Apron Love multiplied

you might remember Jenny and I hosted the 2015 Apron Swap in February/March?

Well it was such a success and the ladies who participated want to do it again, and again, so maybe Jen and I will have to make it an annual thing?  What do you think?

Silly me forgot to take photos of the aprons I made, yes apronS…..I swapped two as we were one person over (and I couldn’t resist making and receiving another).   I haven’t received many photos however if you visit Jenny’s blog today, you’ll see many of the aprons that were sent.

Here are the photos I did receive….

How special are these with so much thought put into them.

Here are mine that I received…..

love them to pieces….aren’t they gorgeous??  Hopefully I’ll be able to snare a copy of photos of mine to both Joylene (no blog) and Theresa to share with you too.

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for our Friday Night Sew In signups…….YES….it IS that time of the month again already!!!!  Can you believe it?  And I’m going to have a special surprise announcement tomorrow too, so make sure you pop in….

have a wonderful Monday

xox Sugary hugs :o)

Closing Apron Swap Sign Ups….don’t miss out!

Well it really is time to get your eyes seen to when you can’t read dates properly isn’t it?

via Google

I was SURE Jenny had written the 28th as the closing date, so that’s what I posted too!  DUH moment……it’s the 26th….which is TODAY! 

We will be closing down our sign ups TODAY at 3pm AEST which will give our International friends a chance to get in before the closing date too!

For more info, look back to THIS POST and email me with your details…you won’t regret it!

xox Sugary hugs :o)

Squishy mail in and squishy mail out …. and don’t forget FNSI

I had almost forgotten I was to receive a swap gift in Jenny’s Stitchery Club Swap last month until hubby came back from the post office with some squishy mail yesterday!

I  tore the wrapping off hastily unwrapped it to reveal this gorgeous surprise…..

My two gifts had come from Sherry, all the way from the west coast of Washington State, USA., and I must say, she must have been stalking me because she knows me well!

‘Keep Calm’ is a definite reminder for me……I’ve always got my tassel in a knot and I”m always behind in everything I do (or so it seems).  I L-O-V-E what Sherry created from some of Jenny’s stitchery club designs – a ‘Keep Calm’ linen tea-towel and a stitchery needle-keep made with gorgeous TILDA fabric *swoon*.

Inside is a tiny, wee finger light which slips on your finger (obviously!),  with a bright LED light which lights up what you’re doing…..I’ve never ever seen one of those here, Downunder so this was a new toy for me!  

There was also a bright pair of tweezers, some Cosmo Seasons threads, some flower head pins and a beautiful pair of golden stork embroidery scissors…oh my gosh, I’m in Heaven!  Thank you just isn’t enough Sherry. All I can say is I will treasure these and I can guarantee they’ll get a good daily workout, that’s for sure! *Mwah* 

And as some is coming in…..I’ve been preparing some to go out!  This beauty is on its way to a very dear friend.  Remember, I told you about the free pattern back in this post last week?

who might it be going to?  I can’t tell, but this might be a clue…..

…..NOT!   Well I don’t want to give the surprise away do I?

If you haven’t had the chance, don’t forget to sign up for the Friday Night Sew In HERE and join us tonight for our monthly virtual get-together.  Can’t wait to stitch along with you ….… I’ll be stitching my new free B.O.M. blocks so they’re ready for you to start next month!  What will you be stitching?

xox Sugary hugs :O)

The Great 2015 Apron Swap!

My good friend and blogging mate Jenny asked me if I would be interested in co-hostess-ing an apron swap on our blogs after the great response to her Apron-Love earlier on this year.

After receiving my very own handmade Apron from her as a gift way back in 2011, (she shows you how to make it HERE),  I knew just how wonderful it was having one made especially for me, so I can’t let the opportunity pass in sharing the fun with you, can I?   So, here it is…..

Jenny’s got lots of tutorials for Aprons on her blog

here’s one, but you can pop on over HERE to find more.  And there are some more ideas, patterns and free designs on my Pinterest Board…

 

or you can find even MORE on Jen’s Pinterest Board….

So……are you interested?   Of course you are!  Would you like to be a part of our 2015 Apron Swap?    Of course you do!

