Christmas Dining

Yay!  It's finished!  Back in January I posted  twice about the Poppy Table Runner that I had simmering away in my stash of projects.  I initially wrote about it as my first item for the Book It Challenge that I decided to take part in.

To say the applique stitching on this table runner was demanding, would be an understatement - it was slow with all the little points and curves, then I got onto to the miniature blue flowers, oh my goodness, I am sure that they bred and multiplied while I was stitching them down - they never seemed to end!

Back of runner to show the stitching around the applique shapes.

  My husband said:  "Holy Cow" when I showed him......

Detail of poppy flower

Detail of feather quilting down the centre

And, finally, here it is - all 162.5cm x 39.3cm (64in x 15.5in) in stunning glory.  I have re-named Poppy to be Christmas Dining because it shall grace the centre of my Christmas table this year.

I am extremely happy and very proud of myself for finishing such an intensive project.  Apologies for the bragging, but I'm super stoked!!

Pattern: "Poppy" from More William Morris Applique by Michele Hill pub 2012

Dear Jane & Christmas

The first of my 'new starts' for this year - the wonderful "Dear Jane" quilt.  Finally, I am putting to good use, the book I purchased way back in 1997, as a birthday present to myself.  It has always been on my bucket list to do, I just didn't think it would take me 19 years to get started on it!  The youngest member of our Dear Jane group mentioned that my book was actually older than her as she wasn't born until 1998....

Late last year, those in my local quilt group, who were interested had a quick chat and it was decided that we would make 4 blocks per month (finish in 2020!).  

Pictured here are the first 4 blocks.  I have decided upon a two colour quilt, but chose a tone-on-tone for my main colour so that the blocks won't look 'flat'.  I have some pieces of liberty fabrics which I have been collecting over time to add in as mini cornerstones or block pieces if necessary.


Now, for a little dose of Christmas - back in August 2015, I stumbled across the pattern Pop of Poinsettia from the website allpeoplequilt.com.  There was no hesitation about downloading and starting this project, I just had to make it, and, of course it was going to be ready for Christmas 2015, wasn't it?  Nope, not even close.

 

I put the last stitch in the binding on the 25th Feb, so at least it's ready for next Christmas, nice and early.  I had mentioned to my husband that I would give it as a present next Christmas, but he said no, he would like it on our table and that we should keep it.  For someone who has very little to say about my quilting, I think perhaps I should listen :) 

Christmas in July - almost

Well, it's not quite July, but it is certainly cold enough at the moment for a Northern Hemisphere Christmas right here in Australia!

In an effort to try and complete some of my "smaller" projects, I decided to work on my Christmas apron.

 And... it's taken along time to percolate in the zip-lock bag it was in.  

• Fabric and pattern purchased in 2009. 
• Shapes traced onto fusible web in 2009.  
• Applique fused and stitched onto background in 2014.
• Finally put together a few weeks ago.  

 To get the shape/size of the actual apron, I traced around the shape of my favourite apron, then I knew it would be a perfect fit and it is.

Stitching this apron was quite a break away from my normal things to do, but the book I got the layout and letters from was so lovely and with many nice Christmas items contained in the pages, that I couldn't help myself.  I just had to make it!

I am looking forward to preparing Christmas dinner, wearing my new apron. :)

** Applique Pattern:  'I Believe' book by Nancy Halvorsen for Art To Heat.  Pub. 2009.

Happy New Year!

Off to a flying start this year.  It has been a great summer holiday time, with lots of outings and sewing, and some other fun things thrown in for good measure.  Now it's back to routine, but not until I provide some "show'n'tell" of what I have accomplished the past four weeks or so, especially since my mojo has come back to play again.

First, a cross-stitch bookmark of a blue wren in Correa flowers - gorgeous Australian native bird and flowers

Second, a Christmas table runner using the 'Hope of Hartford' quilt block.  I really like how the star points are offset to each other and the flowing movement around the block.  This will be a make again block, maybe a smaller size.  I would like to see this repeated many times on a larger quilt.  Hmmm, more playing? 

