Santa Ornaments

I started making these ornaments on a trip I took

with my daughter back in February.

After getting home, I worked on them a bit more

and then they sat.

Last night I decided the Santa ornaments needed to be finished.

Mrs. Claus was done already.

These ornaments are super cute and oh so fussy to make!

I do find it relaxing to work on these in the evening, though.

The ornaments are made and sold by Larissa here 

.

I stink at painting their faces and have tried several ways to do it.

A painter I am not... even with a marker!

 

I used a paint pen and the paint still bled just a bit.

Oh well...

 

In her patterns, she has a lot of years printed to stitch on the back

of the ornaments, should one choose to do so.

This is the only one with the date.

 

The other three will have Mrs. Claus joining them at some point.

Also, from my never ending cabinet,

I stitched this wool pattern.

It will be quilted and become a wallhanging, I think.

 

 

I am not a fan of blanket stitching, so I use silk thread

and tiny applique stitches to sew the wool to the background.

Hopefully this will be quilted soon.

Today I'm linking to Design Wall Monday.

Happy Quilting!

Be well and be safe!

Quilt Camp Prep

As of now, my annual quilt camp is still a go!

My sister-in-law and I have gone to this little retreat for several years

now and have the best time.

This year there will be just 4 of us, so we will have no problem social distancing

while still being together.

The biggest issue for me is quilt camp is in upstate NY and I live in Virginia.

I will go to my SIL's house and stay there for the night

and then we will drive up to the retreat house.

Since I leave this Thursday for camp,

I've been prepping the projects I'm going to work on while there.

I don't want to waste the time at camp cutting the parts

and pieces for the quilts.

You know I have to have a Kaffe project!

I can't wait to see this one made.

My sheet to keep me straight!

A few weeks ago I broke bad and bought a kit

to make this red, white and blue quilt.

It's cut and ready to make.

I put the rulers needed in with each quilt so I won't forget to bring them.

This is another quilt made from solid fabrics.

This should go together quickly.

I did get another candy bag made to take up to my

sister-in-laws mother.

This is one of my favorites!

Now my problem is to keep from sewing on any of these before I go!

Happy Quilting!

Such Exciting News!

We found out about a month ago that my daughter and SIL

are having a baby!

This will be our first grandchild and we are so excited.

They are due January 1st!

When I found out about them being pregnant,

I started knitting a little sweater and pair of booties.

They made the trip to California when we went recently

and have been delivered.

We do not know the gender of the baby yet,

so I thought this color yarn would work for either.

Now, my daughter and SIL do not like "things".

They have very few "tchotchke's" in their home

and do not like clutter.

I promised them that I would not be buying a lot of things

for this baby and would abide by their wishes.

After I gave them this set,

my dear SIL said to me,

"I'm on to you! You said you wouldn't BUY much

for this baby, but you didn't say a word about what you would

MAKE for this baby!"

BUSTED!!

:D :D 

After we heard the exciting news,

I told my husband that this will mean monthly

trips to California beginning in January!

God is good!!

Squad Car Quilt

A couple of weeks ago my aunt, who lives in Michigan, asked if I would

make an adult size quilt and a couple of baby quilts

to be used in squad cars and the ambulance in her small town.

The baby quilts I had made, but I didn't have an adult size quilt

done that would be appropriate.

Out came some fabrics and some simple, mindless sewing began.

Sometimes simple is best.

Sixteen patch blocks were made from some

shweshwe fabrics I had, paired up with the turquoise solid.

 

Some straight line grid quilting was done diagonally on the quilt.

 

I've had this fun fabric in my stash for a long time

and thought it would make a great backing for a squad car quilt.

 

Prayers were said over this quilt as it was being sewn.

One prayer was that it wouldn't be needed often or at all!

 

The pops of color in the shweshwe add so much to the design.

 

It has been washed and is in the pile with a few other quilts.

My aunt is going back home tomorrow,

so these will be delivered today.

Happy Quilting!

