BEST OF 2021

One of my first exploration into the world of art quilting.  It was something I had often thought about trying out, but just didn't think I could manage it.  After seeing some pictures in an Art Quilting magazine, I decided to give it a try.  For a first time into this world I was really pleased with the outcome.  

SUMMER FIELDS

Drummer Boy was made from a pattern I purchased from Rachel of Stitched in Color.  I hung on to the pattern for a good year, then started and stopped until this 2021 to finish it.  I will say it took me forever to get it done.  But I think it was one of the nicest scrap quilts I have ever made.

DRUMMER BOY

This quilt sat for a good year before I finally decided to get it quilted and finished up.  The pattern was purchased from The Patchers Menagerie. It truly was fun designing these birds.  The pattern gives you basic instructions than it was up to you to personalize those birds.  Longer legs, fatter bodies, short or long beaks, just so much fun.   

BIRDS

Confetti also was a pattern purchase from Rachel of Stitched in Color.  I titled it Covid Insanity.  It has almost 2,000 pieces of fabric and 128 paper pieced blocks.  With all my guild activities that pretty much locked us down until September of 2021 due to Covid there wasn't much to do but sew. 

CONFETTI

My number one for all the quilts that I finished this year is Bird of a Feather.  I believe I started it in 2006 or 2007.  It has taken forever to get it quilted myself.  But, of all the quilts I have ever accomplished I think this is one of my my very favorites.

Birds of a Feather 

2022 BOM & CAMDEN STATION

OK, yes I have lost my mind.  After almost getting my Birds of a Feather completed after working on it for YEARS, and still working on my Wistaria Lane for ages I have decided to start this Block of a Month 2022 quilt offered by The Quilt Show.  

I bought the fabric kit.  Given that there are 54 different fabrics in it and a pile of English paper piecing templates, which I have no intention of using, the cost of the fabric kit while hefty was not unreasonable.

This is just a small sample of the fabrics in the kit.  Since it is a BOM with lots of monthly video instructions and printouts I thing it should be doable within the year's time.  Well, at least I will have someone keeping me on track.  Besides it has a good deal of appliqué on it which I love doing.  The pattern calls for hand appliqué, but no not for me, I will be using fusible with machine stitching.

In October I purchased this appliqué pattern and fabric kit at the Pacific Internation Quilt Show.  So have decided to make a start on it.

The individual blocks finish at 6 inches.  Oh my, those appliqué pieces are small.  I have been experimenting with my favorite machine appliqué blanket stitch to get it very tiny.  I will be using Sulky rayon thread with a neutral poly thread in the bobbin.  I am playing with the bobbin thread a bit just to make sure that the stitching on the actual appliqués works well.  This along with my BOM for 2022 are going to be long term projects.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT

 

  

CHRISTMAS SOCKS AND COOKIES

 In September we decided it was time to do some improvements to our kitchen.  A new sink, garbage disposal, and faucet were needed.  Now that means you must tear out the counter tops, all the plumbing under the sink.  Also the counter tops where the stove top have to go as well so everything matches, and the stove top which while old still works great goes too.  It was bound to quit as soon as a new counter top was installed and we all know then the cut out would not have matched, such is life.  Well, with all the shipping problems these days they did not start until December 1st.  A promise to be done by Christmas, nay, we all know contractors lie. 

As you can see things are in a bit of a mess.  Thank goodness just right outside the laundry room in our garage we have a sink out there.  The microwave and oven work, and husband even has a hot plate to replace the missing stove top.  So Christmas dinner is at our youngest daughters home, as we had Thanksgiving here.  So the only thing to do at this point is sew.

Each one of my grandchildren have Christmas socks.  All somewhat match with really nice appliqués on them.  Every year my son in law jokingly asks where his sock is.  Now we celebrate Hanukkah with them and they Christmas with us.  So I decided to make him a double sided sock.  The one side with a winter themed Christmas fabric and the lower with Hanukkah fabric.

My daughter was bound to feel slighted so I made her a sock as well with winter themed Christmas fabrics.  Now I know that I am in trouble with this.  I can almost see myself making her and the four grandchildren Hanukkah themed socks for next year.  

With all the construction going on in the kitchen one would think baking cookies was a silly idea, but somehow it just doesn't feel much like Christmas without a batch or two of cookies.  We have plywood for countertops and the oven works so why not. 

DESIGN WALL MONDAY 

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT

  

  

  

 

 

TIME TO FINISH UFO'S AND CHRISTMAS DECOR

 I have UFO's screaming at me for attention.  It is time to do something about them.

This is my Birds of a Feather quilt.  It is patterns from a book by Barb Adams and Alma Allen of Blackbird Designs.  I probably started it in 2006 or 2007.  I decided to quilt it myself.  Pretty much with quilting on the bird, flowers, leaves, and other appliqué items.  It has been a major undertaking.  I have picked it up and stashed it away numerous times. But it is time to get this finished.  My quilt guild is having a quilt show in April and I intend to get this quilt shown in it.

This wall hanging is Wisteria Lane a pattern by Melinda Bula in Skinny Quilts & Table Runners II.  I am just getting the blooms on the blue blossom in the right hand upper corner.  Only three more to go and probably a hand full of leaves too.  Then it has to be quilted.  All the petals and leaves need sewing down.  Not sure how I intend to manage that.  But, it is definitely time to get this done.  I think I have been fussing with it for 8 to 10 years off and on.    

I do manage to get some things done in a timely way as I finished my Red Birds in Christmas fabrics this past week.  I like it so much better than the original mini I did of this pattern.  I used Metallica Coats and Clark iridescent thread for the quilting.  The fabrics have lots of gold and silver metallic threads in them.

      DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT