Back in Play

I put myself on the quilting sidelines for most of December, but this weekend I got back on the field.  I had both the last block of the Scrap Happy Sampler Quilt and the third block of the Treasure Chest Quilt to make.  So I finished 2011 all caught up with blocks to make and that's a nice positive finish.

Corner Star Block: If you "like" Quilt in a Day on facebook you will find the three blocks so far.

I'm trying to keep with purple/green/white/gold with accent colors.

These blocks are challenging and interesting.

 

Rolling Stars Block:  http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/Scrap-Happy-Sampler-Quilt-Pattern.htm

There were two variations for this block in the directions but unfortunately, I didn't realize this until I cut out my fabric, so I have the plainer version.  There are several designs of the Rolling Star, but they are eight point stars.  I think this one looks very ordinary, but there is another version which I plan to make, mostly because I need more blocks for the quilt size that I am planning.

 I learned a few things in 2011 in the qal's I joined. One that I hope I remember is that scrap quilts require just as much fabric planning as any other quilt. 

Wishing all of my followers and readers a healthy, peaceful and joyful New Year.

God Bless You.

 

Merry Christmas 2011

Pictures from one of my Christmas activities.

Those are Canada geese and ducks in the foreground.  This is the Rosary Pond.

I hope everyone's Christmas is beautiful.

God Bless You.

Christmas QAL Quilt Show

Hi!

As many of you know, every second Saturday for the last year I have participated in the Christmas Quilt Along hosted this year by Sue of Quilt Times  http://quilttimes.blogspot.com/ and Cathi of Shakerwood Quilts .http://shakerwoodquilts.blogspot.com/  Sue began this fun event in 2010 I believe, and it's the best thing that's happened to me in the sense that I've made so many of my beautiful Christmas covers with her and the other participants.  Hazel of Hazel's Quilts http://hazelsquilts.blogspot.com/ suggested that we have a show-off day on the second Saturday of December, so here I am, ready to brag. 

This year the Scatty Stars quilt pattern was given to us a block at a time each month. 

Pretty nice, huh?  I had this quilt folded at the end of my bed the other day, and when I got home I couldn't find Moxie until I walked into my room and saw a lump under my quilt and felt a little warm body sleeping there.  So it's been given the Moxie Seal of Approval.

I made these two table covers this year.

The quilt that Moxie's sitting on here was made during last year's Christmas QAL.

I made this wall hanging last year, too.

I'd like to share with you my Christmas decorations.  I am a big Annalee fan.  She was a New Englander, New Hampshire, and I love her dolls.

My bears wish you a Merry Christmas.

My carolers and musicians hope you enjoy the beautiful music of the season.

The santaas and elves are out in full force.

The reindeer know where the good news of great joy is to be found.

The angels hope we hear the message.

Soon it will be time for joy.

SewCalGal's Christmas Quilt Show

This is my entry to the 2011 Christmas Quilt Show which you will find here: http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2011/11/2011-christmas-quilt-show-welcome.html

Darlene of SewCalGal does a wonderful job organizing this event.  The prizes are many and desirable, so thank you to Darlene and the sponsors.

My entry is the Christmas Wreath Quilt I made as part of a mystery qal run by Eric Homemade Ezine.  http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/erik_homemade/





I love the design of this quilt, but I also love that I used crochet to enhance the design by adding crocheted stars to the wreath. 

And I added buttons, decorative machine stitching, and simple fmq. 

I hope you enjoy the Christmas Quilt Show and visit the many bloggers who post an entry.

Thank you for stopping by.

God Bless!

Pretty Finishes and Lovely Wins

I thought I would visit my blog today since I've ignored it shamefully. 

I have finished both the blue Santa table cover and the sleigh runner.  I kept the quilting very simple, just stitching in the ditch or outlining stitches.  Sometimes I like the puffiness of a quilt when the quilting isn't overdone, and sometimes I just don't want to FMQ. 

One sleigh has a white heart and the other a red heart. 

I used the patchwork fabric for the backing, but of course the stitches aren't in the ditch there.  I won this fabric last year.

The table cover has a striped back.

During Moda Fabrics Designers Blog Hop last month I won a fabric bundle from French General.  I love Kaari Marie's sense of color and design. 

The bag contains scraps.  I'll definitely enjoy using them.  Thank you, French General.

I understand Moda is having another blog hop in December or soon after.

I also won a fabric bundle during the Henry Glass Designer Blog Hop.  Jacquelynne of The Noble Wife picked my name to win her prize. 

The fabric has a Christmas theme, and that makes me very happy.  Two patterns were included. 

Before winning I was a follower of The Noble Wife blog because it is like entering a fairy tale.  The images on the fabric give you an idea of her artistic style.  Gentle and pretty.  Thank you, Jacquelynne.

On the 28th of November, SewCalGal's Christmas Quilt Show begins.  Viewing all of the entries will be fun and inspiring.

God Bless You. 

Christmas QAL November - 3rd

I made the quilt sandwich for the table cover but am not ready to quilt it.  Maybe tomorrow.  I picked up a crochet project to work on.  It's another lapghan to donate.

