Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone in “Quilt Land” the Merriest Christmas!

Peace, Love and Joy!

Colleen

Trying to get as much done as I can...

Wow!  Can you believe it's December 13th already?  And yesterday was my last Sunday before Christmas that I had time to do anything gift related.

And...I didn't get as much done as I had hoped!

I have been working on some table runners for gifts (no photos - sorry, maybe next time)!

And came up with a great way to gift them...in old Crystal Light containers.

Really cute!  And I can cut into my stash of fabric AND scrapbooking with this one!

The recipients so far have been very pleased!

I also went scrap diving last night (after making 4 pillow cases with stash fabrics) and made this beautiful "Folded Star"!  This is based on one I designed a few years ago and have been teaching the class at the shop where I work.  The class is always well received and the students love the finished product!

It is so pretty in person the photo is a little hard to take when the frame has glass in it.

The flash gets in the way!

Well, off to work.  I have lined up a few things to sew tonight.  That's how I am attacking the work load...prep in the morning...sew it in the evening!

Happy Sewing!

Still no "ELVES" but lots of sewing to do!

Happy Sunday Morning!

There is plenty to do today, I don't think I will be leaving the house at all!

My husband said he is going to decorate the outside after he gets home from karate ~ YIPPEE!

That means I will be putting up the Christmas Tree!

Then I can spend the next week decorating little corners of the house as I go...I like to take my time and add little touches here and there.  I never put everything I have out; that would be impossible!  I do have some favorites that go out every year!

After the tree trimming it will be time to quilt this (it is ready to be quilted)!

This is "Yoshi's Secret Garden"!  A lap quilt for my Mother-in-Law for Christmas.

I made this entire quilt from scraps and stash fabric...no shopping for this one!  Well, maybe some shopping in my fabric closet!  And that's the "secret"!

Yoshi loves flowers and is sight impaired...she will tell me she can smell these flowers, that's how sweet she is!  She will love this!

Have a great Sunday and Happy Sewing!



I wish I had some elves!

There are 29 sewing days left until Christmas...I wish I had some elves!



With Christmas fast approaching I have a lot of projects to get moving on.  My  "TO DO LIST" has not seen a lot of activity but I am trying! 

Yesterday I was able to complete piecing the little topper for my daughter.

Today I will decide if I want to add a border or just finish this off as is.

I just love it and want to make some more!  But wait...they aren't on the list.  They will have to wait until I have time!  See, if I had even just one little elf to assist me I could make more!

What would my elves do?

• Clean the house
• Wash the dishes
• Cook the meals (I bet that would be sugar cookies!)
• Do the laundry
• Pre-cut fabrics for projects
• Magically wind my bobbins
• Go to work for me?...No, I don't think so!

Since I don't have to be to work until 4pm today I can try to fit in some sewing.

First I must get some cleaning done and run a few errands.  That will mean battling the Black Friday shopper frenzy.  The errands really have to get done today (Bank, PO, etc...) so I have no choice.

Happy Sewing!  29 days and counting!

Twisting the Night Away...

Sunday was a very productive day for sewing!  FINALLY!!!

My husband didn't feel well so I sent him to bed and he slept for about 5 hours...got up for dinner and went back to bed for the night!  (He feels much better today.)

I worked on a cute sample for the store; wish I could show you it but the design is copyrighted and I don't have permission as of right now to show it.  BUT trust me, it is adorable!!!

Then I took a break to work on what I am going to call "Christmas Twists"!  I decided that I might not get my daughters quilt started :( much less completed and she did ask for a table topper so...the birth of "Christmas Twists"!  I started with some scraps and cut them into 5" squares and assembled them into this.

And I really liked that a lot so I had to sit and ponder the fate of that little top before I proceeded to the next step.  That was REALLY hard to do!  But I pulled myself together and twisted away.  And after I started to build and saw this...

I was glad I continued!  :)  HAPPY...HAPPY!

This was done using a tool called "Lil' Twister" by CS Designs.

Now I cannot wait to see the finished product.  I want to give it to her when I see her on December 8th so she can use it through the holiday season!

Another WIP added to the pile.  I like to have a few of them going so I don't get bogged down into one project.

Happy Sewing!!!

To sash or not to sash...that is the question!

Good Sunday Morning!  Another great day to sew!