Here’s the rules:

This will be a straight swap.  That means you and the partner you are assigned will swap directly with each other, and you will keep in contact with each other via email throughout the course of the swap.

By staying in contact you will get to make a new friend, you’ll find out what style, colours and fabrics your partner likes and whether she prefers a full apron or a half apron.

Here is the complete 2015 Apron Swap PDF file which lists all the rules and requirements you must follow before you sign up to participate.  Download it, read it through thoroughly and if you’re happy to play by our rules, just email your details (name, email address, postal address, blog name and address) to either Jenny or myself by February 26th.

This is a simple swap so all we want you to send to your partner is:

• one apron that you have made for her
• one written recipe for your favourite baked item.

That’s it, nothing else…..’k?

Your swap parcel is to be sent on March 30th

I’ve designed a cute recipe card you can use if you like.  It comes in two sizes – A4 and A5.  You can download it free, HERE from my Craftsy store.

To sign up, you can email me HERE or pop on over and contact Jenny HERE…no need to send to both of us, just one will do and we’ll take it from there.  And remember to take the 2015 Apron Swap button and post it on your sidebar…..you can link it to either one of our posts, the more the merrier, right?

This is going to be so much fun!  I wonder if you’ll be my partner??? hmmmmm?????

xox Sugary hugs :o)

where she stops, nobody knows….

….well, there are a couple of people who know! 

I’ve been working on some swap projects lately for Jenny’s Sewing Club Swap and I, as usual, have worked past the sending date, but in my defence, only just a little….my gifts were sent yesterday!

We had to choose a stitchery from one of Jen’s monthly patterns (which you can join to get HERE) and make it into something beautiful. 

I chose to make two things, from two stitcheries……(trust me, huh?)

A pretty lavender pocket to hang in a wardrobe…

…and a sweet ring-a-rosy framed monogram……I wonder who this could be for?

Helen?….Heather?…….Horatio?……Henry?…..well, you just don’t know, do you?  And you won’t, until they gets to their destination. (I’m such a tease!)

Who-ever receives it, I hope they love what I’ve made for them……and yaaaay me…..that’s two more OPAM finishes to add to my list!

Thanks so much Jenny for a wonderful swap….I’ve loved making them and only hope whoever gets them loves them too!

xox Sugary hugs :o)

February FNWF Finish and a reminder

Last night was our Friday Night get-together with our ‘virtual’ friends over at Cheryll’s place and I must admit, I started pretty early.  My plan this week was to finish the Christmas Blessings quilt so I could post it away and I was doing well, until I had to practice some ‘reverse stitching’ due to some hasty and somewhat cocky progress. (happens to all of us, doesn’t it?)

So Friday morning was sandwiching, pinning and quilting and I got to sewing the binding on just after lunch.

It’s always so satisfying sewing that last bit of binding down, don’t you think?  Always gives me a real sense of achievement (now why then, can’t I apply this ‘knowledge’ to my huge long list of UFOs I wonder?)

This was also my January challenge on my list for the APQ 2015 UFO Challenge I mentioned in this post  so I can tick this one off  …. even if it was a week overdue, AND add it to my OPAM list for Jan/Feb!  Double whammy!

It is now in the safe hands of Australia Post, winging its way to  Natalie at The Birdhouse to live its life out as a shop sample.  I’ve had a few people interested in purchasing the pattern.  I suggest you Google ‘Christmas Blessings by Natalie Bird’, and you will get a few stores who stock them, then you can choose where you’d like to purchase it from. The ones I have seen are all really reputable and wonderful to purchase from (and yes, I have had experience with them all – shhhhh,  don’t tell hubby!)

I then went on to stitching up some more of this gorgeous design of Jenny’s for her Stitchery Club Swap. 

A little more to go and then I can make it into something I hope someone will love!

So that’s what I got up to…..come with me and visit all my friends and see what they got up to last night.  Thanks Cheryll….it’s always terrific fun spending Friday nights with you. *mwah*

And before I forget, drop back here and leave me a comment and you’ll be entered into the draw to win two of my patterns in the Grow Your Blog 2015 Blog Hop.

