Remember To Vote

This weekend is the time to go vote for your favorite entrant in the 2012 Christmas Quilt Show over at  Michele's.  Just leave a comment with your entrant number for 'viewer's choice'.  And while you are there, take the time to visit each blogger and leave them a sweet comment - I know they will appreciate it. Oh, and thank Michele, too!!

Since some have asked me how to place a vote - this is the rule from Michele's post:



4) Viewers Choice Award: On Saturday, December 3rd and Sunday, December 4th you can vote for your favorite entry. Just leave one comment with the #/name of your favorite quilt entry and let me know that you are voting for your favorite quilt. The entry with the most votes will win the Viewers Choice Award. If their is a tie, a non-partisan blogger will be asked to randomly select a number that will determine the ultimate winner. Prizes will also be awarded to a random selection of those that took time to vote. 

November NewFO

Thankfully I had done a lot of my monthly projects early in the month - the unexpected health scare of my Mom has put a 'slow-down to hold' on my sewing for the later part of the month and probably for the next few month.

Things that have been shown on previous posts:
FMQ Challenge, 12" Mini Club , X-mas QAL (table toppers, candle mats, gift bags), Doll Quilt Swap, Santa Sack swap - finale,  and Blocks for Sandy.

I needed to get the blocks off the floor so I can clean and prepare for seasonal decorating.  This will be my November entry into the Let Me See Your Jelly Roll with Megan.  I have one JR left for December, but not sure I will get to it.

 This was the November Color Challenge Palette with link-up to Patchwork Times.

I had this Ricky Tim's Convergence piece as a flimsie for several months - so used my minimal sewing time to geometric quilt with red, dark green, and  yellow threads - and finish off with a dark green binding.  I call it 'Broken Muse'.

And I have always enjoyed Beth's annual 'Neighborhood' block quilt project.  You send one house block for the lotto and one (or more) for a charity quilt that Beth will do up for donation.  This is one of the house blocks I sent earlier this month.

This is the piece that I sent earlier this month to my Once Upon A Season Swap partner Pauline - she was the one who sent me those lovely daisy strips I used in a floral mini.  I got a chance to repay her with her own flower mini .  This is just 12", just so you can tell how tiny those flowers are - I had to sew those little buttons in the flower centers with a beading needle, but I love them.(borrowed photo from Pauline as I forgot to photo this one before mailing)

And I have been having such fun with Konda's Mini Quilt Along.  I did change the pattern from tiny pieced centers to tiny yo-yo's - yeah, I hate yo-yo's, but I do make them and I like the look in this piece.  And pearlized beads added to their centers.

Thank you Barbara for organizing and hosting the NewFO project and I will be linking up.  Please hop over and check out other's new monthly starts/finishes.

CLOSING THOUGHT

One kind word can warm three winter months.
- Chinese Proverb

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

DWM & FMQ

I haven't had too many things ready for Design Wall Monday - but I remembered I had started this month Jelly Roll quilt long ago.  So I dug around to find those and got them laid out on the livingroom floor.  I will let my SIL rotate them around until happy (you can see the ones that I had to swap out strips because this JR had so many flaws).  I would have liked another row, but not enough strips to use.  So I think two borders will bring it up to size.
** linking up with Patchwork Times **

And I totally kept the blinders on for Black Friday, small business weekend, and Cyber-Monday!!  I really DO NOT need fabric.    But I did get out this afternoon (while Mom had visitors) with my SIL to do a little local shop browsing and shopping.  We've had a little bit of snow each day since Thanksgiving - and the towns are decorating - so it was a lovely outing in the spirit of the season.

And I had to locate this month's FMQ Challenge that I did way in the beginning of the month.  Sarah Vedeler was our November FMQ expert and the challenge was spirals in various sizes and directions.  I'm a little 'organic' with these, but love the look and I have a project in 'that chair' that I find some large spirals will work perfectly for it.  I have enjoyed these monthly challenges and I think for December I am going back to the *bonus* challenges and do them up on a sampler.

** linking up with Sew Cal Gal **

Don't forget the Christmas Quilt Show is still open to link-ups - I know you all have projects to share - I have been seeing a whole lot of them all year!

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

2012 Christmas Quilt Show

 

Won't you please join me in the Christmas Quilt Show being hosted this year by Michele at Quilting Tutorials.  Link up will be open from November 23 - 30 and rules also posted at this site.

 

 

I made this  for the 12" Mini Club with Michele at Gone Stitchin' and the theme was 'Christmas' so our partner would have a gift for the season.  Since my mini went to Australia, they are going into their Summer as we go into Winter; so I chose a modern, lighter take on 'field of holiday trees'. 

 

 

I used two layers of  Quilter's Dream Cotton batt in the Request Loft giving it more of a 'craft felt' feel - and makes for a nice hang for a mini.  I used Sulky High Sheen thread to 1/4" organic straight stitch and Gutterman Sulky Metallic thread for the wavy stitch.  A Sulky Ribbon Metallic thread was used to tie on tiny seed beads and glitter buttons.  A fun plaid used for binding for a more country, summer look. 

