Christmas in July Wrap-Up

Miss Main Street and I just returned home from a 10-day trip to visit to my mother in Michigan and tour collge campuses (Miss Main Street will graduate from high school in 2013).  We drove from NJ out to Evanston, IL, by way of Pittsburgh, then back-tracked to Michigan before driving home yesterday.  I was able to post to my blog due to the miracle of modern technology but was not doing any major sewing. 

As a result, the only project I finished during my month long Christmas holiday sew-a-thon was the Misty Pines wall hanging.

I'm ready to put the borders on my Christmas stars quilt top then send it to the quilter.  Thank you for your advice on the border fabric choice!  I have an idea how to proceed and will show you how it all comes out.

During the trip, I worked on the wooly thingies for the wreath picture; I have a big pile completed and am almost to the point of putting them on the background fabric.

I'll be continuing work on these projects to get them done in August.  I have some other holiday projects in mind but think I might save them (or at least one of them) for the month of December. 

Lynn is almost finished with her Christmasy star quilt.  It looks fabulous!

Gifts From Your Workshop

Being a "crafty type," I like to make presents when I can.  Of course, I don't have time to make gifts for everyone on my list, and not everyone appreciates a hand-made present.  I am selective about who I make quilts for (must appreciate both the quality of the work and the quantity of time spent, and not treat it like a bargain from T.J. Maxx), but I often make smaller items that take less time than a quilt.  Still, they do require some thought, to match the gift to the recipient. 

Here are some ideas.  Last year, I made some kitchen towels using fusible applique.  (The Joy design is from a Nancy Halvorsen Art to Heart book called Tidings.)  They make nice hostess gifts, a good alternative to a bottle of wine.  Or you could make a set of coordinating towels. 

Pillowcases make good gifts, especially for children when made out of novelty fabrics.  There are so many character lines out now, you can surely find the child's favorite thing.  There are numerous tutorials for pillowcases; just Google pillowcase tutorial and take your pick.

Early in the spring, I made myself a new tote bag, using a pattern called Practical Bag.  I used a vintage piece of upholstery fabric I had on hand, but you could use any sturdy fabric, including quilting cotton, making this a good stash project.  Practical Bag is an unstructured bag that is easy to pack for vacations and could even be used for groceries. 

Bags are a good way to use novelty fabrics, too.  How about a new tote made in this chocolate print, and wrapped with a few choice candy bars?

For my next project, I'll be using this cassette tape novelty print to make Miss Main Street a pair of boxer shorts (she wears them as pajamas).  She picked this fabric out during our vacation last summer!  Time to get those boxers made!

Christmas Goodies From The Moda Bakeshop

Do you ever visit the Moda Bakeshop?  It is a great source of free patterns for quilts and other sewables from your quilting studio. 

Moda is celebrating Christmas in July with lots of interesting projects.  Lover of star quilt blocks that I am, I especially like this quilt, called Starry Eyed.   It was made using a line from Moda called Countdown to Christmas.  I like the contrast in the fabric between the white, red, and black.

I also like these stockings which were a project from 2009. 

And last year, I made Blooms in the Snow, using a Moda Bakeshop pattern called Sweet Menagerie.  This pattern uses a jelly roll plus some yardage for the white and the solid blue inner border.  But it could be made from scraps. 

What goodies are you cooking sewing up?

Auditioning Border Fabric

Sashing complete and main body of quilt sewn together.  I experienced my usual agitation over arranging the blocks:  can't have blocks with the same print too close together, must get the brighter blocks evenly spaced over the quilt....

This part of the quilt is 55" by 68" and Miss Main Street is doing her best to hold it up.  It still needs a border and I am undecided as to what would work best.  I was originally thinking a large print incorporating the reds and greens I used for the star blocks but have vetoed that as too likely to fight with the stars for attention.  I started thinking more subtle green or red prints. 

Option 1

For example, I could use this red tone-on-tone, the same fabric I used in the sashing.

Option 2

Or this green stripe, combining the lime green of the star blocks with a slightly darker green.

Option 3

Or this mini-holly print, which I bought for the blocks but did not use.

Option 4

Or this lime green striped tone on tone.

Option 5

Or this large green floral tone-on-tone.

Option 6

Then I thought, how about repeating the background, kind of like putting a wide white mat around the quilt.  I am leaning towards this option at the moment (but could change my mind any minute!), and using the red for the binding.  But I also like Option 5 for the border with Option 4 for the binding. 

Decisions, decisions...Please share your opinion if you have one.



Making Sashing

I completed 20 star blocks and am now making the sashing.

I used a single fabric for all the background in the star blocks (from a line called Jolly Snowmen by Clothworks) but different red and green mini prints for the corner squares.  For the sashing, I'm using the Jolly Snowmen background again, with one consistent red print.

Lots of strip piecing, re-cutting, and sewing...

I need a name for this quilt.  I'm thinking of 'Tis the Season.  Any other ideas?

Art To Heart

Looking for more Christmas project inspiration?  Nancy Halvorsen of Art to Heart comes out with a new Christmas booklet every year, always full of new ideas for quilted wall hangings and gift items.  Most involve fusible applique.  Last year, I made a bunch of these Joy Joy kitchen towels, from the Tidings book.  They make great hostess gifts. 

I made the base towel for my project but Nancy Halvorsen sells tea towels on her website in stripes and plaids that coordinate wonderfully with her line of fabrics (Benartex).  I've used her towels before and consider them a good buy at $3.35 apiece. 

My Art to Heart project for this year is supposed to be the Merry Christmas wall hanging.  I bought a kit during the 2010 post-Christmas sale at my LQS, so it is one of my PIGS.  If I don't get to it during Christmas in July, I'll do it later in the fall. 

Wool Applique

I've made a little progress on one of my other Christmas projects, this framed wreath.  Directions are in Sew Scrappy, an American Patchwork & Quilting publication from last fall. 

I'm making my version using a variety of shades of red and green wool.  I bought most of it from Attic Heirlooms when they vended at a local quilt show. 

Here are a few of pieces I've put together so far.  When I have a few more done, I'll start putting them on the black background. 

I've found wool applique to be not at all difficult (this project anyway), though it takes some practice to work up a rhythm and keep the stitches evenly sized and evenly spaced. 

Cottons n Wool has a nice tutorial on methods for wool applique.