It has been a good Friday

Today the sun came out as well as the sewing machine.   Our dismal weatherman forecast rain but he was wrong :-)
Anyway Noddy and Big Ears now have a bag.

The HD3QBEM and I had some discussion over this as I favoured a standard tote shape but she with experience of two daughters was adamant that this was better.

So I put a wide gusset/base strip around the squares and now it is finished I like it.   The bag is fully lined with the same colourful fabric.

I have another finish too but that is for tomorrow.
Also a bonus-  while finishing this and looking through fabric stash I found two pieces that Little Sister will love.   A quick scurry for an envelope and they will go in tomorrow's mail.   Look out for a package Little Sis.

Are you tired of Big Ears?

I am!   But he is almost finished.  

Tonight he got some hair, some eyes, part of his beard, a second sleeve to the jacket and part of his left hand.
And I discovered that the two holes on his jacket were actually meant to be gold buttons!  Who would have known?  The white areas and the back stitching to go.   I love it when the end is in sight.

Tomorrow the HD3QBEM and I are going out for sushi lunch for my "Survived One Year" celebration.   I am looking forward to that.

And Big Ears has....a hat!

Thanks to an episode of Masterchef Australia on the TV, Big Ears has his hat and his ears.
He's coming together quickly and I am so pleased.  

 

Now another project can be pondered over and decided on.   Perhaps by Easter I might have this project done and be able to start another.   We get a four day weekend holiday for Easter so I will surely find time for stitching up the bag as well as for searching for another project?
And tomorrow is Friday which is always a bonus.  Today marks one year since I started my job at the Department of Corrections and in many ways it has been a long year.   But I am another year closer to retirement and my long-hoped-for trip to the UK.   And that reminds me I still have to complete my trip book.  Perhaps that should be my next project?

A body without a head

Today has been a long day -  11 hours at work - and all day long I felt as if my head wasn't attached to my body.  Rather like my little Big Ears.

He's looking quite good though and tonight I will try and give him some ears.   After all it is ears that make the man in this case:-)   The HD3QBEM has been offering all sorts of advice about what sort of bag.   While I have listened patiently, I really have no idea except that it will be either square or rectangular, and not too big.   Simple?   I hope so.

Hello Mr Big Ears

Tonight Part 2 of the Noddy Bag.

Mr Big Ears striped T shirt stretches widely over his fat tummy.   His blue jacket certainly doesn't do up!  And what sort of stylist puts the nautical upper half with green and yellow striped trousers?

Present day illustrators of childrens books would never think of this colour scheme.   Or would they?

I'm off to enjoy a date with Anthony Horowitz and Trigger Mortis.   My request for this book from the local library has been a long wait,  but today I came to the top of the list and have two weeks to read and return.

Good night.

Bye Bye Little Noddy

The HD3QBEM has requested some assistance with her knitting, so this afternoon I pressed the accelerator and finished the stitching on Little Noddy.

My small Lego Noddy is beside him for comparison.   Quite a faithful representation n'est-ce pas?

I'm off to a date with the Antiques Road Show now.   See you tomorrow, with hopefully a start on Big Ears.

Little Noddy no-hands

Another progress report.   Are you sick of Noddy?   I am.  

But I am determined to finish this side of the tote bag before I put him away and give myself a break from half stitches.   So there are two hands, an M on the block Noddy is holding and then the cream colour of the block.   Tomorrow night should finish this piece and I swear you will hear the happy dance all the way to Norwich!!

Little Noddy two Shoes

While he is not fully complete yet, Noddy is certainly more recognisable now with his red shoes and their big blue bows.

Tomorrow night will have to be top stitching I think, unless I succumb to hardanger fever and pick up the diamonds again.

Noddy's progress

Tonight I am stitching on Noddy.   He is looking more like the illustration from the book and eventually should look very handsome on one side of the tote bag.

Why he has orange cheeks I do not know but I have followed the chart faithfully so it must be right??  The pleasure in this stitching is not from the chart -  too many half stitches -  but from the nostalgia factor.   So I'm off now to my needle and my rose tinted memories.

Hurrah For little Noddy!

Does anyone else remember the first book?

I have been thinking of my well worn, indeed practically worn out, Noddy books and wondering whatever happened to them.   With two younger siblings, they were probably passed down and fell to pieces from too much loving.

This embroidered Noddy is never going to suffer from too much loving.   The crazy designer adores half stitches and this crazy stitcher hates half stitches so we have a toxic combination:-)   However Noddy now has a hat, a bell, a bow tie and hopefully tonight he will get eyes, a nose and a mouth.

Off to Toyland

Today has been  a long day with an early start to make sure I completed the list

Baking - done 

Cleaning - done
Bathrooms - done
Ironing - done
Shopping - done

The HD3QBEM's chores at chemist -  done
Library - books returned and new books chosen
Stitching - work basket stitching finished, new project started

Now while enjoying Doc Martin  I have sorted out threads and linen to start my next project - A  Noddy in Toyland tote bag.   I'm using up a leftover piece of Cork linen in a rich cream shade and using DMC floss.  
And once again I am itching to do a piece of hardanger.   Guess what section of my stash I will be delving into tomorrow?   I plan on having a hardanger runner as my next project.