Give a Gnome a home for Christmas 2023

Announcing!

Kim's Christmas extravaganza 2023

I made some Gnomes for people at work and for others in my life. 

It took me every spare moment for a month, so all quilting activities were put on hold!

(It started with plan A ,which was glass etching and I found it was far too messy and took too long).

 

So I browsed YouTube for another idea, and found this.

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzG6vYNlYyg

 

Step 1

 Names

 

I gave them all names starting with 'G' then chose the fabric from my never ending stash.

Here is a scan of my fabric plan.

 

Step 2

Hats

 

I then traced, cut out and made the hats.

 

Then I turned them the right way out and sewed on the pom poms.

 

Step 3

Weighted Bases

I also made the weighted bases. They are filled with plastic pellets that are used by toy makers. 

Traced, cut, sewed, filled with a funnel, then I sewed up the opening. 

I called them the ravioli.  

Step 4

Beards

I hope the fabric is not carcinogenic, because I had it everywhere, in my mouth, eyes blah! 

I traced out and carefully snipped out the beards, with little scissors.

Step 5

Bodies

Using a template on the grey felt I traced and then cut out the gnome bodies.

Then mark the spot for the beard and sew it on.

Then I carefully tucked the beard inside and sewed up the seam. 

 I sewed on the round base, making sure the beard was tucked away.

Pinned on the base, then sewed it on.

Then to turn them the the right way out.

First I used my trusty pinking shears around the base.

Then pushed it through, beard first.

And poked the top into a point.

Step 6

Noses

I couldn't get enough of the same beads to make them all the same (gnomes must be popular this year) so I used a variety of colours and sizes amongst the donsy!

Firstly, I marked the center for the nose with a pin and then sewed it on.

and here we are with my very patient prototype practice gnome Got an Idea gnome.

 

 Step 7

Filling

 

First pop the ravioli into the base and give it a good push around so its flat.

 

 

Then shove some stuffing in and start hand stitching the back, putting more filling in as the back is stitched and make sure it is poked right up to the point of its head.

 

This was a great fibre fill. It didn't make a mess at all.

I bought it for another project and only used a little and still only used a little this time.

Its called Great Balls of Fibre , I highly recommend it.

 

And nearly there!

Step 8

Decoration

 

Right, 

their all having flags with their names on them.

I download an Irish font from 1001 fonts and here we go!

 

I bet you 50 cents that you all stroke their beards! - gnomes like that, they told me so.

 

I'll also tell you that in true Terry Pratchett tradition male and female gnomes in my world both have beards. They can be whatever they want to be. 

 

The team is watching on!

 I made the poinsettia flowers on my Cricut cutter, then glued them together and glued a pearl in the center. The pearls were a bit temperamental so if they fall off pop them back with a bit of superglue.

 I should have sewed them on in hindsight.

I was going to tie ribbon on the flag staffs, but decided to use sequins as they look like jewels.

Well,

you should see the state of the floor of Kimba's Craft Room.

Its going to need a terminal clean!

 

Here's Gotcha Gnome finished.

And here they all are..

All 47 of them!

 

 

 

 

This is and extract from

 

https://www.letitbegnome.com/what-is-a-group-of-gnomes-called/

What is a Group of Gnomes Called?

by HeadGnome | Jun 15, 2020 | General | 5 comments

A group of gnomes is called a donsy. 

They have a great sense of community and so enjoy spending time with each other.

Gnomes are often found together in a wide variety of scenarios such as in a garden, out in the woods looking for food or when fishing. It is thought that gnomes are at their best when they are in groups as they work well together and have a great community spirit. They also share a highly witty sense of humor which means that they enjoy being around and working together.

~~~~~~

I'm releasing them at work tomorrow.

I'll update you all on the adoption rates soon. 

 

Who'd you get? Send me a photo!

kimcoranga@hotmail.com.au

Merry Christmas!

Quilt - Under Pressure at Christmas

Here is my latest finished quilt and finally getting a lot of UFOs (Unfinished objects) out of the way.

I finished this one in early September, just been a bit slow updating the blog.

This is the smaller version of the one I finished in 2016.

Here is its big brother pictured below.

I gave the smaller one a Christmas theme and its backing is Christmas fabric.

I have 2 more quilts waiting for me to finish the binding,

and 2 more on the design wall just waiting for the final borders.

I've been a bit busy over the past month working on the 2023 Kim's Christmas extravaganza.

Which is a Donsy. 

(google it).

All to be revealed soon.

Paul McCartney Concert,,, YEY!

Hello My Dear Readers.

Graham and I saw Paul McCartney live n Newcastle!

It was fantastic!

We watched a brilliant  show of his last Glastonbury concert  and  thought how wonderful he was and how disappointingly we would never get to see him live. I thought he would be to old to travel to Australia again, But here you go... Bless him.

He is so agile for an 81 year old and he still has his voice. II guess he travel's with a personal trainer , voice coach and physio. (doctor, nurse, chef etc).

---

Most of these photos are mine, with a couple borrowed from the web. 

We were 5 rows from the front, although the seats weren't as good as when we saw Elton. 

We were at the far edge of the stage, and further back because of the fireworks.

 

Above - 1. Can’t Buy Me Love (The Beatles)

----

I thought of all the acts I would have liked to seen and are now dead...

 Freddie Mercury... David Bowie...Van Morrison...

...

and I then thought.

stuff the cost we are so doing this!

---

Then they sang.

2. Junior’s Farm (Wings)

3. Letting Go (Wings)

4. She’s a Woman (The Beatles)

5. Got to Get You Into My Life (The Beatles)

6. Come On to Me

 7. Let Me Roll It (Wings)

Above- Telling the story of Jimi Hendrix and his guitar tuning.

Then,

8. Getting Better (The Beatles)

9. Let ‘Em In (Wings)

(Woof Woof Woof!!! Its our doorbell tune.I had to take it off spotify 

because the dogs went bonkers every time it came on)..

Then.

10. My Valentine

11. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five (Wings)

Above:-12. Maybe I’m Amazed

Then,

13. I’ve Just Seen a Face (The Beatles)

14. In Spite of All the Danger (The Quarrymen song)

15. Love Me Do (The Beatles)

16. Dance Tonight

 Above:-17. Blackbird (The Beatles)

 Above and below-18. Here Today

Then,

19. New

 

Above:- 20. Lady Madonna (The Beatles)

Then,

21. Fuh You

22. Jet (Wings)

23. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! (The Beatles)

24. Something (The Beatles)

25. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (The Beatles)

26. You Never Give Me Your Money (The Beatles)

27. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window (The Beatles)

28. Band on the Run (Wings)

Above:- 29. Get Back (The Beatles)

Then,

30. Let It Be (The Beatles)

These are all :- 31. Live and Let Die (Wings)

And I was close enough to got burnt!

Just a couple of tine cinder dots on my hand and chin...

Then,

32. Hey Jude (The Beatles)

 

Encore:

Above:- 33. I’ve Got a Feeling (The Beatles) – virtual duet with John Lennon

Then,

34. Birthday (The Beatles)

 Above:- 35. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (The Beatles)

Then,

36. Helter Skelter (The Beatles)

37. Golden Slumbers (The Beatles)

38. Carry That Weight (The Beatles)

39. The End (The Beatles)

 

 

Oh Gosh!

My big outdoor stadium concert days are over. I think..

We saw Elton John and Paul McCartney in the same year..

I'm very, very happy.

Thank you so much to these wonderful artists.