Monday, October 13, 2008

Stars, Crosses, Goals




Despite a busy morning (well, I have a yoga class - so not unusually busy, just out of the house) I did manage to get some work done today - got 6 star ornaments made for a swap over on Creative Swaps - even got them in the post, too. One more thing to tick off the list. It's beginning to be a little less scary - only a few more October things to finish. Of course, there's a week of holiday coming up at the end of October, so it might be best to get as many finished before then as possible!

Anyway, the ornaments. I used two pieces of hand-dyed fabric - the one you see is actually quite a purply blue, but that colour doesn't photograph well. On the back is a more red purple. Fused them to a rectangle of vilene, then quilted the whole piece before cutting stars out (traced around a cookie cutter). I then satin stitched the edges, and added grommets, faces and danglies. The stars are about 3 inches across or so.

I said yesterday I'd do the cross-stitch update and goals list today when I had fewer pictures - so here they are. I decided to start the central panel of the cross-stitch rather than work on any more boxes this week. It's coming along nicely. Obviously the word "America" is there, and then there are two robins on a nest below it. Probably take another 2 weeks or so to finish that bit, especially as I have some other hand work to do this week. I'm keeping an eye on the time, as I would like to work on my Christmas cross-stitch projects for a while around Christmas, so it's possible I will set this one aside for a few months while I do those - I'm not really in the mood for the Christmas ones for a lot of the year, so they tend not to get worked on, even when I'm really in a cross-stitch mood otherwise. But come November or so, I will feel like doing Christmassy things - at least some of the time!



And finally, the goals list. I think I mentioned last week that I might go to the Knit and Stitch Show - obviously, I didn't. In the end, I decided that I really just needed the time at home on Sunday to sew, so I did that. Maybe next time... Anyway, a review of the week's aims:

  • journal quilt for the week (deadline 11/10) - done.
  • start October birthday block - yes, all ready for the hand sewing bits, which I have started tonight, actually.
  • work on Angela's quilt - nothing further done with this this week - just didn't have a day I could work on quilting the border. Maybe this week!
  • set of postcards - "starts with V" (deadline 15/10) - done and mailed.

So, this week:

  • journal quilt for the week (deadline 18/10)
  • set of star ornaments (deadline received by 1/11 in the US)
  • finish October birthday block
  • start ALQS2
  • work on Angela's quilt

I know, I already have one of those things accomplished, but I promise I had intended to put it on my goals list before today - in fact, I worked on it today because I knew it was on the list!

8 comments:

Vicki W said...

I love your star ornaments!

jovaliquilts said...

Those are terrific ornaments!
What a clever way to make them. I have bunches of holiday cookie cutters, I may make that a December project.

creativelenna said...

I love your fabric stars Kate, and cannot wait to see them in person for the swap!

Genie said...

Lovely ornaments Kate

sewkalico said...

Gorgeous ornaments!

artisbliss said...

Those stars are great.

Anonymous said...

Stars are really cute Kate.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea, love the stars,
Take care