Wintering Stitches

 All Quiet on the Stitching Front

First of all I thought I'd pay tribute to the Hard Working Patch of Heather in my back Garden.

All year round it provides a wonderful backdrop to many of my Works of Stitching. Both as works in progress & finished pieces.

I took this close up photo only last week so January, and just look at the profusion of tiny flowers it proudly displays. When most of my garden is wintering, my Heather provides me with a welcome Splash of colour just outside my kitchen window.

So Thank you Heather. You are much Loved & Appreciated.

A Selection of Pink Heather's 'Work'

Slow January 

So my friends, I've had a gentle and slow start to 2026.

I had two new Babies arriving in February. The first one, a Girl (Granddaughter for my Neighbour). I've stitched a small Baby Blanket and I'll be adding these Cute Crochet Pink Elephants to it soon.

The Second is for Good Friend's new Grandson and features a Tractor....

....there will also be a Crochet Bunny & some Carrots added to this Blanket. Look out for that in My next month's Blog Post.

February Plans

As I slowly wake up from Wintering obviously I want to finish off My Two Crochet Baby Blankets. But I also want to make my first Hexagon Crochet Cardigan.

So that’s another something to look forward to next Month. 

Sewing update

My Winter Village or Blue Houses as I call it is currently residing in the naughty corner!

I got all inspired to carry on with the next part. Which was adding the Applique Stars.

Here they are.. notice that are also displayed on my Pink Heather!

They looked so impressive. But when I tried to place them on The Winter Village, they didn't fit as per the Pattern picture. So, what was wrong?And then I saw it. I'd forgotten to add two 3" sashing pieces in-between the rows of houses!! I was gutted.

I was going to carry on regardless BUT then I thought what if the rows of houses looked too squashed together without the sashing.

SO

I unpicked the two rows. Added in the two strips of sashing, and then. It looked huge. Those two sashing pieces added 6" (15cm) to the length of the Quilt.

Um, I intended displaying this quilt on a wall.

It was pretty big anyway.

AND

Now, I was thinking it might be too big.

Feeling really disappointed and unsure about it. I've relegated My Winter Village to the Naughty Corner well I ponder what I want to do next.

And so, those lovely Snowflakes are languishing on my work table.

Meanwhile 

I've started that Hexie Crochet Cardigan and picked up a knitting ufo - yes knitting! But more about those projects next month...

Look back at some of my Hand Stitching

My Japanese Boro Bag

New Camera

I have a new camera. So look forward to viewing the fruits of my progress next month.

Here's a New Camera Photo.

My First Ever Blurry Background Photo. Taken in my garden. 

We're in Windsor tomorrow. So looking forward to playing with my new toy! 

Wish me Happy Clicking.

Stitch Reflections 2025

Stitches 2025

A little looks back at my Stitching Projects this year.

Below a little Stitchery of possibly my Favourite Bird. The Black Bird.

I enjoyed Stitching this quite early on in the year.

Above. Grandmother's Hug.

A small throw I made for one of my Granddaughters.

It was a lovely soft & cwtchy make.

Below a Robin Stitchery 

&

A  Crochet Frodo

Frodo was a fun project. 

Above Sammy's Crochet Hug Family 

And Five Little Ducks went Swimming One Day 

Below the King Cole Festival Fever Blanket 

A fabulous array of different stitches. A happy make.

Above

The Winter Village

Or

Blue Houses as I call it.

I'm currently working on the Applique Snowflakes for this Quilt

Two Kindle Pouches

One for me & One for My Granddaughter 

Above Colly Birds

Lovely Felt Stitchery 

Below one of the Five Scarfs I've Crochet 

Just before Christmas 

Below two of the Granny Square Christmas Trees I Crochet in December 

Below the two Scrappy Patchwork Christmas Trees.

Below some more of the Granny Square Christmas Trees

And those My Stitchy Friends are my favourite makes from 2025.

Wintering 

I've been having a slow & gentle start to 2025.

Just being instead of doing.

Slowing down enough to reset myself.

Enjoying lazy mornings watching the birds in our garden.

Afternoons slowly Stitching or not...

Lots of quiet Evenings sometimes watching TV.

Sometimes Listening to Music I'm sharing this link with you so you can Listen & Relax To Boy Wonder - A Song About My Grandson!

Just Chillin 😎 

Stitching November 2025

Stitching for Christmas 

In November I focused on Stitching for Christmas.

Crochet Christmas Trees

I've really gone to town with these little beauties.

I experimented with different sizes from Half Trebles, Trebles and Double Trebles. It's been such fun. Especially as I can make one in about 30 minutes. 

My favourite were the Half Treble ones.

