quilting in progress

I just wanted to pop in to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thanks so much for reading and leaving encouraging comments on my blog this past year. Thank you for keeping me company. I appreciate it very, very much!

I'm signing off for the rest of the year. We are expecting a house full of guests this week and I have this monster quilt to finish....it has a due date of December 31. I'm going to be one busy lady. See you in about a week or so!

Happy Monday to you! xo

a custom quilt

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

Today I have a partial finish to share. This is a quilt top only, but it's an accomplishment nonetheless.

I don't often do custom work, but this is a custom quilt for my husband's co-worker's wife. It's based on this plain spoken quilt, which I made back in 2007. She does not like green (???) and did not want any in her quilt. That made it tricky, but I think the palette still works. (This is not in my color comfort zone....and I think it's screaming for a little pop of ugly-but good-olive green!)

The original quilt pattern is called plain spoken and is found in the Modern Quilt Workshop by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. I enlarged the block sizes to make them proportionate to the finished quilt. I also thought ahead and based the block size on the width of fabric, so there wasn't much waste per strip. (Always a bonus!) There was still PLENTY of piecing to do.

I pressed all the seams open, which is against the norm for me, so I was happy that many of the intersections lined up so well. (They aren't ALL this perfect...so no need to hate me.) Lots of pinning. LOTS.

It measures 100.5" x 110". That's a whole lot of quilt top!

 

I've tracked the hours spent so far and plan to do so for the entire process....as long as I remember! I'm up to 14.75 hours already. (Does that seem like a lot?) That counts the math, pressing the fabric, cutting and piecing. It does NOT include the time I spent shopping for supplies. It'll be interesting to see how many hours it takes to complete it!

 

Now it's your turn. Please link up your finishes for the week! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

