Hand-sewing ...

While I haven't gotten as much sewing done lately as I would have liked ... you know, uni ... I have achieved a couple of things I am quite happy about, sewing-wise ...

A month ago I asked for some advice concerning the quilt I was working on for Aussie Hero Quilts.

I wanted ideas for how to border the blocks ... since this is my first full-size quilt that I have made from dot-to-dot ... ever!!! ... I really wanted to make sure this one looks good!
The consensus seemed to lie firmly upon bordering the blocks with a thin blue border (to highlight the blocks), with a brown/burgandy wider border to frame.  This is the quilt, in sandwiched form ...

Can you believe that this was the first time I had done this?!!  Without spraying it?!!  All totally basted by pins with pin moors!  (Fantastic tools!!!  Seriously! If you have never used them ... and don't particularly enjoy using safety pins ... give them a go!  I bought a pack of 50 and really, I could have used at least another packet ... I will certainly be saving up my pennies for a couple more packets of these!!  They are fantastic!!!)  I have been using the pin moors in the binding stage too, and they have been mighty handy, saving me from being stabbed by the pins (not necessarily by the needle, lol!) a few times!  Here's a more 'current' pic of them in action ...

And a 'better shot' of the quilt ... though not completely, but you get the idea ... need to save that shot for when I finish sewing down the binding ...

I really love the blue ... it really frames the blocks!!!  Thanks!!!

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The other project I have been working on, this one since Christmas, has been Natalie Bird's 'Tis the Season' stitchery wallhanging.  Well, I have finished all the stitcheries, including the label.

Last I updated on this, I had two 'blocks' and the label to do...

I used the mittens with holly block as the label (above, centre), using a darker burgundy to detail the name of the wallhanging, the year made, and 'sign' my name.

Here are the completed blocks all ready to be bordered and made into a top ...

I have put this aside as I have not yet got my fabrics to complete this project, but you can be sure I will have this completed before this Christmas!

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And because I need a stitchery project to have available to me at all times ....

I have made a start on my 'Christmas Bon Bons' from Hatched and Patched.  I drew up three 'panels' earlier this year, but haven't gotten started on them until now.  I have decided to use Pellon on the back of these stitcheries for a softer feel (I usually use Parlan, which I love ...).  DMC304 is my thread of choice.

I have a few other things that I have worked on, swap items mainly, in the last few weeks, but I will leave them to a later post to show.  I am still waiting on hearing back from my March partner as to whether she has received the blocks ... If not soon, I will be making another couple of stars for her. A few other projects I need to work on, plus another assignment due in a few weeks ... Oh, and I have a 4 year old to entertain, lol!  Busy times, busy times!!!