Recent Projects

Hi Everyone,

I had every intention of posting this on Saturday, however I got a text from a friend informing me that one of our LQSs is moving and everything in the store was going to be 50% off!  It's almost like something out of a dream, isn't it?  Actually, it turned out that not everything was on sale, however, there was enough! I really didn't get very much--some background cream/tan prints, some yardage for a future present, and some cuts for backing.  Once I got home, I started thinking about all sorts of fabrics that I should have bought, but already I have too much fabric.

So once the rush of Christmas was over, I was finally able to get around to doing some quilting. You may remember that before Thanksgiving I was working away on the Temecula Quilt Co's sew along, Countdown to Christmas.  They revealed the final pattern right at Thanksgiving time and it wasn't until just before Christmas that I was able to get back to it.  I really love how it came out and it was all from my stash.

None of these projects are quilted yet.  I've started on this one, though.  When I was taking the photos the other day, my husband was home and remarked, "Are you blogging about unfinished projects or something?"  Sheesh, maybe he knows too much about quilting!

The next project I have been in love with since my friend Janice showed her version.  She actually made 2--one for her and one for her sister--although everyone in our Bee was trying to convince her that we needed it!  Since she was adamant that it was for her sister, I decided I would have to make my own.

Here it is with the quilting done and the binding clipped.  It is now done, except for needing buttons in the corner snowflakes.  I made the picture really large so that you can maybe see that I fussy-cut red flags for the center squares.  They are cut 1" square, so it was REALLY fussy cutting, but I had to give it a touch of "me."  The pattern is Cabin Friends by Primitive Gatherings.  It is also my first wool project.  I was in a hurry, trying to get it done before the holiday, so I did most of the blanket stitching by machine.  I only hand-stitched it around the snowflakes and the cardinal.

The final project came about due to our Bee's block exchanges.  Last Christmas, this July, and then this Christmas we have done 9" Christmas block swaps.  They did it the year before I joined, as well.  Some of them have 44 blocks, some of us have 30, and some fewer.  I did the blocks for this December back in the summer.  I had just enough fabric to eek out 12 of them--around the same number that we have needed in the past.  We got a new member, though, and a few others joined in, so I actually needed 14.  I set those 12 blocks to the side and made a new set of 14.  I thought that I could sprinkle some of those 12 in the quilt I was going to make with all of the blocks in case I had an odd number.  Since I had 30, I didn't need them, so I made this next project.

Last year's Christmas blocks were made with a fat eighth bundle of Holly Taylor's Christmas line. I used the scraps for these.  I had also purchased a panel from the line and some yardage.  I played with layouts until I got one that I liked and then it didn't take long to stitch together.

The squares from the panel look like stitchery.  Here is a closeup.

I was hoping to spend some time quilting yesterday, but instead I had to spend hours on the computer doing work for a non-quilting project that needs to get finished.  I got it about 2/3 of the way done and then rewarded myself by drag getting my husband to take me to the movie.  We saw "Saving Mr. Banks" and it was wonderful!  Quite a bit has been said about Tom Hanks portraying Walt Disney, and he was good, but I thought Emma Thompson was brilliant.  I think she should get an Oscar Nomination.  In case you don't know, it is a movie about the making of "Mary Poppins." Emma Thompson plays PL Travers, the author of the Mary Poppins book.  Besides the main plot of the movie, I really enjoyed the portrayal of the Sherman brothers.  I wrote a paper in college about the music of the Disney films, so I was quite familiar with them.  Mary Poppins is also a real favorite of mine, and they had a running bit through the movie of references back to the movie that were fun to spot.  We got home with an hour to spare so I could collect myself and then watch the Call the Midwives Christmas Special.  I love that show!!  (Shh--don't tell anyone else but I think I like it better than Downton Abbey!  And we wouldn't want PBS to hear that--they may start killing off my favorite Midwife characters.)

Have a great day!
JoAnne