House-Elf Doings 

 In Sesame Street style, todays post is being brought to you mainly by the camera above. Yes I finally put my big girl knickers on and chose a new camera not controlled by steam and clockwork. 🙂 It is horribly complicated for someone so luddite as me but we are getting to know one another. Merry Christmas to me! 

Thank you also you lovely ladies who helped make Christmas so special for me and my family. I was a good girl and wrote proper thank you letters on Boxing Day. They are now on their way to you. It was so special to share Christmas with you all.

 By way of putting a little back into Blogland, I would like to ask if any of you want to make Lynette Anderson’s Scandinavian Christmas?  It is a 5 part BOM and I plan to try to finish each by the last day of each month starting in January. There is machine piecing with churn dash blocks as well as applique and cross stitch framing the 4 main appliques and 13 cross stitch snowflakes. It is complex so joining a group might encourage us all to finish it. Just leave me your name and blog addy and I’ll get a list running in the side bar.

I have another idea for the new year. It is a Valentine Floosie Swap. Now you can’t tell me you don’t have any of those fabrics -you know the ones who tempt you in your LQS saying that they will be useful for all sorts of things and make great promises for future projects. You boldly purchase a FQ or European equivalent only to have them sat in your stash clashing with everything, totally unusable even in a pieced back! So I am asking you to be bold -dig out that wanton floosie and pop it in an envelope with a bribe (edible or a little made something) to your swap partner. If you are paired with someone on the other side of the world, allow 2 weeks for the post. So if you want to sign up to this swap please post by the end of January so your partner can open your parcel on the 14th February. Lets face it we could all do with a floosie for Valentine’s Day… or is that just me? 🙂 Please email me your name and address and I will draw partners on the 7th January.

 I bet you’ve been wondering what I’ve been doing? Well to encourage Winter and Jack Frost to come to England, I have made him a house.

 It began life as a plastic pot for koi food.

 And scraps of wool batting left over from the Amsterdam Leaves quilt. A FQ of grey stone fabric and FQs for the roof lining and under fabric for the felt tiles.

 Inside I used Michael Miller’s Fairy Frosts in 2 shades of blue. They looked icy.

 I bound the outer edge and hand sewed it to the lining.

 The windows are white Fairy Frost blanket stitched applique.

 I also added embroidery details for plants.

 Tiny cross stitch plants in pots.

 What with the Elf House, I am slowly making a hamlet.

 These 2 Jultomtar (Scandinavian Yule Elves) might look a little familiar to some of you, but these went in the top of Son and Daughter’s stockings.

 They never got to meet their fellow elves who are now all over the world with you dear friends to help with your Christmas preparations next year.

 I would also like to share my other main Christmas present- a wonderful cherry red lamp with an energy saving daylight simulation bulb. Things have moved on a lot since the days of the blue light bulb. I can’t believe how much of a difference this has made in the craft room. My day up there is a lot longer now, even on dull overcast days. I can draw the curtains on horrible drizzle and howling winds and pretend all is lovely. No more mistaking pink fabrics for red! 🙂 I recommend one to all of you.

 This little stitchery mat is now with it’s new owner Annie Coe.

 It was a free pattern a while ago, and perfect for the recipient. Her art and porcelain have such a joy to them.

 A very special pup called Freya of Soggibottom  had this stocking.

 Can you guess her breed?

 Yes a little King Charles Spaniel.

 Daughter arrived home with only the socks she had on, so I made these slouch socks quickly from a pattern free with the yarn. The slouch is formed by 8 rows of knitting followed by 4 rows of purl.

 Simone sent me this kit way back in Easter. I didn’t manage to make it then, but can I say I’m early for this Easter instead? It was lovely playing with felt.

Lastly this is my current WIP- I call it Basket Weave. The fabrics are striped so together they make a quilt cover top for what will be Bungle’s new bed. It needs backing and quilting, and then a velcro back adding so a duvet can fit inside.

That’s all from me for now. Remember to let me know if you want to join in making Scandinavian Christmas in a group or want to sign up for the Valentine Floosie Swap.