Wednesday 26 December 2012

WOYWW 186 - New Project Day

Hello Friends

I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday and Santa brought you all you wished for!  I was a very lucky girl yesterday, no inky goodies but some pennies to buy some more stash!

As well as it being Boxing Day today, it is also What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday with the lovely Julia so time to show my desk!  As it is the last of 2012 I could not resist joining in!  

I know this is not my usual desk, I am sitting in the lounge at the coffee table.  It is a long standing custom (since I was a lickle girl in fact) that on Boxing Day I start a new project, whether it is cross-stitch, knitting or even a new book.  This year's Boxing Day new project is to start a piece of lace.  A Wedding Garter in fact for my Nephew's Fiance Michelle.  They are getting married in May and I have been given the honour of making the Wedding Garter. Michelle has left the choice of colours to me and I am going with the traditional colours of white with blue.  First of all I need to wind the 50 or so pairs of bobbins and as you can see I am about a quarter of the way through. 

Also on the coffee table is an assortment of pressies, mostly Mr Hettie's including the Jelly Bellies and Thorntons toffee.  The cup and plate are from my friend Emma and are the latest Portmerion Christmas design.  I have collected Portmerion since before I was married and it went in my "bottom drawer"!  Told you I was a bit of a traditionalist.  You can also see Dobby pearing over the table.  He had a fabulous Christmas with a stocking to himself including a pair of antlers and a new squeaky turkey! 

And just for Jan, I am sharing a photo of our bed on Christmas Eve complete with it's Christmas quilt on there.  I keep trying to encourage LLJ to take up quilting as she is a fabulous needlewoman.  It is rather nice snuggling under your own quilt.  This particular one was made at the quilting group I used to be a member of.  I made the centre square and then it was passed around the group for the various rounds to be put on before being given back to me to bind and quilt.  It is one of my favourite quilts and I love to get it out at Christmas as it holds many happy memories.

Right, that is it for today.  I need to get back to my bobbin winding and then I can start to make Michelle's garter. Don't forget to go to Julia's blog to see some other desks from around the globe!

Hugs for you all and if I don't visit you before then have a wonderful New Year.  Mr Hettie and I are off to a Hogmanay with lots of fun and dancing and I am very much looking forward to it!

Hettie

31 comments:

Kyla said...

Ooh how wonderful to be able to make something so personal as a wedding gift.
Love the idea of starting something new....I have a clean desk this week so I have no excuse!

Hope you have a wonderful week
Kyla #31

voodoo vixen said...

OMGoodness... just seeing the amount of bobbins I can imagine the mess I could create and envy you the ability and patience to be able to do something so wonderful and what a fabby keepsake from their wedding day.

Glenda said...

I'm not familiar with that kind of work with the bobbins. It already looks tedious...please keep us posted!
Glenda #21

fairy thoughts said...

well that is a first to see lace bobbins on a blog. I made D1 a garter for her wedding last year took ages as it had been a while but it looked fab. Your quilt is lovely, I had a free quilting kit with my new sewing machine so I might .. just might have to find out how it works.... soon. My handyman asked what I wanted for Christmas... easy answer... time to do some sewing Mmm we'll see
happy crafting in 2013
janet #8

Caz said...

Bobbin lace is something I could never get to grips with - I'll crochet anything you like, but bobbin lace is just one step beyond the extent of my patience.
Looking forward to seeing what stash you buy with your pennies!!!!
Enjoy the rest of the Christmas break!
Season's greetings
Happy WOYWW
Caz
#42

Sunshine Girl said...

Oooh never made lace - it sounds fun. Hope you had a great Christmas - I love your quilt too, I still have yards of Christmas material left that I won so I will be making a quilt and probably a table runner one day! Have a great New Year if I dont speak to you sooner.

scrappymo! said...

Wow, you are a patient lady to wind all those bobbins and then make the garter! It will will a work of art, made from the heart.Sorry for the corny rhyme! I didn't mean for it to sound so corny.

Your quilt is so lovely...one of the priettiest I have seen...the angels are just gorgeous.

No need to return the visit...I didn't go in WOYWW today...just lazing around, visiting my fave blogs!

Helen said...

Is there nothing you cannot do? the lace garter sounds a wonderful gift and one she will surely treasure. Your quilt however looks completely incredible!! (and the sign is laminated btw, LLJ did it for the crop...) Enjoy Hogmanay. Helen, 40

Krisha said...

Great stuff there. I've never made lace either, not sure if my hands would let me try that these days, but the bobbins are beautiful.
Krisha #48

BJ said...

Thanks for visiting me today, I guess that is a bobbin winder then?I have only ever wound mine by hand. Love the mug tree to hang them on or is that a special piece of equipment too. Have a great New Year BJ#15

Karin said...

I've never made lace either.
Happy Boxing day, Karin #51

Suzilou said...

Gosh making your own lace, how wonderful and what a precious gift. Love the quilt you are so talented. Wishing you a fab New Year and look forward to seeing more of your brilliant work in 2013 xx

Lunch Lady Jan said...

