Christmas Quilting - Not two words I would usually put together

Our local quilt group is called the Spa Quilters.  A lovely bunch of creative ladies that have so much skill and knowledge I try to go and just gather information on how to do things.....

Each year there is a challenge and the decision was make to make some thing Christmassy..... You could say whether or not you would go in the challenge in March. We were given a piece of felt, some ribbon and two pieces of fabric.

Yes I did say I would do the challenge in March.......

Suddenly .... it is the start of November (that is roughly when I actually started this)... and it is due to be finished by the end of the month....AARRGGHH.... What was I thinking???? Where has all my time gone. I couldn't back out... the threat of having to judge the challenge loomed....

And of course I could do something simple but no - I planned what I would do in October (when I still had heaps of time).... so I had to work out how to make a hole in a quilt....(hellooo google...)

Well now you can see it - almost done.

If I am feeling brave (insane) there might be a bit more going on it but basically it is done...except for the stitching, finishing the binding, trimming the threads........ yes I know, back to work.

Anna Tunic

I have knitted a few things of late but something I haven't done for a very long time is sew something for myself....that I will wear and enjoy.

Like many, I didn't enjoy sewing at high school with the "though shalt sew straight lines until they are straight!!!" approach .... But when I started working I couldn't afford all the clothes I wanted.

Purchasing my first sewing machine at 20 (Mums old and heavy Singer was on loan for ages) I started sewing clothes for both myself and some friends....

Then.... nothing for a whole lot of years (ahem we are not going to say how many....) The odd mend or two with a few curtains and cushions thrown in, but basically not much. More hand stitching that was portable.

But now I have finished the Anna Tunic designed by Amy Butler in Collage Bird Dot I can see a whole bunch of clothing happening....