Stitcheries, stuffies and sales!

Hi everyone:

Welcome to Monday and time to let you know about my exciting news.

I've been hard at work on some seasonal patterns and am pleased to release two new stitchery sets just in time for Christmas gifts.

Christmas Stitchery Set includes 3 patterns related to the season, including:

Holly Jolly from Christmas Stitchery Set

Lotsa Presents from Christmas Stitchery Set

Christmas Tree from Christmas Stitchery Set

All 3 patterns included in Christmas Stitchery Set

The Winter Stitchery Set includes 3 designs inspired by our Canadian winters, including: 

Wintery House included in Winter Stitchery Set

Starlit Snowman included in Winter Stitchery Set

Ribbon Snowflake included in Winter Stitchery Set

The 3 patterns included in Winter Stitchery Set

Each set contains full-size templates to create 3 hand embroidery projects. Regular and reversed designs are included in both patterns, as well as a heart template should you wish to create ornaments or pincushions with these patterns. They also make adorable shelf sitters for the mantle or nestled together in a wicker basket. Add some potpourri and you have seasonal sachets!

But that's not all! I also have just uploaded 4 embroidered stuffie patterns to my website. I really love these little guys and they're perfect gifts for little ones with no loose bits to catch on their fingers and toes. (Almost completely out of the bag). Let me introduce Hoot, Screech and Whoobie.

Hoot embroidered stuffie - the daddy of the family

Screech, the momma of the family

Whoobie, the baby of the family

These patterns are for hand embroidery and work up very quickly. While I prefer to cuddle them, you might want to use them as pincushions and they also look adorable all together on a shelf. Each stuffie is available as a separate pattern or you may prefer to purchase the entire family together. The patterns all include full-size regular and reversed format templates as well as coloured diagrams and stitch suggestions. 

The Hoot family

Now, that's a lot of excitement for a Monday morning, but I'm not done yet. 

As my Christmas gift to my readers, all my patterns, including my new ones, will be on sale this week (December 3 to December 9) at a 20% discount. 

As these are PDF downloads, you'll have them instantaneously (okay, maybe not that fast, but fast!) and will be able to start working on them right away. Or you could get a headstart on next year's presents :)

I hope you'll browse through my shop and take advantage of the Christmas sale this week.  

As for me, I'm currently working on another project, which you'll hear about later this week - yup, more surprises coming.

Now that was a busy week!

Stuffies and quilts and websites, oh my!

Hi everyone:

This past week was very busy for me. First, I had two sick kids in the house - with different ailments. This always throws off my schedule, even though they are now old enough to pretty much look after themselves. It means calling schools in the morning to let them know that my child won't be there and making sure they're hydrated and medicated. At least they are quieter when they're not feeling well, so I  did manage to accomplish quite a bit this past week.

I finished up Teeka's mat. I had some leftover charm squares and thought that they would look lovely as a sleep mat for her - and would give me a small project to practise my free motion skills on. It's almost too pretty for a cat mat, but if anyone deserves it, it is Teeka.

Teeka trying out her new mat

Is this for me?

 I backed it in flannel and she appears to really like it. 

I love it! Notice the flower echo free-motion quilting.

Next I had to whip up a stuffy for Jamie to take to leadership camp - which he didn't go to as he had the stomach flu. In any case, he has a new stuffy to add to his collection. I drew up a pattern on freezer paper, ironed it to a recycled sweater (nice and soft merino wool), cut it out, stitched it up and stuffed it. 

Another stuffy for the collection

I then had to add a bit more to it, so chose some buttons from my collection for his eyes. I think they turned out well. I was pleased that I found a project that begged to be made from one of the many wool sweaters that I have stashed away for just such a design. I was also glad that I could use up some of my buttons and I think they made quite good buggy eyes.

I've got my eye(s) on you!

When I wasn't working on these projects, I was working on cleaning up files for our new website. It's still a glimmer in the distance, but getting brighter every day. This week-end I managed to create a collage of my patterns for the front page and I think it turned out rather well. Patterns are already loaded up into the website store, now it's just a matter of adding text to various pages and then to test it out. Keep your fingers crossed that everything syncs together well. If you work with Rapidweaver, let me know as I might need to ask for some help in the future.

This week I hope to work on some more patterns and do some actual quilting. I have several fall/Halloween projects that are already waiting for me at the sewing machine. 

I hope you have a productive week and are enjoying fall.