Saturday 26 April 2014

Gifting a baby quilt and starting de-cluttering

So far there hasn't been too much sewing happening here for a variety of reasons.

At the end of March we returned from our 3 months in New Zealand and there was lots to do - house, garden, catching up with family and friends etc.  We also had a short trip to Holland to visit friends over Easter and in addition I had two unexpected trips to A & E, one in Amsterdam and one back home.

However I have managed to embroider and sew on a label for my Peter Rabbit Quilt and this was handed over to my next door neighbour this morning.  Her daughter had a baby girl a few days ago so this is for Eadie.

 
I made the quilt top a couple of years ago and then it was put away in the cupboard.
Last year, as part of my finishing UFOs campaign it was finished.  Definitely a quilt for a baby girl I think, with so much pink included. 
So, I hope baby Eadie enjoys it as a playmat and as a quilt for cuddling.
 
Eadie's baby cousin Freya was born only three weeks before so both of the baby quilts I have gifted so far this year have gone to the same family.
 
Our Dutch friends were so kind and looked after us so well whilst we were staying with them. We met again their elder daughter and her two little children, Nolan-Jay and Eden-Rose. Eden-Rose is a delightful 3 year old and typically "into pink".  She also loves her cuddly toys and dollies and her favourite pastime is tucking them up and taking them for a walk in her dolly pram.  So, as part of a "Thank you" to our hosts I am making a very pink Doll's Quilt for Eden-Rose.
 


Lots of hearts which have been attached with fusible webbing but I am now hand blanket stitching round them with matching embroidery floss.  I love blanket stitching so this is a very enjoyable part of the quilt making for me.  I will add two borders and perhaps even a little pink ric rac for extra embellishment.

De-cluttering is uppermost in my mind at present.  As I was unpacking from New Zealand I decided it was time to go through every cupboard and drawer in the house and throw out as much as I could.

Last week I started on my wardrobe and so far have taken three bags of clothes to the Charity Shop, a paperback I finished reading since I came home and returned lots of unused medicines and dressings to the chemist's for disposal.

I have really got the bug now and am determined to be ruthless and give away anything I have not worn/used for a long time.  This morning I made another visit to the Charity Shop, taking 5 T shirts and a pretty skirt that I have not worn for probably ten years.  I doubt I would now fit into it and it is definitely too young a style for me.  However, each time I had sorted through the wardrobe, back the skirt went because I thought the fabric was so lovely I should make some cushions from it.  Well, that has never happened, so out it went this morning.

My aim is to sort through a cupboard or a few drawers each week until the job is DONE!

Has the Spring cleaning and de-cluttering bug got you too?
 

Saturday 5 April 2014

Gift for a new baby

At the end of last year I completed a few baby quilts to stash away ready for a few babies I knew were going to be born this year.

Our next door neighbour's son and his wife had their third daughter on 29th March.
From my stash of quilts I chose this cheerful Rainbow Strips Quilt:

 
This quilt for Freya joins the two others I gave to her older sisters, Isla and Neve.
 
I have been searching my quilt photos for a picture of Isla's quilt but frustratingly I cannot find it!
 
A few years ago I made a series of baby quilts featuring appliqued cats and teddy bears which you can see on my Flickr page, koshka2 photostream. They can be found in the Teddy bear quilts and Cat quilts sets.
Isla's quilt was the same design featuring cats and Sunbonnet Sues and Overall Bills.
 
However, sister Neve's quilt is this one:
 
 
 
It's nice to be able to welcome a new baby into the world with a quilt for snuggling.  Isla and Neve have loved their quilts so I hope little Freya does too.