My Christmas (quilt) parade

Merry Christmas, everybody!

I have four Christmas quilts I want to share with you today!

For years and years I wanted to make myself a Christmas quilt, but by the time I would think of it, it was always too late for that particular Christmas, so it didn't happen.  Finally in 2012 I jumped right in and made one -

My Christmas quilt

If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know that I made this by creating several blocks that I liked, in the sizes I liked, and arranged the way I liked - then just filled in the empty spaces with more traditional blocks.  You can read about it here; if you want to see all the creative process, search my blog for "Christmas quilt" and you'll find more posts. 

Christmas Pines, 34x34

I made this one in 2002, red and white log cabins create a striped effect in the border - and that was before I discovered Bonnie Hunter's scrappy-licious blog!

Here's a closeup of the quilting:

The only quilting I even attempted to do back then was meandering/stippling!

Another project is a small one:

Christmas candle

I made this little wall hanging a couple years ago and I like it (it looks like there's a yellowish stain, but it's the lighting).

I made scrap yardage from whites and off whites for the background, then appliqued the candle on top of it - you can read about it here and here.  If you want more design process details, search "candle" on my blog. 

Finally, one that's still a flimsy:

I made it when I was teaching a cobblestone workshop at my Bee.  I might make a point to quilt it in time for next Christmas!

That's it for now; I'm joining Bonnie Hunter's Very Merry Happy Holiday Linky party - check out the links, there's some good stuff on there!

May your day be merry and bright - sew forth and sew on til later!

It's a wrap!

Isn't this the cutest cartoon?

I just had to share it!

Yesterday I picked up my Christmas quilt from the LA and it's simply gorgeous!  Bernerdett did a super job on the quilting but the irony is I can't show it to you because I couldn't capture it on camera, pooh!   Here's the full quilt on the bed:

I think you can see the quilting in this shot - she quilted holly along the border!

The picture is so fuzzy and the red is all wrong!  I need to learn how to use my camera better  :o(

This is one of my favorite blocks:

this is also the one that aggravated me!  I had taken the quilt to Bern's house and we noticed this block wasn't stitched down!  For some reason I just couldn't use her sewing machine, I'm so used to my Singer; I took the quilt back home, stitched the applique down, and returned it the next day.

My friend Pat found this 108" fabric that I used on the back:

It's pretty fabric, and I went for it because I wasn't in the mood to piece a back after all the work on the front!  It looks nice and Christmassy on the quilt with it's candy canes, Christmas trees, ornaments, gloves, mittens, snowflakes and little houses.

So that's a wrap, I have my custom made, one-of-a-kind Christmas quilt!  If I were to tell you how to make it, I'd probably give you measurements for each section and tell you to fill it with blocks that fit - it's that kind of a quilt!

That's it for now; I didn't get any sewing done at all yesterday, was busy with other stuff.  Take care, have a great Thursday, sew forth and sew on!

The gift!

Three things to be happy about:
(1) people applauding you
(2) the arrival of Christmas cards
(3) gingerbread muffins

At the Giant supermarket yesterday I noticed gingerbread muffins in the bakery case and thought I'd try one - it was delicious!  I didn't know such goodness existed!  ;o)

So here's another chapter in my Christmas quilt story - the last block, the gift! 

When I got all the pieces for the lower part of the quilt put together, I had a hole about "so" big and didn't have a block that would fit.  I wanted to keep it simple, and what could be simpler than cutting a square of fabric and appliqueing a doo-dad on top - instant gift!

There were a few blocks I didn't get a chance to make, and a couple I made and didn't get a chance to use.  Perhaps I'll do a smaller version of this monster and make a point of including them ... someday.

I think the gift looks great combined with the peace deer and cup-o-cider; this photo was taken before I added a small red piece beneath the gift because the panel was a half inch too short. 

I needed another 3 inches or so to make my 66" width so I put a strip on the right side of the panel.  I don't know what it was, but for some reason I couldn't make my mind wrap around some of the measurements! 

I didn't post any new progress yesterday because I had to put this aside for awhile, I was dealing with sizes in 1/4 or 3/4"; I'm used to thinking in 1/2" increments but those fractions - 31-3/4 + 10-1/2 + 22-1/2 minus seams... eeeeyah!  They don't come together when you're distracted by something else. 

So, below is the quilt except for the borders:

After all the measuring and converting of fractions, I was hoping the width would come out perfectly... sure enough, it's 1/2" too wide!  I'll have to un-sew the red strip and remove 1/2", then I can make the borders.

That's it for the Christmas quilt - next time you see it, it'll be all quilted and ready for my bed!

Sew forth and sew on...

It takes a village

Three things to be happy about:
(1) knowing less is more
(2) the international space station
(3) people applauding you

Thanks everybody for your kind comments on my Christmas quilt!  It keeps me smiling as I pull this thing together.  Your comments make me feel like this quilt is a group effort!

