Xmas Runner and Mug Rugs

I have been happy sewing this week-- managing to finish several items that will go into my Xmas stash! When I have finished a project I put all fabric left over blocks or part blocks into a plastic bag-- They dont see the light of day for some time--one usually has had enough of THAT fabric by the time the project is finished---
This week was take out the basket with Christmas fabric as well as plastic bags of----'Going thru these bags brings back memories of articles made many moons ago-- and the fabrics are --new again-  One such piece was just the right size for a smalltable runner just had to add the end pieces quilt it and bind it -- had a few scraps left over so made the mug Rugs to match.

Then out came another plastic bag -- nice cream and greens odd windmill blocks  that needed to be used and a good sized peice of floral -- red and cream Pointsetters -I see more Mug Rugs for my Christmas stash

 

 

 

 

 

These Mug Rugs can be used either side which side do you like?
Thanks again for looking at my Blog.
Kiwi Jan

Hark the Herald Angels Sing-- UFO.

Today at the three J's meeting I finished off two UFO's--One is a block made for a Christmas Challenge at my quilting club--Pinestream Quilters  many many moons ago.

The challenge from memory was a Christmas hymn  --mine was Hark the Herald Angels Sing. This block is a mixture of handwork and machine work-- the Angels are hand stitched --buttonhole stitch and then outlined with Gold thread. Then a star machine stitched around the Angel.

I also had this little sample block a Christmas Star waiting to be made into something-- so added a border, a little machine stitching with Fudge , plksu the binding and here we have a Rug mug. Cute eh.A nice size for a coffee mug to sit on.

Thanks again for checking out my blog.

Tuesdays -Angels finished

Today being Tuesday the three J's --[who by the way all have all sewing machines that begin with J!!!] all brought their Angels so there could be a three some photo.
Each Angel is very different and have definite personalities,

So out comes another UFO of J 's thank goodness she does not have two more to share!!
Will this one be finished in time to join the big display at Christmas??? Go J!!!
Thanks for checking out my blog--

Postcards

A miserable day here in Lower Hutt –NZ. [for anybody who wonders where Lower Hutt is]-    great for stitching!

I have  Purple Xmas ATC’s to make –[Artist Trading Cards] the collage is drying before any embellishments are added photos to come later--

Today effort with Fudge was to make 4 postcards—The theme is One of your favourite things—Well Christmas is a favourite of mine—many reasons –one being   the fabrics one can buy with Christmas as a theme— and sparkly thread  –  One of my rules when making ATC’s or postcards is to use scraps--- not to cut into a piece of fabric—These are all made from Scraps.

                

I wonder what country they will end up in?

Thanks for looking

Kiwi Jan and Fudge [my Janome 6500]

Tuesdays

Tuesdays the three J’s meet for stitching—a week ago one of the J’s made us a challenge—two of them had made or partly made these Angels—I think this may have been a good few years ago—neither of them finished –and one of them actually had two—so guess who got the second one—the other J!!! Me!!

I also got to finish number one J’s Angel—just a few fiddly stitches to hold the wings in place—This is all done by hand –beautiful Stitching—number one J!!

 

 

Over this last few days I have been working on my Angel—I have to admit the face was done on the Angel I was given—just as well—Thanks number two J!!

My Angel is Purple Angel or Xmas Angel or maybe just Angel—and is a mixture of hand stitching and machine—No back view of mine –

Number two J has been woring on her Angel and I am sure it will be finished this week  so

The challenge is finished –   yeaaaaaaaaa!!

wonder what this Tuesday will have in store for the three J’s  !!

Thanks for checking out my Blog

Kiwi Jan and Fudge

Stupendous Landscape

I have finished the other piece from the class Stupendous Stitching I mentioned in my last post and have at last taken a photo—

First I stitched the couched threads some of which I twisted yarn together to get the look I wanted--- Then filled in some of the spaces  with stitches from Fudge—my Janome 6500, using a variety of different threads –silk, metallic , Rayon, and then filled in the rest of the spaces with handwork—using mostly a running stitch and lots and lots of French knots—in a variety of threads I have really enjoyed stitching these and am sure I will do some more in the future.

next are some Applique blocks I worked on late last year   There are actually 12 blocks to this quilt plus a 36 square center piece!!  Each block is approx 14’’ square.

The pattern is called My Tweets by Erin Russek

I decided it was not for me and have finished the 4 blocks off as small wall hangings. They are all needle turned  Applique embroidery and hand quilted. Very pretty as wall hangings

 

Next I have been working on a monthly challenge issued by a online group for Janome owners  [6500 challenges @ yahoo ]Each month for 6 months we were given a new technique to apply to our piece   One I stitched all by hand the other was stitched on Fudge –my Janome 6500   lots of fun and not easy to work this way – not knowing what you were to add for the next month  but I like the finished effect.

The three trees  is to remind me of  NZ Symposium at Queenstown 2011 the colours of the trees with the sun light filtering thru were so beautiful ---

The two trees is made with bits and pieces made or bought at the last two NZ Symposiums One at Wellington 2009  and the other in Queenstown—2011.

