CHRISTMAS 2022

This Christmas has been such a fun time with my family.  Lots of family time and goings on at our home.

On the Wednesday before Christmas my oldest grand daughter came by and made decorated cookies with me.  We have done this for several years now and it is so much fun.  She is the decorating queen for sure, I could never manage these beauties.

I am not the baker in my home.  Husband makes these pizzelles, my only contribution is dipping them in chocolate and he sprinkles on the crushed candy cane chips.

Husband's pecan pie as well.  Not only does he do the baking for them, but we have two pecan trees and he harvests and shells them for these beauties.  They are the families favorite for not only Thanksgiving but Christmas as well.

I am the clean up crew for all that kitchen baking, but then slithered off to my sewing room and to do some Christmas creation I'm much better at.  All the blogs with so many wonderful Christmas ideas really got me hooked so I started this project last week, but quickly ran out of all three fabrics to create 4 of these blocks to make a wall hanging.  So have turned it into a table topper and have it partially quilted.  

The leftovers came to a good substitute for another simple runner, and it is ready to quilt.  They will be all ready to gift for next Christmas.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS 

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT 

 

 
  

 
 

NEW SCRAP PROJECT AND A LITTLE BIT MORE CHRISTMAS TO MAKE

Christmas just about here.  The house is decorated and the tree is up with lights and all those decorations.  Some have been around for years, makes me smile about the fun memories.  The baklava is baked and in the freezer, and the cookie dough in the refrigerator and is ready to roll out and get those cookie cutters out and egg paint decorate them too.

When last week's scrap bin reduction was unsuccessful I decided to give it another try.  I decided this time to at least try to produce something with a bit more eye appeal.  These first 10 are done which will finish at 10 inches.  Have another 26 to go.

At least the rest of them are cut and ready to go.  They make a good evening project sitting in front of the TV preparing each step in the process, sewing them the next day and moving on to the next step the following evening.  Takes about three days to get a batch of 10 done.

Seems rather silly at this late date to be fussing around with a Christmas project, but there is always next year.  At this time of year with so much going on, these silly little projects seem to work.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT  

  
 
  

MY SCRAP BIN OVERFLOWS & NEW CLASSES TO TEACH

 This week looks like it is packed with to do lists.  Husband and I must bake Baklava this week, it is a full day and a half affair.  So worth it though.  The house needs to be decorated for Christmas, and  there are several parties and guild functions to attend.  Plus I am preparing again for two new beginners quilt classes in January and February.

My quilt guild has made and shipped over 100 quilts to the Ukraine over the last few months.  They are calling for more.  My scrap bins are overflowing.  No matter how often I think I have things under control in that closet, they keep multiplying.  So this week I have just pulled out everything bright and colorful and have worked on this quilt top.  I know that this will not make even a dent it the growing piles in there, but worth a try for a good cause. 

No sooner than I finished teaching my Beginners Quilting class at the end of November I was asked to teach an intermediate class for January and February.  We selected these two simple patterns, but will include quilting and binding them in the classes.

I selected a very simple quilting pattern for the students.  The classes will include 2 full days.  I have myself some work ahead of me. 

We celebrated my oldest grandson Elijah's 20th birthday last week.  He is getting ready to go to Fire Academy on the 6th of January.  The quilt is a bit of a joke between Elijah and I.  Over a year ago when he started college courses for his EMT and Fire Science he asked me to make him a fire engine quilt.  I laughed at him and told him he must be kidding.  However I discovered a picture of this fire engine quilt on the internet and thought I would give it a try.  I had to significantly increase the size of it, as it was a child's pattern, but it ended up really looking pretty good.  He was very surprised and very happy with it.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT  

 

 

 

BASKET QUILT TOP & BEGINNING QUILTING CLASS FINISHES

 This past week finished off my Beginning Quilting 4 weeks class.  I was back to making some progress on my Alex Anderson basket quilt top.  I struggled with it, but finally managed to finish it off.  

I am finally fairly pleased with this quilt top.  It is certainly not perfect.  I had a good deal of trouble with getting points not cut off, bias blocks and in some cases not always being able to nest seams perfectly.  Thank goodness the fabric is so wild that it disguises them well.  It is off to the quilters right after the first of the year.  My quilter does not take or do any quilting in December.  So, my back and batting are ready, and I even have my binding cut and ready to go when the quilt comes back.

The three ladies above all finished off their quilt top in my Beginning Quilting class.  These three ladies had some sewing and quilting experience.   

This lady had absolutely no sewing experience.  She came with a sewing machine she hardly knew how to thread.  We did a bit of hand holding, but she got it done and it looks great.  No, not perfect but indeed a great job.  The other two ladies in the group got their blocks all done, and were confident enough to get their borders on.  They are promising to send pictures when complete and I will post them when I get them.  Next, they are all asking for another intermediate class.  The shop owner has already talked to me about coming up with a pattern and project in March or April.  

This is my oldest daughter's two couch potatoes.  They are English Mastiffs.  Liza the tan female on the left is about 4 years old, she weights in at about 100 pounds.  Loki the male on the right is just under a year old.  As you can see he is already nearly twice Liza's size.  I think he is weighing in at about 160 to 180 pounds now, but will when fully grown should come in at about 200 to 225.  Now that's a lot of dogs!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT