Kath Kidston bag

While we were in Bath we had a look at the Kath Kidston shop. There was this book with enough fabric included to make a bag. I just had to buy the book and make the bag.

The other projects are quite simple, but could be inspirational, depending on what you are looking for. I thought that for £15 I could have a book and a bag, so not bad then.

The pieces of fabric were pre-cut, that's what I call luxury, with little marks to match up the seams. The buttons and label were also provided. I copied the pattern first, on the recommendation from DH. I'm not sure it was included on the pattern sheet provided.

Then I decided to line my bag, and add an inside pocket. It's easy when you have been making bags in a challenge for a year.

So a quick project, which stopped my progress on

the UFO list, but nevermind.

Iris wallhanging for my Mum

Now for something I have made, and am proud about: my Mum's Birthday present. She was born before Christmas, and as we go back to Paris around that time, she gets a second cake, with the candles, presents and family. She deserves it.

This year I wanted to give her something I made, and used the pattern I bought some time ago (ok a few years...but I knew who to use it for). It is "Iris" by Gail Lawther, and is a stained glass patchwork pattern. Go down on the web page about 2/3 of the way to find it.

http://www.hbweb.co.uk/gqpv3/pattern_packs_regular.asp

Now I can promise that the wallhanging is straight. It's just that it was folded when travelling.

I used this opportunity to practise my free motion quilting on the feathers in the borders. It doesn't look too bad on the photo.

I regret that I didn't have time to buy a bar to hang it on the wall. This being Christmas time I was pretty busy. I hope that she has found the time to hang it properly. I'll see in February when I'll be going on my own to my god-daughter's first communion.

I enjoyed this pattern, the second I've made by Gail Lawther.

Now back to this UFO list, to shorten it, and then I need to make something for my DH's Birthday.

Seasonal art in Japan

I found the Quiltmania blog in french with these amazing photos taken in Japan. Have a look yourself, art has taken a new form.

http://blog.quiltmania.com/?p=58

Visit to Bath

On Saturday, DH, DD3 DD4 and myself spent the day in Bath, in England of course. The first objective of the day was to drop my sewing machine to be serviced in the Husqvarna shop. I must say I was very satisfied with the service. We left it in the morning and I had it back at 3 pm. It is now so much quieter.

The bits of thread and fluff that get under the bobbin and feed dogs can't be stopped, sadly. I shall try to clean that part of the machine more often,otherwise my empty bobbin indicator doesn't work anymore, until the next service of course.

We were hoping to visit the Fashion Museum, and the Asian Museum, but the shopping won.

Second stop was the patchwork shop "Country Threads" in Pierrepont Place. It's Alibaba's cavern, you could spend hours there...except the girls wouldn't have any of that. I managed to buy some fabric, admire some quilts, pick up some ideas for future projects.

Here are some photos taken on DH's phone.

There was a lot more shopping. Some tea and coffee in a shop were the girls were offered to smell the lid of jars: vanilla tea, chocolate coffee.. I thought it was a really good idea, as it got them interested at 11 and 8 years old.

And then we saw the windows of the All Saints shop, full of old sewing machines. I wasn't the only one dribbling in front. Sadly the photos are not so good because of the reflections.

Snow

We have had some snow since last Wednesday morning. School was out on that day for all 4 girls, but the youngest had to go back on Thursday, and the others on Friday. The roads were not safe at the beginning, but are OK now.We have been sledging every day, and there have been some attempts at igloo building, but not very successfull.

Here is what it looked like on Wednesday morning.

The girls are getting ready to go to school, with my friend Chris all kitted up to walk in the snow with them.

The pleasure of children walking in fresh snow is such that we all went to accompany them to school at the end. Only to all come back soon after.

This photo was taken by my husband on his way to work on Thursday. Everything looks so beautiful, although very cold indeed.

This last photo is to show you that I did manage to do some sewing. I finally reopened my working/sewing station. The machine is in place and I can work on my UFO, the Dreamcatcher quilt for DD2.

I cut 120 rectangular pieces for the border.