 

Thanks for looking at my work –feel free to make a comment.

Kiwi Jan

Stupendous Stitching Journals

Fudge and Kiwi Jan have not been idle these last few weeks—months--- I have been working on several projects some of which I have not been able to show  as yet ---I will be able to do that very soon --

I joined  a online class with Carol Ann Waugh Stupendous Stitching –This class uses both machine embroidery,couching and hand embroidery and was real fun to do.

I was really thrilled at how well Fudge [ a Janome 6500] handled the machine embroidery. Fudge is at least 6 years old and many of her fancy stitches had not been used before--

First I made a stitch bible  trying out ALL the stitches available  on Fudge  some  will be real favourites some wont see light of day again!!

Then it was on to the real thing—I worked on two smaller pieces first –these would eventually be made into Journal / Diary covers

Fudge worked her magic first, couching then using her fancy stitches  --the spaces  were then filled in with simple handwork using different weights of Pearl Cotton .

I  then made the lining’s  for the  insides  and stitched them together adding just a little handwork on the inside

 

 

I have one more piece to show as soon as I take a photo

Thanks for looking

Fudge and Kiwi Jan  

Bags Again

After finishing the sample bags for my class I needed to make a special one for my sister—We decided something with a blue background would go with everything—or most things—but it needed to be eye catching as well—I settled on this  fabric not quite blue is it more black background --very bright yellow button !!!

I like to play around and made these to go inside the bag  a note book and a little scribbler pad

There was enough fabric left over to make a cover for the my sisters  e reader, notice the pockets inside that’s just some white paper to show up the pockets—nice matching set eh. Not a scrap left over!!

Good work Fudge!!!

Bag class.

The bag class has been and gone and was a success—there were ten in the class and 3 bags finished 3 almost and the rest not very far behind—I enjoyed teaching and feel the class enjoyed themselves as well

The Blue bag was finished

Ready for lining

Ready for lining

Finished by end of class

Finished by end of class

ready for lining

Thanks ladies for coming to my class hope to see all the bags at next show and tell.

Kiwi Jan

Bags and more bags

Kia-ora  I have been asked to teach a class at a Pinestream Quilters  [my quilting club] club day. So the last few weeks I have been busy making samples and writing up the  method and notes for this class.

Two of my stitching friends have been my Guinea Pigs—using my notes checking all measurements are correct and the notes are easy to follow.

Thanks June and Jann.I dont have a photo of the bags they made –they are stunning!!!

The bag  or Tote which ever you chose to call it ias numerous pockets inside is batted both bag and lining and has a stable bottom—Long straps for easy carrying.

This bag has pockets on the side as I did not want to cover up the delightful Poppies on the front

This would be a favourite its a  bright happy looking bag and has a wee glass purse made from leftovers

 

This is another sample –see the pocket on the front

Inside of bag showing pockets

Will add pictures of bags made in class [class is in August]

So Fudge and I have been busy even if not publishing to my blog as regular as one would like.

Please leave me a comment

Jan

Kia-ora Its been a few weeks--months since I last blogged but in that time I have not stopped stitching and have a few peices to show you--- First I have worked on the orange Crazy block and a lime green one-- None of my Crazy blocks are finished they will be embellished with beads charms buttons bows --                                                                       Orange Block                                                                    

  Green  block

Next I will talk about a online class with Craftsy called Stupendous Stitching with Carol Waugh.

This class is about using your machine to couch threads and to use the Embroidery stitches available on your sewing machine.Then to fill in the spaces with hand work.

My blog is called Fudge and Kiwi Jan  Fudge being my Janome 6500 which to me is a super super machine--I love it- but have not used the Embroidery stitches to their full potential.

I did have fun and enjoyed this class.

First we made a stitch bible trying out all the stitches-- some I liked --some were delightful and  some will not see daylight in my work!!  

The first two pieces I made I will use as Journal covers --Then I made a bigger piece and so far have no special plans for this other then my design wall---

First piece to be made into a Journal cover

Second Piece  Journal Cover

On my Design wall for now-- the machine embroidery went well on all three pieces and the gaps filled in with many hours of handstitching.

During these last few months I have also finished of a ufo  [hand pieced quilt blocks] that I started at least 5 or 6 years ago and then with all the scraps made a Rail fence quilt  as well as taking part in a Mystery quilt challenge on the Janome Challenge Yahoo site  cant say more about this as its still got two months to go.I will tell you about this later --Hopefully my next blog will be about my two scrap quilts.

Thanks for checking out my site

Fudge and Kiwi Jan

Orange block

Kia-ora The next block is Orange--Tan----well sort of-- I have stitched a couple of seams --one half stitched that will be coming out!!

Purple Block

Kia-ora I have another block finished --Purple lets see if I can upload photos this time.the block is ready to stitch --but it does get changed

A close up of the center more stitching required

Another close up

Finished block

Any comments welcome

I will be adding embellishments --beads buttons charms when the blocks are joined together

Thanks for looking

Kiwi Jan