Post Christmas thoughts and pictures

 Well, I did start another Christmas quilt, at least the fabric is from a Christmas line.  I don't know how Christmasy it will look when I finish.  

The fabric line is Blitzen by BasicGray.  It is more snowman than Christmas.

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I can't seem to get my blog margins in sync this morning.  I apologize if things are off. . . 

The blocks are from Jen Kingwell called Glitter.  I'm using the leftovers from a quilt I made a few years ago.  I just thought I'd make up these blocks using the fabric until it was used up.  But, after making two of the Glitter blocks using templates and marking the seam allowance, I knew I'd never make it through using just this block for the whole quilt.  So I decided to make a center and surround it with various other borders and blocks.

The center I just finished measures 28 3/8" X 14 1/4".  It's an odd size for sure.

I'm trying to decide which fabric I want for the next border.  I also need to figure out what size the borders need to be so that I can just make regular sized blocks for the outside; 

3 inch or four inch or six inch etc.  There's always so many decisions to make when a regular pattern isn't used - sigh.

I also want to share a picture of my niece.  She is the mother of six children with the youngest being two years old.  This is how my brother found her yesterday (Christmas Day) afternoon in the living room.

I think we've all been there on Christmas afternoon - ha!

Robin

Winter Solstice - The shortest day

 Today is the 72nd birthday of my favorite cousin.  He has fought his way through life, having a less than ideal raising, not doing well in school, and only later discovering he is exceedingly intelligent and because of the Navy he finally gained his sense of self worth.  He has a memory like a safe and is constantly studying.  I call him my "Other Brother" because he keeps track of me and my family like a brother would. 

 

Here we are in 1967, he's the one on the right next to me in orange.  He looks like such a baby.  Life had some rewarding times in store for him.  He is now in poor health but he still reaches out and makes sure we are safe and well.  He's kind of adopted my oldest son and family.  He and his wife have no grandchildren of their own and so my oldest son's children benefit from their generosity and love.

Happy Birthday to one of my absolute favorite people!!!!

The valley is finally clearing up from a dreadful inversion.  Enjoy the sunrise this morning.

From my home to yours and whatever holiday you celebrate, I hope you'll have family around you and will reach out to those who don't.

Robin

It's time to start another Christmas Quilt

I think I have a "thing" for Christmas quilts.  

I have an idea for a new quilt for one of my sons.  I having a hard time finding the right fabric for the background of the center so I'm at a standstill.  

To give you an example of why I've think I might need intervention  (HA!)  I've put all of my Christmas quilts in one post.  From the first to the last one in the process of being quilted.

 These are in no particular order and some of them aren't obviously Christmasy but I use them at Christmas time. 

                                   

 This one is from 2022. The "Home Is Where You Are" quilt.  Inspired by the Edyta Sitar book called Patches of Blue.

                       A combination of two patterns, one by Debbie Mumm Santa quilt from 1995.

            A cute table topper made in the early part of the century.  2007  Original Design

    The 12 Rows of Christmas Quilt. Finished 2017  I changed a lot of things from the original pattern

                            

   

 This is reminiscent of the quilt by Alex Anderson that had Christmas lights in the border. 2004

                                                                             

                        Made from the Blackbird Designs book  Quilting in the Garden.  2017

               My snowflake quilt from 2007 that is appliqued and beaded.  Original design.

Comfort & Joy made from my collection of Christmas scraps from the 80's and 90's.  2021

 

A quilt made from Judie Rothermel's first Christmas line called The Spirit of Christmas.  

I made this in 2021 and I bought the fabric from Ye Olde Schoolhouse Quilts in Wisconsin.

Pattern from a Betsy Chutchian quilt book and the center is from Barbara Brackman's blog.

                                                     This is a Swell 16 quilt made in 2020 

               The pattern is by Camille Roskelley and the fabric line is Blitzen by Basic Grey.

                                 I was able to get the snowmen from the same line for the backing.

Jan Patek's Sleigh Bells quilt.  It was made in 2019.  I call this one Midwinter's Eve.

