A Secret Santa Christmas Swap............

I was delighted to post off this special little gift today. I joined in Chookyblue's fun of a Secret Santa swap this year, my very first swap like this........I post to someone overseas, and someone else from overseas posts to me!!!!.........

............Soooooo...........I wonder where this is going?????????...........and who is to get to open it on Xmas Day???????????......That's right......it must sit under the Chrissy Tree till THE day!!!!....such temptation!!!....

  

                             .........Oh, and I nearly forgot, this parcel has a littler friend...........

........and inside is a little Christmas something that can be opened as soon as the parcel arrives.....phew!!!.....that may satisfy the 'pressie opening' urge for a time!!!!

I hope you are enjoying the start of the Christmas Season at your home.

Our family will spend this Christmas in real Aussie style, at our caravan at the beach, BBQing, surfing, canoeing, beach walking, reading, socialising, etc, etc

How will you spend your Christmas?

There's been a lot of talk about thread..........

As all the Stitch-Along ladies begin their needleturn blocks for the latest quilt, Some Kind of Wonderful, there's beeen a bit of debate over the thread to use and why..........

I have enjoyed doing needleturn applique for some time now, and was always an avid Guterman cotton only woman, mainly because of the old argument that the thread type (cotton) should match the fabric type for similar wear and tear qualities. I did find though that cotton thread is not as strong as I would have liked and I did learn of an alternative, which I reluctantly tried (I say reluctantly because it is a polyester thread and it didn't match my cotton theory!!!)  But one try and I was in love with it..........I justify allowing a polyester thread on my needleturn quilts this way.. 

 1..... a needleturn quilt of mine won't hit the washing machine on a weekly basis, so I'm not so worried about the fabrics wearing at varying rates                                                   

2......the stitches are completely invisible, and my work in turn looks more professional                                    3..... the thread is strong and does not fray to nothing as I work with it 

4......it is cheaper as the thread is sold as bobbins so I can have many smaller amounts of lots of colours for variety, which is really essential for applique

........so you may ask what is it called??????.......

It is from the Superior Threads range, more particularly their Bottomline Polyester thread......a 60weight thread (fine), and you can buy it like this..........

 ....it's called a Superbobs Donut....how cool is that???????.........

......every colour to suit.................................

Just ask me in the comments and I can let you know where I got mine and how much I payed.......as the saying goes....."I think it's the best thing since sliced bread!!!!!!".

Oh and I have made a start on my first block, the patty cakes.....here's the proof.........

Anyway, I hope this may be of help to some of you as you gather everyone's ideas in order to make your own decision on the issue of thread............

I hope you are all keeping your hands busy with fabric........