New Year holiday

I am off to spend the New Year with my son, G, in Kent and to see my two granddaughters P and L and at the same time celebrate my birthday, that seems to come round now with monotonous regularity as I get older.

However, before I go I thought I would show you the presents that I made this Christmas. Even though I don't always write about 'crafts' I am always making something and currently I am working on my Jacobean embroidery, smocked Christmas bauble (for next year!) and my crocheted blanket.

Anyway here are the presents:-

'Sheep' dog

 Remember the 'Sheep' dog I made earlier this year, well this one was given to P.

'Scottie' dog

In a brushed cotton tartan fabric with pointed ears, this had to be a 'Scottie' dog for L, and 

A 'Dalmatian' dog

a 'Dalmatian' dog for Ellie. This one is very appropriate as we had a Dalmatian when the boys were young.

My daughters in law were each given two smocked coat hangers:-

Pink obviously

Blue grey fabric

These were made using gingham fabric and worked in 'counterchange' and I was very pleased with the finished articles. It is not difficult to do and you can get different patterns with it, which is what I did. The size of the gingham square is important though according to the pattern you use.

Finally, at the last Higham Piecemakers group meeting we were given our 2014 Christmas Challenge ,,,,

"Take an artist of your choice and recreate, in any fabric method of your choice, one of their (recognisable) paintings...."

We were given an A4 photo frame and we will have to mount the picture so that it lays flat in the frame.  We can keep our piece or else put it on sale when we have our next exhibition of work in September 2015.

I have some ideas but still have to decide, but I always keep this under wraps until 30 March when we have to 'show and tell'.

Happy New Year to everyone, wherever you are and thank you for following my blog in 2014.  I shall be back  .........!!