Mouse of the Month

Ta Da! Once again I've managed to finish a Mouse of the Month within it's alloted Month.

November in November 

November's Mouse of the Month was holding a firework with sparkles in the air.

BUT

November is My Birthday Month

SO

Changed it up so I now have a Birthday Cake & Gifts.

Crochet Scarfs

I have also Crochet more Granny Square Scarfs.

They make great Gift Ideas

Ten Granny Squares 

Joined Together

With 3 or 4 rounds added to finish them off

Christmas Hearts 

I almost forgot! I also Stitched some Christmas Hearts. 

This is one from the little collection of 

Christmas Stitching  I featured last month.

Really been enjoying my Christmas Stitching. Watch out for my December Stitching Adventures coming soon...

Meanwhile 

If your looking for a quick little Christmas  Project Check out my my Felt Christmas Stars

Stitches in October 2025

 Patchwork Quilting Applique & Crochet 

I'm feeling much more like myself this month. Had a pretty clear head and been able to get lots of Lovely Stitching done. 

Hand Stitching Machine Stitching & Crochet my my...

Machine Stitching 

Spent quite a bit of time Machine Stitching on my beloved Bernina this month. I've dived right back into The Winter Village 

I've machine stitched (Appliquéd) all the Branches Berries & Birds 🐦 on. 

I decided to not to free motion stitch them as the Applique pieces were mostly straight. So I slowly stitched around all the shapes. Turning my work slightly after every couple of machine stitches on the round Berries and Birds. That's when Needle Down & my machines Knee Lifter really show their worth.

Hand Stitching 

We've had some lovely Bright Days this month. In fact it's felt more like September than October, and with September being so wet for us here in South Wales I've felt September & October swapped places this year.

Anyway, as I said we've had some lovely Bright Days. Just perfect for me for Hand Stitching.

September Mouse of the Month 

My making of September's Mouse of the Month ran over in October...

October Mouse of the Month 

And Yay! I actually started and finished October's Mouse of the Month in October!

Christmas Hearts 

I've also Hand Stitched some pieces of fabric that are going to morph into Christmas Heart Hangings.

They are for my local W.I.'s Christmas Tree which will be displayed in Margam Park's Christmas Tree Festival.

Christmas Hearts

Crochet 

Looking at projects to make for Christmas I found a lovely Granny Square Scarf pic on Pinterest. Which gave me an idea.

I had a bag of Crochet Circles I had made a few years ago - the start of a Crochet Blanket. For some reason I didn't continue with it. And those Crochet Circles would make a perfect first few rounds for a bit of a different Granny Square to my usual ones.

A Lovely Scrap Busting Project 

So far I've made three of these Scarfs with number four a Work in Progress.

Crochet & Stitching September 25

Stitches in September 

A very short update this month.

This month has been challenging.

Of course no one can expect to keep going well all the time.

My head has been rather up and down. Migraine head. Unable to focus.

It's not nice.

But

I did have a few good days too. And have got some Stitching done. But nowhere near as much as normal for me.

Crochet 

I have started this Small Baby Blanket for my Neighbours new Grandson due in November.

Checking over this post I can see I've taken a picture of the above Blanket upside-down! And that pretty much sums up how my focus is at the moment!!

I also had plans to show how I Crochet this Project but they'll have to wait.

Stitching 

At the beginning of September whilst on holiday in Bulgaria I finished off Colly Bird no. 4.

It's a pattern by mmmcrafts.com

I have taken some videos of the making of my Colly Bird. But at the moment my heads not up to sorting that out.

Other than that it's been a pretty unproductive month for me Stitching wise.

I usually enjoy sharing my Stitching Plans for the next month with you all. But at the moment I can't focus or plan.

Joyofquilting 

I do try and live up to my name, so I'm ending with these.....

Butterflies

A few of the 100's of Red Admirals gathered outside my house this week.

Apparently they'll soon be flying to North Africa! 

It seems unbelievable that something so small and delicate looking could fly that far from the UK.

AND

Keeping it in the Family

A link to a song that's stuck in my head at the moment....

Satellite Park's

Little Victories

And that's what I'm focusing - Little Victories.

The link above takes you to that track of their Album Alpha Alpha on YouTube. 

(It's also all on Spotify & ITunes if you prefer.)

Relax & Enjoy x

Millenium Quilt Repairs

 My Millenium Quilt

                   Repairs 

My Favourite Patchwork Quilt 

Way back in 1999 when the new Millenium was on it's way. Quite a few Quilters got together on-line to celebrate this momentus occasion. It was called the Y2K Swap. Lots of Quilters from all over the globe started to swap Fabric Squares.

