Espritpatch

It is nearly time to say good-bye to 2014 and to welcome 2015. This year has been busy (as usual) on the family front with some great times and some sad times too. I have left my job of 10 years just before Christmas and will venture on a new experience starting a new job in January (same field but very different company/settings etc). My Grand-Dad has left us this year a few days after his 88th birthday. A few months later, we had a fantastic week-end to celebrate Mr Cars first Holy Communion. On the sewing front, there has been loads happening, I have been swap crazy this year I think! Lots of last minute stressed finishes but lots of fantastic packages in return too! And I have also met amazing and generous friends online, the sewing/quilting community is so good! With taking part in the 350-blocks challenge, I haven't quite mastered 350 blocks this year but I have completed 335 blocks, not so bad really! Lots of bee blocks but also blocks for some of my quilts too! and

And the month is nearly over already! And it has been busy (mainly in the kitchen I guess!) and full on. Time to look back at my plans and see how far I have got! Bee Blocks  1.  Stash Bee  block (November) - done 2.  Little Blog Bee  block (November and December)  - all done 3. Block Lotto blocks -  no progress 4.  I love Lucy international  block (September) - not finished 5. Flower hexies for the Inchy Hexie Swap (October, November and December) - October and November finished, December in progress 6. Get Your Hexie On - (September and November) - all finished WIP 1.  Midnight in the Oasis - no progress 2.  Mod Mod Along  blocks:  Sunrise Blocks x 6, Little Window blocks x 11, Sweet Dreams blocks x 3, Woven Bars x 4, Easy X x 6, Big O x 2  -  no progress   3.  You've got Mail wall hanging - need 4 more envelopes -   no progress 4. Finish Maud's bag   -  no progress 5. Finish my work bag - my  Lazy Bums  challenge for

Not much time to sew these last few days as we have been busy in the kitchen or busy eating or busy spending time with family, etc... But in between all these or while travelling from one place to the next I have managed to finish a few of my hand-sewn bee blocks. English Paper Piecing is so easy and portable when you are on the go! I finished my flowers for Melody  and for Michele And I also finished my block for Judy for Get your Hex on! That's 5 more blocks this month, taking me to 23 so far. I don't think I will make it to 30 this month but at least I have tried! Linking to Building Blocks Tuesday . Celine

Kerry is proposing to list our 5 main sewing goals for the New Year. It might be hard to limit myself to 5 :-) but I'll try! 1. Quilt A - I bought this pattern from Kids Quilts years ago and Miss Baby hasn't got a quilt I made her before so I am really hoping to get this one going. 2. Quilt C - I bought this pattern from Kids Quilts years ago too and I'd love to finally get going with this one too! 3. Quilt M - I have a stash of blue and green blocks that I would like to make into a quilt 4. Skirt for me! -  I have signed up for Michelle's Patterns Skirt Sew Along starting in January with the intention of making myself a skirt and finally starting to use my overlocker 5. Frozen dresses - I have bought all the material I need with the intention of making the girls a Frozen dress, crazy? Yes probably! - Finished in February 2015 6. T-shirt quilt for hubby - I know Kerry said 5 but I need to add this last one for Hubby's birthday next year!

There has been so much going on with swaps, presents, baking, getting ready for Christmas, finishing work etc and lots of temptation to join in the fun here and there. I have massively failed to follow the Fair Isle quilt-along , I have cut all my fabric pieces in early November but have hardly done any sewing on it. There was also the 318-paper piecing patterns sew-along . I made a few blocks in November but not as many as I was planning/hoping. I made another heart this month too for one more Christmas ornament. Then there was the Quilty Fun sew-along on IG that I tried to resist but I am so weak ;-) that I ordered the book to play along anyway. And the book was on back-order in the UK so it took 3 weeks to come and arrived just last week-end... Anyway I managed to make Mr Cookie which was an instatute before the holidays but nothing else. Hopefully we will try to stay motivated and focused with Jane and Reene to have a finished quilt by next Christmas! And after that t

Santa came yesterday but I have been spoiled already this month when I received 2 lovely parcels from my last swaps of the year. The first I received was the #jollyswap all the way from Monique in Australia. And I loved it of course. What could have been better than a bright and happy Christmas tree made of hexagons? And Monique didn't stop there, she also embroidered this gorgeous zentangle(?) tree in a hoop for me. Look at this gorgeous package she sent me. I am really happy with yet another amazing swap (I love the Santa on his surf on the card!). The second was the #igminiswap. For this one, I had my eye on a gorgeous white and red star that Esther was showing and I was secretly hoping that it would land in my house (I even teased Esther a few times about it) so when I received this huge parcel and saw her name on it, I couldn't contain my joy. I am so so lucky, I have received the most gorgeous mini which fits so well in our living room (yes hubby had to stopp

Merry Christmas to you and your family, I hope you all have a lovely and peaceful day. A little Christmas tree designed by miss Baby who is turning 3 today. Love Celine

And our stocking are finally all ready... Last week-end I went on fast sewing mode when I panicked realised that Miss Baby stocking was still "in planning", i.e. the pattern was picked but that was about it. And I needed to have it all machine-sewn by Sunday morning if it was to be done this year.... Anyway after a busy evening of cutting fabric pieces and fusing them to my stocking on Saturday night, I was too tired to continue at midnight and went to bed hoping it will be a quick and easy finish on Sunday. After about 30 minutes of buzzing blanket stitching and changes thread about 4 times, I was ready for quilting, which I of course kept very simple! before putting the stocking together. By midday, all I had left to do was sewing the binding by hand. And by the evening, the stocking was finished. Love this little penguin peeking on the binding. I am very good with deadlines pushing me to go go go.... but sometimes I really wonder why I don't get to my