Exchanges and Monthly Goal Roundup

I’ve been away for a couple of days on a work strategy event (yawn), and I was delighted to find a package waiting for me on my return home – it was my SBEBB Garden Exchange from Mama Joan! I’d been admiring Joan’s stitching and finishing, and her trademark project bags and chicken pincushions, so I am extremely pleased to report that I now have my very own samples of all three!! Joan made me a terrific project bag, and stuffed it with not only this gorgeous pinkeep that she stitched – LHN’s Cottage Garden is the design – but also lots and lots of goodies (including the chicken!) – hand cream, some of the same backing fabric she used on the project bag and on the pinkeep reverse, some cute little notecards, a garden-themed teatowel with a stitchable band on the bottom, a little needleminder and a chart with all the floss and buttons required to stitch it. Joan, you have been so generous and kind, and I really love it all!!

And, as if that wasn’t enough, this morning (I so love Saturday mail delivery here in the UK!) another package came through the door – this time it was Melissa C’s Fair & Square Round 6 squares for me – she stitched Lizzie*Kate’s ‘Life’s a Stitch’ which is just perfect, and included some backing fabric, pins, needles and a small tin which had a little surprise in it – a beaded scissor fob! Thank you so much Melissa :) I intend to finish the squares into a pincushion or pinpillow – more photos eventually when I get around to doing it!

There was a special birthday last month – my mum’s! I decided to stitch her something for it, and although it didn’t quite arrived in time (oops), she let me know the other day that it arrived and that she loves it – I stitched Time to Quilt: Winter by Jeannette Douglas as my mum is a talented quilter, and I finished it into a bourse (my first) because I thought she might be able to use it to pop bits and bobs in it when she lugs her sewing machine off to her weekly quilting gatherings. I chose the Winter design in the series because it had the most green in it (my mum’s favourite colour), and also because, being a dedicated golfer, I think she probably quilts far more in the winter (relatively, that is – she pretty much does it constantly!). Enjoy mum :)



And because it’s the beginning of the month, here is April’s goal review, and I’ve of course set a few more for May:

April’s Goals:

Stitch, finish and send 4 exchanges due this month – Yes, sent Vonna the SBEBB Here’s to Ewe exchange, sent Melissa C the Fair & Square Round 6 exchange, sent Heather the SBBC birthday exchange, and sent the SBEBB Garden exchange, which is still en route
Stitch, finish and send Becky K’s prize for winning the giveaway – Yes
Thursdays – Snowbird SAL – keep stitching Paradigm Lost – Yes
Christmas ornament mini-SAL with Leena – stitch at least one ornament – Yes, I stitched three!

Keep stitching the special birthday gift – Yes, I stitched and sent mum her bourse
Keep stitching the other gift – Yes, I did
Keep stitching Awake the Dawning Day – Yes
Keep stitching Spanish Wine – Yes
One new start – Yes, but it’s a secret so can’t tell you about it
Finish the 6 quilting blocks – Yes

Here is what I have planned for May:

Stitch, finish and send Suzanne’s return Crazy Exchange
Stitch, finish and send the HOE Freebie exchange
Stitch the SBEBB ABC exchange
Thursdays – Snowbird SAL – keep stitching Paradigm Lost
Christmas ornament mini-SAL with Leena – stitch at least one ornament
Keep stitching the other gift
Keep stitching Awake the Dawning Day
Keep stitching Spanish Wine
Keep stitching the secret project
Finish at least one thing from the ‘to be finished’ drawer
Quilt – start the sashing and corner blocks
Make a patchwork bag

Phew, that should keep me busy...

Happy stitching!