Be safe and be well!

Camper Pillow and Quilt Top

Well, we bit the bullet and flew to California at the end of last week

to visit my daughter and son in law out there.

It had been way to long in between visits for us,

so we took our masks, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes and 

flew out for a few days.

It was wonderful being together again.

We didn't go anywhere or do much,

but sat on their patio and enjoyed each others' company.

Before I left, I finished a couple of things.

One more thing was pulled from my never ending

cabinet of unfinished or not made projects.

I've had the pattern for this pillow for over a year

and have a friend who has a camper.

Out came the pattern, some fabric

and the pillow is finished.

It was fun choosing the fabrics for this camper.

The one mistake I made (and corrected it)

was to not back the white window with something

so the orange background wouldn't show through.

The window wasn't framed in the pattern,

but I cut the window out,

made a new one and sewed the frame around it to

hide the edges.

The backing has a zipper and isn't as bright as the photo shows.

The pillow has been delivered!

Another machine quilting project finished!

Last week my aunt, who lives in Michigan,

called and asked if I could make some quilts for

the police department in her small town.

The police chief asked for some child-size quilts

and adult quilts to keep in their squad cars.

I have the child size quilts made and made the top

of an adult size quilt before I left for California.

I've had 4 half yard cuts of this fun Shweshwe fabric

for several years and decided to use it for this quilt.

 

I pulled several fabrics to coordinate with the Shweshwe,

but the others (greens, oranges, white, etc.) were too

much of a contrast with the shweshwe.

I love the look of the turquoise, especially closer to the quilt top.

 

Sixteen patch blocks were made and then sewn into a top.

 

As I was sewing, prayers were said for the person

who will be wrapped in this quilt after whatever incident

they have that warranted a call to the police. 

It will be quilted and delivered this week.

Happy Quilting!

Be safe and be well.

Christmas in June

Last year my sister-in-law gave me this kit to make this cute

Christmas wall hanging.

It's been in my cabinet since then and last week

I pulled it out to get it made.

Making these kinds of quilts is not my favorite thing to do,

but I actually enjoyed the process this time.

I used clear thread to stitch the pieces down

and that saved a lot of time.

The kit came with everything, including the backing and batting!

Making this kit went so well that I decided to pull another one

out and get that finished, too.

 This one I bought last summer at a quilt shop in upstate NY.

I was up there for quilt camp and found this great shop.

Too bad I can't remember the name of it! 

If I had any red flannel, I would have switched the fabric out for the hat.

It's too dark, but will do.

He is supposed to have a string of lights embroidered from hand to hand,

but that didn't happen.

He's waving good-bye before he heads down the chimney!

 

Two more projects are out of my cabinet!

Oh, don't worry.... there are plenty more projects in there.

Happy Quilting!

Be well and be safe.

Solid Fun is Finished

I'm usually not one to make the more modern quilt designs that

are popular today.

I like more traditional quilts in bolder colors and fabrics.

This quilt caught my eye the first time I looked at the book

and I just love how it looks.

Here is the book I used...

There are some really fun quilts in this book made
with solid fabrics.

The quilt on the cover is what caught my eye.
I gathered my fabrics, cut the triangles and strips
and went to town.

The one thing I didn't like about this quilt was the zig zag edge on both sides.
I decided to add the extra triangles to give the quilt  straight edges on all sides.

After some diamond grid quilting and

adding a striped binding,

this one is finished.

 

I thought this quilt would take me a while to make,

but it actually went together fairly quickly.

 

This one is already spoken for and is being laundered as I type.


Happy Quilting!
Be well and be safe!

Peace To You

Every year I make a little patriotic quilted item for my siblings, my mom

and a couple of other people.

This started a couple of years after my dad died.

My dad was one of the most patriotic people I know. 

His country meant so much to him.

I began thinking about what design to use

for the annual project about a month ago.

As I was thinking of what to make this year

the word "Peace" kept coming to me.