Ooops, sideways photo, but you get the idea! :)

And, from the back, here's the quilting - don't look too closely - it's a bit wobbly!

And.... you'll just have to wait until next week to see the third finish....  oh dear....  Trust me, I think it's worth the wait - can't have too much to look at in one post can we?

Seasons Greetings

No photos today unfortunately.  I made 4 Australian flower table runners for the ladies I work with and forgot to take the photos before gifting them.  Ho hum, never-mind.  I'll just have to be less absent-minded next time! :)  More to show'n'tell after Christmas.

Merry Christmas and all the best of wonderful wishes to my readers and your families this festive season.  Take the time to enjoy your family and friends - they are truly the shining stars in our lives.

Merry Christmas

When I signed into my blog today, I didn't realise quite how much time had passed since my last post - what happened to the last 4 months? However, I have not been idle! After Christmas, there will be several postings of my 'show and tell' where you can share what I have been making as the gifts will be with their new owners and I don't have to be secretive anymore.

The last couple of weeks have been really lovely with shared dinners, BBQs and catching up with people. The true spirit of Christmas is in the sharing of simple things, with friends and family and just enjoying each others company.

Thankfully the weather has finally warmed up and the kids have been able to run around with the rain-water tank hose in the yard and make mud pies in the sand pit - a blessing(?) of being completely self-sufficient and not a town water supply.

Here is my Christmas tree, complete with two Santas and Mrs Claus whom I made a few years ago.

With good tidings, I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and I look forward to sharing more 'quilty' and 'crafty' things with you in the new year.

A Fun Bag

to take along sewing projects, made with shot purple cotton, a large floral print and some purple pom pom trim all topped off with a bright striped lining - LOVE IT!
I made this bag for my Kris Kringle recipient at the SS&Q Christmas dinner which was held early in Dec.

What's even better, the recipient loved it! She came up to me later very happy - what more can you want when you make something for some one in the group who you don't know very well? It certainly made my night even better. - aw shucks.......

To Do Lists.......

It's always around October/November that things seem to get busier and busier and not much happens in the way of quilting! :)

A few weeks ago, for the first time ever I compiled a list of what I want to achieve in the way of gifts to be made and other quilty things that I want to finish by a certain time. A bit like a 'to do list', but longer. So far, so good. My list seems to be working by not letting me get distracted by other things.

The list I mention won't get many UFOs completed, but it will clear space in my sewing room - mostly the sewing table and it will empty a few ziplock bags that seem to breed more projects when I am not in the sewing room.

I feel very calm since I have made this decision to follow the list. I will have to pay an UFO penalty to Stashbusters and will probably become their UFO Queen again before the end of the year, but that's OK because I am achieving projects which will make me happy, make others around me happy and I'll be having a few good catch-up sessions with friends when I see them to hand over the gifts - That is the important thing.

And.... the count of remaining UFOs and sewing room clean up will happen the week before Christmas when I have to get some projects out of the loungeroom and back to the sewing room so as to leave space for Santa to visit.....

Hanging Stars for Christmas

... these stars are just the ticket for hanging in the windows at Christmas time. Completely, 100% my own design and technique.

My inspiration has come from our cold Christmases when in Germany and the gorgeous stars which were hung in the windows of the houses and shops. In Germany the stars had lights in them in the windows, but here in Australia with our long Summer daylight hours, the small lights are not necessary. So, without further ado - here are my Hanging Stars for Christmas, to hang in my Aussie windows...

Above is side one and below is side two. Completely reversible, it doesn't matter which way they face, the look good from inside and out. Love 'em!

And, here is a close up shot of the fussy cutting I did for each star. This sample is the smallest star.I can't wait for Christmas to hang these stars up.

2 UFO Finishes!

Well sometimes, you just can't spend time at the PC if you are busy stitching! In the last month I have completed these two UFOs. The Christmas one above was stitched in 2008, bordered in 2009 and quilted in 2010. For something the size of a Fat Quarter - well it just couldn't be rushed now, could it?

