a store cupboard and on the left in this pic will be the gas hob.

Looking down the kitchen towards the new doors you can see how the corner cupboard sticks out into the room and behind that will go our new dining table....we have managed eating off our laps since we moved house so really can't wait to eat at a table again.  :-)

As you can see we have been very busy [helped by several of our wonderful family members] but there are still wall cupboards to make/fit, the work tops to go on and appliances to fit/plumb in etc.  The boxes have definitely got less but there are still many hidden in every corner yet :-)...and if you're wondering the door fronts are off white and work tops and a dusky dark oak :-) :-) :-)

So there you go.  That's it from me for today.  Please leave me a little comment to let me know you've called in and I will do my best to pay you a return visit ASAP.  Thanks for calling by.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello to all.  Firstly let me tell you that I'm feeling sick here today.....no not poorly sick but nervous/excited sort of sick.....We have accepted and offer on our house and all being well will be moving to the bungalow we really want to move to....it's been waiting for us so lets hope it all goes through as we plan.

Now I know you have all come to see what I've been making so here is the first pic...

A little Christmas tree with bells on that the twins like making jingle  :-)














The other thing I've been making is another idea for my Christmas cards.

 I had seen this idea made in paper and decided I could make it in fabric...but of course there was no instructions as to how to make it at all so I sat with a piece of paper and played til I worked it out.  :-)

For those that fancied having a go here are a few pics with simple instructions...

A simple pattern in paper.  Pin it onto two pieces of different fabrics and cut them out.

Sew together with right sides together remembering to leave a gap in the straight edge for turning.

Trim off corners and snip into the curves

Turn right sides out and press and mark with pins at the middle then at a quarter way down as in pic.

Fold top corner so it reaches the middle pin.

Using the pin that was a quarter the way down as the centre then fold as in the drawing making creases as folded.

Unfold and refold using the creases as guide lines so it concertinas on itself as in the pic and hold in place with a pin until pressed with the iron.

Ta da...and as you can see making it in different fabrics gets lovely effects.

I hope you like my little trees.  If you fancy having a go and are struggling please just shout and I will explain further.

I have used lots of little snippets of fabrics to make these so will link them up over at Di's Playground.

Thanks for popping by today....I will be popping by to say hello to all my visitors as soon as I'm able.  

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Firstly I must thank you all for your efforts to join in my little quiz last week.....you will find the answer and the prize winners here in last Friday's post.  Well done to the three who guessed the correct answer.  These are what I posted out to them.... [hope they like them].

Three little hand made key fobs....just a bit of love and a thank you from me  :-)

I've been in a Christmas making mode in my spare time this week so thought I'd do a quick show and tell as to what I've been up to....

The 6 cards I made from the blue fabric you saw 2 weeks ago....I'm rather pleased with these  :-)

I've machine embroidered on the ribbons, added embellishments and appliqued on some baubles.

A hand embroidered Christmas tree to use for another card.

The same idea but this time on dark green fabric...what do you think?  Cream or Green backgrounds best?

5 little gingerbread men to hang on the Christmas trees for my Grandchildren....I make them something different each year to hang on their trees.

And finally just a quick snap of some fun play with my Twinnie munchkins and Aunty Jo this week....they are so fascinated by all the different buttons Nanny Annie's got...and these were just one small box of them lol.

It's been another busy week for me as always but I will do my best to pop by to say hello when I get a minute.  Thanks for calling in.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

It's a 3 day twinnie munchkin week for me this week so it's all go here at Sewing by Annie's.  That of course means I have put this post to upload automatically and won't be able to come checking out your blogs til tomorrow at the earliest sorry.....but I will do my best to drop by as soon as I'm able.

On my desk today [and it will be there at least until tomorrow!] is....

The evidence that Christmas card making has started....

• Christmas fabrics sorted and ironed
• a couple of quilted squares using the fabric
• those have been machine embroidered and embellished
• then scanned to make some Christmas card toppers

....so far so good.  :-)

Another Christmas card idea in the making...

• strips of turquoise ribbons bond-a-webbed onto white fabric
• wadding ready underneath ready to machine embroider and quilt down the ribbons in place
• silver trimmings sorted ready to machine embroider on top

...we will see how this develops.  :-)

Been such a busy few weeks that I have the need to keep my hands busy while watching telly [or I nod off!] so have started some random crocheting.  I love the wool and it's chunky so I can use a large crochet hook...not sure what it will be when it grows up yet.   :-)

Well folks that's all from me for today....no time to pee breath think sew really so definitely not much time for creative fun  :-)  I hope you have enjoyed your little peep into my world for today.  Please leave me a little hello comment and I will do my best to pop by asap to say hello.

There will be pics and updates on the quilts being made for the Children in Need appeal very soon as Jacquie has already made the first two!

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Good morning blogging friends.

Another busy week has passed and we are back to the best day of the week when we all have a good snoop round lots of crafting spaces.  If you are here by chance and don't know what I mean then please pop over to Julia's blog and join in the fun.
 

Last Saturday saw the last of our new carpets going down so we are now able to get a little more straight and furniture and pics can now be put back where they live.  I have bought some lovely new Really Useful Boxes for my sewing room to organise our shop craft items in when we get what doesn't get sold this Saturday at the Montgomery Craft Fair....of course we are really hoping it all gets sold and we can then restock my lovely new boxes with fresh items  :-)


Today I have put my card toppers out and have made a start at making them into cards but alas I have to clear my rail before I do any more and I'm afraid to say my 'to do' rail is heaving today.  I have everything from jackets to shorten the sleeves on and a curtain to shorten to trousers and skirts all needing altering so it may be a while before I get back to my card making.




 I have already had to shorten a huge pair of patio door curtains this week and make a huge pair [280 cm long!] of double width voile curtains so I am on curtain overload!....here's the proof!.....just remind me girls to never offer to make huge voile curtains again cos they were really horrid to make.  The voile slips and slides and is impossible to measure accurately.


 So now girls when you're having fun visiting all the other blogs just think of me clearing the sewing mountain before I can have my fun  :-)

Thanks for dropping in and for leaving your lovely comments.  I will do my best to get round as many of you as I can over the next few days.

The 'C' word is taking over my room :-)

Christmas seems to be taking over here in my sewing room.  I have now made 8 Christmas wreaths, an advent calendar and a huge batch of Christmas card toppers.  I like to keep a record of the things I make so where better to keep it?  [You can share it too this way :-) ]  

This post is rather picture heave but I have been rather busy making  :-)

This is one of three advent calendars that I have the fabric for so I still have two more to make yet  :-)  It is approx 20" x 21" with hanging loops and each pocket has a flap to keep it's contents hidden.

This will be £40.00 plus postage

I have made 8 wreaths and each one is made of different Christmas fabrics so the overall effect is slightly different.  They are each approx 10" across.

I will be selling these at £15.00 each plus postage.