Sweet Applique' #6

I quilted until I ran out of thread last night....took that as a sign to call it a day. I need to wind a few more bobbins this morning as I only have one spool of this color thread left (more ordered and on the way).

See all those empty pegs toward the bottom of my thread rack?  That's where all my neutrals are and they are thinning out fast.  Cotton threads on the top by Signature.  Polyester threads by Superior fill the bottom half.  Oh, and the very top row is there all my serger threads hang out.  I make all my hubby's flannel shirts with my serger.  I think that deserves it's own blog post someday.

120 spool thread rack hand made by my hubby.

I always order at least 2 cones of each color so I have one for the bobbin winder and one to leave on the machine.  I know, some of you are thinking why I don't get the prewound bobbins....because I like to match my threads for each quilt and it only takes a few minutes to wind a few bobbins.  While they are winding, I oil and clean my machine, rails, table and surrounding area.

Anyhow, on to the quilt at hand...

I finished  up the 2 matching blocks that flank the center medallion:

Center of the quilt

Now, I am quilting in the backfill on the feathers around all 8 of these gold colored setting triangles

....it's snowing again today...

Sweet Applique' #5

This morning was a finish for 2 blocks like this:

I always have to take a photo from the bottom to make sure I have not missed a line of stitching somewhere.

It's a lot easier to fix now than after the quilt is off the frame!  However, I have done that more than once.

Sweet Applique' #4

There are several different sets of blocks in the center of this quilt.  They are all in identical sets of 2.  Once I figured out what I was going to do in each block and did the first one, the second one was fast. I didn't have to waste any staring-at-the-quilt-and-doodling-on-paper time. 

So, for today, there are 2 of these done:

And 2 of these done:

I now have the whole quilt stabilized and can roll it back and forth to finish up all the background fills.

Next will be to finish up the bottom border and the top and bottom inner borders.

Then I plan to turn the quilt to do the side borders. 

Sweet Applique' #3

...center medallion is done....

Sweet Applique" #2

Top and bottom borders are done and center of quilt are all stabilized.  SID is all done.

Now for the fun part...

Working on the background fillers today.

New Socks!

Oh my gosh, I was excited to get today's mail and find this wonderful gift from my friend Nancy in Wyoming!
Besides making Quilts of Valor, she is a prolific knitter and makes little knitted blankets for babies in need.  I had commented on one of her blog posts showing several pair of knitted socks she had made.  I innocently mentioned that that is one thing I have never had nor made (I don't knit at all!).  Soon, she sent me an e-mail asking me what color and size....

Now, you have to know that Nancy and I have never met.  When I lived in Idaho, I quilted a few of her Quilts of Valor... ...and they are amazing by the way...

I helped her to learn how to bind her quilts.  

We have remained in touch and follow each other's blog. 

I am totally thrilled with my luscious purple socks!!  

 Thank you Nancy, from the bottom of my heart!

QOV Quilters!  They are the best people on the planet~

Sweet Applique'...

Here is a little peek at my customer quilt I am just starting to work on....

Lovely needle turn applique~

Stay tuned for more as I work on this beauty...

January Wall Hanging

Better late than never~  I just finished this today!

Button Up by "Joined at the Hip"

For those of you that have been following my Mom's monthly wall hangings, I finally have 11 of them done!

You can see them all in this album: Monthly Wall Hangings I didn't get December's done because of lots of extenuating circumstances at my house November and December. But there's always next year.... 

I dug some old mismatched buttons from my button box for his vest . . .

If you look closely, you can see the tiny snowflake/stars in the blue background meander. 

For the large snowflakes, I used 1/4 inch strips of wool and just stitched down the middle of the strips leaving the tips loose to all to the 3D effect. 

Yeah, I know, he is a bit hippy, but at least he's not going to fall over!

~Here's to a Great New Year~

Joyful Tossed Posies

What a joyful, sunny and fun quilt to have on my frame!

Just the kind of quilt for a cold, snowy January... 

There are some really cool retro fabrics in this quilt and a few blocks of chenille for fun texture.  I traced the the applique shapes and used the flowers in a few of the blocks:

I used this flower shape . . . 

. . . in a few of these blocks.

I quilted this large appliqued flower in all the other square blocks:

The big square chenille blocks have a pumpkin seed pattern, that way I could use a ruler to help hold the thick fabric in place to quilt. 

The blocks are all stitched in the ditch and the remaining have wavy lines to mimic the rick rack. 

Continuous line freehand leaves in the inner border.

I used So Fine "Celery" by Superior threads.  With a black backing and so many colors,  really blends well and is not a stark as white on the back.

What a fun assortment of textures, fabrics, colors and posies~

Ho, Ho Ho!

Ok, so I have had these done for awhile now. . . 

. . . and have been waiting till my daughter in law got her mantel finished and decorated before I posted any photos. She wanted a a homespun look for her stockings. While they are not "primitive" they are made with homespun fabrics and each has a simple basic applique--perfect for their rustic fireplace.

I ironed a yard of off-white flannel and traced the pattern for the cuff 5 times onto the yardage. Then, with my purple air-dry fabric marker, I free-handed all the names in primitive stitchery letters. With black pearl cotton, I used giant stitches to make all the names.  When the stitching was done, I cut out the cuffs, and attached them to the rest of the stocking.

Each applique has a few simple 3-dimensional embellishments.

Dad's gingerbread man has his buttons and is holding a candy cane button.

These stars have snowflake buttons . . . 

My 6 year old grandson, Cam, was here the day I finished stitching on the appliques.  I was going to give him the gingerbread man stocking, but he said, "I call the tree!"

I said, "don't you want the gingerbread man?"  He replied, "No, It looks more like Dad, he can have the gingerbread man."  Of course, he also wanted lots more decorations on his tree.

Another snowflake button for a star and little ornament buttons.  JoAnn's had the cutest button assortment.

This wooden snowflake was the perfect touch for Mom's mitten.

It gently dangles from a loop of nubby yarn.

The pine cone is actually a button; the branch is not, but is sewn on by hand.

As you can see, the cuffs are also 3D and the back of each stocking matches the fabric on the front.

The stockings are hung from a rustic cedar mantel that our son made for their new house.  He also installed recessed LED lights under the mantel and electrical outlets on the top. 

~Merry Christmas~

Santa's Workshop

Here is a sneak peek of what is going on in Santa's workshop this week. 

My son and his wife moved into their new house this summer and I promised her new stockings for her new rustic mantel.

Yesterday I cut them out, appliqued them, and got them quilted--ready for the embellishments today.  Good thing I save small strips of batting.   I just cut up some chunks and mounted all the stockings on a piece of muslin to quilt them all at the same time.

Ho, Ho, Ho!....stay tuned, more photos to come when they are done!