Have a wonderful weekend.  Big sugary hugs xox   :o)

 

Blessings galore

It’s nearly the end of the month and I’ve been challenging myself to finish the Christmas Blessings quilt by Natalie Bird of The Birdhouse. 

I’ve been stuck for a few weeks as I can’t get my hands on any DMC 498 to finish the stitching….I’ve tried a few different places..it must be a very popular colour.  So now I’ve ordered some online and I’m waiting for it to arrive.

 

via Google

In the meantime, I’ve been working on the sashing blocks…

Each of these finish at 3in square…they are soooooo cute!  And I must say, working in the Tilda fabrics makes it all the more enjoyable…..aren’t they delectable?

Over the weekend I’ll work on getting the top together for when my threads arrive before I can sandwich it next week. (or maybe I’ll just use a similar red thread and finish it all over the weekend? What do you think?)

This morning I had to sell raffle tickets and instead of sitting there twiddling my thumbs, I took along some of my favourite stitchery designs to do when times were slow.

This is one of the stitcheries from my good friend Jenny’s Stitchery Club.  They are so sweet, and really quick to stitch up.  I stitched the wording in a couple of hours…..took me so long because I was chatting and getting coffee and writing tickets and…..well……you know, getting distracted every now and then just a little! (not like me AT ALL?!)

You can join the club too and receive 6 sweet stitcheries a month.  Just subscribe on her blog HERE or grab a copy of individual stitcheries from the Stitchery Club at her Craftsy shop.  Each of the designs in the Club set is available as single purchase patterns from the 17th of each month. They are priced between $3.95 and $5.95 each, but as a Stitchery Club subscriber you receive the whole lot for just $9.95! Jenny blesses us so, don’t you think?

Anyways, back to stitching….lots to finish before the weekend’s end.

xox Sugary hugs :o)

Christmas beauties

Yesterday was spent on the computer for most of the day, writing a new pattern for a magazine commission…..

it was hot, so the blinds were drawn and the lemony water was on hand.

So now that’s finished, it’s time to turn my thoughts back to Christmas gifting.  I’ve designed some new Christmas ornaments which I just L-O-V-E, and I’m stitching them up at the moment.  Here’s a quick look…….

This close up makes it look like I’m stitching on hessian, but I assure you it’s a beautiful soft linen and you’ll just love these!  I wonder if you can guess what they will be?  I should finish them this week, set to release the pattern next week, in time for you to be stitching for Christmas.  They are quick little decorations but very sweet (if I do say so myself!)  Keep an ear open soon.

I’ve come across this cute little free snowman stitchery in my bloggy travels and thought I might share it .  Would be great as a quick gift for a teacher or friend.

picture borrowed from htp://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.com

You can download the pattern HERE.

Still lots of secret sewing happening but I’m making some big plans for what’s going to be happening in 2015 here in Sugarlane House.  All I can say is Watch This Space.

IN the meantime, I have definitely made plans to stitch up this gorgeous quilt over the Christmas break, whilst I catch up on old Christmas movies and of course, the tennis!

Jenny has just released the last of the blocks today, which you can download as a single pattern, or if you’re like me and have been collecting them week by week and putting them away for ‘a rainy day’, there are individual block patterns.  I’m so looking forward to making this, I even have the fabric chosen and put away with the patterns in their folder, waiting patiently for the Christmas holidays.  What better time to stitch up the Lord’s Prayer?!  You can visit Jen and read about them HERE and then go and visit her Craftsy store to download the forever FREE pattern/s.

You can also read about her new Stitchery club you’ll want to be a part of…..

Here are just a couple of projects from this month I just know she won’t mind I share with you….

just a couple to whet your appetite.  Heaven knows, I’m drooling!

YOu can either subscribe HERE to receive each month’s patterns automatically, or purchase the month’s you want in Jen’s Craftsy Store .  I don’t want to miss a single one so I know which option I’ll be taking!

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for sign-ups for Friday Night Sew In…..the second last for the year….loads of fun, if you’ve never joined in before…….everyone is welcome!

xox Sugary sweet hugs :o)