finish it up Friday, 12/20/13

1.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	68.	beth@lovelaughquilt
2.	Ashley @ wasntquiltinaday	69.	Barbara GAlloway
3.	Sarah Schraw @ Sarah Quilts	70.	2 inch squares
4.	Amanda @ Material Girl Quilts	71.	Karee
5.	Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt	72.	Xmas Ghastlies @ Kwilty Pleasures
6.	Iron Violet Designs: Christmas Table Runner	73.	Christmas Gifting @ Dresden Lane
7.	Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs	74.	Maja
8.	Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts	75.	Santa Cushion @ Happygoluckyquilter
9.	Kat @ Kat and Cat Quilts	76.	The Colorful Fabriholic
10.	Super Hero Quilt	77.	A Granny on the Bed
11.	Lee @ Lala's Lovelys Quilting	78.	Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
12.	Vera @ Negligent style	79.	Rugrat Rodeos-kids Christmas craft
13.	Starry Night Quilt!	80.	Friday finish qulited cushion
14.	Taryn @ from Pixels to Patchwork	81.	Moneik Quilts
15.	Angela A @ betterndogbiscuits	82.	Paula@TheSassyQuilter
16.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	83.	Caryl W @ cinnamon holiday workshop
17.	Scrappy Trips Quilt	84.	Michelle @ Renewing Mrs. Sew & Sew
18.	Vikki @ Miss Muffet Quilts	85.	Steph Blair
19.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	86.	Hannah Elias
20.	Augustsnow	87.	alidiza
21.	Stacey's Rainbow Broken Herringbone	88.	Esther @ ipatchandquilt
22.	Beth	89.	tubakk, Norway
23.	Happy Cottage Quilter	90.	Yvonne @ That's Sew Creative
24.	Sarah @ Georgia Girl Quilts	91.	katie z.
25.	Beth: Sewn with my daughter	92.	Pragmaticpatchwork - owl costume
26.	Jasmine @ Quilt Kisses	93.	Debbie@Angelscraps Quilting
27.	Katherine@SewMeSomethingGood	94.	Leanne @ she can quilt
28.	Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation	95.	Ann @ Sweet Marie Sewing
29.	Jasmine @ Quilt Kisses	96.	Joanie's Trendy Quilts
30.	A modern spin to log cabin	97.	Mara
31.	Kate @ katiemaequilts	98.	Julie @ Quilty Sewing
32.	Kim@MegSueDesigns	99.	Allison @ flip flops & quilt blocks
33.	Janeen@Quilt Art Designs	100.	Jess @ Quilty Habit
34.	melissa @ my fabric relish	101.	Brenda @ Wielding Wild Wisps
35.	Tommy's Quilt	102.	Vicki
36.	Jesica - from Ushuaia, Argentina!	103.	Lee Anna Paylor
37.	Ava	104.	Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity
38.	busybeequilts--finished penny patch	105.	bee
39.	Brigit @ brigitgail	106.	Jen @ Stitchified
40.	Kim @ TiesThatBindQuilting	107.	Molli Sparkles
41.	Erica @ kitchen table quilting	108.	A Very Successful Secret Santa
42.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side	109.	The Downton Abbey Trunk Show @The City Quilter
43.	Sarah C.	110.	Samantha @ Making Life Prettier
44.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side	111.	Janice@singreadsew - lap quilts
45.	Bess@SqueezeQuilts	112.	Funky Monkey Quilt
46.	Leanne @ cottage Tails	113.	Bungle Jungle Quilt #2
47.	Janet @ Simply Pieced	114.	Anna (The Crooked Banana)
48.	Our Busy Little Bunch	115.	Terry@Quilt Crazie
49.	Sara @ This Little Life: Christmas finish	116.	Marie @Quilts with Personality
50.	Cathy@Sane,Crazy,Crumby	117.	Jennie @ Porch Swing Quilts
51.	Val's Quilting Studio	118.	Dona@grateful4quilting
52.	Couch Meow	119.	Georgi @ The shy one sews
53.	karen@CapitolaQuilter Rip Curl	120.	Afton Warrick @ Quilting Mod
54.	A Reading Pillow	121.	Dewberry Zipper Pouch
55.	I LOVE TO QUILT	122.	Barbie @ thequiltingmill
56.	Liane	123.	Janeen@Quilt Art Designs 2
57.	Tamara Hampton @ Upcycled Fabric	124.	Christmas Lollipop Decorations
58.	The Inside Stori/Mary Stori	125.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts
59.	Bags by Gemini Jen NZ	126.	Infinity Scarves @ Sing While Crafting
60.	Neon magic	127.	ModernMaterialGirl
61.	Layer Cake Quilt Pattern	128.	Jaime@ stitchestosprinkles
62.	Christmas Tree Skirts	129.	Daisy @Ants to Sugar
63.	Cosiendo Sueños - Elena	130.	Becky @ I Dream of Quilting
64.	Karen @ smalltownquilter	131.	Christmas Quilt @ PrettyLIttleQuilts
65.	Heidi @ Fabric Mutt	132.	Manly gift @ Creatin' in the Sticks
66.	Over the Rainbow quilt	133.	Triangles & Squares
67.	Andy @ A Bright Corner

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

waiting quilt

Before I start my post today, I wanted to say a BIG thank you for all your wonderful comments on my scrap vortex quilt. Each and every one is much appreciated! THANK YOU!

I'm sure you've seen -and you probably own-at least a few mini charm packs. Each one contains 42 2 1/2" pre-cut squares. Moda aptly calls them Candy. (I'm not sure what other companies call them.) They are cute, sweet, and too good to pass up! But, what DO you do with them? EVERYONE that I talk to asks that. Since I have a deep love of the 2 1/2" square (as you can see here, here, here, here, here and here) I thought I would tackle this "problem". I'm developing a line of Candy Patterns that highlight these little gems. I was going to work up 3-5 patterns to start with and release them all at once, but I am way to impatient to do so!

My first candy pattern is called "waiting." Fabric is scrumptious by Bonnie and Camille.

This idea has been in my head for years and years. I'm excited that it has finally been translated into fabric! It was inspired by the loading icon on my iPhone. You know, the one that spins around when files are waiting to load. (How's that for everyday inspiration?) I thought that it would be fitting to turn that design into a baby quilt, as there is much waiting when that new special bundle is about to arrive.

Believe it or not, this pattern uses just one mini charm pack for the blocks. The background and cornerstones are additional, obviously. But still, not too shabby! It's been awhile since I made a quilt with a white background. I love how crisp and fresh it is!

