A little Christmas viewing

 A little Christmas viewing of my house including the finished Jumbleberry santas and green Santa stitchery.

I think I need a bigger house so that I can create little displays in various colour themes. At the moment they are all jumbled together. No matter!!! I love Christmas. Let me share my joy. 

The triumph of a quilt that took over 10 years to complete.

 Well chill my chitlins! It's only been 11 years that I needed to finish this quilt!

It's the 12 days of Christmas bird quilt. I think I started it in 2009, and it was my facebook password for YEARS, the idea being that typing it in would remind me that I needed to finish it. (Hey, I don't do that anymore, passwords are much more secure!)

It was the outermost border that was stuffing me around, so in the end, I decided not to include it.

!!

Mum custom quilted it for me (she can't remember her password, but you know I think it was something to do with when blogger became google and all the passwords went weird, because we didn't understand that the password for all google apps became the same, and we didn't know which apps google was running.)

12 Lords a leaping. I distinctly remember hand embroidering these in Bajaj Homestay in Karol Bagh, Delhi, Summer of 2010. That's how long this has been wanting to be complete.

I found this little pear fabric which turned out to go with the colours beautifully.

Little quilt centre.

9 maids a milking. 

7 swans a swimming.

6 geese a laying

5 golden rings

4 calling birds

3 french hens

\

2 turtle doves

partridge in a pear tree

Even though these are not my favourite colours anymore, I have so many Christmas pieces I've made in so many colours, that it won't matter.

I wonder if one day I will have rooms with different colour Christmas themes. Hmm, that's something to think about.

9 years later

I started these blocks 9 years ago in 2009, and took the stitchery borders to India with me in 2010 as my travel project. 

Finally, the borders have been added to the 12 Days Of Christmas Quilt.

The quilt top has been assembled for about 5 years. The border fabric has been in a shopping bag for about a year. And finally, they are stitched on. Hurrah!

I want to send this away to Mum at Deep Creek Quilting for longarm quilting in time to enter the quilt into the Townsville Show. It will need to go by express post I need it back by the end of the month to hand in, and that includes time needed for hand stitching the binding.

What a great incentive to get this quilt finally finished!

Inklingo- No go (for now)

Last night I was sitting up reading about Inklingo. I had downloaded the free shapes ready to prepare for piecing Carolina Lily blocks as part of Project Quilting's second challenge for the year. Then I saw that one block finished at 3.18 inches.

To make a quilt big enough to make into a Christmas Tree skirt I need it to be about 20 inches square. I would need to make 64 pieced blocks at that size, and still calculate the sashings and borders (how do you cut something that size with a regular ruler?) because the Inklingo pack for the next borders and sashing would be US$50. Er... no, I am not prepared to pay that just for this challenge.

So I went to bed last night, thinking of other things I could do, rather than hand or machine sewimg 64 Y seams.

I am pretty good at applique. I was thinking I could do some of that rather quickly (but it's only now at 10.16pm that I realise I could have machine appliqued the pieces I did today. ARGH!)

I found this pattern in my stash under the bed.

It's a Lori Smith pattern. This block is about 6.5 inches unfinished. Great. I have a plan.

I can make four of these applique blocks, and make some log cabin blocks to make a little quilt about 24 inches square before cutting it up to turn it into a Christmas tree skirt.

The day started in a wonderful way, with my Sweet Man taking the children out to town for an hour or so (I started to prepare the applique blocks, and sat down in the air con in a blissful state watching some old TV show called "Bones". Ah. Bliss for a Mother. Child free sewing time. Ahhhh. Can you feel it? *spoiled*

Then I realised I had run out of the applique bias adhesive. Dang it! I think the quilt shops are still closed! I phoned a shop on the way to town, and it was open! And Olive Branch Quilts had a few rolls in stock.

almost 2 blocks appliqued, and there is a hole in my finger!

After lunch we were all driving in to the museum. The children were all asleep in the car (woohoo!), so my sweetheart stopped off at the quilt shop for me to pick up the tape on the way while he stayed with them in the air conditioned car. Oh! Mummy time again! *spoiled*

Check this out. The old packet I had says $17.10 . The new packet I bought today says $6!! It only has half the tape in it, but it's still much cheaper than it used to be. It seems to have come down in price.  That kind of thing doesn't happen very often.

While I was in the shop I bought the fabric I need to finish the 12 Days of Christmas birds wallhanging. I had the feeling this was going to be the right shop for buying these fabric colours and brought the quilt top with me.

(I just LOVE that every quilt shop has its own feel, and you know that one will have brights, another will have Christmas, and another will have moda's French General. hee hee).

I found the perfect pear print for the binding - it's an Anni Downs print.





















And a coral and an olive green for borders between the stitchery birds and the holly berries border.




These fabrics will be put away under the bed until  this busy challenge week is finished.

Such a blessed afternoon followed with a fantastic special dinosaur exhibit. It's on for another 6 months, and we realised we could book the birthday parties for our eldest two there this year. Woohoo! Sounds fantastic! Just turn up and everything is done!

