A nice way to spend a Monday

Well Monday was a different day, my Sister Maggie is a lace maker and has a lace pillow, one of several, but this is a favorit with a roller  cushion in the centre.  Now this is apparently being worked on with some blackwork and she has another piece of lace to make with a deadline for August for a wedding.  So the conundrum was what to do then ping she asked Rob to make the wooden section of the roller so we could then endeavour to make a new cushion around this.  Well Rob rose to the occasion and after several phone calls to ensure precise measurements - bearing in mind she lives in London and this was being made in our shed in Peterborough!  The bones of the cushion were made.

Well my next task was to get the fabric, so obviously this came from Art and Stitch, good old moda bella classics!  I cut this to size and hemmed all the way round and went and bought the pet bedding ready for stuffing.  maggie arrived early monday and we glued the fabric to the wooden roller then used the staple gun to ensure it will never shift!  Stuffed frantically and hey presto below is the finished roller.  Not bad eh.  The lovely trimming she purchased in Peru on her last trip there.

Well it wouldn't have been such a good day without a visit from Caroline and young Leo.  Caroline has now decided to become a stay at home Mum (which she is absolutely enjoying) and is with the help of Mum in law Pam teaching herself to crochet and here is the little bunny she made for Leo.

We all went out for lunch and had a great day.  So Rob and I are looking forward to seeing the lace roller in action and the lace she produces on it.

I honestly do not know where the time goes to and everytime I update my blog I really intend to do so more often then here I am again not having done so for ages.

We recently lost one of our cold water fish so we bought some new babies two little darlings - they were not daunted by the size of the other two enormous monsters and are holding their own at feeding time and I think are now putting on weight.

They are very cute and actually know it!!

Now I have been helping a young lady who has learning difficulties in the shop and she wanted to make an easy bag - this is mine that I put together to show her.  We will post hers next month when she gets the handles on - she has picked it up so quickly and is enjoying herself.  Next month we are going to start a scrap quilt with her.

  I made the bag from scraps so both sides are different - it is a lovely little bag and I enjoyed making it.

I have been very productive at home this last week embellishing this wall panel - I do enjoy sitting hand quilting and beading it is great fun - and I think the panel looks great.  We do have this panel for sale at Art and Stitch !!!

These fairies are such fun and this panel will look lovely on a youngsters wall.

Well on this horrid snowy Saturday I hope you are all wrapped up warm and have lots of sewing to keep you occupied.

Having Fun

 I have been having great fun with some little projects - a change from finishing UFO's we have got this great panel come into the shop and I have cut it up to make these little wall hangings, two cushions (yet to be finished) and enough panels for a third wall hanging.  I love sitting embellishing them whilst sitting in the evenings.

I have also been making some little bags - we had a great class here last week and the ladies got very enthusiastic and made several each - so I have been playing and made a few myself - just had to be done - think this red and black one needs some embellishments now - that is a thought!

 Yesterday Angela had cut up these strips for me to make this lovely little bag - it is such fun to make - I think I can feel a workshop coming on for this.

Oh then I find some scraps in the sewing room and these two little bags were the resulting fun - I do enjoy bags - odd really but they are quick and very rewarding.