Fabric Tuesday!

It can't be a week since I last posted! I've been sewing, but there doesn't seem to be much done. How did that happen?

I should be doing only Christmas projects, but instead I've completed another two Swoon blocks.

The second block was done twice, because I didn't have enough contrast between the fabrics. That's the challenge of this block for me, and I don't seem to be able to tell early in the cutting if I like it or not. I like my main patterned fabric, the trick is getting enough of a solid for it to shine against, and guess what? I've ordered some more possibles!

Here's a work in progress

It's got to be trimmed and bound. I like it, hope others will too!


Still in the works: (and due by Christmas)

mini quilts for gifts
dress for my younger GD (I've been putting it off, zip, lining, Oh help!)

Hope you are progressing faster than me!

Linking to




  

find it at http://http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/


Till next time,

Sue

Christmas Countdown

Time is speeding by, and I still have lots to do. I am making progress, what a relief!



My dear MIL's quilt is finished. It finished at a nice manageable size, 61" x 68", and I quilted it diagonally and with a swirly pattern on the border.

I made placemats for our Christmas dinner table. There are 6, 3 each of two designs. Really there should be at least 8, and if I have time...  They are large, 12" x 18", and there needs to be room for food on the table!

How are your Christmas plans coming?

Till next time

Sue

Linking to





find it at http://http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

A Retreat brings projects forward!

Last weekend I went on a quilting retreat with 3 friends at the beautiful North Bow River Lodge.

Here's our room

The lodge is right on the river, great views.

But the BEST is the wonderful food, appearing regularly, so that we could just sew our little hearts out!

I finished piecing the top of MIL's quilt

and I still had time to make two Swoon blocks. Oh, I love them!

Mary was quilting her blue quilt

and she found time to make these stars and the string blocks (Terrain, wow!)

Marilyn pieced two quilt tops

Yvonne's quilt top is together too!

Altogether a very fun and productive weekend!

Linking to

  

Till next time

Sue

How Many Sewing Days to Christmas??

The answer is...not enough!  I have to get sewing if I'm going to finish the projects I have in mind.

This week I have two finishes, yippee!

Four quilted placemats, made using Jennifer's pattern at Ellison Lane Quilts, you can find the pattern here .

       Here's the front

and the backs









I talked about these yesterday.



I also finished the I Spy quilt.

The quilt turned out larger than expected, like all my projects! I planned twin size, it's for snuggling on the couch. It is 80" by 90" inches!  It was fun to make, and the best is, I still have squares to make baby quilts in the future!

The fabric came yesterday for my MIL's lap quilt. And this time I mean to stick to those dimensions!
I'm sorting the layer cake into piles for cutting:

The pattern is from Moda Bake Shop, called Blissful Confection

When this is finished I want to make more placemats, but more Christmas-y.

Linking to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced, where there are always great projects to look at.

Till next time,

Sue

Santa's workshop is at my house!

Sadly,  Santa didn't send any elves, it's only me!

This year I hope to have some hand made gifts ready for family and friends.

Jennifer posted a tutorial for double sided placemats on her blog Ellison Lane Quilts

Here are my first 4 mats:

Front of placemats

Reverse of placemats

I had thought of having the reverse side be Grinch fabric, but the panels didn't fit well without lots of waste, so this was my next try.

Now I'm thinking of getting some Christmas fabric and making another 4 for a gift exchange.

Linking to Quilt Story on Fabric Tuesday.

Come back, October!

I'm seriously not ready for winter. There was a dusting of wet snow when I woke up yesterday. Soon gone, but a clear message of what's to come! Still, lots of long sewing nights, that's a positive!

I've got no finishes to report, but I'm getting close with my I Spy quilt. I decided to FMQ each block slightly differently, good practice, and it's not so boring. There are 42 blocks! I'm about half way to finished, if I can just stay motivated! I was afraid that the quilting would overpower the pictures on the squares, but it doesn't seem to, and anyway, I'm not taking it all out!

Here's a picture of one finished block

and here's another

  I hope to get this quilt finished before my Sophie fabric arrives and I get excited to start my MIL's lap quilt. Like most, I love starting quilts with new colorful fabric, but it's hard to finish them!

Linking to Fresh Sewing Day and Small Blog Meet at Lily's Quilts.  So many great projects to be inspired by!

Till next time,

Sue