It's my birthday month, and I am celebrating every day. You may have noticed there has been a lot of fabric shopping. That's enough shopping for now. The next thing I would like is lots and lots of Tula Pink fabrics. *happy drool* Maybe if I am very good this year, Santa??

The next challenge will be to make something using only stuff I already have. I think I am fully stocked.

In the 12 Days before Christmas sales I ordered some sale fabrics online with a view to using them for a quilt for my bed.



They have arrived, and they are more yellow than I first thought. I am visualising a French Braid with overlaying appliques in some beachy style for 15yo Harlee. Thoughts come while I applique for the challenge.

Tomorrow I am planning to draw up the log cabin parts for the Carolina Lily challenge, and hopefully stitch some together. In the evening work on one more applique block.

Then by the end of the next day (Thursday) I am hoping all blocks will be finished, giving me one day to sandwich and quilt it, and another day to cut it up and add binding, in time to post it online Sunday. Phew! Tight timeline.

Hope to see you round.

Twelve Red Robins

It has been an absolute delight to have the sewing machine perched on the kitchen table for use in the cool of the morning and the evening.  It's going away tomorrow... perhaps to be brought out at night, and used in the morning, then put away during the day. After all, it is the dining table, where 5 people eat every day.

I've made a wonderful use of the machine time over the holidays, but the family are all home tomorrow night, and we like to do things as a family. That includes eating at the table. (plus, I don't really want play dough and spaghetti on my sewing!)

Twelve Red Robins stitchery designed by Cinderberry Stitches

Just in time to end the year this little wallhanging is finished. The pink Twelve Red Robins (designed by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches) was stitched when I first lived in a caravan while I was travelling. I started it sometime in 2013. Then, it took about a year to find the right fabric to match the stitching.

I didn't want to frame it, as it was designed, so finally today it received borders, and I really enjoyed the quilting of the little quilt. Even just a few quilted lines make it look like patchwork over the stitchery. Can you see the holly and berries quilted into the borders?

The more I look at it, the more I love the colours. The dusty pink and beige are just so soft and natural.

Just this morning I finished blanket stitching around the fabric squares. After all this time I had run out of the thread colour, and I remembered to pick some up at Lincraft's 50 percent off sale yesterday (what a great time to stock up on threads!!)

I am so glad I used the green Artline fineliner pens to trace the stitchery. It washes out very, very easily in water, even if you've ironed it. And for longer term projects it doesn't fade away before you've stitched it.

A warning though: I used it to mark in quilt lines once, and they never, ever washed out. It's like the ink stuck into the batting. If you use these pens, make sure you wash the stitchery in the hand basin with plain water, before it is quilted into a project.

used some new FQs bought last week on the back of the wallhanging

.
I was rummaging under the bed (where the UFOs are ), and I found the 12 Days of Christmas Birds. I looked at the borders where the blue pen has faded sooo many times after they've been redrawn, and decided stuff it! It doesn't need the final borders all the way around (I've been making those blocks since 2010. That's six years. Oh my.

Twelve Days of Christmas birds

I do think it needs some pretty fabric around the outside though. I will keep the project in the car now for the next time I go near a quilt shop.

Sounds like I have been clearing the decks? Well, yes actually. I have the Pears to keep working on, and I want to start a little(?? who knows? I bought enough fabric to sink a battleship, but I will design my own quilt with the Red Brolley stitcheries)  redwork Christmas wallhanging  for my sister's 40th birthday in 2017...

Plus, I am keen to challenge myself. Something I really miss is the inspiration and drive that comes from a quilt group. Just in time I have found Project Quilting, where we will have 8 challenges over 3 months to start and finish a small quilt following particular guidelines. I will do what I can, and see what I can get up to! I am excited! I even joined Instagram to share the photos. It starts tomorrow.

In the meantime, Happy New Year.

This last one is for my DH, as our whole house is a sewing room at the moment.

A little update...

I am still constructing the Garden Song quilt as a sample for my LQS.

It seems to be going very slowly... perhaps it's the amount of reverse stitching I have endured...

I am very keen to sit at my machine at the moment, and just sew like an absolute maniac!! (I really don't have time for unpicking)...

As for handwork - here is a little update on the 12 Days Of Christmas. I am still working the final border. This is a section of one completed strip.

There are four sides to a square quilt (funny about that eh?), thus, I have another three sides to stitch. The thing is, every time I pick it up, the blue pen has faded out. Bugger. And I have to re-draw it... It's not supposed to be a fade away pen, but I guess 6 months is a long time between stitches. Haha.

Right, let's finish the Christmas Quilt before Christmas 2011.

Back to Christmas

Can you believe it's nearly a year since I started the 12 Days Of Christmas quilt? Finally, I started the borders... this is the THIRD take...

The first time I tried to needleturn the holly leaves. Forget it! (Don't ever try it... trust me!)

Then I tried to free-motion machine applique them on... they just looked shaggy compared to the rest of the needleturn blocks.

