CHRISTMAS REVEALED

Here we are at the end of 2013!  I need to show a couple items that I gave for Christmas gifts.  This table runner was made for my DIL.  She wanted a whig rose in the middle and then something reproduced from Frank Lloyd Wright's windows on each side (she majored in architecture).  I did my best, but couldn't really reproduce the window exactly due to size limitations.

Close up of the center.  I did do a little more quilting on it after taking this picture.

Some of you have seen this quilt from my "Secret" blog.  I made 2 of these quilts and gave them the name of "The Eagle."  Here is a picture of me with DS#3 (we spent Christmas with him and his family).

A picture of the whole quilt is below.  The quilt is a partial reproduction of the "Lindy" quilt which was made in 1930 to commemorate Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927.  Two of my sons are pilots, so when I first saw this quilt several years ago, I wanted to make it for them.  The alternating blocks have an eagle embroidered on them.  The quilt appears in "Word Play Quilts" by Tonya Ricucci.  I would never been able to piece the words without that book.

BTW, I won the blue ribbon at my September guild meeting for the President's challenge of making a two color quilt.

We spent a week with DS#3 and family.  Here are a few more pictures of the boys.  Jonah got this scooter for Christmas.

Eli's chore is to set the table for supper.

Two sweet boys with their bikes.  Eli received his bike for Christmas.

Here is something that I received for Christmas!  I have been thinking about this quilt for several years and I plan to get started on it.  I hope to join a group for encouragement.  Of course I still have several UFOs that I need to finish.  I need to review my list from January to see how I did and will report in another post.

Happy New Year, everyone!  I will be looking forward to seeing what you plan to work on next year.

A VISIT WITH SANTA - on the third try!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to All.  I hope you are able to be with some family or friends on this day in which we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He came to earth to reconcile the world to God by taking our sins away and giving us eternal life.

As I wait for the sweet little grandsons to wake up, I thought I would tell about our visit to Santa.

The first try was at Busch Gardens.  The line was super long, so we decided it wasn't worth it.

Next was at the mall on Monday.  We arrived there about 4:50 PM and of course the mall was mobbed.  As we walked through stores, Jonah (age 5) was singing "Santa Claus is coming to Town" as shoppers smiled at him.  Some people even sang along.  He's not a bit shy.

When we had been in line a few minutes, it was time for Santa's supper break.  That meant waiting 45 minutes for him to come back as well as waiting for the people ahead of us (at least another 30 minutes).  Again, not worth it.

We went back yesterday morning and there was NO LINE at about 9:30!  Success at last.  Below are the pictures, who were very happy this time.

Eli wouldn't smile until Daddy told him "Don't smile!"

Thanks, quilting friends for visiting today and throughout the year.  I do appreciate all of you!

SANTA'S WORKSHOP HAVING PROBLEMS!

Monday, the first thing I did was baste a table runner for one DIL and a table topper for another DIL.  Plenty of time to get these quilted….that is until my sewing machine started acting up when I was doing free motion quilting.  Uh Oh!!  In November, I took it in to be serviced because of the same problem and hadn't really been doing any FMQing until Monday.  It worked fine for cross hatching and regular sewing including zig-zag.

So, I took it to the repair shop and left it.  No word back yet.  OK.  I'll move on to something else.

Eli's Mommy suggested that I make a small quilt for Eli's giraffe, which he doesn't part with.  He has taken to putting the giraffe to bed in a bread basket and covering him with a washcloth.  So, of course, I said I could make a little quilt for the giraffe.  I happened to have some fabric with giraffes on it and fussy cut them for the quilt.  Of course, I figured the giraffe would need a pillow as well!

But, what about big brother, Jonah?  He has a puppy he is very attached to (in fact, 3 of them - long story).  Maybe he would feel bad if he didn't get something for his puppy.  But, since he is a big boy now (5), I decided to make him a sleeping bag for his puppy - with bigger boy fabric featuring planets and lined with airplanes.  The pillow also has an airplane pillowcase.  These two were right up my alley and I used my Featherweight to make them.

A couple other items I was able to work on -  Some dish towels for the DILs.  The red one will need  my Janome to zig zag around the appliqué…

but I could sew on the rick rack with my Featherweight.

Christmas is coming soon and I need to get some gifts in the mail.   In between the sewing, I'm baking cookies and cleaning (a little).  Today the temp is going up to the 40s, and the ice is melting!  What are you up to - or are you too busy to blog?

SANTA'S WORKSHOP

Winter weather arrived in the Dallas area yesterday and this is the view from my front door this morning.  It has been sleeting for most of the night.  Lots of schools, government agencies and businesses are closed today, so we will be hunkering down and trying to get lots done for Christmas.

View from front door

We usually get one ice storm during winter, but mostly it takes place in January or February.  This is early for us.  The day before yesterday it was 80 degrees!

