A Quilty Christmas

Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house.... everyone was pooped and a bit befuddled....(where's my coffee...)











Did a Facetime with the nephew and his family last night and everyone was happy and impressed with all the hard work put into their Christmas quilts. (If you've been following this blog... you've read about these quilts 'ad nauseam.'  Just look back a few posts.)

It warmed the cockles of my heart.  The year I spent making these quilts...and praying for the recipients... it made me so happy that they liked them.  And, really, isn't that why we do this?  Because the receivers of our labors of love, while they don't REALLY know the time, energy and money that went into the quilt, they DO recognize that it was a labor of love.

I so Love you guys.....

My Auntie....the one who got me hooked on quilting, has been struggling this year with health issues...  but, she also got into the "quilt-giving" game....she made this quilt for my daughter, Ana.

Isn't it pretty?!  Ana cried when she opened it.

Auntie, thank you for teaching me the art of quilting and the art of giving our most precious gift, our love, to those we cherish.  You'll never know what you did for me when you taught me to quilt.

Now to start planning the quilts for Christmas 2016.... I have a really big family.... who will it be???
Ya'll better start being nicer to me.... ha ha!

What's on Your Design Wall?

We are in the Club House Turn!
How many of us are frantically sewing up a storm, finishing up Christmas gifts?

Me, for one...with my travel schedule, it was a very ambitious undertaking, but I do have two of the four Christmas quilts all finished and even boxed and ready to ship.

Here is what is in the boxes.

A dragon quilt of my own design for the number one son of my nephew.

Missouri Star's skateboard quilt for the younger brother of the above-mentioned grand nephew.


I have one quilt at the quilter's  and one on my "design floor."
My goal is to get them both in the mail and delivered by Christmas Day.

Harry Potter's Bookshelf is at the quilter's.
It is called the "Project of Doom"

If you like paper piecing, do a Facebook search...for "Project of Doom."  It was challenging, but so fun.

Wish I could be at my sister's house on Christmas morning to see his face when he opens it. (My sister will have all her kids home for Christmas this year.)

This one is for another nephew (the brother of the above-mentioned nephew.)  My nephew's name is "Wilbur."  Get it?  And, even though he is a grown man, he likes pigs. (He is also one of my favorite people.)

Not as ambitious, but I think he will like it...

IF I get it finished... it is still on my "design floor."

So, keep at it.  We still have some time to make Christmas Morning magical! 

Stories of Understanding Husbands

I'm not married so I sew when I want to sew, in any room of the house, leave my mess everywhere and no one is "miffed."  Every now and again a story about helpful, understanding husbands-of-sewers-and-quilters pops up on Facebook and it makes me smile....(makes me wish I had one, too...)

My first pretend "Sweet Hubby Award" is from the Project of Doom Facebook group.  This is a quilt pattern of Harry Potter's bookshelf...all PAPER PIECED.  Removing the paper after the blocks are sewn together is kind of a beast of a job.  Kudos to this helpful hubby!!
(If you are interested in this project, follow this link to Fandom In Stitches. )

This next post from the Singer Featherweight 221 & 222 Facebook group.

I've seen many posts where husbands have loved on their wives by refinishing their tables, fixing their sewing machines, even visiting flea markets and estate sales to make purchases for their brides, etc.  Ahhhhh, too sweet!

Husbands have been known to rearrange their travel plans, rearrange their lives and rearrange their living spaces to accommodate our obsession....

Last wonderful hubby story... This past Memorial Day weekend I flew to Portland (my home town) to visit a friend who was visiting in Portland from France.  While there, another friend, Dawn White, met Anna (my friend from France) & me and my daughter Ana for lunch and then took us to her house for a trunk show!  We four ladies invaded her hubby's space for the entire afternoon...even caught him off guard in his boxers..... He just smiled and said "welcome." Charlie you're the best!

 
PS.  If you have not discovered Dawn's Blog yet, here is a link.  She is quite talented and teaches classes at The Pine Needle in Lake Oswego, Oregon.



So... Here's to you, understanding hubbies everywhere!

Shout Out

I'd like to give a "Shout Out" to the people on the Project of Doom Facebook page...
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE seeing all the blocks!  And, they are so willing to share!

It is a Closed Group, but all you need to do is ask to join.  I'm not really "in to" Harry Potter, but this is a very intriguing paper piecing project.

The "owner" of this group, Jennifer Ofenstein of Fandom in Stitches, gives away the pattern and other talented people on the site give away their pattern's, also.  I saw a block with a pixie that I really wanted as part of my own PoD but I could not find the block pattern....Tereza sent me the link.  Or, was that the ripped book pattern link she sent?  So many people share that I get them mixed up.

I just received a swatch of jelly bean fabric from Tomme.

I don't want to forget to give a public Thank You to CC Maxwell for the eye balls!

See what I mean?  Anyone in your circle of quilters ever send you eye balls?


If you like paper piecing and if you like fun people, check out this group.  Click Here

Follow this link to see some of the completed Project of Doom quilts.

I Need An Intervention

The PoD (Project of Doom) has taken on a life of its own!  I just want to drop out of society and work on my PoD....

I joined a group on Facebook...
I go to fabric stores and look for fabrics appropriate for the PoD, even though I have lots in my library (stash) already...
I wake up early and want to sew....

O me, O my...

Here is my find yesterday in a small shop in Pasadena, CA.  New Moon Textiles.  Very nice shop.
It's a small-ish shop, but they have a very nice selection of fabrics.

This is what I walked away with... had to leave a whole group behind.

I had an epiphany this morning...this could go on FOREVER.  Every time I think I most certainly have enough fabrics to finish one PoD (perhaps two) I find more that would "be perfect"!

Here are my first 6 blocks.  There is at least one that I will most certainly do over.

If you are interested in becoming OCD about a fun project, visit the Facebook page:
The Project of Doom but don't blame me if it takes over your life!

Also look at Jennifer Ofenstein's website Fandom of Stitches.... Lots (and I mean LOTS) of paper piecing patterns....all FREE (as long as you don't sell them.)

Project of Doom

I have started the "Project of Doom."  I wanted a challenge, and this project promises to be just that!
Be careful what you wish for!!  It is taking on a life of its own!
There is a whole "following" for this paper-pieced quilt!  Who Knew!

I found this group on Facebook quite by accident.  So far they have been quite helpful and encouraging.  Not to mention a lot of ideas for fabric choices, etc.

Here is my first block.

Because this is going to be a bed quilt for a 10-year-old (well, he may be 20 before I get it finished) I don't think I will get too creative with details, like adding titles on the book spines.

Now that I've started, I'd love to stay home today and quilt....but the Orange County Quilt Guild has their 2nd, annual quilt show today.... I'm going to join this group, again, and hopefully I won't be traveling as much this year as I was last year and I can actually attend the meetings!

I Need A Challenge

I feel like I'm in a rut with my quilting.
So, I decided to challenge myself....

Project of Doom

Doesn't this look like fun?  It is a paper piecing "quilt along" from Fandom in Stitches.  I'm far behind... they are on block 14... I'm going to start today...

Let's see how I do...Anyone want to join me?