Red and Green, final chapter

All done and ready for the holidays!

Red and Green....

classic colors!

 

It doesn't HAVE to be a Christmas quilt though...

does it?

The cross hatching here took...it seemed.....

For----ever!!!

I mainly eyeballed from corner to corner...

but....

When I was on the borders....

I needed a Little help!

Painters tape to the rescue again!!!

 

I've tried eyeballing borders before.

It was a mistake!

:/

I used mostly cream colored thread...

but when going through the IRISH chain....

I used a soft red.

 

Sometimes the backing is my favorite part!!

I know I'm always happy to have some leftovers

from the FRONT to incorporate into the back!

 

Bound.

Ready.

Hey!

I even hand stitched the binding down!

 

This quilt deserved it!!!

;)

Pillow

When I found this little piece of CREWEL work...

it was folded up and neglected.

Aren't those flowers and weeds BEAUtiFUL???

'

Whoever spent ALL that time hand stitching..

never got around to

making it useful!!!

 

I LOVE taking these little UFO's and

turning them into SOMETHING!!

 

I added the borders and hand stitched around the outside..

then added a back and stuffing.

This time the something...

is a pillow!

:)

and...

it's in my little shop.

 

Red and Green

This is a Jelly Roll...PLUS...a little from my stash.

It has an old fashioned Christmas feel to it!

My husband heard me say Jelly Roll

and he hasn't stopped teasing me about it!

"You working on your Pizza roll??",  he'll ask.

Or

"How's your sweet roll coming along??"

 

I was happy to use up some of that creamy old fashioned fabric

in the center there.

It fits RIGHT in!!!

 

Border...or NO border....???

that's what I have on my mind now!!

Two more houses, from Sharon and Jan,

are ready for a party!

We've got a GREAT neighborhood...

Don't you think?

 

I found out that in OUR neighborhood

MOST of you have your OWN sewing room!!

84%!!!

I'm in the minority!

Surprise..Surprise!!! 

 

I mentioned to a few of you

that I kind of LIKE sewing

in the MIDST of family life!!!

I just need a DOOR to hide the MESS!!!

;)

Ah well...

Someday there'll be LOTS of room to sew

but.....NO kiddos!!!

Then I'll be missing THEM!!!

 

 

 

The party has JUST begun!

It's a PARTY!!!

These are a few of the houses that have been arriving

on my doorstep.

Thanks to: Lori, Eva, Michele and Barb!

 

We're celebrating blogland

with a neighborhood HOUSE party!

 

one..or two...or three of you

will win a set of houses.

 

PLUS!!!

I'm looking forward to putting some of your orphans

to GOOD USE!!!

 

Details...if you missed them....are HERE.

 

The DUE date is January 1, 2013!!!

Do it NOW before you FORGET!

;)

 

 

minty green

This quilt is a quilt

only

because I bought 2 little fat quarters.

They were those little bits of fabric

that you CAN'T pass up when you

ACCIDENTALLY walk into

the local

quilt shop!!!

;)

And then

ONCE you have the fat quarters...

they tug at your mind

until you HAVE TO

sit down and SEW!!!!

 

Can you find the flowery fabric triangles??

I loved the retro feel of this fabric.

I added strips of color...

and some vintage solid minty green.

It's a FINISH!!!

I even added some black calico binding.

I think it's feeling RIGHT at home in this quilt!

I made this one

Because it HAD to be made.

LOL!!!

 

I bet you've made some quilts like that too!!!

 

 

Friday

I LOVED finding out about all your sewing spaces!!

Wasn't that a fun topic?

There's still time to vote in the poll!

I see I'm in the minority!!!

LOL!!!

 

Well..

While my dining room was busy yesterday

I was actually able to find a little corner to sew.

 

I needed to take breaks between chores

and cooking!

 

 

My little one's table in the family room

was the perfect place to do a tiny bit of sewing!

 

The machine Scurried into the closet

RIGHT before the company arrived!! ;)

I collected scraps to match the little flowery fat quarter I had.

While the turkey was sizzling away....

and

The stuffing was baking in the crock pot...

and..

the pies (my older daughter made)

were waiting for company....

(They were excellent!!)

I sewed.....Just a little!

It was the little break I NEEDED between all the busyness!!

;)

Then....

the busyness began!

 

There was slack lining....

Eating, of course...

visiting with family and friends....

And ALL these cousins for my kids to enjoy!!!!

 

Definitely

a THANKSGIVING kind of DAY!!!

 

A question for you....

I'm hosting the Thanksgiving meal this year...

Are you??

 

I'm really dragging my feet about putting my machine away.

It lives MOST of the time on my dining room table.

(We have a kitchen table for every day family meals)

I clean up the dining room table once in a while when we host meals..

and it's usually not much of an issue.

 

but....

I'm feeling some pain this time.

 

A Separation kind of pain.