Bush near front door

Neighborhood view

 Here is another outfit that I made for one of Abby's dolls.  The pants are pink denim that I got from a DIL who is Abby's aunt.  She also sent me the "bling" that I glued on the pants.  I hope it sticks!  The rick rack and fringe balls were garage sale purchases.

Outfit for "Gracie"

The doll outfit is laying on top of a gift quilt that I just finished quilting and can't show yet.  There is another one just like it posted on my "secret" blog.  I just sewed on the binding and will hand sew it to the back while watching TV tonight.

Now, on to a few other projects!

FUN WITH FAMILY

Last spring I bought a "Princess" game when I went to a friend's garage sale (she was a member of my quilters' guild and was moving).  Her daughter assured me that Abby would like the "Princess" game.  Was she ever right!!!  I think we played it every day we were there!  Below is a picture of Abby, my sister, me (the winner) and DS#2

See the crown and jewels on me?

Abby loves to play with her dolls and I'm happy about that.  I participated in that play while we visited. We had several "tea" parties like the one below.  The table cloth is a play quilt I made for her.

It is so cute the way she rocks her babies to sleep in her little rocking chair.  She is a real good little Mama.

I already showed you some of the gifts we are giving her for Christmas, but while there I couldn't help notice that some of her dolls needed more clothes, so I made a couple things yesterday and have plans for more.

Doll nightgown made with vintage baby fabric.

What are you sewing for Christmas?

SOME PROJECTS AND A TRIP

Before leaving on a trip to Florida for Thanksgiving, I was working on a few projects for Christmas.  I'm putting them on this blog because I'm pretty sure these people do NOT read my blog.

The first one is going to be a table runner for one of my DILs.  The picture to the right of the cut out fabric is from one of Jo Morton's books and I'm just making one of the blocks which will be in the middle of the table runner .  On each side, she wants me to make a design that copies one of Frank Lloyd Wright's window (she majored in architecture in college). I'm not sure how I will do that yet, but I'll try it.

Next, are three things I made for Abby's dolls:

Nightgown for Gracie

Red hooded cape for Gracie

Sling to carry dolls on her hip.

My sister came to Pensacola on her way to visit my cousin in southern Florida and yesterday we went to see the Pensacola light house.

In the museum, I found some quilts in one of the bedrooms.

We both actually climbed to the top of the lighthouse!!!  I didn't think I would do it, but we got started and there were places we could stop to catch our breath, so before we knew it we had climbed up all 177 of the steps!!  And were very proud of ourselves!

I hope you have a good weekend!

WHERE DID LAST WEEK GO?

My goal last week was to finish quilting my GD's quilt so I could take it to my guild meeting on Monday and then send it to my GD.  Well, I had problems with my sewing machine, so on Friday I took it to be serviced thinking it would take about a week.  I decided to make a new purse with the pattern and fabric I bought in Oregon last summer at BJ's Quilt Shop since I could use my Featherweight.  It is so nice to have a "back up" sewing machine!  

I really liked the purse when I saw their sample hanging in the shop and the directions were quite complicated, but I got it finished in time for church on Sunday!

Both sides look the same, so it is confusing.  I keep getting into the wrong pocket.  There is a zippered pocket and an outer pocket with a snap on each side.

Inside there is a pocket for my cell phone and two other pockets.  I still haven't gotten everything organized yet.

While we were in Oregon, I found this "toy" ironing board at a garage sale (where else?) and couldn't resist.  DH refinished it for me.

Yesterday I made an ironing board cover for it since we will be taking Abby's Christmas and birthday gifts with us when we go to her house for Thanksgiving.

View of the top.  Now we just have to find a toy iron for it!

Oh, my sewing machine was fixed by Saturday, so I went and picked it up.  It seems to be working fine, but I had to re-prioritize my quilting and some other items will come before my GD's quilt.

Hoping for no sewing machine problems for all during this busy time of year.

MORE WONDERFUL QUILTS!

Here are some more quilts from the International Festival of Quilts in Houston, TX.  I just wish I had taken my better camera, but at least you can get a pretty good idea of some of the quilts that I liked best.  There were so many and my battery ran down.  In fact my phone went totally dead.  Lesson learned - bring better camera.

Log Cabin Quilt - hand quilted.

Friends of Baltimore - Amazing!!

 

Texas Gold - one of my favorites!

 The description of these next two quilts was too blurry to read unfortunately, so I don't know their names.

This was intriguing - the fabric was folded in each square to make roses.

Milady - another of my favorites!

My First Trip to Baltimore

Nite Owl

This quilt won an award

This quilt was all pieced with what looked like 1/2" pieces!!

Placemat quilt which was part of a special exhibit.

Another award winning quilt

Gorgeous!!

It would have taken days to really study all the quilts to see how they were made, etc. and I only had a few hours, but it was a wonderful few  hours!  I hope you enjoyed a glimpse of the festival.