My Last Quilt Finish For 2009

Shasta Daisy, quilted, bound, and labeled!

I finished it yesterday so I am certain this is my last finish of 2009.  I started this quilt back in April but just got it back from the long-arm quilter a couple of weeks ago.  I really like what she did - outlined the daisies, meandering in the background, and a leafy vine on the white sashing.

I used a printed yellow and white gingham for the binding.  That's an American Jane print on the back.

This quilt will be a throw for the spare bed in my sewing room.  It will be a bit of sunny brightness to look at during the winter months.  It is snowing here now, a good day to stay inside and sew some more. 

Talk to you in the new year.  I hope it is a happy and healthy one for all!

Another Christmas Quilt for 2010

Moda brought out this Christmas line from 3 Sisters last summer.  It is called Glace.  I've admired it ever since I saw it the first time but I resisted.  I have enough projects, I need to whittle my stash down to a size that better fits the available storage, I need to stop "investing" in fabric I won't use right away.  You know the story!

But early in December I received a gift certificate to my local quilt shop (it was a birthday present from Mr. Main Street - a big kiss for him) so when I went in the shop last week, my resistance was low.  And Christmas fabrics were on sale!   And I know exactly what I wanted to make and the pattern was free from Moda Bakeshop!  So I picked up the jelly roll and yardage.  This will become a quilt top soon.

Holiday Down Time

I'm not busy with work over the holidays so I have been putting the downtime to good purpose.  I read this:

The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein.  I would never have thought I'd enjoy a story about a race car driver, as narrated by his dog, so much but it is excellent and I highly recommend it!

I also read:

U is for Undertow, by Sue Grafton, also a good read.  I love it when I find a new-to-me author with a long backlist; if Sue Grafton is new to you, you are in for a real treat but start with A is for Alibi, the first in the Kinsey Millhone series.

And I finished this quilt.  Well, I mean I finished the top.  Now it goes to Karen, the long arm quilter.  It is big, 96" by 96" which is ample for our queen size bed. 

Wishing You Just the Lovliest Christmas!

Have a wonderful day celebrating with your family and friends. I'll be back to blogging in a day or two.

I'm Starting A Christmas Quilt Now...

...so I can finish it for Christmas 2010!



A couple of weeks ago, Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. blogged about her Christmas quilts. I was particularly attracted to one called Brand New Day. It looked like it would be perfect for my hoarded stash of Robyn Pandolph Folk Art Christmas and Aubrey Rose prints. They go back a few years and, really, I should use them because they are beautiful and so perfect for our house. So I ordered the pattern...





...and when the pattern arrived, I got out my stash to see what would work best. It will be one of these three for the border and alternating squares...

...with these prints for the pieced star blocks.

I still have to pull the light prints for block backgrounds out of my stash (or maybe I need to buy some) and figure out what to use for the setting triangles. I have two different tone-on-tone reds I can use for the inner border and binding, as well as a tone-on-tone green just in case.

And when it's all from your stash, it's practically like getting a quilt for free! Right!

Quilted Christmas Tree Skirt

Our Christmas tree is up, finally! The Great East Coast Snow Storm of 2009 put a crimp in our plans and we did not buy the tree until last night. By then, our usual place (local volunteer fire company) was sold out. We went to another local retailer and found this one. It's the right height for our 10' high ceilings but has a major bare spot I did not notice in the near darkness last night. Fortunately, we can turn the bare spot to the corner where no one will see it.

Reggie is being Vanna White in this picture and showing off my tree skirt. This was an early project, made shortly after I took up quilting. Each heart is a mini crazy quilt, quilted and bound, then all eight were sewn to the skirt base. You can hardly see it under the tree because all the wrapped packages cover it up, but the skirt covers up the old plastic shower curtain we use to protect the rug under the tree.

Here's a close-up of one of the hearts. The seams are covered with a variety of embroidery stitches, which I did by hand, not having a "fancy" sewing machine at the time. If I was to make another one, I'd probably use some of the fun stitches on my Bernina.

Altered by a Sewing Machine

I read an article in the New York Times today and immediately thought of my "sewing computer." I think you will find the article an entertaining read; you can find it here.