Happy New Year

I know it's not quite new year yet, but have a lovely 2014 when it comes.

My new years resolutions mainly concern unfinished or yet to be started projects, namely:

• my blue woolen dress
• Lindsay and Rich's housewarming (!) quilt
• Stephanie and Sandy's engagement present
• a quilt for myself (but I need to go to Paris in February first to get the fabric)
• my tweed bag with leather handles
• two tweed make up bags

If I can get all of these and more finished in 2014 I'll be very pleased!

It must be Christmas time...

Well, not quite, I suppose Christmas time is over but it still feels festive as the tree isn't down yet. This year I didn't give too many homemade gifts, but I did make some make up bags for my colleagues. 
This bag was for a colleague who has lived in Russia for a year so I thought the Matryoshka would be perfect - I hope she thought so! This one is also lined with the fabric that the doll is made from - it's my favourite Liberty fabric apart from the lovely pink I bought in London. The other two were made with buttons, I forgot to take photos of them but I was pleased with how they turned out.

Otherwise I haven't been crafting enough, I realised that I have a sewing basked full of unloved, unfinished projects. I suppose my new year's resolution will be to finish them - in particular my dress!

My mum and sister have also put in their orders for little bags, mum has one already actually but it isn't made with nice fabric really, just some random Liberty lining and Harris Tweed that happened to match. I've got some beautiful pale pink tweed I've bought especially for my sister that I'll use for Mum's too - they'll be lined with my special pink Liberty fabric. Hopefully I'll get round to making myself one too!

Next project? I've got my eye on a pattern for a lamp shade - using more of the pink fabric from Liberty of course. I'll keep you posted!

PS- the new Janome is beautiful! I love it...sorry Lidl...

So long, farewell...

 I have finally fallen out with the sewing machine for the final time. I am beyond sick of ripping seams (even if I do have colour co-ordinated nails, fabric and seam ripper....). So I have purchased a beautiful new Janome, I shall update with whether I prefer the Lidl machine or my new Janome in due course...I suspect that I might already know the answer....

Can you tell what my favourite winter colour is?!