It is summer in the winter!

A Challenging Year

I've finished the fourth Tiny World Pincushion in my series of the Four Seasons. I found these cute little creamy coloured Wedgewood cups at the thrift shop and decided to make four identical houses but each would illustrate a different season. I drew my inspiration from my quilt A Challenging Year which is a year in the life of a cherry tree.

Here is the fourth and final teacup, Summer! A friend suggested that the little shrubs should be trees. Upon reflection I agreed with her since they were intended to be cherry trees. So all four now have tree trunks!

Summer

 

 

I used a variety of red beads for the cherries!

 



Summer close-up

Here are the four seasons together.

Close-ups of the other three seasons for your viewing pleasure!

Autumn close-up (before the trunk was added to the cherry tree)

Winter close-up (before the trunk was added to the cherry tree)

Summer (before the trunk was added to the cherry tree)

This is the cherry tree through the seasons in A Challenging Year.

The Tiny World Pincushions were made from a pattern by Mimi Kirchner. The instructions tell you all you need to make your own unique creations. You can see Mimi's latest pincushions including a castle here!

Now I've got a craving for cherries so hurry up summer! Until I post again, happy sewing!

Winter has arrived, tip for working with your ironing board and a trip down memory lane

Winter has arrived, inside and outside! Yesterday we had snow and it stayed on the ground!  The poor little sparrows look cold...and hungry! I interrupted breakfast. The moment my back was turned they were back in the feeder chowing down!

And inside it's winter too! I finished the second season in my series of Tiny World Make-Do Pincushions. The pincushions are based on Mimi Kirchner's pattern. I have a draw running until end of day November 26 so if you would like a chance to win a pdf copy of the pattern just go here and leave a comment! For an extra chance follow me on Bloglovin!

I'm making each pincushion identical - same house, same tree and same bush so you can see the changes in the seasons! The pincushions sit in four tiny white Wedgewood cups that I found at the thrift shop. And here is Winter!

I have some tiny antique clear beads that have a little sparkle but they are at Mom's place. If I remember to bring them home I just might add some beads to the ground to make the snow sparkle.

Two seasons down and two to go. Hurry up Spring!

 

Today I plan on working on the appliqué pieces for my Love Entwined quilt. I like to have my ironing surface at a right angle to my work table so that the work area is an L shape with the ironing surface to my right. Did you know that you don't have to raise your ironing board to waist height? You can raise it so that it can be used sitting down. Unfortunately my sewing room is very small and I don't have the space for a full size ironing board beside my work table. But I do have space for an old child's ironing board.

I found this little gem, complete with a wooden iron, at a garage sale a few years back. I think I paid $5 . It is the perfect size for my work room and the work surface is large enough for working on small pieces. I use a travel iron or my little Clover iron. Here it is sitting on Love Entwined.

One of the things I would like to do when I have a few moments is set up a page for a Cast of Characters to showcase my dolls! Here you see a few of them reading a Beatrix Potter story.

If you are new to my blog you may have missed my three part story about Zebra Girls and the rotten cat from two doors down, Teetoo. It is a real cliff hanger! If you are interested you can read Part 1 here, Part 2 here and the Grand Finale here! The story was a little add on to the topic of the day so if you are just interested in the story scroll down each post! Hope the story puts a smile on your face!

Until I post again, keep warm and keep sewing and don't forget to enter my draw for the Mimi Kirchner pattern!

A Challenging Year Revealed!

Have you any idea what the quilt will look like? Lia’s guess was in fact my inspiration, the four seasons. I am fascinated with the changes deciduous trees go through during the year.

The bare branches against a winter sky look like lace.

 

The delicate flowers in spring ….

 

bear juicy fruit in summer.

 

 

 As the days grow shorter there is a riot of colour that warms my heart.

 

But autumn winds blow and the leaves take flight.

 

The winter snow flies and the cherry tree takes a long winter nap!

 

 



The cherry tree through the seasons.

 

 

 

 

Transitioning from season to season.

 

 

 

 

 

The centre of the quilt where all four seasons converge.

And finally the entire quilt. I give you A Challenging Year!

A Challenging Year, 2004  28 ½” x 28 ½”

 I hope you enjoy this quilt! Until I post again, happy sewing!

A Challenging Year, Close-up