Secret Sewing

So much of my recent sewing was of the secret variety and I just could not risk sharing here as I didn't want to spoil any surprises! Today, however, I can share a few things.

For my mother, I made these two pillows. The fronts are pockets and into each one I slid a paperback book. I saw this idea on Pinterest awhile back, and the patchwork was done with Christmas prints. I wanted Mom to be able to have the pillows out year-round, and I recalled that back in the spring when we attended a quilt show together, she was exceedingly fond of all the quilts made with 30s prints. It was a no-brainer to make her pillows using my scraps from the 30s stash. These took no time at all to make, and I can see a matching lap quilt coming along someday to complete the set. 

And at last, I can show you the finished wall hanging made for DD2. Emma had asked for this over a year ago! I bought the fabric, finally, this past April while at the Canter's Cave retreat. I began sewing on it at our Veteran's Day event in November. The final stitches were taken on Christmas Eve! I quilted it this past week, and hand-tacked the binding down. From all indications, Emma really loves it, and I am sure it will be hanging on her wall immediately. I hope it will lay flatter than what this picture is indicating. Being folded into a box has made it look somewhat misshapen.

Christmas continues with us as we are soon heading out for my f-i-l's for the day. DD1 and her husband will be joining us there.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Merry Christmas!

Joy to the world! The Lord is come!

Have a blessed, merry Christmas! 

Dorothy Gifts Her Quilt

My neighbor and good friend Dorothy has been quilting for less than a year, and already she has made three quilts. All three are finished, too; no lingering UFOs to be seen! Click here to see Dorothy's first and second efforts.

Below are two pictures of the quilt top before being quilted. Dorothy, who is our district's lunch lady, found a woman who subbed at school to do the long-arm quilting. It was serendipity, for sure!

This third quilt is by far a more challenging quilt with all the triangles in it. Ohio Stars in navy and white - it is gorgeous! Dorothy found the pattern free on line, and I helped her cut it out last summer. She worked on it as she had time. She was motivated because all along Dorothy intended to give this quilt to her mother for Christmas.

About a week ago, Dorothy picked up the finished quilt - have a look!

This past week Dorothy traveled to Jacksonville, FL, to visit her mother and the gifting happened. These pictures sure do tell the story of a happy surprise!

Doesn't this just thoroughly warm your heart?? I just love how quilts can be such a welcome gift, so appreciated and often unexpected. Dorothy is still such a new quilter; I am doubly impressed by her determination to learn and work at this craft. She is definitely a go-getter in all that she does.

* * * * * * * * *

Christmas Eve! Are all the gifts wrapped? All the cooking finished? Our guests will be arriving later today, and tomorrow after we open gifts, we will be traveling to Hillsboro to have a Christmas feast with my family at my mother's house. Then Tuesday, we will head to my father-in-law's house to continue celebrating! Such excitement!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

The January Plan

Sharon and I have cooked up a brilliant plan for our first project of 2018. We have talked it over, considered color options and fabric use; all that remains is to put the plan into action come January.

Back in March or so, I did a 5-part series on some antique quilts in a friend's family heirlooms. One of those quilts is the inspiration for the quilt we will make. I have no idea if there is a proper name for this design; Sharon and I may put our thinking caps on and give it a name - something clever, of course.

The two blocks used are the Monkey Wrench block and the Snowball block. I have no idea what size the blocks are in this antique beauty, so I just randomly made 6.5" blocks to see  how they would look.

After searching the stash and collecting a good variety of blues - mostly navy blue - and two suitable neutrals, I made two Monkey Wrench blocks and 4 Snowball blocks. I think this size will work just fine.

It will be fun to work on this quilt. The size of the units had been on my mind for a couple of days, so I decided to go ahead and play around with them so that I could see what awaits us. I next need to figure out how large I will make my quilt. When we are making up a pattern we can go with any size we like! My supply of navy is varied, but no piece is exceedingly large; I have many half-yard and yard cuts, along with many fat quarters. I will have to go with scrappy blues, which should work out fine. 

Are you planning your New Year's sewing? This is just one of many I have planned for 2018!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Matthew and Lindsey's Wedding Quilt

Last month a sweet couple got all hitched up, and now I can finally give them their wedding present. I took forever in deciding which quilt to give them, and once I thought I'd decided but then at the 11th hour, I changed my mind. I really should have had this all done prior to the wedding - I definitely had plenty of time. I was just so indecisive!

I shopped the quilt closet here in the quilting room for this gift. I made the pinwheel quilt using a Thimbleberries pattern. This quilt is small-ish; I will refer to it as a nice picnic quilt or a back-of-the-couch quilt.

I used two fabrics and pieced the backing. I have always loved this little quilt top, and now it will go to live with two happy newlyweds. I hope they will love it, too.

I finished the binding Saturday night. Later today, my friend Cheryl, the mother of the groom, will stop by to pick it up for delivery to the couple.

Today is sewing with Sharon! I have a little project to finish for Christmas and I hope to continue working on the December UFO - those Kaffe Fassett tumblers. It will possibly be getting its borders today! woo-hoo!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Christmas Is In the Air

Are you all feeling Christmas in the air? We are making our season festive and fun. On Friday night, the entire family - our immediate family, that is - met at daughter Erin's apartment in Columbus and later went to dinner at a fine German Village establishment known as Lindey's. We all went last year, and it was so enjoyable that we - DH and I - wanted to repeat it this year.

A night-time photo taken under a brightly lit entrance makes picture quality suffer, but the important things are the people. Kevin and I are on the left with our children - son Adam, daughters Emma and Erin along with son-in-law Jeff and Emma's long-time boyfriend Geoffrey.

Also becoming festive are the decorations here around the house. I can't recall if I have shared this yo-yo table topper or not. The pattern is from Thimbleberries, and I made it about 25 years ago. It has held up pretty well, even with an occasional spill of candle wax. I like bringing it out each December. This year, I have it spread across the top of an old trunk and topped it with a trifle dish full of bows and bells.

Hope it's festive where you live!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Christmas Cheer

On Thursday morning, we quilters in the affectionately-named 'Frankfort Girls' met at Sharon O's lovely  home for some extra-special fellowship. Our Christmas gathering each year features a gift exchange, breakfast and very little, if any, stitching. This year was no different. While our ranks have changed somewhat over the years, we still have such a grand time together celebrating the season.

The table is spread with gifts while Becky and Jan look on.

More cheery gifts and a "faith" picture held up in the background.

Sharon has every nook and cranny decorated, and we tried to take it all in while doing a reindeer scavenger hunt. Above are just a few highlights of her Christmas decor - a John Deer tree in her husband's office; stockings on the mantle with the names of her four grandchildren, and a Boyd's Bear scene on the bar above her kitchen sink.

The gifts were plentiful, and a few were homemade. The stocking in the background is technically for a bottle of wine, but Jan got into the holiday spirit and used a candy cane theme. She made stockings for each of us and filled them with a wide assortment of peppermint-related items. She also made the little mug mat with peppermint candies. The other mug mat was created by Sheryll who used the popular vintage red truck carrying a tree as her theme. She even found a mug for each of us with this design. Some people go above and beyond, you know. *wink*

Sharon does cross stitch in addition to quilting, and her Christmas cards for us were lovely stitched designs.

While we had no time for stitching, we did have such a grand time with each other. The individual gifts were lovely, and so thoughtfully given. Best of all, however, was the opportunity for us all to be together to celebrate one of the holiest of holidays. These girls are the best. One of my great blessings in this life is that I have such wonderful friends to enrich it.

Here's hoping your life is equally enriched!

Happy Quilting, Friends!