Finished a top...

...it's a small one but the top is done!

Using this pattern from Lazy Girl Designs ~ Confetti

and the Lazy Angle Ruler...

(we sell the ruler and the patterns at our shop)

The pattern is charm pack friendly but I decided to use

some of my 30's repro collection for it.

I started this little top about 2 years ago, pulled

it out of hiding and finished it up yesterday!

The next step will be to quilt it!

I added borders to mine.

The borders added to the size (42x42) which makes it a good size for baby

OR a table topper...undecided...but Spring should come in 

about 3 months!

So, this starts me on my New Year's Eve project.

Tomorrow will be a day of digging through some (not sure there's time for ALL) of my works in progress and getting them in order to work on (and hopefully finish) them throughout the new year!

Wish me luck...I will post pics New Year's Day!

I might even finish another small top on New Year's Eve as we ring in the New Year!

Happy Sewing,

Colleen

Merry Christmas...

I hope you all had a...

Merry Christmas sharing peace and joy with your loved ones!

I did...and here are a few little things that bring me

The first one is this Joy necklace I have owned for many years now

(and I have earrings to match)!

And then there was the peace and joy I felt decorating the tree(s) with some of my most favorite ornaments!

I enjoy unwrapping and hanging all of my Americana ornaments.

There are many more; Santa, flags, angels, glass balls...

This one my daughter gave me a few years ago...

And this one from my grandson that I opened today and hung on the tree!

So cute!

This one is from my childhood, it was one of my mother's...

Merry Christmas Mom...thank you for the memories!

I enjoy having a little tree full of Snowmen...

And a tree of stars and hearts...

And a little tree in a jar...

with a beautiful new reindeer ornament made by a friend!

But most of all I enjoyed spending a peaceful and joyful day with my favorite Santa!

Merry Christmas to all...

and to all Good Night!

Colleen

Christmas Sewing...

Some completed gifts...

For the family in Idaho...

Background is a table topper I designed for my daughter...

Santa face embroidered on an apron...

Embroidered Hand towels (as requested)...

2 sets of 2 (white and beige)...

A special hand towel for my grandson...

Shhh...He did get toys too!

Just could not resist the Elf Alphabet from 

Embroidery Library...to stinkin' cute...

the green towel is actually more of an elf green.

..and then there is the dog...

Bed Covers for her!

One for Christmas time and the other

Monogrammed with her initial.

Her name is Velvet!

Okay, back to the sewing machine...

My Elissimo is getting a real workout this season!

Just a few more gifts and then it will be...

TIME TO DECORATE THE TREE!

Happy Holiday Sewing,

Colleen

WOW! I cannot believe this...

...it has actually been 2 months since I posted.

Yes, I have been busy but, 2 months, yikes!

So, what have I been busy with?

I'll take you on a journey with some pictures that tell the tale.

I went to Idaho to visit my daughter and her family!

We went to the park...

and, yes, my grandson moves fast so the pics are all like this... LOL!

Gathered some pumpkins...

Ate at a Mexican Restaurant...

I should never ask to take a picture...but I did get a kick out of the tie with his skeleton sweatshirt...LOL!

And I really liked those Sunflower chairs in the background!

Played with the dog...and she stood still for me!

Good girl!

My daughter and I did some sewing (sorry, no pics) and went to a quilt show.

They had quilts hanging in many of the shops all around Jackson Hole.

We spent two days there doing the walking tour of the quilts.

There were a lot of one block wonders.

When I got home it was time to prepare and sew for the

for my daughter-in-law and son!

I made her a mommy bib! 

She was a good sport and wore it.

Here she is holding up one of the receiving blankets I made for her.

They are so stinkin' cute and I made matching burp cloths too!

Then I did some more sewing...

My friend Debbie showed me how to do an English Paper Piecing project.

It's a pattern I have had for about 4 years and I really wanted to work on it.

So far, so good...need to make 180 of the little kite shaped units!

I also had a lot of 'strings' in my scrap container and decided to

start sewing them into blocks at the end of every day.

Last night I took the 38 blocks I had completed and sewed them into rows of eight across.

Darn, missing two...but I sewed those up this morning real fast and now I have 

5 completed rows...only need 5 more for a throw quilt!