I used the serpentine stitch on my Janome to quilt it. (Setting #19, for those of you who have a Janome Horizon.) It took awhile to quilt, but the texture is amazing! This was a new to me technique and I was nervous to use this quilt as a guinea pig. Every 2"-5" or so I drew a guideline with my hera marker to make sure that my lines were on track and mostly vertical. The quilt shifted quite a bit, but I always worked from the top down, so the shifting was evenly distributed. Phew!

For the binding I used some children at play fabric that was aging (nicely) in my stash. Cut on the bias, it makes a beautiful finishing touch for this quilt. I do love me some red gingham!

The backing is a sweet little red riding hood print by Tasha Noel for Riley Blake. I had just enough for backing and I'm sad that I don't have many scraps leftover. I keep reminding myself that fabric is to USE, not to hoard....and maybe some day I will actually believe it! :)

The quilt measures 38" square. The pattern is available as an instant download and you can purchase it here if you are interested.

Happy Monday to you!

scrap vortex

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

On Wednesday I finished my scrap vortex quilt (!!!!) and I have about 95 photos to prove it. Don't worry, I won't share them all here, as tempting as that may be!

This quilt is MASSIVE, measuring about 105" x 95". When I made the top, one side measured 94" long and the other side was 95" long. After quilting, I'm pleased to report that it's nearly square (or rectangular). Amazing.

For the back, I picked several fabrics from my stash and pieced 10.5" squares together. There are 110 squares, with 107 unique fabrics. How's that for stash busting? It felt GREAT to cut into that much fabric at once. Folding the fabric afterwards was a different story.

The binding is scrappy, which is like icing on the cake. There are so many details to look at. It's SO FUN!

For the quilting, Cheryl suggested that I do one big spiral, to go with the name scrap vortex. We discussed how much work that would be, to which she responded, "that's what a long-armer is for." I prefer to quilt my own quilts, but with the ridiculous notion planted in my head, I knew I must try it. I had a plan B AND a plan C in mind if the spiral didn't pan out. Well, it took about 4 tries to get the center circle just right, but perseverance paid off. I quilted it in the span of 9 days, with 2 days off. Some days I quilted for 8 hours or more. But it was totally worth it!

When trying to find the center of the quilt, I discovered that this dot was within 1" of the center, so I centered the spiral around it. It would have been silly NOT to! I free motion quilted the center on my Juki, then I switched over to my Janome and used the walking foot for the remainder of the quilt. I used the edge of my walking foot as a guide, and the lines are about 1/2" apart. Yes, I turned this around in my machine about one million times. My back is a little worse for wear, if you could imagine!

With the pieced back, the sheer size, and the spiral quilting, I am shocked (and thrilled) that there is not a single pucker...back or front. There was very little pulling/drag...even though the last side I basted I was running quite low on pins. What a relief!

There are so many cute prints in this quilt...

pinwheels,

paper boats, LOTS of polka dots,

 little red riding hood,

 cute Japanese fabric,

 smiling submarines!

 egg beaters, cupid, rolling pins, apples, oh my!

 even cloths pin people,

little sheep!, vintage feed sack from my grandmother,

and even toilet paper! (that part is on my husband's side of the bed. ha!)

As soon as I finished the binding, I made a label and stitched it on, so this quilt is TRULY done, done, DONE! I'm so thankful that I blogged when I started the quilt, so I have a record of how long it took. I had no idea it would morph into this scrap masterpiece, but I'm delighted that it did.

It looks pretty dandy on my bed, doesn't it?

This is scrap project #28/101.

