Handmade Gorgeousness!

Do you find that because you are a quilter, people don't tend to give you handmade gifts anymore? Perhaps they are worried we will see any faults or think that is it something we could make ourselves. But I still love receiving a handmade gift, particularly because I know the thought, love and care that has gone into the gift. I guess this is part of the fun of joining a quilt swap like Chookyblue's SSCS that she runs each Christmas. Not only do I get to make a gift for someone on the other side of the world, I also have the pleasure of receiving something beautiful that someone has made just for me. And check out what Judith from the Netherlands has made for me....

I love it. Judith this little quilt is perfect and I have just the spot for it, thank you so much!

Next post I will show some pics of the little quilt I made for my SSCS partner, also in the Netherlands. A huge thank you to the wonderful Christmas Elf Chookyblue for once again organising a very successful swap. You can see all the wonderful handmade gifts listed over on Chooky's blog too.

But that wasn't the only handmade gift I received this year. For my birthday my wonderful friend and colleague made me a quilt covered book for all my quilty sketches and designs...

This will be well used for sure

as well as a gorgeous timber thread holder with cute pincushion, lucky me. (Kathy's Dad made the timber parts, very clever!).

Talking about handmade gifts, my friend Deb finished her two monster cushions she gave to her nephews for Christmas, how darling are these?

Even the backs are beautiful. The pattern for these came from Don't Look Now's pattern Little Monsters.

On another topic, have you seen this months block for our bloggers bom yet? You might want to rush over (here) to check it out, Pat Sloans block is fabulous, but not only that, she also has a giveaway for this beautiful fabric...

You can check out all the variations of this block in the bloggers bom flickr group, I love seeing everybody's interpretations of the same blocks! I hope to make up this block with my Keiko Goke fabrics soon, but in the meantime, I'm having fun playing with some delightful fabric I found recently, isn't this just gorgeous?...

If I don't get back before Saturday, I hope you all have a wonderful New Years Eve, and not too much feeling like this the next day....!!! xo