Finishes 2013

... and wishing you all a Happy Christmas with your loved ones! After it is time to finish the list for the Q4 Finish-A-Long 2013! 

SMS Winner

We have a winner. Mr Random came out of bed very early...

and the winner is ...

Congratulation. I get in touch with you. Thank you all for stopping bye and maybe I will see some of you again! It was fun taking part.

Modern Irish Table Runner Swap at the MIQG

It was not long ago that the MIQG called for a Christmas Table Runner Swap. You all know that I am addicted in swaps so I had to join! It was on the 10th of November when I got my partner from Sarah. I had to read it a million times until the information really got into my head. I got a brilliant partner but this time it was someone special! It took a while to think but some day I got an idea. I wanted to work on a paper pieced star as center piece. So sitting down and drawing, scanning, printing, sewing and hoping it works. The color scheme she was asking for was bright colors, pink, aqua, light green, no dark Christmas fabrics. I got a deep dive in my stash looking for pinks and aqua and trying to match them. Love the polka dot fabric.

The center star should be lined on two sides with little stars, four on each side. To calculate them was not that easy but at the end each of them measures 3''. To make them going a little curvy I added 1'' stripe either on the right or the left side.

Some of the little stars have a fussy cut in the middle. I used some of  Aneela Hoey "Cherry Christmas". I do love those little birdies and the clothing lines with the stockings and socks. Adorable!

The background is a simple snowflake fabric I got somewhere and the binding is again the pink polka dots. This fabric frames the table runner perfectly. I tried to do less and keep it more white than I usually would. I was to scared to do a FMQ so I only did some little stitches around the stars in pink and aqua.

As I had an accident with the iron this table runner already had a good wash and got the wrinkly structure. I hope she does not mind! Last but not least there was a decoration item. I already have shown the back! So, I am not cheeky enough to sent a glued snowman ...

It was fun again taking part in a swap. I made a bit of a secret out of it as you might already know it: my partner was the swap mama Sarah! She already received the table runner today and I hope she will use it. Thank you for organizing the swap.
Tomorrow I will be back with a winner for the cat-table-runner-mini-quilt!

Grummel ...

Oh what a day! When you look out the window today it looks like in the middle of the night but it is already 10am. I feel terrible. I need to get the Christmas table Runner finished for the swap but my stupid iron did not work as I wanted it to be so fingers crossed all works out fine. But I finished the decoration item. It is terrible hard to fix the ribbon if you  have a plaster on your thumb because you are silly and sew your finger ...

I have only shown lots of peaks in this swap so if you think this is your decoration item: I am sorry, this is only the back! Someone in the house was sad to let the table runner go and I just had the same fabric so I had to put his little guy somewhere. In hope I can show the finished table runner the next time. 

An other item that had to be finished was the cat-table-runner-mini-quilt-wall-hanging! Call it as you  like. Tata! It is done! That was the easy part today :)

This is a collection of the first five cats in the QAL at Oh, Fransson. May I introduce you to Ferdinand, Bernadette, Sunny, Mia and Ralphio. I love this rainbow cats. I only stitched around the cats in the matching color.

Of course there had to be cats on the back as well. So many cats are looking for a lucky winner over here. Take your chance and just in case you do not want them to lay on the table I put some hangers on the back. If they work? I have no clue but I am happy to know.

So I am back to my table runner and fingers crossed it works!

It is Sew Mama Sew Give Away day ...

.. and I am not ready! How could this have happened? I could tell you now a lovely story about an amazing concert, a brilliant chess competition, lovely lights in the streets while doing some Christmas shopping, ... but I am sure you are just here because it is Sew Mama Sew day. So grab a cup of coffee, have a look around and after I tell you what I have prepared for you.

This is the second time I am taking part in the give away and even if I got a reminder some days ago I am not totally ready. No worries, this little give away will be finished before it goes on the way to a lucky winner. When I saw the QAL at Oh, Frannson I first wanted to make them for a friend but was not so sure about it (I might make an other one for you after Christmas?!?). So I made the first five cats and out came a little table runner for the SMS give away. As it is not totally finished now I only can show you a picture of the progress.

To be in the chance to win just leave me a comment and tell me your favorite place to celebrate the new year. I would love to go to New York. This must be amazing.
Be sure I can contact you or if not sure leave your email in the comment that I can do so. The give away will close Friday night Irish Time and I will ask Mr Random on Saturday, 14/12/2013. If you receive an email that you are the lucky winner respond otherwise I will ask Mr Random again on Monday.

I will sent worldwide. Have fun hopping around at Sew Mama Sew and leaving lots of comments. Good luck!

Preparing Christmas

There is lots going on in the house but not enough time to blog about it all. So here is just a little overview what we are doing at the moment. First of all we are baking. Still? No, we have a break now for about a week but I am sure than we have to start again otherwise there will be none in the house for Santa.

If the kitchen is cleaned after all that baking I am working on the Christmas Table Runner Swap. This year I am totally with pink and aqua. Here is a little sneak peak

 

The last sewing of these little stars freaked me out so when the kids were gone on the afternoon as well I immediately got out my rainbow charms and some solids I have left to make my own rainbow. So starting on red going to yellow and green some blue ending with purple ... I had to start this littleproject. I will show more on Monday ;)

  

This week also the Christmas box filled with lots of chocolate arrived in my house. We had a little swap at the Lazy bums and - yes Nicky - kick your own butt! - these are just delicous. I love the little basket. Thank you so much my dear partner.

 

Now we enjoy the evening with some of the cookies, a cup of mulled wine and lots of gorgeous sweets sent from friends.