Now, finally, it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

finish it up Friday, 12/13/13

1.	Carin @ Margarets Hope Chest	65.	busy bee quilts--tiny tree bunting
2.	Stephanie @ Quarter Incher	66.	LisaAnn @ Making It Up As I Go Along
3.	Grace and Favour	67.	Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts
4.	Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts	68.	Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt
5.	Carin @ Shaped by Stitches	69.	Quilt finish
6.	Lucy @ Charm About You	70.	Janet @ Simply Pieced
7.	Sarah Schraw @ Sarah Quilts	71.	Pinwheel/Whirligig Quilt @ motenema
8.	Julia in Mississippi	72.	Valerie @ Evening in the Garden
9.	Jo's Country Junction	73.	QuiltnMama
10.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	74.	Debbie @ Angel Scraps
11.	Quilt Barn	75.	KatyQuilts
12.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	76.	Esther @ ipatchandquilt
13.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	77.	tubakk, Norway
14.	Silky Blankies (tricot makes a comeback)	78.	Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
15.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side	79.	Triangles & Squares
16.	Ruth@CBCraftyCorner	80.	Julie @ Quilty Sewing
17.	Janeen's Quick Charity Quilts	81.	Catherine @ Knotted Cotton
18.	snips	82.	Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs
19.	Kat @ Kat and Cat Quilts	83.	Brenda @ Wielding Wild WISPs
20.	Heidi @ Buttons and Butterflies	84.	Moneik
21.	Jesica - from Ushuaia, Argentina!	85.	I QUILT FOR FUN
22.	LizCheese Penguin Pouch	86.	Deb @ asimplelife Quilts
23.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	87.	Vicki in MN
24.	delilah @ love.laugh.sew	88.	Alissa
25.	Janeen@Quilt Art Designs	89.	Laurie @ Dresden Lane
26.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts	90.	Just Another Quilter
27.	Janeen@Quilt Art Designs 2	91.	Sue @ lappteknik
28.	Brigit @ brigitgail	92.	Kelie of Craft Nurse Quilt
29.	beth@lovelaughquilt	93.	Dresden Quilter
30.	BOM '14	94.	Katie: Christmas Gifts Quilts
31.	Mindy Carlson (Pinspot)	95.	Jennie @ Porch Swing Quilts
32.	Debbie @ A Quilter's Table	96.	Barbara GAlloway
33.	Jan O @ the colorful fabriholic	97.	Gail in Ontario
34.	sotakhandmade.blogspot.com	98.	Francesca @ Swink Girls Quilts
35.	Beth	99.	Aunt Marti @ 52 Quilts
36.	Cynthia Brunz Designs	100.	Joanie
37.	Maja	101.	Debbie Schulze
38.	Snowman Table Runner @ goodgollyginger	102.	Kate @ katiemaequilts
39.	The Inside Stori/Mary Stori	103.	Kerstin@sunset sewing
40.	Caryl W @ cinnamon holiday workshop	104.	Allison @ flip flops & quilt blocks
41.	Loo-roll kids craft @ Rugrat Rodeos	105.	A Crock
42.	Christmas Stockings	106.	a wreath
43.	Jasmine @ Quilt Kisses	107.	Dee
44.	Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage	108.	Min
45.	Augustsnow	109.	Katelyn @ Sing While Crafting
46.	Tree skirts done! @ The shy one sews	110.	Angie in SoCal
47.	Snowcatcher	111.	Bungle Jungle Quilt #1
48.	Katherine@SewMeSomethingGood	112.	Stockings - SingWhile Crafting
49.	Nancy Conger	113.	Heidi @ Fabric Mutt
50.	Gemini Jen NZ	114.	Terry@Quilt Crazie
51.	ChristaQuilts Log Cabin Wreath Tutorial	115.	Another Professional Bag @ LoGoQuilts
52.	Beth @ Hello Quilty Lady	116.	dona@grateful4quilting
53.	Ron F. Swanson Quilt!	117.	Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission
54.	Jessica @ LifeUnderQuilts	118.	2nd Day of Christmas
55.	Sarah @ {no} hats	119.	Refashion of a Charity Shop find
56.	Amanda @ Material Girl Quilts	120.	Modern Christmas Quilt
57.	Maggie @Pretty & Prickly	121.	Kristin @ Gooba Designs
58.	Vikki @ Miss Muffet Quilts	122.	Audrey at Piecing it all Together
59.	Vera @ Negligent style	123.	SarahZ
60.	Molli Sparkles	124.	Mihaela@ abeeautifulday.blogspot.com
61.	Jayne @ Twiggy & Opal	125.	Cathy in Ontario
62.	Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts	126.	Kathy@KayakQuilting
63.	cath@wombatquilts	127.	Maggie
64.	Lee Anna Paylor	128.	Karen@CapitolaQuilter

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

aqua zig zag quilt

This morning I put the last few stitches in the binding of this quilt. It's been a GREAT week of finishing!