To find out more about the YK2 (Millenium Quilt Swap,

Take a look at My Original Millenium Quilt post 

I've been using My Millenium Quilt for 25 years now. It began showing it's age in 2020. I lovingly made some Fabric Heart Patches which I Appliquéd over the worn Squares.

This first batch of Repair Hearts I  Hand Appliquéd onto using a Blanket Stitch.

This year I had noticed a few more repairs were needed. I made more Fabric Hearts and below are some along with my Sewing Kit. All ready for some alfresco Stitching.

For this second round of repairs I used an invisible Appliqué Stitch - Needle Turn Applique. 

I got the idea for the Repair Hearts from an old Welsh Quilt my hubby bought me for my Birthday one year.

It's a Beautiful Piece of Work. We bought it from Jen Jones and she told us it was circa 1920's and most likely from Machynlleth.

She could tell by the Quilting Patterns used.

I love Welsh Quilting. It's so organic. 

This particular Quilt had been repaired in a few places with what looked like little plasters of fabric. I was very taken with method of repairing. So when it came time to Repair My own Quilt I chose to use Heart shaped little plasters.

While I was working so closely on the Quilt I could see the Binding was getting a little Threadbare.

So that will be my next Repair to this Quilt. 

Find out more.

Check out my Original Millenium Quilt Post

Winter Village so far....

 Winter Village 

Thought I'd give a progress report on the Winter Village Quilt I'm currently working on.

It's Called Winter Village by Edyta Sitar

The Pattern can be found at Laundry Basket Quilts but it is also in Edyta's Book A Season In Blue

I started working on this Quilt in April 2024

Edyta Sitar 

I made a good start following Edyta's YouTube instructions. But then like the Blackbird Crafter I am got sidetracked by lots of Shiny Little Projects...

In between these Beautiful distractions I stitched a few Houses here and there over the months.

There were 23 Blue Houses in total.

Although I did make a rouge Red One just for the fun of it

I have Built all the Houses now. And have made a start on the Quilting.

Machine Quilting 

Some close-ups of My Machine Stitching. Just inside the doors and windows followed by Stitching just outside the doors & windows. And some diagonal Machine Stitching on a roof.

Hand Stitching/Quilting 

Above. I've decided to Hand Stitch Hearts in different sizes in the Sashing and other spaces.

May 3rd 2025 Update

I have just finished the Hand & Machine Stitching on the top half of my Winter Village 

I'm so enjoying seeing this Quilt come to life as I add more and more Stitches to it. I'm using four different sized heart outlines for the Hand Stitching. All the Hand Stitching in Blue (an Aurifil Thread) For the machine Stitching 

I'm using a YLI Natural Colour Thread.

Read more about My Hand Stitching

Lots yet to do. Including some Appliqué Branches and Birds.

What do you think of it so far?

Link to My Crochet Projects

Boro Inspired Stitching

 Hello there my Stitching Friends. Today I want to share with you my latest Boro Inspired piece of work. 

I find this Traditional Japanese style of stitching wonderfully relaxing. It's based on need rather than decoration but still manages to produce a visually strong finished piece of work. 

I'm making my piece of Boro fabric into a Bag. But technically that's the wrong way around! Boro traditionally didn't start It's life as Boro. It slowly became Boro over years of daily use and mending.....

Boro is filled with lots of lovely Hand Stitching called Sashiko in thick thread often  contrasting the fabrics it covers. (Think basic running or quilting stitches.) This simple stitch intended to be functional also creates a fabulous visual impact.

Read my post on Boro Needles and Threads Here

The bag I'm making came from this  Boro Bag link

I've thoroughly enjoyed the project. So much so that I created a YouTube Video showing how I created this piece. You can click on This Link  to watch my YouTube video about making this piece of Boro.

I hope you enjoyed watching my Boro video.

Also I've made lots of helpful How To Stitching Videos. Check out my My YouTube Channel here

And I'm also

On other Social Media

So, what did you think of my Boro Video?

Are you tempted to give it a try?

Or, have you already made some Boro Work?

Let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Joy

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

My grandson has this week discovered the Joys of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. A little cabin in the woods that I made for my granddaughters about fifteen years ago.

I really enjoyed designing and constructing The Three Bears Log Cabin.

 The Three Little Quilts were a bit of a challenge.

I enjoyed choosing the fabrics for the curtains, night sky and wallpaper.

I made the mattress on Daddy Bear's Bed Too Hard

Manna Bear's Too Soft

And

Baby Bear's Just Right.

It really was a lot of fun working out how to make The Three Bears, Goldielocks, the fire, carpet, picture, table and chairs and of course three bowls of porridge.

I'm very proud of my efforts in this project.

Why not Check Out My Other Social Media Links