Gift Sewing

 My mom pieced all of these and sent them to me for quilting and binding. 

The first is a wall hanging.

Then a set of placemats.

She bought the fabrics and panel in a kit from Jordan Fabrics. I added backing and binding fabric from my shop. 

See mom, I got them done!

Customer Show and Tell

 Cheryl bought our Christmas Wreath kit last summer. She's a fairly new quilter so she was a little worried about making the ribbon border, but she did great!

Cheryl and her husband are back again for this summer so she brought this in to show me.

Last week we had our the first Stella Bag and Wallet class. We had a full classroom but only one person got both the bag and wallet finished. 

Cynthia has made a few basic tote bags but this was her first bag "real" bag. She learned how to put in a zipper, both on the top of the bag and an interior pocket on the wallet. She learned how to make pockets and install a magnetic snap on the wallet. She also quite quickly realized how with a few skills should could make a bag her own. I think she's hooked!

Jelly Roll Tree Skirt

 I've had this pattern in my shop for some time. It's called Strippy Tree Skirt. I decided on Wednesday before Christmas that I wanted to make one for myself so I did!

The pattern explains a different method for starting than what I decided to do. I used one of my rope coasters instead. Notice the coaster in the center of the tree skirt in the photo below.

I just sewed right to it! Then I ripped it out before cutting the slit and adding binding to the cut edge. It worked great! No coasters were harmed in making it either.

This is why I wanted a new tree skirt.

Ms. Spooky Boo just will not leave the tree skirt alone! The first year I was married I made a counted cross-stitch tree skirt that I love. But Ms. Boo loves it too and she keeps picking at one of the elements in the design. I am afraid that she is going to mess up the design so the last few years I only pull out the tree skirt on Christmas Eve before we put the presents on top. Now I have one that I can put out with the tree. 

This one is all machine stitched so if she pulls out any stitching I can easily fix it.

If you have made any of the other jelly roll rug patterns this one is similar. The pattern is well written with photos and it was fun to make. 

The jelly roll I used is from the Home Sweet Holidays collection by Deb Strain for Moda.

2015 Ornaments Completed

It feels good to have them all finished.

Five of these are on their way to their forever-home today. A close-up photo of both the front and back can be view by clicking this link.

Ornaments and Designing

First, I'm finishing up my 2015 ornaments. So far I only have two completely finished, but the rest only need the embroidery part appliqued to the front. The base is made from maroon cotton velveteen. These started life as my living/dining room curtains. I got new curtains a few years ago but kept the old curtains because "surely I can use these for something else." I'm so glad I saved them.

I used my sewing machine to embroider my initials and the year on the backs.

Second, I'm trying to figure out how to use this adorable panel and write a pattern for whatever I come up with.

Actually, there are two panels shown in the photo above. I got two in case I need to start over or in case I want to make one for myself. Whatever I make will eventually end up at Kathy's Fabric Trunk as a sample and possibly a kit to support the fabric.

I have this whole stack of companion prints to play with.

This is the new Story line by Carrie Bloomston. I have a few ideas. I need to pick one and go for it!

Lastly, where is the best place to nap on a chilly morning?

Answer: On top of the radiator cover.

There are softer surfaces to lay on in this house but I bet this is the warmest.

2014 Ornaments

I decided to do something simple this year. My family had a reunion at the beach in July so this years ornament commemorates that week.

The sand dollar fabric was given to me by a friend who went to the opposite coast this summer and bought it there.

New Year Cleaning

Yesterday's blocks are done, the tree is put away, some Christmas decorations have been carried upstairs and I've done some vacuuming. Tony and Parker are working on cleaning/organizing Parker's room. I'm using my new crock pot for the first time. I've got a ham and bean soup cooking and will make corn bread to go with it.

Busy, busy, busy today. I'm taking a short tea break before tackling some more.

The Mystery Continues

Still working on my mystery quilt. I made a little more progress this morning before I had to turn my attention to more mundane tasks - laundry, grocery shopping, taking the ornaments off the tree and packing them up for storage. The tree will come down tomorrow and I'll begin carrying items upstairs for storage until next year. I like to just pile things on one of my basting tables for a few days to make sure that I have found everything that needs to be put away. If I put things away too soon then I usually forget something and wind up having to get all the bins out a second time to put it away.

Hope you had a good New Year. We did. Parker played at a friends house for the afternoon and then we went over and had a very nice dinner before coming home about 8 pm. We were too tired from skiing all afternoon on New Years Eve to do anything. I went to bed at 9:30!