It's a simple double crochet cluster that I put together.  Since the hospital wants 40 inch lapghans and I can't find patterns that size I'm coming up with my own.

Thanks, Sue.  I did accomplish much today, although my photos don't support that contention. 

God Bless and have a great weekend.





Christmas QAL November - 2nd

I have the sleighs appliqued and am trying out fabric for the rest of the runner.  I think I'm going with this patchwork fabric.  Casual but pretty.

I have to wash off the stabilizer so I don't think I'll make much more progress on this for now. 

I think my sleigh has possibilities and will probably make other projects with it.  I need to practise applique.  One thing that helped today was I discovered an applique foot in my sewing machine's kit.  Love using it because it's clear so visibility is good.



Christmas Quilt Along - November - 1st

Sue of Quilt Times is hosting today's qal http://www.quilttimes.blogspot.com , and it's our last for this year.  That's why I wanted to work with Christmas fabrics and images.  I began yesterday so that I could get complete the futzing part and get on with the real work.  Will you be surprized if I told you it took me almost an hour just to pick out the fabric from stash? 

I have wanted to make a sleigh applique table runner for a while now, so a few weeks ago while looking for  designs for cross-stitching I spied an image I liked and copied it on paper.  Then yesterday I enlarged it, re-drew, and finally got it somewhat to what I wanted.

 I have the second sleigh to tweek a bit.

It's cute, isn't it?

I also had a panel and decided to use it for a table cover.  I sewed on the border, so all this needs is sandwich and quilting.  Unfortunately, I didn't choose the backing yet, so I may be MIA while that's done.

Those are my projects so far.  Time to get to work on them.

Veterans Day

 I admired the way the Quilty Pleasures blog is remembering veterans today and want to follow their lead on my blog.  These are the initials of veterans in my life.

AEP, my dad; MEP, by brother; EP, my brother-in-law; JO, TO, JP, AO, all uncles; AL, a cousin;  JL, a young man who gave his life in Viet Nam; VB, a young woman in my parish; and many more. 

1941 nine-patch from Eleanor Burns' Victory Quilts

I know there was no victory after WWI only the end of war, but today we at least remember all the vets who have served in any war. 

God Bless Them.



America The Beautiful, and Sampler Blocks

I have all of the borders on the America the Beautiful quilt. 

Now I'm putting it away until next year, or at least until I have time to quilt it carefully.

I made two blocks for two qal's I've been following.  Janet Wickell of about.com gave us the Churn Dash block for our Scrap Happy Quilt.  She wanted the eleventh block to be an easy one for us, and it is easy and is also one of my favorite classic blocks.

The second block in the Quilt in a Day Treasure Chest Quilt on facebook is the Honey Bee block.  Isn't that a sweet name for a block. 

I had a bunch of blogland issues that I was going to rant about, but have decided to keep them to myself.  Nobody likes a whiner.  But, I do wish the QIAD challenge wasn't a voting one.  I'm disappointed that it is but I'm going to continue with the qal because I love the block patterns and love that they are traditional blocks but ones I haven't made yet.  Eleanor Burns commented on facebook that every finish is a cause to celebrate, and I totally agree.  It's that feeling at the end of the project that is so satisfying, and keeps me going back for more.  Is that addiction or what? :)

SewCalGal's Christmas Quilt Show is coming up November 28th.  Have you got your entry ready? 

Have a wonderful weekend.  Extra hour of sleep or whatever tonight.

God Bless You. 

Can You See That This is a Pumpkin?

I have the AccuQuilt equilateral triangle die and wanted to try it out.  Although some day I hope to make a scrap quilt of triangles, I'm not ready to do that yet.  So I made a mug rug.  I haven't any with an autumn theme, so this little pumpkin was created.  I think it's pretty cute, albeit the binding crooked, but it's only a mug rug so I just hurried to finish.  I'll have to do more with this die - it has lots of possibilities.

I haven't posted in a while because Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week I only worked on one thing and that was sewing the blocks together of the America the Beautiful quilt.  And I am not yet finished with that quilt top.  I have one more border to add.  I ran into problems with things not fitting properly, so there was much unsewing, resewing and downright fudging taking place. 

Once that border is on I'm going to devote myself to Christmas crafts.  I have too many ideas and not enough time to make all of them, so I need to get started on something, any thing. 

Stay well.

God Bless!

   

Another Pineapple Block

I did make a second Pineapple Block with colors that give a different effect.  I'll submit this one, too.

God Bless!

Pineapple Block

If you are a fan of Quilt in a Day on Facebook, then you know about Eleanor Burns' sampler qal.  The block patterns are from The Kansas City Star newspaper that published quilt patterns in the early to mid 20th century.  I've joined in because the part about quilt making that I like quite a bit is the history and tradition behind it.  Anyway I submitted the block for October.  It's called Pineapple.  I had some problems finding fabric in my stash that progressed in value. 

I might make another version with different colors, if I can find some that would work.

God Bless.