Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!
Just before the big day, I decided to pull out my favorite Christmas scraps and see what I could do. I made a couple baby quilts last year from the fabric and then saw a couple matching prints after the holiday on sale so I bought a little hoping I might figure something out. It took  some  think time but I did not want to compromise the big pattern on the fabric. I wanted to see how fun it was. So, along with the scraps and the few big pieces I had I came up with this one and I just love it! I love the fabrics and it is just happy! I finished it a day or two before the holiday so it did not get used and my husband thinks I should sell it in a craft show. Hmmm.

The back is a nice bright green and red! Happy! I quilted the strips with a beautiful grey thread that came out almost invisible. I was going for the silver tinsel look but I love the way it came out. The red skinny strips are done in red.

My daughter wanted some bags for the baby. Her in-laws are an hour away and they often stay the night with them and she was looking for some travel bags. I forgot to snap a picture so she sent me one and the bags are already full. there is a drawstring bag laying down. They turned out so cute.

And finally. My family is encouraging me to do a craft show in the spring and sell some of the many quilts I have hanging around here. So, My middle daughter found this in an antique place and she sanded it and stained it. It should hold several quilts for display. No excuses now.
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Ho Ho Ho

 I found the best tutorial on these little tissue holders here and I went a little crazy. I made 34 of them!
My team had a small breakfast for the teachers that work with our kids and I made enough for everyone to have one. I was up until 11 the night before so just the remaining few got the picture. It is fun and very addicting. I know I need some more.

 It has been quite awhile since the last post so I have done some machine quilting and here they are. I really need a way to get better pictures.

 I made two more sets like these but they are wrapped and under the tree. Those pictures will come after Christmas. These below are for my two team mates at school.

There are a million things to do in less than a week. Ready, Set, Go!
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Houston Quilt show

I wait every year for the quilt show and it goes by so very fast! It was exciting this year because all my sewing buddies decided to make a star using a piece of the same fabric so they all coordinated and enter them into the NASA star quilt. One of the astronauts made a star block in space and they were looking for more stars to make a quilt and display it at the show. We all entered one and it was exciting to see my star put into a quilt and displayed at the show.  It is the black and white, center top. So Fun!

 The quilt show was amazing. I bought some more scraps(EEK!) a few patterns, thread, needles and a new ruler. My class was the best one ever. I learned to quilt feathers and I will have to get busy and quilt something up.

I have struggled for weeks about how to quilt this latest patriotic star but I just jumped in and started. I went with quilting it the color of the fabric. So, red, white and blue it was. I tried to be different with each color but the thread  blended so well, the quilting does not show much. It's OK. Scraps are used up so it's a win-win.

Halloween came again and my little sweetie was Pebbles from the Flinstones.  She looked very cute but was sick and did not get to go out. It was fun anyway!

My daughter bought a pattern for a little Zebra at quilt show and I am proud to say, the first little zippy Zebra is done and she did a mighty fine job, don't ya think?

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Fun Friday!

The kids at school get Fun Friday , so I guess I do too. My sewing buddies and I headed to Austin to a quilt shop, Sew Much More, to see Jenny Doan! Oh my, it was just so much fun! Jenny was so entertaining and had so many great ideas. It was a wonderful fun Friday!

I also had some finishes. I quilted up 2 quilts. The big star I finished a couple weeks ago with the fishes on it is done! I quilted some swirly things on it to look a little like waves. I also used a blue fabric for the binding that kind of looked like water, perfect! Easy, Fun, Done! the way I like it.

I also finished the one full of squares. Just a simple stipple and I had a bunch of leftover binding already cut and once again, Easy, Fun, Done! Lovely week. I also made a cute little costume for my baby girl- Pebbles! I will show that next week. Yabba-Dabba Doo.

I love to see them stacked up!

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Heading into Christmas

I couldn't resist making another fun bag. I am seriously thinking I might need about 10 more. they are so fun and quick to make.

I also found a small pile of Christmas scraps and just put them together for a quick table runner for my daughter. I quick quilted it up. Done! Yeah!

In the process of digging out the bag of Christmas scraps. I found the remaining piece of fabric from many years ago. I made Christmas dresses for all 3 of my girls. Different patterns but using the same fabric along with black velveteen. I thought it might be fun to make that quick ten minute table runner from the leftover piece. A small remembrance each year of when they were little.

As I continued to dig I found some remaining blocks from a Christmas quilt that never made it into a quilt so off I went and put them together. This weekend I can quickly quilt it up and all 3 girls just might get a little Christmas goodie.

The rest of my weekend was spent underneath a pile of string scraps and it sure was fun but messy. I have a total of 60 squares done but will save the remaining 60 for another long weekend. Very satisfying.

 Next weekend I am off to Austin to see Jenny Doan from Missouri Star Quilt Co. and the weekend after that is Houston Quilt festival. I am just so excited for all the quilt fun.
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Scrappy Week!

I decided I was being over run with scraps. I had been collecting piles of squares from projects and the piles were just getting too high. My first pile was a bunch of flannel squares and they went into a quick and scrappy blanket. I will most likely just give it away to someone or donate. Not the most beautiful but soft and warm just the same

I also had a nice pile of regular squares and so off I went with all of those. There is something very calming about just sewing squares together. It is a nice lap size. Christmas is coming and I am thinking it will find a home somewhere.This one will need to be quilted up so it can go on the pile. There are about 6 there already! Oh my!