Last night I completed the 96 blocks for my Snowball Lap Quilt Gifts.

Remember this...

Well, now I have 3 rows of one quilt sewn together...

I decided to go with a 6x7 layout.  The question is; should I put sashing between the rows? It will not go between each block in the row...just between rows.   What are your thoughts out there in blog land?

I won't be working on this today because I have a few other projects that have been moved up on the long list!
Happy Sewing!



Does it wiggle? Can it jiggle? No, it's BARgello!

Tonight I am starting my first ever BARGELLO project!  I have cut my strips and I am ready to go!  Stay tuned for the progress and finished product...

A HOLIDAY TABLERUNNER!  Most likely a gift for someone!

Here are the strips; cut and ready to sew!

Happy Sewing!

One gift done!

Yippee!  I finally finished one holiday gift.

The Pillowcases for my grandson...DONE!

He loves Curious George and even though these little monkeys aren't the right little monkey aka George I hope he likes them!!!

I had all this fabric (flannel) in my stash so it was easy to get right to it.

The monkey fabric started out as a purchase to make pj's for my husband. I guess he will not be getting those afterall!  Hey, that takes care of another item on my list.  I'll just remove the item titled "Flannel Pajamas for Husband".

Happy Sewing!  Start a quick gift - finish a quick gift!  I feels great!

To Update...

Okay, it is about 4pm...housework is over.  Dinner is started; Country Ribs, Rice and Steamed Sugar Snap Peas.  I also cooked a rocking breakfast; cinnamon pancakes, bacon and eggs!  In addition I started two batches of sauce to freeze AND baked some Oatmeal Cookies!  Mixed up a batch of hamburger patties and froze them for the future!  I was working hard this morning!

Now I can go and sew, sew, sew!

I think I will start with my Grandson's Pillowcases!  Then a project for work!
Doesn't matter much as long as I sew!

I sew when I can...and I sew want to sew today!

I sew want to sew today!  But I must do something really important...

Sew I must CLEAN this house before IT goes on strike!!!
Off to the laundry room for starters...this is sew not fair!

Making Progress...not sew much!

Sew yes...I am sewing and working on my LIST but I must admit to not having progressed as far as I had hoped.  Here is where I am with the "Snowball" throw.  This isn't the final layout because there are 8 more colors to be sewn.  16 colors in all and I cut 6 blocks from each color so I have a total of 96 blocks to be sewn.  But I have a plan...read on...

Original plan was to have the rows 8 blocks X 10 blocks.  Let's start by changing that to 6x6 or 7x7.  The larger size will be too big and more than I want once the planned (in my head) borders are added.  Having said that, I have enough blocks cut and ready to sew for TWO lap quilts using this fabric.  SEW...two lap quilts could be a good thing.  All the cutting done...sew good!

I have been working on a few other projects but I can't show them yet.  One is for the shop so that's a bit of a secret and the others are not ready for the lime light yet!
Happy Sewing!!!

Progress...I think not!

My intent was to sew all day on Sunday...Sew did I...not sew! What is it about your husband calling you every time you sit down to sew!  "Where's this...What's this...Do you have anything for a snack...", on and on and on!  It's amazing to wonder what they do when you are not at home.

Now, don't get me wrong, he is amazing and I love him dearly!  I just wanted to sew!

Anyway I did manage to cut out the squares in prep for his Mom's Christmas Quilt.  I needed 96 of the 6 1/2" squares and 384 of the 2 1/2" squares.  Here is one that I sewed together to see what it will look like.  There are 16 different flannel prints/solids for the blocks.  It will be a snowball pattern with a pieced border with applique yo yo flowers...I think!

I also wanted to show you this absolutely adorable pin cushion I received as a gift from a co-worker.  I love it!  She purchased it at a quilt shop in Texas!

No sewing time today or tomorrow...going to a work seminar for Bernina!

Happy Sewing!

Partridge in a Pear Tree

I haven't gotten to too many gift things but I did work on this little table topper last night.  I am not sure if I want it to be a topper or open one seam and make it a little Christmas Tree Skirt.

I will be purchasing more of this fabric to make a striped runner and that could be a hostess gift for Holiday Partying!

There is more to come but I don't think I will have time to sew today.  Work and then a party to attend.

Happy Sewing!

Not much sewing on the 3rd...but...