Here is my third (and final) attempt. I am hand blanket-stitching them on, then embroidering stems.

Ah well, it's a little bit of handwork isn't it?

Milestone on the 12 Days quilt

Aha! Another block finished!! And.... now.. that's all the centre blocks complete!

Next - measure the stitchery borders to fit, and finish stitchery-ing the cornerstones... as long as I am not distracted.

Having the centre of the quilt together makes me feel like I want to move on though. I don't think I will be putting this down for long.

Distractions, distractions

I've been getting my rear-into-gear with these 12 Days of Christmas blocks. I didn't have much to finish on this block - a few bits of grass, the sign, flowers and leaf veins.

I wonder why I didn't finish it before now??? Who knows... distractions I guess.

Six geese a-wandering

These geese aren't quite ready for laying yet... they need some more nest material and some embroidery in the background. I'm getting around to it.. I promise! But, if I don't feel like doing it, I will work on something else...

Here come the geese

I did mention I should be working on the 12 Days Of Christmas quilt, but all I have done is applique on the birds!!

There is quite a bit of embroidery to do. However, I have been sidetracked. My Gypsy Girl quilt is back and I am attaching the binding.

I'm also really tired. Maybe it's the onset of Winter? But it has made me want to go to bed earlier of late...

So, this is all the show and tell I have for now.

Where are they?

I have lost 5 blocks.

I finished making all the blocks and started to arrange them ready for setting in triangles etc.

I can't find five of them!! Sheesh! I was so ready to make this quilt right now!! I brought my machine, etc. out with me today..maybe I left the other blocks at home. I will check thoroughly.

So, what to do? I fancy making a table runner. So.. here is the first block.

Every now and then I feel like quick, easy piecing. Know what I mean?

And, this is my handwork from last night...

This is the centre block in the 12 Days of Christmas quilt.

Okay, my quilting seems to be all over the place.... but it's an easy pieced project and some hand work.. That's not too much to ask for is it??

Centrepiece

This is going to be the centre block in the 12 Days of Christmas quilt.

So far, it's a bird in a tree and some holly. LOL!! I've got more handwork to do on it... It's ready to take when I can hand-stitch...

Christmas is on it's way...

I still feel like I am getting ready for Christmas... Here are 2 out of 4 cornerstones I prepared for the 12 Days of Christmas quilt. I've got another 2 to go, and a few of the centre blocks left to do, then the outer border.

Hopefully I will be finished by Christmas. LOL!!

5-golden-rings

I only had a little bit more to add to this block... and now it's finished!

I have been working on so many things (but they are all from the list of 5!!).

I can't wait to see this quilt finished. I love it more all the time.

Golden

5-golden-rings are on their way in this block for the Twelve Days of Christmas BOM.

Just a few more details to add...

I am really looking forward to seeing this quilt finished.

What's on my list of 5?

1. sock monkey (yes I started him, show and tell later)

2. Pieces of the Past (applique blocks)

3. QuiltAid 2010 blocks and finishing

4. Embroidery and stumpwork sampler

5. 12 Days of Christmas

And, I am excited about them all!! Ok, I'm back on track. It's amazing how making a list can re-focus what I am supposed to be doing.

Doing it my way.

I am all over the place with these blocks...

Here are 2-turtle-doves finished!! Ta-da!

It used to be one of my least favourite blocks in the quilt, but I changed it a bit and I am much happier. I used clusters of french knots for the flowers....

and I used chain stitch for the cage hook, and for the tail feathers.

I also changed the colour of the cage from cream to a light green that would be visible.

I feel liberated!! What else can I do my way???

Oh, this is one of the blocks for the "Twelve Days Of Christmas" quilt designed by Viv's Creations. You will need to google the actual word twelve, not the number in order to find it... Have fun kiddos...

Still sidetracked?

It looks like I am really sidetracked from the Pieces of The Past quilt.... yes, I needed a break (still waiting on fabric) and I really needed to make this block. Might as well do it now...

It's 2-turtle-doves.


They look a little scared at the moment, their feathers are sticking up all over the place...

Plenty of stitchery to go on with...

8-maids-a-milking

This is one of my favourite blocks in the 12 Days of Christmas quilt.

8-maids-a-milking...

Can you see that one of the birds has spilt her bucket of milk and is standing in it. Typical chickens!!

I am really enjoying making this quilt. The colours are so soft, and it's the mixture of applique and stitchery that is so inviting.

It looks like I just whipped this up overnight, but I had done most of it before Christmas, it just needed a little bit of stitchery and an extra bucket appliqued.

Here's something I prepared earlier

I haven't shown you this yet... I was working on this block before Christmas. It's going to be 7 -swans-a-swimming...

They look like they are floating in the air!!

I am waiting on more fabric for the Pieces of The Past appliques. (That's my excuse for digressing.) When will they arrive?

I am working on the 12 Days of Christmas while I wait for the other fabric. (Okay, I was a little tired of appliqueing leaves... I'll be okay again when the new fabric arrives. I want to applique more birds. What can I say? I just love birds in quilts....)