Last night I woke up around 3 am and decided I needed more width to the interior of the quilt, then I couldn't get back to sleep til I figured out how to do it without a lot of clutter. 

I made this lonnnnng ornament block and attached it to the bottom of the candy cane basket I made a couple days ago. 

This was an easy way to get the length I needed, and it also added 6 more inches to the interior width of the quilt.  It now measures approximately 66 inches, so the borders won't have to be so gigantic!




It takes a village to get the width I need for the bottom of the left half of the top of the quilt.  I hope you followed that, LOL.  Shoot, it's the space beneath the rocking horse!

Anyway, I was whining about not having my house block, so now I'll have a village - take a look!

I'll need 42 inches across, this is about half what I need; flying geese make up the roof, with chunky pieces at the bottom.  Before I sew these together I'll applique on a window here, a door there to make them resemble houses.  Sort of. 

I think that light colored one in the middle will have to come out, though.  Do you ever make a block you think will look great because you like the fabric, then find it didn't hit the mark?  It's the low contrast with the background that ruins the look ... out it comes!  It'll be easy enough to un-sew the bottom and attach a different one.

I didn't get as much done yesterday as I wanted to, but I'm still on schedule and still smiling.  Among other things, I've been doing research for my guild's challenge quilt that's due in February - so many possibilities!

Have a great Thursday, sew forth and sew on!

Top half is done

Three things to be happy about:
(1) bringing the right clothes
(2) army-Jeep green
(3) skating on a frozen lake

We've had very un-December-like weather the last couple of days, so outdoor skating would be a bit risky.  Better do it inside!

Christmas quilt progress... I wanted the interior of the quilt to be at least 60 inches wide, then I can make up the final size with borders.  After I combined, shuffled and moved some blocks around I finally got the layout I liked for the top half (or so). 

I needed just 4 more inches to bring it to 60 inches wide - I didn't want to use just a strip of fabric so I decided on flying geese units.  Back to EQ I went for a 4-goose unit, which I printed at 4" wide by 8" long... I scotch taped four of those units together to get the 16 geese I needed.  It was very clumsy to work with, there's no easy way to sew this many flying geese units all connected!

Is this a long strip or what??

I haven't sewn the strip to the left panel yet (below) but it looks pretty good, I think.  I'll add a small piece of the gold fabric at the bottom of the strip, then I'll finally get a chance to make my houses!  I'll place a horizontal panel approximately 36 x 10 across the bottom, with at least three houses on it.  This will bring the height of that left panel to 46", so that it matches the panel on the right.

That gold looks a bit pale, doesn't it?  I didn't want to use red, or green, or brown, or a strip of patterned fabric - that particular area is busy enough!

After sewing the top half together I'll fudge and fiddle with the bottom til it comes out to 30 inches deep, more or less - then I'll be ready to add the borders!

Looks like I'll make that December 15th deadline with room to spare!

Enjoy your Wednesday, sew forth and sew on...

Just a little more progress

Three things to be happy about:
(1) a free football ticket
(2) the distant winter sun
(3) the feel of fleece

At the craft fair Saturday there was a sweet quilter from Bowie, Marilyn Mowatt, who had put fleece on the back of her baby quilts... just the top and the fleece back with no batting.  I had an "ah-hah!" moment - why not do the same with my super-duper Christmas quilt?  Since it will only be used in December anyway, the fleece wouldn't be too warm.  I called my LA but she's never done it and wanted to research it a bit, so I'll just do the usual with this quilt to save time.  But sometime soon I'll try that top/fleece combo on my own with a smaller quilt! 

Since my last post I've only made one more block... Remember me mentioning a basket block embellished with candy canes?  Well, this is it, sort of.  It's a paper-pieced block from EQ but I made it rectangular rather than square, then I decided I didn't like the handle so I eliminated it.  Looks sort of like a vase, doesn't it? 

After piecing the bottom part, I cut background fabric for the top and appliqued the candy canes, then joined the two pieces.  To make the candy canes I started by sewing alternating strips of red and white fabric together.  Then I drew the candy cane shapes on fusible web, placed them on the back of the fabric and cut.

This angel block was in a box in my sewing room; I think I made it back in the spring but never did anything with it.  I figured it'd go well with my Christmas quilt so I tossed it in. 

I was trying to make it tall enough to join with another block, so I put the little piece at the bottom... that's a nostalgic Christmassy street scene between the green pieces. 

Then I decided to join it to a different piece, and I wanted to make it wider by adding the red and white - yuck!  I think I could have made this combination work if I had placed the side on first (minus one diamond!), then put the bottom border all the way across. 

It looks a bit choppy as is, especially with the piece I meant to join it to, so I removed that diamond piece.  I think I can still use this angel, but with a different set of blocks!

