The Birthday Exchange

Where Stitchers Gather (WSG) meet again, we are definitely a bunch of procrastinators , LOL . We are only a handful of ladies who shared, enjoy and supportive of each others creative endeavors and are much comfortable with each others antics.

So it has been decided that we are meeting in March for the 2017 birthday exchange. We are assigned to one "secret" partner by drawing a single name, unlike stitching for everyone like the years before. The highlight of the event is of course the pressie, it has been a well kept secret for over a year and I am pretty sure everyone is  excited that it is finally the reveal day

The exchange packages (top )with the bonus gifts below look  just like Christmas minus the tree

The Exchange Gift - Procrastinate I did, it was hard to decide what to stitch for my partner who is  a crème de la crème needlewoman, actually it was never easy to stitch for any lady in the group, its very stressing, cause whatever I had in mind, it had to be something special and it has to be perfect. Thus, visiting L'uccello on my trip to  Melbourne last July  was like hitting a jackpot. That was where my exchange items materialize and I am glad I could stitch something within my comfort zone for Margaret W

The Gift : ONE Handmade item

Vintage French Seed packet Needle Keep by L'uccello.

It's a decorative two-way folding needle keep, I called it the magic fold,simply because it opens both ways.  I have never done such finishing before, yes, I have seen it as a purse, Diane has one which she enjoyed playing tricks with her younger cousins.

Construction with the written instructions was excellent, but my mind kept playing tricks on me and I kept having this thoughts and doubts. The hardest was positioning the tapes, I resolved to whip stich to hold the pieces together after I fail to hold it in position with just  glue as per the instruction, yet it didn't quite aligned the perfect way.

Another doubt I had was what and how to finish  the  seed pocket design cover. There is no specific given instructions how it should be done, basically no right or wrong and one can embroider as much or as little as you desire and any way you like it on it's pre-printed fabric.  Froggy visited me three times, before I finally came to terms with my embroidery. I did better with the last Zinia flower, not the first two as I was trying to imitate the colors on the pre-printed fabric, before OCD sets in. Actually I almost gave up on this thinking twice maybe thrice over.

One Stash - Antique Mannequin 

We are to include one stash item . This is another one from L'uccello. Unfortunately I didn't realized that this was not a kit and thus, I made this into a kit by adding the required item;  fabric and lace

An extra item -  An embroidery pinkeep from L'uccello, simply because I was sure that the second item can be  a stitched item or store bought ,  not just stash. I was wrong.  So since I have already bought the item meant for the gift, I might as well gifted it.

Exploding Box -  I made the Birthday girl an exploding box in lieu of a card containing a page of the birthday  month which dated back to 2017 where I am leaving it as it is and will not replace that  with current year since this is an exchange meant for that year .

Would you agree ?

We have agreed that we will take a break from an exchange this 2018 year so we may concentrate on what need to be done with or finishing whatever on our priority list. For me that will be my  Hexagons SAL and the Birthday Exchange quilt blocks from previous years. Let's see if  I'll manage to kick myself out of this stitching slump and get some progress done this year. We needed the break just to distressed too, just thinking about the exchange can be very tiring.

From my partner JUNE this is what I received.

FABULOUS little sewing kit, so intricately and elaborately stitched one over one with tiny little needle rest and thimble complete with a scissor's pocket. Looking at all the tinniest stitching left me breathless

The cutest turtle tape measurement and scissor is to go into the pocket on top of the sewing box and a FIRST DAY COVER in conjunction with the Dog Year

She also included in her package a fabulous rolling pin from Goody Woody with a pineapple print design. Think I am keeping it for display with my collection of wooden cookie molds.

The BONUS Gifts

A secret project from Margaret with little pieces of fabrics from each of us she requested

where it's incorporated into the spool and finished off as a pinpillow. 

How cleaver of her and gifted back to us.

Jess gave us each a pineapple scent soap 

From me to everyone
a little teapot ceramic teabag coaster for all
While June gifted everyone a crocheted tape measurement which I forgot to take a photo
but if you scrutinize  a few photos here you might have spotted some turtles crawling

A peek at what  the rest of the ladies received from the  exchange on that day and the photos said it all. We did not set any particular theme for the exchange and thus all of us went with our partnered favorite things or subjects.

June received from Barbara

Blue her fav color

Barbara received from Jess

Doll Quilt

 Margaret's from me 
Needlework accessory

Jess from Margaret

Mini Quilt with a PS cross stitch piece

Where we meet, food is always and never far from our thoughts.

Poppy seeds loaf

A little festive mood  still with  a platter of Yee Sang 

Blooming Tea

A very messy table only a crafter will appreciate, LOL

A little show and tell there
Conclusion, I am pretty sure everyone went home happily, I am indeed happy
It was a lovely day and a we laugh at our silliness, put up with each other's antics,  shared some crafty and craziest ideas and that the day ends amazingly
We even got to stash a little from the LNS where we meet

March 8 - Celebrating Women Day with the State Assemblyperson for Kuala Kubu Baru Madam KH Lee, (in White). She hosted a mini dinner for us and later gifted the ladies with aprons  while the men who took a piece home may give  it to  the women in their life .

Sorry the photos here look blurry, it's due to the lightings I supposed. 

Thank you to all who visited me in my last post and left comments. Glad you enjoyed my short break to Bangkok .