I didn't get much done in the world of my sewing room yesterday...a long day at work! Started another project...WHY!!!!  Well, I just wanted to! 
But, this one is not on my list...shame!!!  But I really wanted to since the fabric was already cut.  Having fabric cut and ready to sew is such a great thing.  You can just sit and sew...sew...sew.
Here is a little quilt I designed on EQ6...

It is the first in a series I have planned for small quilts using blocks I like in a different way.

Here is what I sewed yesterday...I now need to work on the piano key border pieces and this virtual quilt will come to life!

What I sewed today...

Wow, two posts in one day!  That's a first for me but I really had to tell you what I sewed today at my sister's house.  First of all we had sew much fun...lots of sewing, a little bit of what I like to call 'reverse sewing', and plenty of laughter!  It was a super day! I started with this kit...



Only because I wanted to finish something.  The darn thing gave me a little bit of trouble...maybe that is where the laughing comes in!  Too much laughter when sewing leads to 'reverse sewing'.  Well I finished it and started to sew the binding but stopped because I can do the hand sewing in front of the TV...here it is!

It finishes 12" square.  Isn't it pretty...my sister loved it and I think I will gift it to her for her birthday as soon as I finish the binding!

Then I decided to work on a quilt from my stash.  I had cut most of the 9 patch squares out about 1 1/2 years ago. 

I sewed 216 of the 2 1/2" squares into rows of 3...now they need to be cut apart, pressed and sewn into 6 1/2" nine patch blocks (24 of  them).  Then I can move on to the star blocks. 

Sew, I would say I accomplished some good sewing today!
Hope you did too...Happy Sewing!





Day 2 of "The List"...

So here it is...the day after I posted my list and here is what I accomplished so far...NOTHING! To be fair I did work late yesterday and did not get home until 9:00pm.  Before I went to work I did sort through some of my stash and made "project piles" so I would say that is a start! Each project is neatly packed in a 2 gallon zip lock bag.  Only problem...they do not all have patterns! :(  I am going to choose as I go on that part...HOHOHO!

The plan is to SEW EVERY DAY!  Even if it is only for a short time, try to get some sewing in every day!  TODAY is a good sew day.  I am going to my sister's and the plan is to SEW...SEW...SEW!  Now I just need to choose a project for today which is easy because they are all packed and ready to roll.

(I will have to take a photo of the project pile)

Hope you have a good SEW DAY!

Time for a list...THE HOLIDAY TO DO LIST!

Now that Halloween is over and November is here I decided that I needed a HOLIDAY TO DO LIST!  Hopefully that will help me accomplish finishing the gifts I need to finish for Holiday Gifting!  They say (who are "they" anyway) that if you put it in writing you make a commitment.  Well, I will give it a try but I promise there will be last minute purchases because something is bound to be left undone!!  HAHAHA...or is that HOHOHO!
Here are a few that I can finish for gifts that have the tops already completed...

3D pinwheels...needs quilting!

Star Sprinkles...needs a border (stumped) and then quilting!

Japanese Geisha's...needs a border and quilting!  Cannot find the perfect black for the border and it really needs to be black!

Who will get these?  I really haven't decided that yet.  Someone on the list perhaps!

You can view my list on the side bar...maybe you are on it!

Happy Sewing!!!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! I cannot believe that it is Halloween and the last day of October!

I enjoy Halloween very much as does my husband…that might explain the $186 he spent on candy yesterday! Yes, that is a 1 in front of the 8! We saw my niece at the store and she was laughing at our cart because she said it looked like a cart the store filled to attract customers to buy the candy. One lady actually started digging through it as we stood there talking. My husband, very protective of his stash said, “Hey, go over there and get your own, they have plenty”! LOL!
I must share my least favorite trickster and my most favorite treater with you ( as I hear a child right now at the door telling my husband…WOW that’s a butt load of great candy…and he just giggles).


My least favorite - a young couple walking around with a Baby, a real little Baby in a stroller no less, who most likely is not on whole food yet let alone candy! The husband stayed at the bottom of the drive with the baby in stroller while the wife made her way to the door with the little plastic pumpkin in hand to “trick or treat” for the baby! Yeah right!


My most favorite treater - a young girl (about 10) dressed as a cow pushing her disabled friend around in a wheelchair, trick or treating for her friend. She pushed that wheelchair up every driveway and through the neighborhood! That’s a friend!

