New Year’s Eve, Zoom, a finish for December and 2025 Challenge

 First up is Zoom on New Years Eve

Thanks Chooky for  a few last minute zoom days. 

https://chookyblue.blogspot.com/2024/12/chookshed-stitchers-end-of-year-stitch.html

It has been a great time spending with crafty ladies on zoom. I have achieved so much in the last 4 days than 4 months.

So, there was much chatting about so many topics with so many friends. Here goes.

Second was a finish.

I have been knitting these teabag scarves for a while now. Sometimes the stitches fall off the end of the needles. They are hard to pick up the stitches. I came across this pattern on Pinterest to make the perfect needle holder. http://thenomeknitter.blogspot.com/2015/05/tutorial-double-pointed-needle-keeper.html

I made a few of the sizes suggested but my friend doesn’t use small needles so I made a special one to fit 12” needles.

My Aqua quilt. I have all the rows up on the design wall. I have added another 2 rows because I really wanted a rectangular quilt and didn’t want much fabric left over so I worked out how to make a few extra blocks with the leftovers and have laid them out. Today I started sewing the rows together.12 blocks * 14 blocks. Each block measures finished 8”.

Now to finish sewing rows together another day.

And there is Chookshed Challenge 2025 

Of course I am joining in. So here is my list…..

No. 1.  Xmas stitchery calendar… progress

No. 2.  Bookcase quilt… do some quilting on it.

No. 3.  Sashiko… Jane McDonald Cruise Quilt

No. 4.  Aqua quilt… backing and binding. (To be sent to quilters)

No. 5.  Placemats for charity/Maxine

No. 6.  Chandlers Cottage Advent envelopes

No. 7.  Red Dalmatian Quilt.. ( quilt it )

No. 8. Flip La K ruler bag. ( this wasn’t done in 2024 )

No. 9.  Farmers Wife quilt blocks progress

No. 10.  Project bags. Can never have enough…..

January’s number has been drawn.. It’s No. 6.

I get to continue with my Chandlers Cottage Advent envelopes. 

I didn’t get to do many in December so I am looking forward to stitching some more in January.

Thanks Deanna and Chooky for coordinating this yearly challenge..

It’s not too late for you to join in too.

Go here.

https://dreamworthyquilts.blogspot.com/2024/12/finally-chookshed-challenge-2025-is.html

My 2024 started out so well then there were a few hurdles to end the year with. 

So let’s all say goodbye to 2024 and hello 2025. 

A quiet Boxing Day sewing.

 We have had a very quiet Boxing Day. I spent it sewing while watching YouTube.

Tony was napping.

I kept on trimming my blocks which have taken ages and multiple attempts.

All blocks are now trimmed to 8 1/2”.

Now to play with layouts. I had some in mind but due to different amounts of coloured blocks I had to rethink. I did want the darker colours on the edge.

I was going to make it rectangular but the design would have been odd so it will now be square.

I then thought about one half being the brown border and the other the aqua. 

The nurse has come to change Tony’s feet dressings. Healing is going better.

Better check to make sure they are all turned correctly. Now another idea has come to mind.

I think I like this border better…

Merry Christmas

 We had a great day yesterday for our Christmas lunch.

Our daughter, son in law and grandsons were here for lunch. We had a quiet time for a few hours.

Started with the gifts of course. Then moved on to chatting and nibbles while lunch was cooking.

Ready to eat lunch.

Some people just don’t like having their photos taken.

Time to have a laugh then say goodbye.

It was good to have Tony home and we could relax.

Hope everyone has had a great time with their loved ones.

Day 24th of advent & Christmas Eve.

 Firstly, I have opened today’s advent envelope and it’s a cute monogram cross stitch.

I will enjoy making this one.

Next. Since losing our son 12 years ago I haven’t really got into the Christmas decorating. Some years I didn’t even put the tree up. The same was happening this year with us not knowing where we will be.

Enough of that. I thought the kids are coming for Christmas lunch now Tony is home so that means I’ll put up the small tree, used to be my mums, and a few decorations. All my others are out in the shed and I am not going out to sort that out. So here is my tree to celebrate having Tony home to enjoy Christmas with his family.

When we were at the Royal Melbourne Hospital last week there were Christmas trade tables. The staff that make crafts outside of their hospital jobs are allowed to have a stand a few times a year. There was one stand I really loved. She made her own felt and stitches up ornaments to sell. She had made this candy/bauble garland. I treated myself. I did buy a few things for gifts but did not think to take a photo.