A little bouquet in March from Diane shall ends my post for now . 

Unveilling the secrets

Had always wanted to stitch this little mermaid. Now I have her in my Lighthouse Theme RR

Freebie by The Little Stitcher

This is going to the framer

 

Revealing the Secrets

These are some fabric choices

I'll be meeting some ladies for the first time, among them is a lady on my FB Friend list.

While I have a stitched s gift for this FB person whom I know cross stitched and quilt, I do not know of the others  but I thought I should  give them a little something handmade that's handy for travellers. It won't be nice to just bring one gift while others looked on. My greatest fear with non crafters are their conception with all things 'HANDMADE'. Yet I decided to make each lady a simple needle pouch to avoid being put in an 'awkward situation' especially when I'll be spending some days with them on an island with no place or rather impossible to hide me-self.

I am pretty sure non of these women knew about my blog except for Jaimis

The fabrics are made into these

Measures approximately  :  4" x 4"

Fabrics - Variety of cottons

The finishing needle pouch

This is how the needlepouch look like on the inside.

Secret Project #2

Floss 312 DMC

Fabric 32ctn Sand linen with Moda fabric

Freebie design from Steekjes Kruisjes

Finishing into a Needle pouch/needlebook for Susee

I've added both our initial and the year

 The inside and the back

 Finally I've got the OLD SAMPLER SAL from 2008 framed

 

That's all dear friends, I'm going off  basking in the sun this week. 

Until then, take care everyone and thanks for visiting once again..

 

Needle Pocket or should it be a pouch?

I think I have procrastinate long enough about my giveaway, mainly because I was being very fickle minded with the finishing design until I  stumble upon a read on Carol's Delicatesse finishing, a wonderful finishing idea adapted from Anne - Broderie , who hosted a SAL which for some reasons I didn't  SAL then but had kept the design for later and later means somehow or rather  I forgot after awhile.

I am adapting a design from Aunt's Attic for that particular finishing.

The needles are well protected tucked inside the pocket

Glide in and out by pulling the ribbon

The back

Stitched on 32ct Linen in white from my stash

The two beads work as a stopper

This is my giveaway.

All you have to do is just leave your comment on this post only, if this interest you

until 15th August.

 

I am having a three days weekend this week, hopefully I get some stitching done and

I hope you will too.

Happy Stitching !

 

 

 

Block Number Two

Another test of patient and perseverance with the little confidence  I earned from the Cat Block. The truth is, I almost gave up on this one.

I learnt that having these tools to work with does not guaranteed  perfection   :{

Maybe it's just me, I don't quite achieved what I had in mind, but at least I got all the joints where it was suppose to be very close.  Choosing fabrics and matching colors is another  hard decision to make.

One block took me an entire evening of intense concentration. There were boo-boos, I'll save that for another story.

 I suppose I know  the reason why I don't quilt. I think I may have a problem with perfection or could it be I am a perfectionist who can't stand not being able to perfect things or maybe it's just that I am an imperfectionist who cannot simply go by the rule,  come to think of it, I don't always read the rule, LOL!

Patchwork Spool Block

(No specific tutorial on this one, there just too many out there,
I just Google a lot for many days and work my own way)

Fabrics from my stash
(there was this time I never bothered to keep track of my fabrics)

Finishing Needlebook Case

The back can I call this the log?

This is my Birthday gift for Barbara Jack who is on the road of becoming a fine couturier.
Check out her blog  Sartorial Stitches

Hence, my choice of this Spool Block and my choice of  design on her Birthday card
The package, I was told arrived yesterday.

And I got home to find a surprise package for me too. My Fall Exchange, Turkey theme with HOE. The package from my original partner went missing and angel Michelle answered the call and sent me this adorable Gobble~Gobble and wonderful extras.

Finishing into a pinkeep

Closeup of the detailed ruffle edging

The package and the goodies that Michelle so generously enclosed

Including this embroidered pincushion made by her mom, just look at the detailed strawberries, gorgeous and a pouch which will come very handy for my purse.

Thank you so much Michelle for all this wonderful package but especially more for being my angel

As I am writing this, my 3rd secret project of the year is in the planning. I think I may have a giveaway for my readers soon. Details later.

 

The week's bake, a Steam Banana Loaf for Wednesday morning breakfast, the recipe is simply a quick and easy to whip and steaming takes only 20 minutes although I let it steam a bit longer like 30minutes because I was in the shower.

 

Ingredients for Steamed Banana Cake:
2 eggs
100g brown sugar (original uses white sugar)2 large ripe bananas, mashed
150g self rising flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
75g vegetable oil

Method:

• In a a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar till it reaches ribbon stage and more then doubled its volume.

• Add the mashed bananas and gently stir in till combined.
• Sift in the flour and baking soda into the egg mixture and continue to beat at low speed till everything is incorporated.
• Lastly, add in the vegetable oil and stir gently again till it all comes together and careful not to over mix and deflate the bubbles.
• Prepare a steamer with boiling water and greased a 8" round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
• Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and steam at medium high fire for 20 minutes or till the tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs.

Definitely a keeper, it's soft and fluffy not overly sweet. I am going to steam this for my MIL on my next visit.

Adapted from Honey Bee Sweet Blog

Thank you for visiting and your time to stop by with your comments. Appreciate it a lot.