 

Please be sure to check out the others as well as consider joining in - HERE.

 

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

 

My sincerest of THANKS to all of you.  Mom is home and hopefully we have things back on track.  It was a *fun* weekend - police arriving at the craft show I was at and first thought - OMG (first day of hunting season), someone got shot!  Then to find out they had to 'break into' the house to find my mother after she made a 911 call for help.

So in sorting her disposition, repairing and cleaning up the house - a little sewing got in today for sanity sake - the next Mini with Konda.  But a lot of things will get put on hold until next year.

Please remember to visit the Holiday Lane Blog Hop, Canadian Quilters' Hop, Bonnie Hunter's new mystery begins (that will be saved for next year), and the 2012 Christmas  Quilt Show link-up.  All buttons are on the side bar.

Again - Thank You - for all your thoughts and well wishes, they were much appreciated,

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Interrupted

Life is a little interrupted at the moment.  My mother was suddenly hospitalized over the weekend, so until we get things back on track I will be away from my  blog -


Winner of the Pass It On Box is Lisa of In The Boondocks - I will contact her for mailing information and thank you to those who participated.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Pass it on Box - Ready to Move

 

 

I won the Pass It On Box and it arrived today.  Since I will be busy the next 4 days with a large local show, I wanted to get this posted and ready to move on.  



 

Several novelties, wovens, and that large damask piece which I think was in the box last time I had it.

Some youth and fun prints - wish I had a little girl for the princess print - how cute!

Some floral and fun print - yes, if you know me, I quickly spotted the apples!!

Several leaf and vine prints.  The brownish pink is an older Moda - if you aren't familiar.

And patterns, books, and a few notions.  Must be people are afraid of zips!

 

 

This is what I took from the box.  The damask needed to come out - make more room for goodies, plus I think I know someone who would love it.  My Mom is collecting 'skull' fabrics for a commission quilt - I know, weird request.  The rest my SIL and I will have fun with.

This box was a little 'dark' - so thought I should brighten up things.  Some fun 'Paper Dolls' yardage, cute elephants yardage, flannel 'Duck Duck Goose' charms, 'ABC 123' charms and a 'Salt Air' pack.

Several FQs of Riley Blake and two 2 yard pieces of Windham mini florals.

And a few patterns to replace the large book I took.  My house is a bit 'a-scramble' with packing up for a show and then deciding in the middle of it all to move the 'sewing room' (my complete downstairs) into one of the large empty upstairs bedrooms (there's room for a long arm).  So when I pack up this box, more goodies will be tossed in as there is space to fill-in.  Definitely need some more notions in there.

I will leave the comments open until Sunday November 18th (midnight EST) and pull a winner to be contacted immediately.  Be sure I have a way to contact you.  Due to postage - only open to US.  Must be an active blogger - see complete rules HERE   .  Yes, I like to move these boxes on quickly!

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Design Wall Monday

I decided to get a start on this month's 'Let Me See Your Jelly Roll' project.  I have had this Little Apples JR for some time and when I saw Flo's (Butterflyquilting) sweet quilt using the pattern by 3-Dudes found at the Missouri Star Quilt website , I knew I had to make this.

I have been disappointed with the last three Jelly Rolls.  A solid Bella was cut so off grain that it was unusable.  The 'Simple Marks' I used last month had several strips that had a flaw right thru the entire strip - luckily I didn't need them all.  Now this one - can you see it?  Three strips were so bad, I used strips from another line (leftovers).  This one was on the one end.

 And yes, it does show on the front, but I hope it can be disquised with quilting as I didnt' have anything else to use.  Now these three rolls were purchased different times and all different lines, but all Moda - at the price , I would hope for better quality.  Had this been yardage from my LQS - they would have given me extra material to make up for it - or trash it and make a new cut.  I love pre-cuts, especially JRs, but with prices climbing - I may have to rethink these purchases if they are packaging flawed materials. (yes, I have had charms and layer cakes flawed too)

** linking to PatchworkTimes **
CLOSING THOUGHT

I needed to restock 'Goldfish' for my grandsons - our favorite sharing snack when they visit.  I just thought these were the cutest things!!  Hey Shell - see these?  Bunny and carrot shaped cheese crackers and pretzel mix - LOVE IT!!  

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Christmas Quilt Along

I'm a little late to the party today, but I am joining Sue of QuiltTimes for the November Quilt Along.  Although my quilt is already finished I am going to use the time for some small gift making.

I have a lot of scraps, so I am going to play in them to make a variety of small candlemats, table toppers, and if time - a little bag I saw on the web.

**I will be updating on this one post thru the day**

  UPDATE

Well, finished this little one up - a tad bit of quilting with metallic thread and dotty binding.

