Tidings of Fairies and Joy!

Well as you can see I've been a busy little bee - no shirking here.

All blocks completed and stitched together on the Christmas Fairy Table Runner. Plus the appliqued holly leaves and berries done on the centre block and the ends. I'm pretty pleased with how it's come out - mind you I'll bet it will look a whole lot better against a newly pressed snow white cloth than my tatty old waterproof table cloth we use for everyday to stop the kids wrecking the table surface, even if the colour matches with the runner.

Now I have to do my least favourite bit - sandwiching - hate it even on manageable sized pieces of work but hey-ho I'll just have to grit my teeth and get on with it because I certainly can't wrap up the runner as it is :o) I think I will probably just machine quilt all over with a large holly leaf design and then bind it in the dark green of the geese backgrounds. I also intend to make them a couple of cushion covers similar to the burgundy and cream ones I did for my sister's birthday but this time on a subtle beige/mushroom shade with cream bias celtic knotwork to go with the mucky light brown colour scheme (my mother's less than complimentary description not mine) in their lounge. I would have been a little more descriptive using words like driftwood, mocha, cafe au lait etc etc :o) On a different note my sister was so delighted with her birthday cushions she dropped a great big hint on the phone the other night for a couple more to accompany them - they won't get done for Christmas but she might have a surprise new year present in the post.


I also had a bit of a play with the first of the three 'Joy' hangings - didn't quite judge the positioning of the appliqued bells so had to continue the sides of the hanging down into the red fabric - but never mind the recipient won't have any idea that I didn't intend it that way in the beginning. Another thing to sandwich. I sure wish those Christmas fairies would wave their magic wands and miraculously have everything in the house that needs it sandwiched - after all I have several bigger tops in the house they could do while they're at it!

In addition to these items I've also made a start on MIL and FIL's cushion covers which are in a space dyed yellow to match the furnishings in their conservatory but with the celtic knotwork in a candy striped fabric which cut on the bias is giving a lovely effect as it twists over and under itself - I'll show more of that as it progresses into something a little more photogenic.

I have some unexpected stitching time come my way today - some of you may be thinking why is she blogging when she should be at work.

I headed into the office early this morning, as I was expecting a visit from my area finance officer to hand-hold me through some month end reconciliation stuff, only to receive a call from the children's school asking me to collect Louise - tummy pain again.

Amazingly I managed to get a short notice doctor's appointment and whipped her in there straight from school.

Doc reckons she has inflammation of the the lymph glands in her abdomen - I never even realised you had them there - not a major worry - liquid paracetamol, warm quilt on the sofa and a bit of TLC til they go down - possibly a few days. So mum will be watching over her whilst stitching.

Heaven only knows when I'll get the paid work done though!