Oh Dear!

I have been sorting through my fabric stash recently and it got a bit out of hand. Before I knew it I had generated an even BIGGER pile of projects to do in time for Christmas!

Oh dear! I still have the boys rag quilts outstanding from last year!

I guess from here on I'd better try to get at least 1 project done each week until Christmas - you know it rolls around much quicker than we expect. I know many of you don't like to be reminded in the summer - sorry! I'm afraid I've become one of those annoying people - you know the kind that like to get Christmas all wrapped up by October and who hits the post Christmas sales to start buying for the next year. With life so unpredictable it saved my bacon one year so I've been doing it ever since - besides you can buy when you see it on sale and save money PLUS spread out the cost so it makes perfectly good sense to me. Don't know why I didn't do it sooner truth be told.

I confess to being a bit of a pack rat too - isn't every crafter? I have had this lovely fabric from Jo-Ann's for a few years now. I bought several metres of a variety of fabrics during a trip home so I could make things for the girls. I just couldn't settle my mind on what I wanted to make with them. I plan to use this one for Jess and it's already cut out to make a lovely ensemble of things. Think she's gonna love em!

Its actually pink, green, cream and brown (although it looks grey in this shot) and I'm teaming it with plain cream just to tone it down plus make it go that little bit further.

This is just one half of the stack! I have lovely Laura Ashley strawberries fabric on top (I have this in my kitchen so this will be a new apron for me eventually). I made a lovely one from the same fabric in oil cloth but I'd like a new softer one. Guess it can wait a while.

The blue and green is a fabric I plan to use for my other daughter plus the pretty pink and blue ones below that will be matching items for her and Maddy. I even have some ticking fabric and denim for projects for the boys and some pretty Cath Kidston for an apron for my mum since she wanted one.

Whew I get giddy just thinking about it all ! I haven't had a 'homespun' Christmas in years. When the kiddies were little I did this a lot - mostly to make ends meet and put a bit more under the tree - but handmade has come back into fashion. Since handmade is something I can do reasonably well I'm lovin the trend revival!

But then as if all that sewing of my own projects wasn't enough I have just undertaken a bit of evening tutoring - giving sewing lessons to pass on some of my skills. No point havin em' and keepin em' all to yourself huh? I think secretly I'd love to teach sewing classes.

Between rejoining the rat race (back to work next week), classes, workshops, demos and craft shows, then DT work and challenges, our allotment (which is starting to produce foods for harvesting and preserving daily now) AND all these extra projects something tells me my life is about to get super busy! Good job I feel like a new and improved me AND good job I thrive on busy! I guess maybe I'm also one of those annoying people who just has to be up and doing something - can't be doin with sittin around for too long - unless of course it involves visitin with friends that is.