Wrapping Up November

A new banner is up - a quilt done almost 3 years ago when I started quilting and took almost a year to assemble.  Then it sat for another year not knowing what to do with the "quilt as desire" and then turned it over to a long armer to work the magic.  I call it "petits morceaux de bleus" - little bits of blue.

I've been called an "over achiever" and my goal for the month was to slow down and do things for fun.  I did just that, but there still was a lot of creating going on.  But I honestly enjoyed a slower process.  I sent my Secret Santa gift(s) and they should arrive at their destination today.  The main gift was this wallhanging made with Dawn Adelaide's Frosty Flakes pattern.  A few extra goodies were added to the box.  I hope my swap mate enjoys her Holidays.

And I finished quilting up the scrappy spider web for Aunt Spicy's blog - 100 Quilts for Charity.  I will take the quilt to my next guild meeting to be donated to the church for distribution of community families in need list for the Holiday Season.  I love this pattern and can see making more of these. 

 I mailed out 12 house blocks for the Love, Laugh, Quilt - Build a Community block swap.  When I signed up for this, I suddenly remembered my UFO/Orphan box and pulled all the house blocks.  I love making house blocks, and there was enough there (of many sizes and styles) to make at least 3 quilts!  I can see my work is cut out for me in 2011. 

I finished the 2nd step of Bonnie Hunters mystery.  My little basket looks like a pile of confections.  Then someone reminded me she was re-releasing Christmas Lights, so I  just had to jump on this one too.  Between these two quilts, I should really  manicure my stash. 

 I know a lot of people have added "Black Friday" shopping as a tradition, but I stay away from malls after Nov 1st.  But I did go to a special "fat quarters for food" sale at the Quilt Bug - my local quilt shop.  I like to use this to fill up on my lights and any missing colors - or what catches my fancy.  It helps the local food pantry - and of course we have to buy while we are there, so it helps to keep our favorite fabric shop open.  And I fabric framed a new cross-stitch mandella - Lighting the Tree.  It reminds me of all the tree lighting ceremonies right after Thanksgiving.

 

I have had my fill of "Scrooge" movies - I think every version was on this past weekend.  But my favorite is the 1951 Black & White "A Christmas Carol" with Alastair Sim.  December I hope to enjoy my new grandson - yet to hold/see him.  And continue with Bonnie's wonderful projects. I'd like ,also, to finish up two more charity quilts to donate to the church - there are so many in need.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Giving Thanks

**SOMETHING EXTRA TO GIVE THANKS FOR**
       Patrick John Guthrie arrive 2 weekds early - 8lbs. - 18" at 12:45 11/23/10
       Big Ed, Mom, Lil' Ed, and baby are all doing fine
I added a new widget to AuntSpicy's new "100 Quilts" program.  Join in and help donate a quilt to a local charity for those in need during this holiday season.

I am recovering from a 3-day community artisians' show - very successful.  There were times you couldn't breathe it was so crowded.  I did some stitches there - very few.  I came home and got some things in progress - so pictures of my relaxing work.

I loved the Jelly Roll quilt along, so of course just had to do the Layer Cake.  I have a mix of Koyoto and Frosty Fat Quarters that are working well together and should make for a lovely soft quilt. 

A scrappy tree block using my 1.5" squares - yes I love to work with tiny pieces, either in paper piecing or regular piecing.  These will be sashed with a "red brick" and black corner stones.  I have some left over black/muslin and red/muslin 9-patches that might get worked into the final border.

And I am leasurely piecing the first step of Bonnie Hunter's new mystery - finding I don't have a lot of pinks in my stash/scraps, hopefully there is enough to use here without buying any more fabric.  Pink, orange, and purple are out of my comfort color zones.  Do you have a color you avoid?

And some cross stitch spring Mandela designs - yes I am looking forward to spring before the major part of winter is even here.  Lilacs and thistles - funny, there's those pinks and purples.  I love them in stitcheries, but not fabric - how odd.

I have watched a couple of Bing Crosby/Bob Hope  "road" movies.  They are pretty much the same story line no matter which "road" - song, dance, and fight over the same pretty girl.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving week and remember to give thanks to those in need,

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon 



Going To The Depot

No not the train, I will be participating in a local artisans/crafters juried show Friday to Sunday.  It is set up in an Old Depot Station and sponsored by the Promotional and Historical Associations.  So I grabbed a few photos while packing up and hope to have some show photos - will have to borrow brother's camera as I think mine bit the dust.  Hmmmm - calling Santa.

I helped MOM in quilting up a panel quilt she made - it is being sent off to Iraq tomorrow.  Isn't it just too cute?  Our Tuesday class ladies, Mom, and I try to do a "cot" quilt to send each month.  Our local Doctor is currently stationed in one of the triage/hospitals and treats a lot of children.   We send them to him and he gives them out.   Good news to the community and his family, he is to be home before Christmas.

 I love these little clothes line hangers my son made.  They are for displaying your minis - had to make up a few "cheater" minis for a sample.  And I am taking a few of my Thumb Dolls (sitting with "Country Cousins" pattern by Red Rooster).  I use my thumb to make the heads, but I don't like them just plain (scarry) so I give them rag hair.

   

And I'm adding a few cross stitch for Chooky Blues'  "Quilters Stitch Tour".  The teddies I did last year - yes the entire piece is all stitches.  I love the brooch detail.  And the SAL I finished a couple of months ago and is my brick house.  There's not a fence, but I would love this some day.  And no bee hives anymore, but we had a stray hive take residence in our old milk house and  we had to have them removed - three different times!  The worry there was they were a new strain and very vicious - and we have  family members who are very allergic to bees.

.Well, off to load up the van to go do set-up.  Luckily this show is just the other side of town, no early rises and no late night home.  Yes, I have packed a few small hand stitching projects to work on.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Stolen Quilt Alert

Please read the following and put it out there in blogland:

http://www.quiltersnewsletter.com/blogs/insideqn/2010/11/15/quilt-stolen-at-festival/

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon