Highs and lows

At the end of last year we learned that a lovely NZ friend was seriously ill and we really did not expect to see her again.  However, much to our joy she was still with us when we arrived in February and we made a visit to see her our priority - first thing we did this time back in NZ.

She looked so much better than we feared and everyone felt there was hope.  So, I came straight home and made this quilt which I imagined she would wrap around her in the winter months ahead.

 

I called it Heartstrings.

 

I literally had about 18" of binding to stitch down and to make a label when we heard the sad news that our dear friend had gone downhill and was fading fast.  I finished the quilt and made a different label to the one I had planned.

 

On Friday we went to her amazing funeral: a large church filled to overflowing with her dear family and friends. I gifted my quilt to her husband and their two children in the hope that the many strings, colours and patterns will remind them of the dear lady who has gone.  She was a rainbow of delight, a personality of many facets.

 

From that low point I came home to read a blog from Jo in Australia.  I feel we are "blog friends" as part of her journey through life echoes mine.  She recently very kindly sent me a crochet pattern and a sample of how it looked. As thanks I sent her a little gift too and I was so pleased to see the post where she mentions this gift. I was very touched. Thank you, Jo.

 

Take a look at Jo's blog, always something new to see as she is a prolific crafter:

 

jobutterfield.blogspot.com

 

So, highs and lows with the common thread of friendship and sewing.

And the Last will be First

My last finish of 2014 is becoming my first gift of 2015.

Another little needlecase made using the excellent tutorial from  Amy's nanacompany.typepad.com

I have altered Amy's design a little by adding two thin ribbon strings which tie in a bow, instead of the button and loop which Amy did.

As I like to try to keep my stash and projects organised I have a Needlecase Pack containing the instructions, suitable pieces of thin ribbon, the Strawberry template, fusible webbing and scraps of fabric for the strawberry and leaf, the fronts and inside of the needlecase and 1.5" squares already cut for the patchwork. Then it's easy to grab the pack and make another little needlecase!

And here it is, opened up to show the patchwork back.

This one is a little "Thank you" for Teresa Rawson (her blog is fabrictherapy.BlogSpot.com)

I entered Teresa's Giveaway in mid December and won!  The prize was a great magazine, one I have seen mentioned in lots of blogs: Quiltmakers 100 Blocks which looks a great resource to have on the bookshelves in my Sewing Room.  So, thank you, Teresa.  The Strawberry needlecase will be in the post to you tomorrow.

I love these little needlecases and have now made quite a few which have all been gifted. 
This gift takes to 20 my total of little gifts for 2014. Not all patchwork: there are a couple of crocheted blankets and some knitting but I did make three of these Strawberry needlecases. 

I like to keep a record of all the crafty things I make: mostly Patchwork (quilts, cushions, bags and needlecases) but also a bit of knitting and crochet.  I use Flickr as a vehicle for this record and organise my finishes into Albums.  A couple of years ago I had the bright idea of keeping a clearer record of things I have made by adding the year in the title of the album.
For instance Small Gifts 2014 where this little gift is number 20.

By looking at these Albums I can quickly see what I actually finished in 2014.

I made 8 quilts, 5 of which I have already gifted, 4 sets of blocks for various charity quilt drives and 2 crocheted blankets which have yet to be given away. 

Not as many finishes for 2014 as there were for 2013 but last year was extremely busy on the health front - for me and also for my daughter who had a slipped disc in September which took a lot of time to improve so I was helping out a lot there too. 

We are hoping 2015 brings better health for us.

So, as this is my first Blog post of 2015, may I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy and Creative 2015!