There has been so much fear, anxiety and concern

surrounding Covid 19 and the quarantine that is in place

because of this virus, 

especially from those who have contracted the virus and been sick from it,

or have lost loved ones to the virus,

or are fearful of contracting the virus,

or have a loved one with the virus,

or have lost their job because of the shut down,

or are anxious because of the isolation

or a number of the above and other things. 

I have prayed for Peace over and over during this time.

Then the killing of George Floyd happened.

I began praying for God's peace over his family,

over those who are protesting,

over the business owners' who have suffered vandalism,

over those who have suffered so much over time from racism, 

over those of us who need to look into our hearts and root out any racist

thoughts and feelings we may unknowingly harbor there,

over our country and how we will move forward,

creating a place where there is equal justice for all,

and for all of us to listen to those who need to be heard for things to change.

PEACE

I started to add borders and other things to these,

but Peace is all that is needed.

 

The letters were cut with my accuquilt cutter

and the Peace die.

 

Patriotic fabrics were used to carry on with the theme of these little quilted gifts.

 

Organic lines were quilted onto most of them.

A couple have all over meandering or swirls.

 

May the Peace that passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds today.

(Philippians 4:7)

 

 

 

Christmas Tree Skirt for Kelly

One of my daughters college roommates was supposed to be

getting married next month.

As is tradition for me,

I started on her Christmas tree skirt as her wedding gift.

Then, this past weekend, they had to postpone the wedding.

I thought about putting the tree skirt aside,

but why do that?

Get it done and checked off of my list.

This pattern was on Moda Bake Shop,

but is no longer there.

**Edit**
Here is a link to the pattern on another site.

I've used it a number of times

and love how quickly it goes together

and how it shows the fabrics so nicely.

There is metallic gold in a number of the fabrics,

giving them a richness and sparkle.

 

This was made with a layer cake, but I don't remember which one.

The backing fabric is from the same line

and I didn't remember that I had it!

Back when the isolation time started, 

I did a big purge and clean of my hidey hole.

All except the cabinet where my Christmas fabrics are stored.

Well, while I was looking for binding fabric,

a huge pile of fabrics fell out onto the floor.

It was time to clean this cabinet.

My mom gave me her Christmas fabrics years ago

and there are some that date back to 1991!!

Now that they are organized and neat,

I know what I have and HOW MUCH I HAVE!!

(smack my head!)

This year everyone is getting Christmas quilts... or 3!

:D

Happy Quilting!

Be well and be safe.

Kaffe Junk Jewelry Finished

Back in the winter my friend, Dottie, and I decided to make

a quilt similar to one we had seen at a quilt show.

We gathered our Kaffe fabrics,

ordered the white with black polka dots

and began cutting wedges.

I. LOVE. THIS. QUILT!!!!!

I showed the pattern when the top was completed

and if I had seen just the pattern,

there is no way I would have made this quilt.

No offense, but the quilt on the pattern is not my taste at all.

The booth that sold the pattern had a quilt made from Kaffe and polka dots

and Dottie and I were sold.

Mine is back from the LAQ, bound and finished!!

Between the two of us we have quite a Kaffe stash.

There aren't too many fabrics repeated in this quilt.

 

This quilt required the Creative Grids Spiderweb ruler

and was used to cut both sizes of wedges.

 

Look at this!

Another pieced backing by me!!

I've had these peacock prints for years 

and decided they would make a good backing.

 

I think I bought the fabric to make a stack and whack quilt

and that never happened.

 

One thing that surprised me was how well the binding coordinated

with the backing.  I picked it because of the front and wasn't too 

worried about how it would work with the back.

Turns out it looks great on both sides!

 

We went to town cutting the Kaffe wedges.

In fact, I have another top done and waiting to be quilted.

The border is different because I didn't have enough of the polka dot.

 

This was quilted with a swirl design with purple thread.

 

Kaffe and polka dots.

Does it get any better???

Happy Quilting!

Be well and be safe.