I haven't been posting much...

If only I had the time to post on this blog more often!

If only I had the words to post more often

If only I had the time to sew more!

If only I had thought to title this blog...if only!

At any rate, I have been busy at work teaching AND taking classes.

There is sew much to do...and sew little time to do it in!

The owner has gone off to Quilt Market today which means we have some great new products to look forward to...YIPPEE!

I am working on the following:

My "Fall Banner" - needs to be quilted.

"Hanging Gardens" - needs to be assembled and then quilted.  This is looking really nice.  A departure for me - pastel and floral!

A little "Mini" I designed - deciding on fabrics to use.

And, I did finish this...my very first pin cushion!  Joined a pin cushion challenge on the QWU site and here is the result.

That's all for now...hope to sew more soon!
Happy sewing!

A little Halloween decorating

...And I do mean a little!  This is about all the decorating I have gotten done so far.  Hopefully this weekend we will go out for our pumpkins, hay, etc...

I still need to add some goodies to the mantle but I love getting the mantle scarf up!  Halloween is one of my most favorite holidays to decorate for.

I am stuck on making a bunch of Halloween/Fall things this year but I really need to FINISH THEM!!!

I designed and made this mantle scarf about 5 years ago, it is one of my prize possessions!

There will be more to come, hopefully by next week!

Happy Sewing!

A little gift for my daughter...

This week I visited my daughter and grandson in Maryland.  She mentioned that she couldn't get to all her decorations because they are stored so far back in the crawl space.  They are preparing to put their house on the market and removing all signs of real life...you know, the personal stuff all the "house for sale" shows tell you to remove because no one will buy your house if they see your wedding picture!!!  HAHA

What happened to the days when you went to see a house for sale and actually IMAGINED what it will look like when YOU added YOUR personal touch!

Anyway, I started this for her last night.  Just have to back it and quilt it and bind it!

Halloween Candle Mat

I know that she will like it!  I am also working  on a door knob hanger for her.  I will need to finish that too.  Hopefully I can have my husband get this stuff into the mail by Wednesday!!!

That's all for now...HAPPY SEWING!

What have I been up to???

I cannot believe how little time I have lately to blog OR sew!  Between work, and taking my time organizing after the window install...step by step, room by room, slowly accomplishing...very slowly!

I started with the sewing room of course.  It isn't complete yet but I can sit in there and sew.  YIPPEE!!!  The windows took over an hour to clean the first time.  Getting all the "leftover" construction gunk off, etc.  But here they are...



Windows B4

And now!!!  Do you love my pinwheel curtains!  I couldn't wait to hang them back up!  I use lace in the summer but love the color of the pinwheels in there for winter!  I know it isn't winter yet but I washed and put the lace away already.  When the weather turns cold I add a cream tab curtain under the pinwheels.
And I set up (sort of) my sewing table...

It's not really done but I can use it...as you see!  I am thinking of changing the color some day but for now the sewing is more important.  The rest of the room is not done because I have been SEWING!  Here are some WIP's!

BUSY...BUSY...BUSY!  Hope you are too!

Happy Sewing!



A new project...

Well I finally got some sewing time.  I started this in a class at the shop and finished the applique and borders today.  The pattern is from the book, Toppers for Every Table.

I was going to give this to my daughter but it is too big for her table so I am going to have to keep it for me...oh well!  I will make her something else.

You have to see this quilt!!!

Nothing new from me right now...so busy reorganizing after the windows were installed.  And I love my new windows...they are great and ALL of them open AND close!  LOL!

I did want to share a Quilt with you!  Please visit my friend Deb's Blog to view "Sandy's Country Village" Quilt.  Sandy did a fantastic job piecing this "row of the month" quilt and Deb did a awesome job quilting it.

THIS IS A MUST SEE!  You will not be disappointed, I promise.

Check it out here - http://divinequilting.blogspot.com/



No Sewing...windows coming

I am very excited...they are coming to install new windows in the house today.  We really needed them.  Currently we have the original builders windows and the house is 38 years old.  Some don't even open any longer.

I cannot wait until they are all  installed and the curtains are back up and we are looking good!

Here are some photos of the now...I will post the results when complete!

This is the house from the street...

This is the side where my sewing room will be; the room with the two windows on the right.  The one window doesn't open now but when I have new windows...watch out!

