Thanksgiving and Putting up the Tree!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our family and my daughter in law's family!  We have gotten together for the last eight years!  The two Mom's cooking up a storm and a feast enjoyed by all.  Just wonderful!  Friday was tree day here!  We got the tree out the roof during the day and strung the lights. Come evening we decorated the tree.  What a privilege to have all the kids at home for the event.  They all came from far and wide.  Considering the winter storm we had, it was so good that travel plans went smoothly!  Today they have started making their way back home and tomorrow three leave to go back to college.  However, just a few more weeks and they will be back for a longer Christmas Break!

A Christmas Quilt

My second finish of Sunday is this Christmas Wall Hanging!  I had put it together about two years ago. I came across it accidentally while looking for something else so out it came and joined the pile of things to quilt.  I was smart enough to have bought the backing and put it in the bag with the quilt top.  It was fun to quilt it and got done quite quickly.  The Christmas decorations on the trees are fussy cut!  I think it is a cheerful quilt.

Fussy cut cardinals!

Fussy cut candy canes!

Fussy cut teddy bears!

Two Finishes!

Well yesterday was a bell ringer day!  I finished two projects which have been in progress for a fairly long time.  The first was the Christmas quilt which I started about two to three years ago and finished the top.  Of course the quilting was left to do.  I showed the basting on the previous blog post.  The other finish was the huge granny square afghan that I have been working on for a year.  Got that done too.  I am very happy with it!

Here it is spread out on the queen size bed!

Folded at the foot of the bed!

This is the reason for not getting the finish done earlier.  

Prepping a Christmas Quilt!

I unearthed a Christmas quilt top which I had made about three years  ago!  In my endeavor to complete some things I took it out of storage and basted it ready to quilt.  The quilting is going along nicely!  I am making progress and can't wait to finish it.

Draped over my kitchen island and ironing board being basted.

Finished basting.  now on to the quilting!

A Christmas Table Runner!

A Christmas Table Runner to match the Christmas Wall Hanging.  I am using the same magazine for the pattern - Quilting Quickly!  I am using the same fabric (Aspen Frost and stash) which I used for the Wall Hanging.  This pattern uses Half Hexagons.  Super quick and easy.  I am to the border stage now.

Fabulous magazine filled with super Christmas patterns.

The half hexagon units put together.

A bright star added (grunge fabric from Aspen Frost line)

A Cushion Finish!

In an endeavor to complete some projects, I finished a cute cushion for our spare bedroom.  I found the free pattern on a blog a couple of years ago and printed it out because I knew I wanted to make it at some point.  I also want to say that I am forever done with piping on cushions.  I made this one the same way as a quilt and then put on a binding.  It works so well and looks good too.

I quilted it in a contour line fashion with little swirls in the lines.

Here it is on the bed.  I am so happy with it.

Christmas Wall Hanging Part 3 - A Finish!

Well it is done!  Officially my first Christmas Decoration in the house for this year.  It looks so bright and festive hanging in the kitchen.  I love the pop of turquoise.  I quilted it last night and did half the binding.  I just had to stitch it down on the front of the quilt this morning.  I'm thrilled with it!  I have Christmas music playing on Pandora and this quilt hanging in the kitchen!  It's beginning to feel like Christmas in my heart!

It's finished and hanging on the wall!

Another view!

A bit of the quilting!

Christmas Wall Hanging - Part 2!

I been sewing gang-busters on the wall hanging.  I put it together yesterday and had to stop when I realized I did not have just the right shade of red for the circle at the top of the tree.  I had put one on which was too bright.  So today I went to the quilt store and bought the red which I needed.  Also got the backing and binding.  I am busy basting the quilt now and will probably start quilting it tonight.  I am loving this little quilt so far.  What do you think?

Here I had just pinned the Dresden sections down, ready to sew.

It's on my counter top being basted.  

A Cute Christmas Wall Hanging!

Quilting Quickly (A Fons and Porter publication) has the cutest Christmas projects in the latest issue.  One of them is a Christmas Tree made from Dresden plates.  I have started it and am done with the dresden layers.  I have also pieced the four patches for the border.  I am about to start putting the quilt together.  Here are some pictures of what I have done.

I am making the four patches from charm squares.

Here are the 40 dresden pieces with their tops stitched.

A nice pile of four patches

All the dresden pieces stitched, pressed and ready to applique down to the background fabric.  

Crochet Edging for Flour Sack Tea Towel

I recently bought a very sweet flour sack tea towel.  It is quite large and I felt the design was fairly small.  There was just too much white on the background.  So I decided to crochet an edging in red to frame the pop of color in the center of the towel.  Much better don't you think!  The biggest thrill of all was that I used thread that I already had on hand, and I didn't run out before finishing the project.  That is a rare thing.  No trip to the store!

My crochet hook was a fine enough gauge to puncture the hole in the fabric without too much difficulty.

My tiny little bit of thread left!

Sue Daly does not only do EPP!

I had the privilege of meeting the lovely Sue Daly at Houston Quilt Market.  She showed us some Yo-yo's she is working on.  It is a wonderful project to use up scrap fabric.  I thought I would climb on that band wagon asap because you know if Sue Daly is making it so will the rest of the world!!!!  Somehow everything old is new again.  I really love it when that happens.  I am using the large Clover Yo-yo maker (only because I could not find my extra large one in my sewing room).  I am glad I chose the large because it can be used with more scraps (smaller pieces).

I am really just putting my hand into the scrap bag and pulling fabric.  I am not interested in what color comes out the bag.  I want this to be truly scrappy.  I just love how cheerful it looks.   Give it a try!  Great for TV watching.

Large Clover Yo-yo maker!

A Couple of Hexagon Totes

When the fabric line "Collage" arrived in our store we knew immediately what sample to make from it. Our friend Lori has a blog with a stunning tote bag made from hexagons.  See the tutorial at
www.lorihdesigns.com
Of course I wanted a tote too, as did many of my colleagues at work.

Side one of the collage tote.  Don't you love the small hexagons covering the strap insertion?

Side two with a couple of fussy cut birds.

My Tote is on the left.  Just love how they turned out.

The Finish!

Oh well it seems I forgot to post the picture of the finished doily!  Here goes...

A pretty turquoise color.

A Finish!

We have just recently come to have a guest bedroom!  My eldest son got married last year in December, so he has moved out of the house.  There has been a bit of room shuffling and swapping.  My youngest son moved into my eldest son's old room.  We painted that room in the summer.  The kids all went back to college and I guess the poor husband and myself have been busy, but also putting off what we knew would be a big job.  Anyhow, at last we painted the room last month.  I am so happy with how fresh it looks.  I am making odd little things for the room.  I made the pillow cases  and today I finished a doily for the room.

Here is the room ready to paint.

Primer coat done to hide the grey.

Bedroom finished.  Lovely lemon color on the walls.

New drapes and artwork on the walls.  It is an adult bedroom now!  
All we need now are visitors!