Saturday, December 31, 2011

Snowman Year Around



Here is this one right before I finished quilting it. Took me a little longer than usual because I couldn't make up my mind about the pinwheel fabric. Is it too overbearing? As you can see, I never found anything else and I needed the length. I gave it to my grandson for Christmas but he's growing so fast I decided to just get it done in case he doesn't stop!
He's officially a teenager now and is as tall as me. He's keeping score by the inches! Fortunately, it's a good size quilt.

Christmas offerings



Here are some of my gift boxes to satisfy my obsession. While I was unpacking my Christmas ornaments (which turn out not to be where I thought) I came upon a whole new box of old boxes that I have been gathering to decorate. A pleasant surprise but the rest of my 100 year old ornaments must be in the cold warehouse. Wish me luck because I will soon be climbing a ladder to rescue them. I have 3 new girls in my life and they appreciate my efforts or, at least, do a good job pretending to. I kept the red roses in part because the box is a little too worn for a gift and I don't have real roses since I moved. The black boxes are all from the 1930s & 40s and used to house electric barber clippers. The heart decorations are probably the only 3 I will make as they are not as much fun as I thought. The snowmen are actual jewelry from the 1950s. I see the bottom one is trying to escape but is securely attached. They are much heavier than new jewelry and I can just see the earholes being dragged down by their weight. The larger pin doesn't match completely so is not a true set. They all detach so can be used if needed.
I finished the Sunbonnet alphabet quilt a long time ago and the embroidered snowmen and gave those to my grandkids. They probably would rather have had cash but sorry...not this year. If you are reading this, today is New Years Eve and I wish you and yours a very Happy New Year!

Saturday, December 10, 2011














This is one that got away. I had fully intended to hand quilt it and try yet again to make something perfect. However, that didn't happen as usual. A friend of mine had a heart attack and I needed something nice and quick that I thought she would like...it is a panel. I had already put adhesive batting in it and that pretty much eliminated machine quilting. I was afraid something would slip and would not have used that except for hand quilting. So, I simply turned it all inside out and sewed it up like a pillowcase. I was amazed how good it actually came out as far as straight seams on the narrow border and I liked the weight of it. I like to use buttons sometimes and I think they worked very well here. I put a wooden rod across the top with a ribbon for a hanger. It turned out good and I would have taken a better pix but she already had it for a while. I am glad I have another panel for myself.

As always, I have been busy making covered Christmas boxes but finally realized I have more boxes than presents so have suspended the activity there and cleaned up all my excess projects. Everything will go back on the shelves except for the 5 or 6 quilts that are half finished. I will not start anything new until I have finished at least a couple of them, mostly the ones with hand quilting. My problem is, where is the line that tells me where there starting point was. Gathering, cutting, planning? I have one that I started last century...for the Bicentennial. Really my 1st big project but 2" squares and too many corners don't match up like I finally can do. I need to decide whether to finish it as is or take it all apart and start over? Anyway, Merry Christmas!