The felted balls are so cute.

Happy Christmas Eve

Day 22-23 of my advent calendar & TONY IS HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

 Here are the next 2 projects from my advent box. 

December 22

December 23

I can’t wait to make these.

BUT, THE GOOD NEWS IS

TONY IS HOME IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS 

Yes, Tony was discharged from hospital today and set up with hospital in the home.

They will visit daily and hopefully Tony will continue to recover well. He is now back to walking a short distance and is eating well. 

It has been a trying time over the last few weeks with the hospital stays in Melbourne and the extra operations but he is home. I am so grateful and that’s all the Christmas presents I need.

I know there are a few blogging friends going through hard times with family health issues and losses. My heart goes out to them and I do hope they can find it in their heart to have a good Christmas with their loved ones.

Day 16-21 of advent calendar

 Here are the next photos of my advent.

Days 16-21st of December.

These are beautiful little projects and I can’t wait to get working on them. 

Day 9-15 of Advent Calendar & Tony is back in Mildura

 Oh boy. What a few weeks I have had. Tony back in hospital, airlifted to Melbourne again, surgery, recovery and back to Mildura Hospital again. It is so nice to be home and in my own bed. It will be even better when Tony comes home. He is improving and starting to walk again.

So back to my advent calendar envelopes. I got up to date 8 but I haven’t finished sewing them yet with everything that has been going on.  So now I am home again it’s time to catch up with opening the rest.

Here are days 9-15th December. Now I have to start sewing them.

 

Day 8 of my advent box. A day in the city.

 Another day visiting and another envelope opened.

Today’s package has something I haven’t used before. Cork fabric…..

Today is a key ring with a lovely tag made with the cork appliquéd onto another piece of fabric.

This one is put on hold for a week or two.

Walking through the city I enjoyed looking at all the different buildings. Old and new, big and small, tall and low. Look how these two have that wonderful joining bridge.

Then there are the colours mixed into the buildings. In the distance…

And up closer.

We also had a visit from a HOG member.

I was in the elevator and thought I recognised a couple that were in there too. Yes, I was right.

Last year I made and donated a Harley Davidson quilt to the Melbourne OZ HOG group. They loved it. Pat was the president at the time. He and his wife, Deb were visiting their daughter in the hospital so came up to visit Tony. It was an emotional visit. Anyway, all went well and it was great to hear the stories about the quilt. This group doesn’t have a club room and meet at a local pub for their meetings. Every month they hang my quilt and do any presentations in front of it. It was so good to see photos.

Tony didn’t want his photo taken. He was very emotional. Here is Pat, Deb and myself.

Thanks for the quick visit and enjoy your OZ Hog Xmas party.

December 7 advent box. A day in hospital

 Saturday December 7 was spent visiting Tony in hospital.

I did open my envelope first though. Look at this pretty pack.

Fabric and a reel of cotton to do the quilting. As I am unable to use my machine I might set this one up for hand quilting instead of the proposed machine.

I did manage to start stitching on yesterday’s bookmark.

Day 6 Advent, a long drive and another hospital.

 I opened this envelope early. I am so glad I did. 

It was a lovely stitchery for today. The kit for today was a beautiful linen piece to trace the design on, thread and a backing fabric.

So I traced the design on to the linen ready for stitching.

Earlier in the year at Waikerie I won this light board. It is an A4 size and it has been great for tracing smaller designs.

So I traced out the design ready for stitching.

All set for a day in the hospital ward…. Waiting….

Packed ready to go in the pouch I made from my Japan Sashiko class.

This bookmark shouldn’t take too long but I didn’t get it started.

I have brought it with me to Melbourne.

The drs have decided that the surgery Tony needs can’t be done at home so he was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. I drove so got here late after a 6 hour drive. Got into hospital and checked what is going on. Tony is have intravenous antibiotics and will be monitored all weekend then on Monday surgery might happen. As to what gets done I won’t know until then. He is expected to be in hospital at least a week.

I did bring extra sewing and knitting with me. 

Thursday 5th December

 So today’s advent was a very quick and easy.

So I have ironed on to a wadding

Stitched to the backing

I was thinking I would stitch a running stitch as a border.

Nope that didn’t happen

This gift of an advent calendar project subscription was given to me for my Mother’s Day present from my daughter and son in law. I love it and am having so much fun stitching away with it.

It was supposed to be a post card but I wanted it to keep and will use it as a coaster or mug rug on my stitching table.