The quilt below was started in Nov 2009 and finished 2 weeks ago for a baby who is now 5 months old. Time to wrap it up and give to the Mum.

Now, I'm going back to the sewing machine to complete the quilting on another UFO - pics hopefully at the end of the week :)

Is Christmas Coming?

I got asked the other day if I had thought about Christmas Dinner! To which I replied "No". But apparently it's not that far away (6 months in my book is a long time - vbg) - oh dear.... Then I went shopping and had to stop by the Local Quilt Store (of course) and there was some general conversation about making Christmas presents. After I recovered from the thought of it, I realised it was a very sensible thing to be thinking of. The organised ones will not be rushing around at the last minute wondering if there is time to make one more thing or what to buy. So once again, I head for the UFO list and think about which UFO could make a present or two for someone and of course, there are a few.

The plus side of turning some UFOs - particularly the bags - into gifts for Christmas are

1. Stash Reduction
2. UFO Reduction
3. It's already paid for
4. The project becomes usable and lovable
5. I have an emtpy container for another project yet to be started
6. Satisfaction at completing something
7. Another one to show off on this blog
8. A quilting goal to focus on
9. I don't want to become an UFO Queen
10. Can't think of the 10th reason! :)

Below are a couple of pictures from a class I did in Foundation Piecing a few years ago. It was also the first thing I (domestic) machine quilted, so the edges are a bit wavy. I still, after all this time, love the tree in the middle. It was a fun project and I used all stash for it. I only had to buy the charms for the decorations.

Merry Christmas!

Look what Santa sent to me - some gorgeous reproduction purples, a couple of cute buttons and a "gucci" fold up small shopping bag. Those gorgeous Aussie girls - Lorraine, Sandra and Rosie got together and a little salvation package arrived in time for Christmas Day.

Then I got to thinking about the lovely "Golden Memories" by Lori Smith quilt sampler pattern which I have... And wandered if my reproduction blues and browns would match the purples....

And I think that the mix is not too bad. A couple of colour changes are required, but I now have a basic palette to start the quilt with. Very satisfied!

Santa Claus and Baubles

OK - well you can't see Santa and the Baubles yet. All the wonders of modern technology don't work if you forget to charge the batteries! The camera is as flat as a tack. I will upload photos later when the camera is happier.

This week, I made 2 more baubles and a Santa Claus costume. DS1 was Santa in the school Christmas play and there were no boy costumes available anywhere, only the hats. One hat does not make a costume, so we went to the "cheap" clothes shop to buy a red long sleeve t-shirt and pants. I then sewed quilt wadding onto the clothes for the trim, cut a beard from wadding, a piece of black fabric for the belt and the middle of a cushion for the belly. He was seriously cute!

I have two goals for this coming week: 1 - complete the binding on einkauftasche (bag) and 2 - complete quilting, then bind and label a baby quilt. When these 2 projects are done, I can start 2 other baby quilts (from 1 jelly roll and a co-ordinating fabric), which will both be Irish Chain, ready for babies who are due to arrive in the first few months of next year.

Now it's off to pack my bag with some show and tell for the quilt meeting this afternoon which will be my last one here in Germany.

Baubles...

... are such pretty things! And on Wednesday this week, my friend Jane and I ran a class to teach other people how to make them. We had a ball. I would have to say the day was a resounding success.

I had pre-made kits for the ladies to purchase (because cutting the squares of fabric takes quite a while), made lots of coffee and tea and served cake as they folded and pinned the fabric squares to polystyrene balls to make the baubles while talking up a storm. The next 2 photos shows a few of the baubles completed in the class, with each persons choice of colours.

They are simply 2 colours of 2in cut squares pinned into polystyrene balls. A bit of braid covers the edges around the middle, add a ribbon with a bit of glue and a pin, then you can hang it on the tree. The next 2 photos show the ones I had made earlier.

Now I need to go and make a few more of my own, as the ones I had made earlier became gifts.