How I Spent My Christmas Vacation

Well, since I don't work outside the home, I don't really have a "Christmas vacation", but I am fortunate enough to have time to do what I'm passionate about -- sewing and quilting. And during the cold winter months, I spend the time doing just that.

In December, I managed to finish four quilt tops and start on a fifth, all using fabric from my stash. I have the batting and binding all ready for them, but I don't have any fabrics in my stash that I want to use for backings, so that will wait until I get to a fabric shop. My goal in 2018 is to just use what I have, and only buy backings (and maybe an occasional binding) when necessary.

Once these quilts are finished, they will go into my "to be given away someday" pile.

Putting the "Tree" Away

Since our son moved to California a few years ago, my husband and I no longer put up a big tree for the holidays. But since we didn't want the house to be completely undecorated, I made a small wall hanging that is now our "tree". It takes up much less space than our old trees did, and is so easy to deal with. It goes up and comes down in a flash.

I didn't use a pattern, just a photo of something similar that I used as an inspiration. The half-square triangles were all made from scraps of Christmas fabric that I've had for years.

approx. 20" x 23"

And since I had a few HSTs left over, I made a hot pad for the season...

Baby Quilt Finished

I recently had a need to make a baby quilt for someone, so I pulled out some solid squares and light yellow background to whip up this easy quilt. I modified a Moda Bake Shop pattern to work with the fabrics I had.

approx 42" x 42"

Here's a closeup of the quilting...

And a shot of the backing and binding...

The mom-to-be seemed pleased.

Not All Quilts Are For Snuggling

The small art gallery in my town (the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center) recently displayed a small exhibit of art quilts. Luckily, a small piece of mine was juried in (as well as a number of pieces by some of my good friends).

I fused some very small batik scraps onto a background, covered it with white tulle, and then couched some fun yarns on top and along the edge.

12" x 9"

Here's a closeup...

It's the same technique I used when I made some artist trading cards to trade with some quilting friends a few years ago (I wrote about it in this post here).

I guess I can call myself an art quilter now...

December!

I recently finished this Christmas table runner, and now that Thanksgiving is over and it's December, I have put this on our dining table. "No Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving" is the rule in this house.

click on photos for a larger view

The pattern is a free one I found online at Dragonfly Fiberart, called a Disappearing Nine-Patch with a Twist" (scroll down the page of free patterns to find it).

This is the second one I've made using this pattern, and it looks much harder than it is. You just have to be OK with having points that are cut off, which is part of the design. Some quilters have a hard time accepting this.

Here's a closeup shot...quilted with a serpentine stitch on my Bernina...

Backing and binding...

And a shot of it on our table (with a swan carved by my husband)...

Whew! It's Done!

About a year ago, I told my son that I would make him a quilt for the full-size bed he has in his apartment to replace the one I made for him when he went away to college back in 2010 (it's too small for his current bed). I sent him a link to various quilt photos that I had collected for inspiration over the years on Pinterest and told him to pick a couple that he liked and I'd see if I could get the pattern. Of course, he picked a pattern that had a gazillion pieces, but I loved it. Here is a link to the pattern info. It's called "Seeing Squares" from the Empty Bobbin Sewing Studio.

My son said he wanted the quilt to be mostly medium to dark blues, with some orange and gold/yellow. After making a few trips to some of my favorite fabric shops, I had 24 fabrics to work with. Then I spent hours and hours cutting and piecing, and finally finished quilting and binding it right before Thanksgiving. It's now out in California with its new owner, and he tells me he likes it. I really liked it, too, and it was hard to let it go.

click on photos for a larger view

approximately 84" x 96"

Here's a close-up shot --

And a shot showing the backing and binding --

I plan on making a couple of pillowcases for him as well, maybe by Christmas.

Getting Things Done!

I finally finished a project that I had started in early summer. A good friend of mine had done me a very big favor, so I told her that I would repay her by making a wall hanging for her.

Click on the photos for a larger view.

She had bought the fabric and pattern a few years ago, but never got around to making it, so I volunteered to get it done.

Some of the quilting was done free-motion on my HQ16 mid-arm machine...

And some was done using a fancy stitch on my trusty Bernina...

More finishes coming up!