A few years ago Moda put together a pattern sheet based on my zig zag tutorial using jelly rolls. Isn't that so cool? I finally got around to making one. It's no surprise that it's aqua, is it? Technically, the color is Robin's Egg. It's a lovely, lovely color!

When I was constructing it, somehow I came up one jelly roll strip short, so I pieced together the last corner using 2.5" squares from the previous rows. I love that there is a little bit of thrifty in the final corner. Just the way a quilt should be!

For the back I used a big bold floral that I picked up on my epic trip to SR Harris. Quilting is straight lines that echo the patchwork. Half the stitching is in aqua thread, half in white thread. Simple. Lovely.

I hung it up on my craft room wall to try to get a decent flat shot of it. I wasn't successful with a the photo, but it might just hang out on the wall for now. It matches my desk!

The quilt measures about 64" x 82".

potluck pillow

I'm pleased to have another finish to share today!

Several weeks ago I picked up a Potluck mini charm pack at my LQS and the idea for this simple pillow popped into my head before I made it to the check out. I love it when that happens! The design reminds me of a contact print. Remember those?

The background is white Kona cotton and I quilted it with lines 1/2" apart. The white sashing gives each print a little breathing room. The ruler print is my FAVORITE, so it got the center spot.

I finished off the pillow with an envelope backing. My friend (and awesome hair stylist) Lindsay gave me this red and white polka dot fabric (from IKEA) for my birthday last summer. Isn't it a perfect match? There seems to be a lot of that going on this week. I'm tickled!!! I also am quite pleased/relieved/surprised that the dots line up SO well. Woo-hoo!

I added a binding strip to cover the raw edge, which adds a crisp and tailored finish. It was a nice way to inject a few more red and white polka dots into the project as well. :)

The original plan was to finish off the pillow with binding using the tape measure fabric, but simplicity won out in the end, and I skipped it.

It measures about 20" square. It's my new favorite!

trees! table runner

I'm not much of a table runner gal, (or a runner gal at all, ha ha!) but I wanted to revisit my trees! pattern without the commitment of making an entire quilt. The mini confetti dots from Dear Stella make an excellent background for this block. And, you really can't go wrong with a red and aqua combo!

 It's 11.5" wide by 52" long. (which makes it a little tricky to photograph!)

I had this adorable polka dot fabric in my stash that I thought I would hoard until the end of time, but it was too perfect not to use for this project. The patchwork is 1" finished (!!!) and definitely squeal-worthy. I foresee a new addiction coming! (By the way, isn't that selvage CUTE?)

For the backing I used this fun (and very suitable) winter print that I had leftover from backing a quilt a few years ago. It was a perfect match in color AND size, so no piecing was necessary. Bonus!

Since this is a small project, I used single fold binding to finish it off. Carol did a great tutorial here, if you'd like to check it out. I like using single fold bindings for small projects that won't get a bunch of wear (unlike a quilt) because it's less bulky, it saves fabric, and it's easier to get a nice crisp edge.

I'm happy to have this one finished! Now, on to the next!



finish it up week

Over the weekend I set a little goal to try to share a finish each day this week. It can be big or small, as long as it's a WIP. Before you assume that I've finally gone off the deep end, let me explain. I'm set up pretty well. I have a handful of projects that are nearly finished, I just need a little push to get them completed. I'm looking forward to a LOT of binding!

Today's finish is another rag rug. I've made several of these in the past and it's one of my favorite ways to use up scraps. I was hesitant to finish it because I don't excel at casting off when knitting. I had to look up and view this bind off technique several times before I jumped in. It's definitely not perfect, but I'm happy to say that it went pretty well. The rug measures 24" x 30". It is scrap project #27/101. (woo-hoo!)

The texture is amazing! I wish you could reach into your screen and smoosh it.

If you'd like to knit a rag rug of your own, there is a tutorial here. For this rug I used size 17 needles and I believe I cast on about 40 stitches. It takes a bit of wrestling to knit something this bulky, but it's totally worth it. Now, I just need to decide if I'm going to keep this one or gift it. That's going to be a tough call.