You make lace as well? Good grief, is there nothing you can't do.. LOL! A specially commissioned garter is very special indeed, lucky girl :)
And the Christmas quilt is gorgeous, you clever thing....I agree that snuggling under that would be wonderful!,
Glad you had a lovely Christmas, we did, lots of laughs as well as tears.
Hugs, LLJ 16 xxxx

Mrs A. said...

Enjoy your dancing and don't too pickled. Happy New Hear. Hugs Mrs A.

Julia Dunnit said...

really, is there anything you can't do? Handmade lace starter, wow that's such a special thing. I LOVE that new Portmeirion...and am desperately trying to find a reason to have lots of it!!! Been a fab year for friendship and you're a if part of that.....Ta. See you on the other side!

Mrs A. said...

Oops. I mean Year. Hic. Mrs A.

Di said...

Wow, lacemaking too - as others say, what can't you turn your hand too? I lurve the quilt too - what a special addition to Christmas.

It seems ages until New Year - but if you don't hop into the Playground again before then, have a fabulous time!

Hugs, Di xx

okienurse said...

WOW bobbin lace...very talented lady...but then we knew that!;-)
love the Christmas quilt! Hope you are having a great holiday week and Happy New Year! It is busy time of year but like you I couldn't miss the last WOYWW of the year! Enjoy the rest of your holidays! Vickie #4

Words and Pictures said...

Wow - lacemaking... that's very exciting, and the bobbins are lovely in themselves! Lovely cup to add to your collection, and a beautiful quilt - what a lovely post to read! Continuing good wishes for the festive season, and happy WOYWW!
Alison x

SandeeNC said...

How nice to have a husband that likes to take you dancing! Dance a little for me! Waving hi from the rainy, but wishing it was snowing hills of North Carolina for the last WOYWW of 2012!!

Annie said...

Oh Sam. I dodn't know you did lace making. I learnt how to lace make about 26 years ago when my girls were tiny but haven't done any for years. I guess it would be like riding a bike ? [except I can't ride a bike :-) ]
Hubby has had to pop into work for a few hours this morning so I'm managing a bit of catching up with my blogging friends :-)
Hope you have a really creative New Year.
Hugs,
A x

Sarn said...

I am in AWE of your MANY MANY talents. Are you sure you're not really 106 instead of what you purport to be????? Hmmmm?????

Sounds like you had a good Xmas . . . enjoy your Hogmanay do. Have a dance or two for me! xxx

Ali said...

Wow, you sound incredibly creative! I can only manage papercrafts - I suck at any kind of fabric crafting! :lol:

Thanks for your comment on my WOYWW post - am glad I am not the only one with a messy crafting desk! :)

Ali

Unknown said...

oh my goodness...making lace...such a wonderful talent to have...i love lace...and toffees,,,those that the Mr has are the best...love your quilt too...best wishes for 2013...zeffy 58

KatzElbows said...

I'm crafting at a coffe table this week too. I think a lot of us are. It feels delightfully decadent. Good luc with the lace. I gave it a go but decided I'm more of a paper girl.

Happy new year when it comes.
Rachel, #26

CuddlyBunny said...

You make lace too? What DON'T you do?

I hope your holiday is continuing with lots of laughter and joy and Prost to the coming new year!

Mary H. said...

I'll be looking forward to see the lace progress. How clever you are to be able to do all these grand crafts. I love quilts also, have a ton of fabric. Then got into stamping...Your Christmas quilt is so beautiful, and I can see why you would cherish it. Quilts are like cards, hold so many memories. Look forward to seeing all your beautiful projects in 2013, and Happy New Year. Hugs

Kim said...

Holy Cow...lace too??? I did't know anyone did that anymore (Have you read the Lace Reader? Can't remember who wrote it; takes place in Salem MA.-kinda erie book, but I liked it). Definately keep taking pictures, I can't wait to see how its done, and she will cherish it!!
And Happy New Year's to you and Simon as well!

Darnell said...

Oh, how lovely, Sam, to think of you and your Mister off for fun, frolicking, and dancing! I wish my Mister would dance, but then I can't complain since he does quite "dance" to my every whim!

What a fun visit today (oh, and love the new blog lay. It is new, isn't it or am I dodgier than I thought. Don't answer that.), seeing your bobbin thingie and your edible pressies and dear Dobby looking on, and even your treasured Christmas-time quilt. Thanks for sharing!!

Best wishes to you and Mr. Hettie for a year filled with good health and much happyknees!! Darnell #53

Sandi McLean said...

Oh my what a lot of gorgeous projects both started and finished! Lace making - I am so impressed!! Gorgeous quilt of course it is special. Thanks for coming my way! Best wishes for 2013 Sandi #36

Eliza said...

What a great idea starting a new task on Boxing Day. You will have to show the garter when finished that is for sure.

Happy New Year
Eliza #63