2015: A Year in Review

I thought I'd have a look back at the year and what I have made, since it is New Year's Eve and all...

Clothes

I set myself a challenge to make a garment a month for the year. It petered out towards the end, but I still have lots of yardage and grand plans for it in 2016. For the full round up have a look here.

Row 1: Roly Poly; Bess Top, Wiksten Tank, Ella Top
Row 2: Sutton Blouse, Alder skirt, Bianca Top, Sailor Top
Row 3: Two sweet Christmas Geranium tops

Aussie Birthday Club

The 2015 half of the AHBC - I got spoilt rotten on my birthday and I made some lovely things too (if I say so myself). Although I feel a bit sorry for the 2014 cohort since I know how much my sewing has improved over the last 12 months. Sorry guys! I always did the very best I could though

Clockwise from top left: Embroidery to go bag; Noodlehead envelope clutch; Dolly; AMH mini, Curvy Clutch

Swaps

I participated in a lot of swaps. I find it hard not to join in, but next year I am going to try and sit them out since I have some long term larger WIPs I want to finish. Although, I do find that I push myself to try new and harder things for swaps. 

Clockwise from top left: My Sierpinski Mini, Aussie Christmas Swap, Rocky the Tula Pink Squirrel, Sapphire Mini, Schnitzel & Boo Mini Swap

Quilts
Although I only finished these, I do have an obscene amount of WIPs to burn through next year - check back once the new year has ticked over to see my list.

Clockwise from top Left: ABC quilt, Sea Star Quilt, Scrappy Union Jack, Fruit Tingle

Pillows

Clockwise from Top Left: Wee wander pillow 1; Princess Twilight Sparkle; Wee wander pillow 2; Briar Rose pillow

Fete Sewing
Lastly, Moo's school had a fete and I had a stall, so I sewed my backside off prepping for that. That tied me up pretty much for the rest of the year.

And that is pretty much it - a productive year! 

Thanks for reading along with me and have a safe and happy New Year. Bring on 2016!

Aussie Christmas Swap: Rainbow Pillow

Finally, last minute Christmas sewing is over, fete sewing is over, work is over (for the year, let's not get too excited), school is over, so I have a spare few minutes to write a blog post.

I feel it is very appropriate to write this post this long weekend since it was a make for the Aussie Christmas Swap. 

My partner said they loved Tula, Alison Glass and EPP / hexagons. Well, I have a fair amount of both Tula and Alison in my stash but given the short timeframe for the swap plus all the associated Christmas / year end crazy there was no way I was going to have time for hand piecing. I went with a pattern that had a good geometric design still though and hoped that would meet the criteria for my partner. 

Pattern I drafted up in PowerPoint

First up I whipped up some foundation paper piecing templates in PowerPoint. I am a big believer in playing to your strengths and I am good at PowerPoint. Obviously not the quilters tool of choice but for something simple in a pinch I thought it was a good option. 

Then auditioning colour placement and piece, piece, piece. Once done I was a bit stumped with how to quilt it, so I sat on it (metaphorically, not literally) for a few days and is often the case, the solution came to me in bed. I used my growing collection of Aurifil to match the colours and quilt it up. 

In love with the quilting pattern

I couldn't decide which part I loved the most, so two quilting pictures!

I used some Alison Glass Ex Libris for the pillow back and bound it in bike path in black and called it finished. Truth be told I was sorry to send it off, but spirit of Christmas and all that. 

This is my December ALYoF finish. 

Stats

Quilt: Alison x Tula Rainbow (technically it's a pillow)

Pattern: inspired by a pillow made by Sami (@imasavonasac on Instagram)

Dimensions: 16" x 16"

Fabric: mainly Alison Glass Handcrafted (I & II) and assorted Tula Pink (Eden, Elizabeth, True Colors)

Binding: Alison Glass Bike Path in Black & White

Backing: Alison Glass Ex Libris in Bookplate warm
Quilting: Aurifil 50wt in assorted colours

Now. I know people say it is better to give than receive and I felt pretty good about my giving, but I totally hit the jackpot on the receiving end. My partner was Carmen (@wombatcupcaketree on Instagram) and it was like she read my mind. 

A truly thoughtful gift

The necklace was actually on my Christmas Wishlist for my family so I had to take that off. I feel so very fortunate to have received a gift that someone put so much thought into. Thank you Carmen!!

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day

** This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winners Cindy Weaver & Mrs Quinn! Both have been contacted via email. Thanks again to everyone who entered and for all the book recommendations, I am sorted for Summer reading**

Hello!! This is my first Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day (at least as a giver - I have entered lots of times though!).

I am very excited to be able to participate. 

If you are popping over from the giveaway, then here is a bit about me: my name is Hayley and I have been sewing for a bit over two years. I started sewing when I was pregnant with daughter number two. I have two girls affectionately known as Ms Moo and Ms Bird - hence the blog name - and a very tolerant husband who puts up with my sewing addiction and bits of thread all over the house. My first sewing love is quilting, but I also love to make bags, purses, pillows and more recently have been making some clothes. I live in beautiful Sydney, Australia. I have a ridiculous number of WIPs but 2016 is going to be all about finishing (some of) them off! Have a sticky beak around and if you like what you see I'd love for you to pop back from time to time and see what I have going on. 

But now to the main event!! Today I have these two pencil cases to give away. Since there are two pencil cases, I'll pick two winners.

The prize!

What's on the inside

What do you have to do to win? Just leave me a comment telling me whether you would prefer to win the low volume or black one - the first one I pick will get their choice first. And if you want to leave me a book recommendation for my Summer holidays, that would be nice too. That's it - no other hoops to jump through.

I'll pick the winner Sunday 13th of December and I'll ship internationally. Now get back over to the giveaways and get entering!

(I try to reply to comments, but I am anticipating lots for the giveaway so please don't be upset if I don't reply to you. Let me just say good luck here!)

December ALYoF Goal: Aussie Christmas Swap Gift

For those of you that follow me on Instagram (I'm @peaches1003) you will have seen the gift that I have been overgramming am making for the Aussie Christmas Swap.

I was inspired by a similar pattern by Sami (@iamsavonsac). I have been drooling over it for ages and was so glad to have a reason to try it.

My partner says she likes Tula Pink and Alison Glass - I hope she means it!! 

The posting date is the 8th of Dec so I have to be done by then.. 

This is my December goal for ALYoF.