Michell’s February

 Slowly getting through my stitchery.

First elf is done and now onto the second 

February

 This month I added a cushion to the gift box.
Simple but sweet...

January and February Projects

Hello everyone and thank you for alowing me into the group.

In 2018, I made a couple of reversible scarf bibs for my mother-in-law who was in a nursing home. I thought she could knot it around her neck like a scarf to keep it out of the way of the walker when she went to the dining hall and then pull it down across the front of her shirt to eat. She was very particular about her clothes and her appearance. I tried one out in the car last year when we were on a road trip and found that they weren't quite big enough.

Last month I designed a new pattern and made one scarf bib and this month I made five more. I made these for my mother and her caregiver because they like to eat in their recliners in front of the tv and they eat in the car if they just don't want to cook for themselves.

I think my mother-in-law only used her scarves twice when we took her out to eat, and she made a loop around her neck and pulled the ends through the loop - like in the first picture. After lunch, she took it off and stuffed it in her purse. She refused to eat in the dining hall in the nursing home and once she was confined to bed, she rarely got dressed. I hope the new scarves I made get used.

February's Christmas Project

I'm a little early but we have some travel coming

up and I'm just trying to get some things checked

of the list.  I like to leave with everything done!

One of my goals this year is to use up

all of the triangle trimmings I've saved from

some of my favorite quilt projects.  I've finished

sewing them into HST's--I'm estimating over

2,000 of them!--so it's time to start on some

scrappy mini-quilts.

My first project with them is this little table runner.

9 x 17.5

Having the HST's and the binding (scrap also!) 

ready allowed me to get this whipped up in 

just an hour or so.

The trimmings are from this quilt that I gifted to

my sister's husband several years ago.

I still have lots of coordinating fabric so I want to

get some coasters made and have a nice set

ready to be gifted to them next Christmas.

Getting all of those HSTs sewn up was a bit of

a struggle but it made for good tv-sewing while

we watched football and now that I have all

of these ready to go for playing around with, it

was all very worth it!  I'm excited to see what

other fund and quick minis I can come up with!

Michell’s January

After not posting on here for a long time I am going to make an effort and do it monthly.  However I did do Xmas stuff last year.

This month I have started a new project.

Though I have stitched more than the picture below now, I am away on holiday writing this and have not got the project with me, so look for it next month.

What I have finished is the first elf. I was going to take a picture the night before leaving but got sidetracked. 

And best of all my S titching mojo is returning ❤️

So that’s my January post finally done.

 

In JaNuaRY

 I finished off this wall hanging called...

Santa Rides... 

Thanks Narelle... for hosting us all again in 2021...

* * * * *

Message for Marti

 Hi Marti,  Your comment came through as a no reply comment. Could you please send me your email address so that I can invite you to participate on the blog.  pinsandwhiskers(at)gmail(dot)com  Thanks

A Gift For Our Home

 I'm not sure if this counts but my January completion

is for decorating our home at Christmas.  It's also

for my family to use and enjoy when they're home

for the holidays so, to me, that makes it a gift.

Pine Tree Lane

(74 x 86)

Snowflake swirl quilting design.

I wasn't able to make it in time for this Christmas but I am

really looking forward to having everyone use it next

December--almost as much as I am looking forward to

everyone being home again. ;o)

Fiona in January

 Hello fellow elves, or elvesses, or elvines,  

Is elf male or female or both?    I wonder... doesn't matter really - it was just a random thought I had....

Anyway... hello again.... I am going to try and work on something Christmassy each month.... I haven't done well the last couple of years and then it's a mad rush, and I do have some lovely Christmas projects I want to do...

These are the decorations I made last year.... the ones I sent (early) to UK have only just started arriving... I guess the Grinch did take their Christmas... they all had to stay at home on their own this year....  but I think they got some January smiles with the cheeky grin of the grinch....

My first Christmas project I worked on this year is this Annie Downs wallhanging... I did the applique and embroidery and still need to make up the blocks and borders.....

This was a kit I have had languishing in my drawers for a few years.....

... I want to do a decoration each month too.... it hasn't happened this month but I have decided what I will make... and with what.....

I'm sure that counts for something and I will try and make 2 in February to catch up.....

This is another Christmas project I have started.....  It is a Katy Dawson (from Cottage Garden Threads) design and a pattern I was given some years back.... quite a lot of stitching to do and I am doing a bit of it in between applique projects...

Sooooo...... my year has started with lots of Christmas plans.....  

Thanks Narelle and everyone else for the motivation to keep going.... and even though its only January its fun to do Christmas things..... 

Off to a good start for 2021

 I've completed a few Xmas items this month. Glad to have them off my ufo pile.

Happy Stitching,

January 2020

 I hope every one had a safe, healthy Christmas. Here in England we've had a lot of rain and freezing cold days and nights. My allotment is very wet, due to the clay soil. The garden is the same, there are lots of birds visiting all the various feeders and water dishes.

However I have been sewing and reading.

I have returned to an earlier project, an applique quilt celebrating thirteen states in America.

Here is one of the 12 wreaths that separate the state blocks.

I have now started Cherokee Rose, the Georgia block.

For my Christmas decoration I have sewn Songbird Christmas Tree by Shawn York for Rusty Crow.

There are some charming ornaments to sew over the coming year.

Happy New Year 

enjoy your sewing, Josie

 

A New Year ... A New Christmas Stash

 Happy New Year to our returning Elves and new Elves to the workshop. This will be a very relaxed group of Christmas crafters preparing for a stress free Christmas 2021. Make a gift or decoration or simply make progress on a long term Christmas project and post at the end of each or any month. 

Visit, encourage, share your lovlies and spread some Christmas cheer. I will update the sidebar for 2021 participants at the end of this month. Thank you for your valued company in our little workshop.

Last Christmas fling.

 Well I hope everyone had a peaceful Christmas. I finished this block on Christmas eve, the weather has been dark, dreary and wet. Not the best conditions for photo taking.

I'm hoping to set these blocks in a skirt for a smaller Christmas tree.

I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2021.

 Completed stocking for the newest grandbaby.  Last gift for this year.  Also soooooo happy that our group will continue.  I know I wasn't very active but I am getting ready for 2021 no matter what comes up.  

All Wrapped Up for Another Year

 Merry Christmas fellow Elves ... it's almost time.  I finished this wall hanging off on the weekend, wrapped it and gifted it at our local Patchwork Group Christmas Breakup.

Have you put the last stitch in your Christmas Gifts and tied the bows just right?  Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and hoping you are able to be with loved ones after this crazy year.  

The 1 Xmas Item A Month blog will remain open for 2021 and I do hope you are able to continue to contribute posts as you prepare for the new year ahead.  I sadly haven't been able to put as much time in here as I would have liked to but am more than happy to keep the door open on our merry little workshop.