Here's one combination that I want to show you, they're coming right along...

Santa, deer, churn dash blocks, and cute rocking horse!

I've reached the point now where I need to take careful measurements, add a piece here, shave a bit there.  I also need to decide which orientation my new blocks will be - vertical or horizontal.  I still don't have my house!!

That's all for now, enjoy your Tuesday - sew forth and sew on!

Pulling it together!

Three things to be happy about:
(1) Dickens's characters
(2) one-pot dinners
(3) home exercise equipment

Way back in February I took my medical release forms to the senior center, so I could be checked out on their exercise equipment.  You're not allowed to use the equipment unless/until you get a medical release from your doctor, and get an assessment by the athletic director.  Well, yesterday I finally got around to going in for the assessment, so I'm good to go.  No more excuses now!

Can it be December already??  Yesterday was my blog-iversary, somehow it completely slipped my mind - Eat, Sleep, Quilt is now a very healthy 2 years old!


I embellished the gigantic 16" wreath that I made for my Christmas quilt, with poinsettias from a very ugly Christmas print.  It looks a bit better without all the white space it had before

Still some white space, but it looks better...  It's ready now to be joined with other blocks.



I enjoy seeing the ladies' progress in the quilting workshop at the senior center!   Ruth had a piece of fabric with hamburgers that another member gave her, and she didn't know what she'd do with it.  She was so proud of herself when she cut it up in 1" pieces for a quilt pattern she found!

the culprit!



the solution!



This seems to be an I-Spy quilt; she showed me the pattern but I didn't see the name of it.  I think this will be a pretty quilt when she's done!

Nancy made this lovely quilt from her scrap strips:

She started with center pieces and kept adding borders all around - great job!  She just has to make the backing and it'll be ready to quilt.

That's all for now - today I go to a craft show with Charlene and ogle other people's creativity.  Have a great Saturday - sew forth and sew on!

Sewing on the good foot!

Three things to be happy about:
(1) being remembered by someone
(2) your lucky number
(3) decorating for Christmas

This year for some reason I decided I wanted to have lights outside my house... now mind you, in all the 38 years I've lived in my house, I've never decorated with lights on the outside!  I've had Christmas trees and other decorations inside, a wreath on the door ... but never lights.  A couple days ago I bought a 9-foot LED garland and wrapped it around the rail that goes part way across my front porch... when I looked at it yesterday morning it looked so pitiful!  I said to myself, "I need to get two more of those and wrap them along the side rail..."  After I got the two extra garlands I was thinking "Now, what I really need is some red bows along those garlands!"  I could see the way this monster was going, so I had to shut it down right there, sheesh!  I had already spent a lot for the three garlands... the rest will have to wait for an after-Christmas sale at the Dollar Tree.  I'd rather buy fabric!

I'm still getting used to my new foot control, I have a tendency to curl my big toe but I'm getting there. 

I bought a pair of Christmas slippers with non-slip soles from Target that feel like socks... wearing these makes it easy to drive the control without constantly removing my shoe, so it's a step in the right direction!


More Christmas quilt blocks!  I made this cute little rocking horse block...

I was looking for something to use with this pretty background fabric, and the rocking horse seemed just the thing!  Although it's pretty, it's also rather busy so I had to be choicy about what I put on it.

I pieced these three trees from strings and set them on a super-sized background of teeny-tiny stars.  After combining the trees with the row of geese, I now have a single block that measures 22 x 23... I like big blocks because they can fill up a large amount of space!

My plan is to make a core measuring roughly 60x72 then add enough border blocks to make an 80 x 90 quilt.

I thought I'd show you my penguin and snowman after I outlined them; I used black thread, I wasn't about to use a different color for each part.

I think the black thread makes the characters stand out from that blue background.

Well today I finish the garlands and set the auto timer thingie; it should come on automatically around 5:00 every night (or whenever it gets dark enough) and shut off after 6 hours.  Ditto the LED candles for the windows.

That's all for now, have a great Wednesday!  Sew forth and sew on...

Quilting gangnam style!

Three things to be happy about:
(1) Thanksgiving leftovers (you may as well be happy about it!)
(2) going out for pizza
(3) baked potatoes with the works

I never cook Thanksgiving dinner, but yesterday I had dinner with the Slow Quilter - it was great as usual!  Then around 6 pm my neighbors across the street had a few neighbors in for coffee and dessert.  Since their dessert was punkin pie and I don't like punkin pie, I just had coffee and choklit.  It was a good day and I was feeling lazy afterwards - thank goodness I did all the sewing I intended to do earlier in the day!

Is this a glorious mess or what??

These are all the blocks I've done for my Christmas quilt so far, laid out on my living room floor.  Some day I'll have my dream sewing studio with an 8-foot design wall, but for now the floor will have to do!  Looking at it now, I do believe that wreath in the middle needs some applique to cover that large center... why did I think it needed to be a 16" block??

