Back to Chandlers Cottage Advent sewing

 Last year (2024) my daughter bought me a great sew along Advent Calendar from Chandlers Cottage. As you know, my plans changed and I wasn’t able to work on them at the time. 

I choose to work on this project. Just a small one.

I have done cross stitch before but have never used this fabric stabiliser before. You don’t have to draw the design onto your fabric. Just count, stitch and pull the threads away when you are done.

And here it is all stitched.

Now to trim it and make it into the pin cushion.

Oops cut it wrong. I had stitched it in the correct orientation so I didn’t have to trim it small. Looks like I forgot and I followed the instructions to trim (shouldn’t have). Now I have made it square and not on point.

And sewn together.  Well it’s a lot smaller now. Finished at 2”.

 

Advent calendar finishes . CHOOKSHED January Challenge

 I have finished three small items from my Chandlers Cottage Advent Calendar.

My bookmark. I have stitched all the flowers.

The bookmark is completed

Here it is inside a book I’m reading.

And my Xmas decoration. The one I ran out of thread. I added in some Christmas red for the pot.

The loop has also been made.

How cute does this hanger look.

Only small but that is no.6 of the CHOOKSHED 2025 Challenge.

Linky page

I also snuck in another of the advent calendar. This was what was in the envelope. Beautiful shimmering green fabric and a lovely reel of thread.

And the pattern for a pot holder, mug rug or coaster.

I used this triple stitch as suggested by Leesa for the quilting.

Here it is on my machine

I love the finished stitch. It really shows up great. I think I will use this stitch again in a quilting project.

Included to use was Wonderfil thread. 50 weight.

Colour - Konfetti

I used a pipe clear to put the bobbin with the thread. I did have some bought blue clips to do this but I cannot find them. This will do as I want to keep them together. 

And here it is finished. I love it..

My Sunday has been slow stitching my CHOOKSHED challenge

 

It’s a Sunday spent slow stitching with the air con on. Another 37 degrees day and no appointments.

Tony is progressing well. Doing more exercises. He actually was able to walk to the end of the court today. That is 3 house blocks away.

I have finished the stitching on day 6 of my advent calendar. I didn’t really enjoy this stitching as I wasn’t sure of the thread colour but I am warming to it.

Day 3 project was at a standstill. I ran out of thread. I finally looked through my threads and settled on this darker cranberry. 

I finished the stitching and made the loop

Now to machine sew both projects into their finished items.

This covers me for my   Chookshed challenge mid month  and Slow Stitching Sunday

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.