This was a little quilt that I made for a family drawing.  The pattern is by Blackbird Designs.   The embroidery patterns are by Gain Pan  2009

                                 

                           This is a mini quilt by Cheri  Payne.  Free online at QuiltsbyCheri 

                            A little tiny tree.  Pattern free at Temecula Quilt Co online.  2020

      Santa wall hanging.  Pattern by Nancy Halvorsen.  Finished 2022  I made two of these.

Christmas star commemorating the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn  December 15, 2020

Pattern by Cheri Payne (the original pattern has a heart in the middle).

 The Flowers are by Cheri Payne 

                                  I enlarged the flowers and added borders, swags, and bows.  

                                                      I am still in the quilting process.

Most of these quilts have been gifted.   

I still own only two of the large quilts but I have all of the little ones.  

(I originally wrote this post last August.  I got caught up in finishing a bunch of things, I made 2 flannel quilts for my youngest grandsons,  Christmas gifts, and canning season.  I'm going to finish up the flower quilt before I get busy on the next one.)

Merry Christmas  

Robin

I just remembered two more.

This was a challenge my DIL and I did.  She was given free-reign in her Aunt Mary's room full of fabric and she came home with 11 Christmas vest panels from Daisy Kingdom (and a bunch of other stuff.  We decided to challenge each other to make a quilt out of five vest panels.  

We were allowed to add two fabrics.  I added the red fabric and the white with blue snowflakes.

If you enlarge the picture you'll notice I used the picture of the vest in five of the blocks, the words on the panel, and I even cut up the instructions to make the border.  

It was a fun challenge.

I've shown this quilt before.  It's a sampler quilt that I made in 1992.  It was my first real quilt.

Just a quick opinion question

 I finished my center for the Quiltyfolk SAL and was anxious to get started on the next step.  Since that prompt has been postponed I decided to put centers on my hollyhocks.  I got the dark pink centers appliqued and was planning on putting little yellow circles as well.

I made the tiniest of circle and didn't really like how it looked.  AND what a nuisance to make.

So I thought I'd maybe just use some doll clothes buttons.  But, now that I have two sewn on.  I think I like it's better without the buttons.  What do you think?

Now, I need to go make some fudge.

Robin

Changed my mind again. . .  

 I decided the buttons give the blossom depth and so I sewed the rest on.  It looks great.  

Bramble Blossoms Center Finish

This is supposed to represent hollyhocks.  I had a couple of great designs but everything was so complicated.  So, I gradually tried to simplify it and this what came together.

 It's not quite what I had envisioned.   I have some fiddly centers all cut out and I may or may not sew them on.  I was ready to be done with the applique.  I should probably trim the background behind the blossoms so the stems don't show through.

It's very low volume.  Hmmm?

I sewed 7 full blossoms to represent my 7 children.  The light fabrics I chose didn't show up on my neutral background so I sewed the light blue circle behind them to contrast a little and introduce another color into the mix.

Now, I'm going to go look on the list on Audrey's blog to see what the rest of those participating in this SAL have created.

Robin

Bramble Blossoms #2

 I have been watching everyone's progress and have been stumped.  

First of all I was thinking about the name. . . Bramble Blossoms.  I thought maybe I ought to be literal and do something with thorns.  What has more thorns on it that most other flowers?  Roses, you say?  Well, I was taking it a little farther. . . I was thinking wild roses.  Can you believe all those thorns?

Wild roses have lovely blossoms.

And come in different colors.

There is a really lovely pink but I didn't get a picture of that one.

And they have rose hips.  Aren't these great?

Well, I couldn't get excited about this idea so I tried to think of something else.  And then, a tulip I had seen in one of my magazines came to mind.  I see it every once in a while as I'm flipping through pages looking for something else.  I make a mental note that I would like to applique that tulip some time.  So, I went hunting.  It took me two days but I found the pattern.  It is in Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine. And yes, it is as delightful as I remembered.  And it would kind of be paying homage to Audrey and the lovely tulips she puts in some of her quilts.

Folk Art Tulip by Kerri Arthur of Calico Rabbit Patterns

And then I thought,  "This is supposed to be about me not someone else.  What flowers bring a smile to my face and aren't super difficult to applique (because I came up with lots of other ideas and they were way to complicated)."

I finally decided on Hollyhocks.  I'm always taking photos of them, in fact here I am posing amongst them in 2013. 