And for some really quick ones - use the disappearing 4-patch that we used for Erin's blocks.  Using two FQs - I cut a set of 7" (finished 12.5") and a set of 8.5" (finished 15.5").  Simple straight line quilting with my walking foot and used up some left over bindings - easy peasy!

Oh, wish I could remember who's blog I saw this on to give credit and a big thank you to.  Cutie Bag is a free pattern you can find here at I Heart Linen.  I have fabrics and supplies pulled and hope to get two bags done for my grandsons.

UPDATE

These bags work up so quick!  I used the iron bat (optional), but if I make more I think I will use a medium weight iron on interfacing.  I also changed from the casing for a feed-thru tie to adding a shoe lace folded in half - stitched into seam.  Then can just ge pulled around and tied - they are learning to tie shoe laces so this is a good thing. (and I had an extra pair in the 'junk drawer').  They look my guys!!

I am wrapping up today with cleaning up the mess.  Thank you Sue for a fun day of sewing.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Feline Friday

This cute 'Turkey in the Straw' doll quilt came from Barbara, my partner for the Monthly Doll Quilt Swap for November.  We mailed the same day(morning) and they traveled from coast to coast - each arrived on the same day (and near same time) - how cool is that!  I just love the straw fabric!  Oh it has been years since I had a hand print turkey bird and I love it.  How is this related to Feline Friday - see my cute little kittie?  A mini-me Bella kittie!  Thank you Barbara.

Actually, when I opened it - I set it to grab some fresh coffee before hanging and photoing - look who claimed the Turkey!  I guess Moe was jealous that Bella got her own little dolly. 

Well, I have a ton of things to run thru the check list, finishing, and housework before the big 3-day show next weekend.  I hope everyone has a safe weekend,

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Linking up with   Sarah Did It

Oh yeah - for Whoop Whoop Friday - a finish - The quilt and doll I sent Barbara

 

 

This is an older, heritage block called 'Darting Birds' - the block and the colors were inspired by Barbara's sweetie pie kittie, Smittie

Mini Doll Tutorial

I have had so many requests for the pattern of the little dolls that I add with my doll quilts for the Monthly Swap Group (see side bar - always accepting new members) - finally, it is here.  I just had to wait for Barbara to receive her package as I used her little dolly for my tutorial model.

You can download the PDFs for the pattern and instructions here:
Doll Instructions
Doll Pattern

DOLL DIRECTIONS

PLEASE READ ALL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE STARTING

**THIS IS NOT A DOLL FOR LITTLE ONES**

Note: All Doll pattern pieces DO NOT have a seam allowance

DOLL: Use a plain fabric in your choice of color - legs can be same or use a stripe (6“ x 20“ piece of muslin works well). Fold fabric in half. Print pattern PDF (use card stock for durability). Cut out pieces and trace onto wrong side of fabric - leave room for cutting a seam edge. Using trace lines as stitching guides, sew around body, leaving bottom open - around arms and legs, leave tops open. *I use a little shorter stitch-go slow-lift presser foot to maneuver around tight corners rather than pull fabric* **If you don’t want to try the little thumbs-just round off the pattern**

Trim all pieces (recommend clipping any heavy curves and neck area) and turn right side out. Stuff arms and legs HALF way. Stuff body firmly. Match seams of legs so ‘toes‘ are turned up; overlap top of legs (about half width and you can baste them to help hold) and tuck into body opening and stitch across by hand or machine. Hand stitch arms to body sides. *Make sure thumbs and feet face forward*

BLOOMERS: Be sure to place pattern on fold and cut two pieces. With right sides together sew center seams, clip curves. Match seams and stitch entire inseam. Turn right side out and press. Put bloomers on doll - gather waist with heavy thread and tied ends in knot. Do the same with the legs (about ¾” from edge) - pull tight above the stuffed part of the doll leg - knot.

 

 

 

DRESS: Be sure to place bodice pattern on fold and cut two pieces. Place right sides together and sew shoulder seams. Gather top of sleeves and sew to bodice. Sew sleeve seams. Turn right side out and place on doll. Gather sleeve (about ½” from edge) and pull tight above the stuffed part of the doll arm - knot. 

 

 

 

Cut skirt (4”x10”) and sew back seam . Use a running stitch and gather the waist slightly- slip on doll and as you tighten stitch , sew directly to bodice, catching into the doll - knot off.

 

APRON: Use any fabric, linen, aida cloth, part of a hanky - cut 3.5” square - Can attach with a running stitch or add a bit of ribbon or rick rack to the top for a tie - your choice!
HAIR: Again, your choice. Purchased doll hair, or yarn or skinny fabric strips

I don’t put any facial features on mine - but again, your choice

And this is the little quilt that dolly matched - used the old block pattern 'Darting Birds' with a monochromatic colour fabrics to represent Barbara's sweet kittie "Smittie". 

I hope you enjoy the pattern - if you have difficulty (be sure you have the most current adobe for viewing pdfs) with the pdf - let me know and I will be glad to assist.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon