Outside the comfort zone and something fun!

Today is my stitching friend Michelle's birthday, and while you're reading this our little sewing group is heading into town to catch up for a bit of celebrating. 

We manage to balance food, laughter and stitching pretty well in public places! All we need is a table, chairs and each other. 

My gift for Michelle was inspired by a set of Friendship blocks designed by another friend, Fiona Ransley (Designs by Fee). She has been releasing one sweet block each month this year to make a large quilt, and I chose one of those blocks as the centre of this wall hanging for Michelle...

I think you can tell that the fabric colours are not my usual choice, and that's why I titled this blog post "out of my comfort zone". 

The block, however, was an easy decision. Isn't it lovely?

The key to giving a gift that will be appreciated is to focus on the essence of the recipient's own style and favoured colour scheme as the foundation of what you choose to make. Allow the fabrics and threads to flow from that into your project.

The fabrics I have used in Michelle's gift are from Lynette Anderson's "Quilter's Garden" collection. The prints represent Michelle's love of quilting, home and dogs, in colours that I know she favours...

If you're interested in replicating this project here are the fabrics and Anchor thread colours I used...

Fee's 'Friendship Quilt' information is HERE.

Lynette Anderson's blog is HERE.

And now to the 'something fun' I also mentioned in the title of this blog post!

Every day next week  I'll be taking you on a fun Christmas journey to make my free "Christmas Hostess Table Topper"!

Why not gather a group of friends together for a week of sewing and you can have a secret swap of your completed Table Toppers before Christmas?!

In Friday's blog post you'll receive the list of materials and threads required to make this sweetie, but for now, I have a birthday stitching day to run off to...

Enjoy your day!