Happy Monday to you!

mini mats

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

This week wasn't an easy one for finishing anything. I'm sure you know how it goes! These bowl blocks have been hanging out on the design wall for a long time and yesterday seemed like the perfect time to finally finish them. I made the first block at a paper piecing retreat that Penny taught, in April of 2011. (Sometimes it's better NOT to think back at the dates....it's frightening!) The mini mats finish at about 10" x 12"....larger than a mug rug, smaller than a placemat. Perfect for holding a hot bowl of soup. I can't wait to use them!

Since the borders and bindings are scraps, I'm totally counting them toward my goal of 101 scrap projects. They are #25 and #26.

Once again I am thankful for the motivation that this link up party brings. Thanks for joining me, as always! Please link up with your finishes. Have a great Friday!

finish it up Friday, 12/6/13

1.	Vera @ Negligent style	78.	Cathy@Sane,Crazy,Crumby
2.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	79.	Christmas pillows
3.	Jayne@ Twiggy & Opal	80.	The Inside Stori/Mary Stori
4.	Susie at ProsperityStuff	81.	Sarah @ Georgia Girl Quilts
5.	Dee	82.	Karen @ Badlands Quilts
6.	Sarah Schraw @ Sarah Quilts	83.	Baby Hourglass Quilt & Patchwork Pillow
7.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	84.	Katelyn @ Sing While Crafting
8.	Jen @ Stitchified	85.	Val: Flannel Twister Quilt Finish
9.	Beth	86.	Sue in WA
10.	Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure	87.	Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
11.	Sara	88.	hexie quilt
12.	Sarah @ {no} hats	89.	Patricia @ Quilting Lines
13.	A Very British Christmas Stocking	90.	Celtic Thistle Stitches
14.	How To Make A Sliced Improv Block Tute	91.	Michelle @ Squeek Crafts
15.	Acts Of Kindness - A Reverse Applique Tute	92.	Barbara GAlloway
16.	Baby's First Hipster Quilt @knottygnome	93.	Laurie @ Dresden Lane
17.	Geta	94.	Molli Sparkles
18.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	95.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side
19.	cathy@blueberrypatch	96.	Heather @ Winding Bobbins
20.	Cristina @ All The Pretty Things	97.	tubakk, Norway
21.	Alison @ Little Bunny Quilts	98.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts
22.	diane stanley	99.	Sophie's Holiday Stripes
23.	Erin @ Why Not Sew?	100.	Kelsey @ Everyday Fray
24.	Brigit @ brigitgail	101.	Rebecca@OneWeeBird
25.	Notting Hill Tote	102.	Easy gift tag ornaments
26.	Nina. Lise@Mrs Moen	103.	Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts
27.	Temple Bag QAL aka LARGE Mssenger Bag	104.	Maja
28.	Easy Zippered Pouch	105.	Dresden Quilter
29.	Pokemon Quilt	106.	pink/grey/brown baby quilt
30.	Angel Scraps Quilting	107.	Diadem Washburn
31.	Quilt Finish @ Farm Road Quilts	108.	karen @capitolaquilter xPlus Complete
32.	ChristaQuilts Modern Trees Finsh	109.	Marie @Quilts with Personality
33.	Katherine	110.	Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
34.	Abby @ Mitten to Apple	111.	Megan @ Crooked Tail Crafts
35.	Dew Quilting	112.	Sarah C.
36.	DIY Christmas decorations tutorial	113.	Carolyn
37.	Rachel @ Quilt Or Dare	114.	Mtn Mama in OK
38.	Julia in Mississippi	115.	Grandma's Apron - NOT! @ Creatin'
39.	Samantha @ Diary of a Madfabriholic	116.	Rosa
40.	Janeen@Quilt Art Designs	117.	Zebra Stripe Bag @ LoGoQuilts
41.	Festive Blocks	118.	Julie @ That's Sew Julie
42.	Debbie @ A Quilter's Table	119.	Deb @ asimplelife Quilts
43.	Tessa @ The Sewing Chick	120.	Katie @ The Intrepid Twins
44.	ANOTHER Happy Go Lucky Messenger Bag	121.	Tanya Quilts in CO
45.	Jennie @ Porch Swing Quilts	122.	Playing Postie
46.	jessica	123.	Scrappy Gift Cards
47.	Rachel @ The Life of Riley	124.	Julie @ Quilty Sewing
48.	Warsaw Mermaid Pillow@Good Golly Ginger	125.	QuiltnMama
49.	Little Island Quilting	126.	duke says sew what
50.	Kymberly@Peas in a Pod Creations	127.	beth@lovelaughquilt
51.	Jo's Country Junction	128.	Kate @ katiemaequilts
52.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	129.	Christmas tree skirt #3
53.	Valerie @ Evening in the Garden	130.	Cathy @ All I Want to Do is Sew
54.	Megan @ Bauer Handcrafted	131.	a floral quilt for charity - Karen NZ
55.	Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage	132.	Angie in SoCal
56.	Cathy Tomm AB Canada	133.	Jan O @ the Colorful Fabriholic
57.	Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt	134.	Linh @ Calliing All Stitchers
58.	Solstice Star Sampler by Terri	135.	Churn Dash Quilt
59.	selina	136.	Amy @ Sew Incredibly Crazy
60.	Sarah from mila+cuatro	137.	Shanna
61.	cath@wombatquilts	138.	michelle @ sewnhenge
62.	Quilt Barn	139.	Monkey Needle
63.	Disappearing Nine Patch	140.	Brenda @ wielding wild wisps
64.	Simple Sewendipity	141.	Rita @ Pin Pricked Fingers
65.	QBOM Threadpaths	142.	Rita Ferber
66.	Mara	143.	Kristin @ Gooba Designs
67.	Nancy@PugMomQuilts	144.	Kathy S.
68.	Fabadashery	145.	Fractured Pinwheels Quilt
69.	Christmas Tag How To @ Blue Bird Sews	146.	Smultronbopieceful
70.	Erica @ kitchen table quilting	147.	Rene' Creates
71.	Brenda@Scraps and Strings	148.	Joanie's Trendy Quilts
72.	Heidi @ Buttons and Butterflies	149.	Seaside Cottage Table Runners
73.	Sock up-cycling @ Rugrat Rodeos	150.	Caryl W @ cinnamon holiday workshop
74.	Alycia - A forever home	151.	Christmas @snug harbor quilts
75.	Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts	152.	Zip Pouch with Welt Pockets
76.	Rugrat Rodeos' Denim Pinafore	153.	QuiltCrazie Washington Quilt
77.	Kerstin@sunset sewing	154.	Quilt it out