Maybe the problem is...

I just don't like to CLEAN!????

Could be.

 

I'm waiting until the

VERY last minute to put my machine away

and set the table!!!

 

I've been cleaning up AROUND it...

and KNOW

that the hour will come soon

when it will be relegated to the closet.

:(

 

So...

here's what I've been wondering:

 

Do you sew in a communal area of your home like me?

OR

Do you have your own ROOM????

(I had a room for 9 months

and it was HEAVENLY!!!)

 

Leave a comment..

and check the voting box in the sidebar.

 

Maybe you're feeling MY kind of pain too!

;)

 

 

still stitching

This is my traveling bag.

It's been to almost every soccer game and practice this season!!!

And...

I had TWO of those EACH week!

LOL!!!

While the kids were getting some exercise...

I was quilting!!!!!

but...

It's NOT done!

Since it's always in my car...

I'm always ready!!!

I was even able to work on it Friday

when I ended up at the mechanic

Unexpectedly!!!

:/

I Love the texture on the back here!

 

Soccer season is over.

Maybe when baseball season begins...

I'll make some more progress!!!

 

Here it is BEFORE I began:

I CAN'T WAIT

to see it ALL done!!!

 

Today I'm linking up with Judy.

Happy Monday!

 

Free pieced Friday

A very little quilt.

Just 12"x20"

and another.

 

Very similar...

but they're not QUITE the same.

See?

They're even a bit different in size.

 

I used the leftover fabrics from this quilt.

 

I think they're quite striking.

Amazing what a limited palette

will get you!!!!

 

I was even able to use shirt sections on the backs.

 

Now...I need to get these labeled

and OFF to the family members

that need some comfort!!!

;)

Thursday

The first two neighborhood party houses have arrived.

Sheila sent these to be used in our CHARITY quilts

for the Sandy victims!!!

Aren't they sweet?

There are a few quilty projects going on now in blogland.

Hope you're able to give in one way or another!

 

Here in MY corner of blogland

we are celebrating with a neighborhood party

and

collecting house blocks for charity quilts!

 

The idea is for you to send

TWO house blocks.

12 1/2" square

 

ONE for a giveaway...

and

ONE for a charity quilt.

 

YOU might win a FEW house blocks

to make a blogland quilt of your OWN!!!

PLUS

you can donate house blocks for ME

to make into donated quilts!

 

Win. Win. situation!!!

 

Let me know if you'd like to join in!!!

Leave a comment

and I'll send you my address.

 

** I cannot respond to NO REPLY bloggers.

:(

 

 

A new Book!

A new book....

and I'm in it.

 

Well...technically....

a couple of my quilts are in it!!!

 

I love the book.

You will too!!

Victoria is SOooo  inspiring!!!

 

Hope you have time to PLAY today!

 

 

 

A simple house

Were you interested in coming to the blogland party,

but weren't sure how to build a house??

 

This one's for YOU!

Begin here.

Find a door in your scraps...

or

CUT a door!

 

Red is a welcoming color!

Maybe you have a small piece of fabric

that says it EVEN better!!!

My door is 2 1/2"x3 1/2"

Add the walls.

3 1/2"x 3 1/2"

Add the top part of the house.

2 1/2"x 9"

9" is a bit too long....

but I like to make things a little bigger and

TRIM!!!

Add your outside garden.

These panels are 3"x 5 1/2"

;)

You're shooting for a 12 1/2" width...

So again.....leave a little elbow room

You'll trim at the very end.

The roof is the trickiest part.

I like to choose a fabric...

lay it on top of my house...

and just EYEBALL the rooftop as I cut!!!

The ONLY thing you have to worry about

is getting it TOO tall!

Remember...

your block is 12 1/2".

It's a little lopsided....

that's o.k.

IN FACT...

I think it will look EVEN better

than if it were perfectly symmetrical!

Lay the roof on top of your sky fabric.

My sky fabric is 7" wide/tall.

Use your roof as your cutting guide.

Cut ONE diagonal line.

sew it on.

Lay the roof down on sky again.

Cut a second diagonal line.

sew it together.

Trim sides to fit your house block.

 

* don't trim to 12 1/2" YET!!!

Keep your block bigger.

You can trim it when you're ALL DONE!

Add a small front yard.

I think mine is 2"

Sew it on.

NOW....you can trim your block!!!

 

I'm going to add a little doorknob to my door.

Maybe it will be a button...

maybe it will be embroidered on....

There are LOTS of possibilities!!!

Some clouds would be nice too.......

Hmm........

 

Be creative with your house block!

Have FUN!

Add a couple of details!

 

Add your blog name IF you have one.

Quilters without blogs ARE VERY WELCOME as well!!!

 

I hope ALL of you will be coming to the party!

I look forward to seeing your houses

and also...

getting some CHARITY blocks

to make into QUILTS!!!!

 

Happy SEWING!!!