Here are some photos from out trip to Maryland this weekend to see my daughter's family...

Our grandson walking around Annapolis!

At the Renaissance Fair!

Loves the dragon!

Okay, the workmen are here...with the windows...I must inspect!

Happy sewing!

A little bit more...

I didn't get too much done today but did decide on the applique for my pumpkin banner.  Clearly I changed my mind about the leaves.  I used an Americana print for the letters...I just had to get some in there :)

I cannot machine applique or quilt it tonight because of another project I have to work on for my daughter but thought I would post the progress.

The letters are from the "Free Alphabet" from Pat Sloan.  It is great to have and they are printed in reverse!

The stem and leaves are from two different patterns I had and the stem had to be altered to fit.

I also have a little embroidery practice I did in a class Friday night.  My machine has an embroidery unit and I have never used it.  Now I am ready to start using it!

Happy Sewing!!!

I've been busy...

Wow!  I cannot believe how long it's been since I posted!  I've been busy.  I wish that I was away because of a vacation but, no, just busy with life.

One great thing...I did get a new car!  Mine was on it's last leg so I needed to trade it in for a new one.  I'll miss the old one, we traveled many miles together over the past 10 years!  But, the new one is really nice so I think I can form a new relationship and deal with the change...HAHA!

I bet some of you who know me thought I couldn't remember how to get back onto the blog...LOL!  That does happen but not this time!

BUT, I have been doing a little sewing.  Not enough but some...

Here are a few WIP's from the past couple of weeks.

First, I did find some good oranges and other fall looking fabrics to work with...here are a few.

I went to my sister's house again and we worked on the same project.  A pumpkin banner that she had a pattern for.  We shared some of our fabrics.  Now I just need to find the time to get a stem on the pumpkin and decide if I want to put leaves or stars (I could put stars on anything!) in the 'dead' space. 

Sorry it's sideways! :)

Then I started to design a fall tote.  Working on the quilting before assembly.

Nuts!  I just noticed those two cream pieces that are the same got butted together.  Dang it!  Funny how you don't see these things until you take a photo.  Oh well.  One will be on the bottom of the bag so it should be okay...wait a second...the two greens on the upper left...darn, and the gold!  I'm leaving it!!!!  If Vera Bradley doesn't like it too bad!!!

Lastly (sorry this is a long one), I had another mystery class at the shop and this was the runner the class made.  I am getting ready to sew on the binding.

Hope everyone is having a great final couple of weeks to the summer!  The weather here has been lovely!

Happy Sewing!

What happened to the Green Star Mini Quilt...

I did get to go to my sister's to sew on Friday.  Here she is at her machine and the HUGE extension table her husband made for her.

I brought along the green fabric I scanned for the mini quilt but before I left the house I found some orange and black homespun fabrics.

I have had these for years!  I used them before to make stuffed pumpkins.

So I changed from the green assortment to the orange and black to make a mini star quilt.

Here it is in the works.  The homespun really stretches A LOT!  Especially that smaller orange check...WOW...I sprayed the heck out of it with the Best Press.

I finished it today, in between housework and paperwork for my husband's business.

Really a very primitive look, with simple quilting and I turned the back around to the front to bind it.

Honestly, I can't wait to hang it for Halloween.

Hope you all had a great weekend!
Happy Sewing!

Another mini quilt design

Yea!  A day off.  I am going to sew with my sister today.

This is another mini quilt I designed on EQ6 last night - even imported the fabrics choices for this one.  I purchased them a few years ago at a quilt show.  This will be my project for today.

MINI STAR QUILT - is 12" square; the star blocks are 3" each and the borders are 1.5".  There are nine different green fabrics in all.  I will have lots of fun making this...off to the Cutting Mat to start this mini!

I will post my progress tomorrow or Sunday.

Happy Sewing!

A Prim Pumpkin...

It's already Thursday and I haven't done a whole lot of sewing this week.  :( SAD!

Tomorrow is a day off and I hope spend most of the day at the sewing table!

I did create a fun little Prim Pumpkin Pattern on EQ6...

                                  

Just might have to sew him into reality!  I don't have too many browns and orange scraps so I will have to get creative...or maybe just buy some.

There are a lot of Halloween projects in my TO DO pile...oh well...here comes another!  HAHA!

Have a fun day sewing!