I'll work on that!

Yesterday I ruffled a whole bunch of crepe paper for a special project...

I will post more on this when ready.

Made some pillow cases with an Asian theme to sell

at the Karate School.

We are going to have some Asian themed gifts and home decor

items for sale in the school.

I also worked on some table runners to sell

and have some hand towels and dish towels in the works!

So, yes, I have been busy.

There are some things I am working on in addition to these

that I will post at a later date...

shh...they are Christmas Gifts!

Hope you are all having a fun time sewing like I am,

Colleen

PS:  Sorry for the unedited photos...too busy sewing!

Sewing September 17, 18, 19, 20, and 22

That's right...there was no sewing on September 21st!

That day was reserved for the walk...

although I did quickly sew up three more

travel tissue packet pockets because I 

thought we might run short of them at the walk.

My sister and I made about 48 of them to give to all the family and friends

that participated in the walk on Sunday.

I will post a photo of them when I have one to show.

NOW back to what I've been sewing...

What I did was to start pulling out some of

my WIP Halloween and Fall projects to finish.

All of these have now reached the point where they are ready to quilt...

This FALL wall hanging has some really cute fall scraps.

And the word FALL is actually an Americana print!

I am struggling with a binding for this maple leaf runner...UGH!

This one is so simple but appliqueing around those little

eyes and noses...tedious!

I finished the decorative stitching on this next one...

sort of a crazy quilt table topper.

Had lots of fun picking out stitches and used up a lot of 

bobbins with small amounts of thread on them that I couldn't stand the 

thought of throwing away.

I am not sure about leaving the acorns on there ~ but they are cute little acorns.

I also pulled out a Dresden plate that I started a number of years ago.

Never sewed the plates together but I do have them all cut out and ready to sew.

This one is ready to applique onto the back and I can actually make 3 more

blocks like this with what I have ready to sew.

Honestly, now I wish I had more!
I really have started to form a love/love relationship

with the Dresden plate.

I love love them!!!

So this, in addition to taking about 30 minutes a day 

in an  attempt to organize the sewing area and my fabrics,

has kept me occupied and busy.

Happy Sewing,

Colleen

Break from sewing...

I have been sewing but will share more of that later...

But I have also been busy with a special event...

Yesterday I participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer's at one of the parks here on Long Island.  We had a marvelous showing of family, friends and loved ones yesterday.  The entire day was amazing and very emotional.  As the top fundraising team (in six weeks our team "Day by  Day" raised over $12,000) we were asked to have someone speak at the opening ceremonies.  My beautiful niece Amanda gave a heartwarming and very emotional speech telling her story about my sister Doreen's diagnosis and what our lives have been like the past 2 years living with Alzheimer's as a new member of our family.  Then, along with over 1000 other walkers we took a very nice relaxed walk around the lake, only 1.5 miles.

This is a photo of my sister's family yesterday at the walk.  (Amanda is standing in the middle)

Sewing September 13, 14, 15 and 16...

WHEW!  That's a lot of sewing days...

AND I really have been sewing!

Sewing everyday?  YES!

I cannot show you everything because some are for

other people and that would spoil surprises...maybe.

But I worked on these Kimono Blocks...

Now the struggle is to find sashing and border fabric

that I am happy with.

Maybe it will need to be a black?  

This is a tough one and I have tried quite a few.

So, more to come on this and it might even have to 

wait until after the holidays since it really isn't for

anyone on my list right now.

Bordered one of the Happy Halloween embroideries.

I really like this and could make a few more of these.

BUT...I seem to constantly be running out of BLACK thread

these days!

The border fabric is one I found and purchased because the color

and stars drew me to it.

Big surprise when you look up close...Witches' hats.

Adorable!  It's a Thimbleberries from 2010.

Dresden Plate Candle Mat...

These were fun and quick to do and now I have to finish them.

I have a couple more of the Dresden Plate mats in mid-piecing.

That squiggly stripe gets a little dizzying after a while!

And that's all I can show right now...more to come.

I am ready for fall and all the beautiful colors it brings

along with the fun of Halloween.

BRING IT ON!!!

Happy Sewing!
Colleen