Christmas quilt; batting on the cheap

Three things to be happy about:
(1) the comforts of home
(2) fireplace heat
(3) steaming oatmeal

I like to cook my oatmeal, add cinnamon and diced apples, then let it sit til the apples soften just a bit - yum!


I haven't done much quilt-type sewing lately, I've been sewing down the binding on two quilts.  Also, I wanted to quilt my Yard Bird top without opening another king-size bag of batting, but I was finding a number of not-quite-large-enough pieces.  I tell ya, I have to take my hat off to you if you piece your batting, it's a real pain!  It's hard to get it overlapped just enough to not leave a big ole ridge.

I made a few more blocks for my Christmas quilt, it makes me feel real creative!  Here's a cute stocking:

and an ornament

('scuse the fuzziness - you might want to back way off across the room to look at it!)

and Santa flying over a city.

notice how it looks like there are two skylines? 

I'm debating whether or not to add reins between the deer because they'd be tricky to applique down (the reins, not the deer!); the picture I based this on had reins.  Heck, I'll go ahead and add reins but they'll be kinda thick.  Those feisty reindeer might lose the Santa-man!

Right now I'm just making lots of blocks that I like, all different sizes.  Then I'll fill in with as many pieced blocks and/or fabric as I need to make it full-sized. 

So that's what I've been up to lately.  My sister in Newark got her power back on Monday around 4:20 pm, what a relief!  Thanks for your kind thoughts; let's keep praying for all the hurricane Sandy victims!

Sew forth and sew on til later!

New options

I wanted to show you my newest fav BIG salad!  Sometimes I'll eat it for a late lunch, other times it will be my dinner.  An entire Romaine heart (I get em by the bag from Costco), shredded carrots, a diced Cortland or Gala apple, small handful of almonds, tossed in Parmesan dressing. Add a warm pretzel bun (also from Costco) and it's a meal!  Sometimes I add diced chicken, depending on how much meat I've had that day, but it's just as good either way.

Saturday I sent 6 blocks to Erin for the Sandy relief quilts; I hadn't ever made the Disappearing 4-patch before but it's really easy to make.  I think it's a great go-to pattern for quick blocks.

I was busily making blocks for my Christmas quilt but when I stepped back and looked, I really didn't like it all that much.  Don't get me wrong, the blocks are pretty enough and they would  be a Christmas quilt... just not MY Christmas quilt! 

Here's a santa I found on my EQ that I thought was cute.

I searched online for free Christmassy clipart that I'll use, and I also found blocks I liked on the '12 Days of Christmas' Sampler QAL sponsored last year by Sara at Sew Sweetness, and the 2011 Celebrate Christmas QAL sponsored by the Quilting Gallery.  I like these three...

The two on the left were paper-pieced, but I put them into Photoshop and printed them out as an applique pattern.  I like paper piecing but right now I'm sort of not in the mood for lining stuff up.

Keep praying for the Sandy victims, it's not easy for them.  My sister in Newark is trying to keep a good attitude but it's really hard right now; as I'm writing this they still don't have power.

Sew forth and sew on til later

Reminder...

...it's that time again!