 (Not the most flattering picture but when you're my age flattering pictures are in the past.)

AND, I was excited about this idea.  

So, I had to finish the current Christmas project I was working on and that seemed to take a really long time but it's done and I'm prepared.

Found where this pattern is available.   https://marglowdesigns.bigcartel.com/category/pdf-patterns

Just today I got out pictures to look at to see the actual shapes of blossoms and leaves and tried to do a couple of sketches.

And then I got out my stack of fabrics to see what looked like hollyhocks.  

Well, generally speaking . . . 

And here is what I came up with.

I chose my greens and then the red at the top center is the only one that came out of my stack.  I had to go hunting for pink and rosy tones.  I may or may not use all these colors for blossoms, we'll see.

So,  I've started the journey and now I can relax and sew.  

(I'm just kidding about the relax part.)

Robin

Bramble Blossoms part 1

 Bramble Blossoms is a Sew along by Audrey at quiltyfolk.  She is starting this month and it will continue for at least a year.  It will be improv style with both piecing and applique.

 I'm having a terrible time coming up with a fabric stack for this SAL.  I collected these yesterday but there are still other bins and shelves and boxes to look in to come up with something that feels cohesive.  So, having trouble coming up with ONE stack makes me think I'll worry about the other two stacks from my stash way ................................ down the line.

This is what I came up with for my center.  It measures 20" X 22".  An odd size but I can always add borders or trim it down to fit, right?

I finished this scrap quilt top about a month ago.  It's all from my stash.  It is a pattern by Terry Clothier Thompson.  I was nervous about that one bright red when all the rest of the fabrics are darker or duller.  But, I think it turned out great.  

I've been working on an old Halloween cross stitch project.  I think it's about 5 years old.  I used waste canvas so even though the stitching is done, I need to pull out all the strings of canvas - cringe.

I tied two 60" X 72" flannel quilts for my youngest grandsons (ages 5 and 3) this week.  I neglected to take a picture of them finished but here is a couple of pictures in progress.

The quilts have the same backing.  It is a white background doggy flannel print.  You can see it if you look under the table.  My DIL is showing how much red yarn I had left over.  It was a little too close for comfort.  I tied the quilt on the table with black yarn.

Staying busy,

Robin

Wheel Quilt completed

I completed my Wheels quilt.  It's hard to see because it is hanging in my hall and the lighting is very poor.  But, it looks terrific.  The wheels are a little wonky with less than perfect circles and uncentered centers.  But, I wanted it to look kind of folksy.

This is before the quilt was quilted but the colors are truer than the previous picture

I big stitched around the pieces in the wheel.  And at the edge you can see the shadow of the turned under portion of the cheddar fabric.  I didn't like the look. . . 

So, I decided to do red cross stitches all the way around the each circle to cover it up.

I think it turned out really cute and adds another layer of interest to the quilt.  I wanted a quilt to hang in this specific spot last year and all I got done was the top.  But, it's done in time for this year's display and I will enjoy it all fall.

I was aware of all the Kawandi creations made in the last few years.  I decided to research it so I could make a small one.  I first looked for a "How To" video and found this one; Dees Saturday Sampler

It's a little slow at first but very thorough so I was glad I watched the whole hour.

I also watched the Joe Cunningham (Joe the Quilter) video about Margaret Fabrizio and her Kawandi journey.  She's quite eccentric which makes this video very fun to watch.  Here 

A Kawandi is quilted from the outside in, placing the scrap of fabric down as you need to fill in a space.   

I finished this little quilt (17" X 20") including phulas, the flowers on each corner.  

It was a fun to learn this new technique created by the Siddi people of India.  I'm not sure I would want to make a full size quilt using this method but I've got a big bag of scraps so anything is possible.

The garden is slowing down which means the canning is also.  The apples are finally ripe and will be harvested soon.  We have a Golden Delicious tree and a Granny Smith tree.  The Golden was drastically pruned back last year to build a treehouse so the apple harvest will be minimal.  The Granny Smith tree is a dwarf so it hasn't produced an overabundance either.  It's just right for my DH and I.

Enjoy your Autumn wherever you live,

Robin