On Wednesday I found a new foot control for my Singer at a Brother dealer; he didn't have an entire assembly so he simply cut the cord off my old control and attached it to a new one.  It works fine but do I absolutely love it?  No.  No, I don't.  The new control is more of a vertical shape than the horizontal shape I'm used to; for the first time ever I'm having to sew with my shoe off so I can actually feel what the control is doing!  I think that's something I'll probably have to get used to... other than that, it works just fine.

Now that I have my new control I can go ahead and sew down the applique blocks without fear of the needle galloping off on its own, so that's what I'll be doing today.  Meanwhile, I wanted to at least get a start on sewing groups together, so I sewed these three together:

looking good!  Gene and Jean, I couldn't help it - I had to straighten out that "a!"

That's it for now; have a great Friday whether you shop or not... sew forth and sew on!

Ducks in a row, new blogger in the 'hood

Three things to be happy about:
(1) mini muffins
(2) successful negotiations
(3) Dunkin' Donuts

My sister Faye (deceased) used to live about 4 blocks from a donut shop in Los Angeles, it wasn't Dunkin' but it was well-known in the area.  They would have cars lined up along the street, waiting for the whistle that a new batch of donuts were ready.  It was worth the wait, those were some good melt-in-your-mouth donuts!

I have just one more Christmas quilt picture to share with you today, I'm making little 3" ganders to go with the 6" goose...

I plan to have a line of gander-lettes following the big goose, except one will be gandering off in the wrong direction, looking back.  They're all looking at him going "I wonder where cousin Dabnus is going??"  Other people's kids, you gotta love em!  Is a gander the male version of a goose??

If you were quick yesterday, you got a chance to see a boo-boo I made on my blog!  I was creating a new group blog and somehow the "about me" part was overwritten by the new stuff.  And then when I tried to comment on other people's blogs, I noticed the new blog ID was taking over, yikes!  I had to delete that part entirely from the new blog to make it come out right. 

But now I want to introduce a brand new blogger, a long-distance member of my quilting bee, Wee Bee Quilters.  Her name is Debbra and she lives in California; she's still fine tuning her blog, you know how it goes when you first set up.  But visit her blog, become a follower, comment, show her some quilty love!  She's very talented, especially with hand work - you can find her at Debbee Does Quilting.

Meanwhile, today I need to find a new foot control for my Singer Touch N Sew.  I found a website where I can get one for my model machine but I noticed the same model can be used on a Brother, so I'm going to search locally at a Brother repair place to see if they have it.  I'd rather walk in, get my control and walk out rather than waiting for mail delivery.  Wish me luck!

Have a great Wednesday; if you're travelling today do so safely - sew forth and sew on!

And still they come...

Three things to be happy about:
(1) 3-D movies
(2) opening a mason jar
(3) grinding your own coffee beans

I haven't ground my own coffee beans in a very long time but nothing beats a great cuppa first thing in the morning!  Yesterday morning I got up with a taste for bacon and french toast ... not pancakes or waffles - french toast!  The only bread choices I had were thin bagels or raisin bread or English muffins.  "French" toast from "English" muffins?? - I think not!  I should probably have asked: "French toast from thin bagels??"  Well, yes I did!  Actually it wasn't too bad in a pinch.

I'm still making blocks for my Christmas quilt, and I'm right pleased to share them with you today! 

First up is a silhouette that I'm calling my peace deer, simply because he seems to be just standing there without a worry.  I can't remember where I found this clipart, probably the same place I found the Santa and reindeer that I showed in an earlier post.


Now here are two that are my new favorites:

who can resist hot chocolate and hot cider!  The "a" is a bit wonky; maybe I can pry it up without damage and straighten it out...

One good-sized angel dressed in burgundy:

I think this block is something like 20 inches tall.

And of course no quilt is complete without rejects - here are two of em:

I want at least one house in my quilt, but this isn't the one!  After making this block I remembered the templates I used for the wonky house swap I was in last year (where are those blocks???).  I gave my sister that house quilt, and her granddaughter fell in love with it!  Shell told her she can sleep under it whenever she visits... it's making me rethink the raw-edge drunkard's path quilt I'm making for her.  Whatever.

The basket might do if something were appliqued in the space beneath the handle, but I'm just going to dump it and make another one that I like better, without the handle.  It'll be paper pieced, and I'll embellish with candy canes.

My idea is to make a number of large blocks with medium and small filler blocks scattered here and there.  I've almost reached the point where I can start grouping them together, and decide on either a horizontal or vertical layout. 

Right now it's kinda hard to say where each block will go but I can see a vague outline in my head.  Besides, I have more I want to make! The only real challenge I see is balancing the blocks so I don't have too many of the same backgrounds clumped together.  We'll see!

That's all for now, have a great Monday - sew forth and sew on!