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trees! revisited

We are in the middle of our first real snow storm of the season. Yippee! :) It's been so fun to watch my backyard change as the seasons do. It won't be long until there are a million kid footprints running through that fresh blanket of snow. (You will have to excuse me...I'm from Minnesota, and we talk about the weather here. Constantly.)

Given the weather, today seemed like the PERFECT day to revisit my trees! pattern. The snow makes a pretty photo backdrop, doesn't it?

I'm using mini confetti dots by Dear Stella for the backgrounds. This fabric is wonderful! I don't think they custom made it for me, but I can imagine that they did, right? It was painful to break open the bundle. I had to do it quickly, like ripping off a band aid.

For the tree branches I'm using a lovely white on white dot from Connecting Threads. The white branches in the block remind me of my grandmother's Christmas tree from childhood.

These are my tree trimmings. ha ha ha! The pattern calls for fat quarters and this is all that is left from each one. I find that oddly satisfying. I LOVE making the most of my fabric.

 

On another note, my sweet husband drove out well out of his way after work last night JUST to pick up a spool of Aurifil thread for me. That's true love, wouldn't you say? :) I was in desperate need of it, and the only place I could find the right color in stock was 30 miles away. He might have had a little sticker shock, but he restrained from giving me TOO much grief about it. I'm thankful that I have an understanding husband. And I'm glad that I can get back to quilting this monster.

And, the last thing for today...my friend Tara sent me this MODA laundry basket that I've been wanting for years. Isn't that an amazing gift? Thanks so much, friend! It took me all of 5 minutes to start filling it with scraps....of course!

Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!