A few weeks ago I put together this fun wall hanging for my middle daughter. The 5 of us draw names every summer and we have to MAKE something for them for Christmas. We started this when the kids were little and it is the most fun thing every year. The girls just LOVE it and the preparation and thought behind each gift is lovely. We exchanged names in June and my middle daughter is settling in on her own in an apartment. I will also make her a few other things for Holidays. But I used up a bunch of scraps to make the border on this fun Halloween panel. It's so cute!

Lastly, after looking at blogs again, I was inspired again by Jasmine at Quilt Kisses and made a cute bag from Jens  tutorial, using up MORE scraps. I love it and I know will make several more before Christmas.  My scrap pile should look smaller but not really. I started a string quilt as well and I am working on those blocks this weekend. WooHoo!! Let's make a mess!

Looking forward to diving in!
I never work this messy except on a string quilt. Yippee! Happy Weekend!

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Inspired!

I love having the inspiration from other bloggers, websites, pictures and posts on the web. I am often inspired by Jasmine over at quilt kisses and this next one is inspired from the star quilt she made recently. I decided to make mine a little scrappy since most of my pieces were just not quite right. I love it! It is the large version of the baby star I made last week. Thanks for the inspiration! Its about 60 by 60. I'm not sure if I should add a border or not. I used up a bunch of scraps and that makes me happy. There are lots of fish on the quilt so maybe my daughters in laws that fish a lot might get it for the boat on those cool days.

I had some leftover sock monkey fabric and I bought a little more in Ohio this summer so off I went again. The never ending string of sock monkey quilts. 2 more!

I have a baby shower this weekend and I showed the little pink elephant quilt. I looked at the scraps and put together a small envelope bag, big enough to carry a diaper and some wipes. No more scraps!
I also made her a sweet little flannel blanket and burp cloth to match. I really like it!

I have lots of quilting to do and I am now inspired to make some drawstring bags from Jasmine! so much to sew and so little time. Looks like another late Friday night sew date!
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September fun!

 I made a quilt with this fabric from a jelly roll and had some leftovers. I put together this little baby blanket and I really like it. I am thinking of doing a craft fair in a month or so, not sure, but this would be a nice little one to sell.

I should have taken a close up of this one. The center blocks have pink elephants in and it just turned out so cute! I have a shower next wekend and this new little baby girl is getting this one.

I'm almost done with this top. It just needs some borders to make it a little bigger. It's only about 34 inches wide and I think I would like it a little bigger. I made this pattern many years ago. Its fun and very quick. Not sure how I will quilt it though and thinking about how to use some girl colors and make it again. I also made the centers of 2 more quilts and I will show those when they are done. Helloooo weekend!
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Just for Fun!

I am so blessed to have 3 wonderful Girls. My oldest has the baby and she is always doing a little something fun! For the baby's birthday Party she made this really cute chalkboard that sat on the mantle with flowers and a picture. It was way too cute and I thought it would be fun to show it.

My Youngest daughter is now employed and living and working from home. An old chair was transformed by her this afternoon in just about an hour and I love it. Way to go girl!

TGIF

Oh what crazy days I have had! The school year start has been a bit crazy and I have managed to sew almost very day but only a little. My blogging,,,not so much. But, I am ever so grateful I have my sewing to help those crazy days come to a small little stop while I piece a few fabrics together and feel calm and happy. I have pieced together and quilted this cute little lap quilt. I bought the fabric on sale in Ohio and am pleased with how it came together. The thread I used to quilt it matched and blended so well I had trouble seeing where I had been. The mistakes were made because I couldn't tell where I had already sewn! I just need to add the binding Yay!

I made up a few flannel blankets as well. They will be passed out as gifts this month.

My adorable grand daughter turned 1 and had a little party at my house with just family and I had some fun making some koozies for a final swim party. They turned out pretty cute. The guests liked them too and took them home.

I should have taken pictures of them around the water, beer and soda!! They look better there!
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Free Motion Mavericks- So Glad to find them!!!

Final summer finish

The kids come to school tomorrow morning and I have been back to school for over a week now. I have continued to sew but not quite as much as I get ready for another school year. I did manage to finish a top. I bought the fabric in Ohio on sale and needed something simple to work on after my trainings. I am pleased with it and think it will be even softer and more fun after it is quilted but my stack "to quilt" is getting taller. I also made some fun birthday bloomers for the grand daughters first birthday coming up and appliqued a cute shirt for her. Those pictures will come later as I forgot to take them and my daughter took them home. For now, my newest .

The colors are hard to see in the picture but it's very sweet.

Final Summer Friday!

Where has the summer gone? Next Friday I will be back in school for another fabulous year. I have been home from Ohio for about 10 days and boy have I been busy. I want to get as much done as I can before I am gone all day at school again. I am so backlogged on quilting up the tops I have made so I got busy. this top was half quilted when I left for Ohio so I finished that one. I don't know why but I am drawn to simple square quilts. I think I need to make another one.

I also quilted up the final Monkey top!

 I Quilted up a couple tops from Ohio.

 This one i Made in Ohio but Quilted with a very fine pale pink thread. I love the way it looks on top but the thread kept breaking and I adjusted the tension and it was a real struggle. I also quilted the borders different with different threads. It was an experiement and I will get the feel for doing some new things.

I am almost done with the state flower quilt and I have finished a twin size top as well. They just need the binding. The 5th OH quilt needs borders but I better catch up on the rest.

My Fair and Square State Flower quilt needs about one more yard of binding and that is done!

My hourglass quilt is only in need of binding as well. I am getting those projects knocked off!!

I had a great time in Ohio with my brother, sister and Mom. Happy summer.

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TGIFF Quilt Matters 
My Quilt Infatuation