After...

I put together a quilt top today.  This is the double hourglass quilt from Cathy.  Back in December of 2010, she had sent blocks she had made along with fabric to make more blocks to finish the quilt.  She also sent fabric for the backing. 

Actually, I had it pretty much put together 2 months ago (click here)...16 half rows that I labelled, so all I had to do was put the half rows together.

It needs a good pressing and then will be put with the others waiting to be basted and quilted.

After sewing all those napkins and aprons, it was much different sewing rows of a quilt together!  Ya know?

Do you have your first project of the new year all lined up and ready to go?  In addition to the one I'll be cutting tomorrow, I need to make me Mum's quilt.  Those are the only 2 quilts I have on my agenda until after I move (in the spring).

I have been keeping my knitting projects going...need to sew several of them together and will then show you.  


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Merry Christmas!

 

Tag is a happy boy...

he has two new toys.

A warthog (his 5th one over the years)

and a duckie!

Thank you to Aunts Julie and Jill.  

Merry Christmas to you all!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Christmas Blessings...

fellowshipoftheminds.com 

Wishing you all a very Blessed Christmas.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

All Done!!!

YAY!!

I am all done with sewing Christmas gifts.

I feel very good about everything I made.  

And, I made all gifts except

the 2 gift cards I bought for my grandsons.

I never did get around to making

any hot pads/potholders, though.

I guess I can work on them at my leisure

and give them as gifts throughout the year...

or save them for next Christmas!  

Here are the last of the napkins...

Here is a photo of some of what I made.

When I took this photo, I had already mailed

out some gifts, and was not finished making others. 

Here are the stats:

97 napkins

6 aprons

22 kleenex cozies

1 zippered pouch

1 sweatshirt jacket

All fabric used came from my stash

except for 1.5 yards for napkins

and 1/2 yard for sweatshirt jacket facings.

I used 24 yards of fabric for napkins, 

4 yards for aprons and

mostly scraps for kleenex cozies.

I generated a few more scraps

for myself in the process.

That is a lot of fabric!

And, truth be told...not all of the napkins

are going out as Christmas gifts.

I may have overdone it a bit.

Or not.

I was just so happy sewing

and listening to music

that I made napkins out of any fabric

that I either had no immediate use for,

or just plain thought

would make great napkins!

Truth be told,

there are some sets that

I am going to keep for myself!

How's that!?!

And, what this means...

is that I have the next week

to do whatever I want!

Like, finish one quilt top

and start another!

I need to find a way to baste some quilts...

don't want to move all those flimsies with me.

Thank you, God,

for giving me the ability

(and fabric!) to do this.

Amen.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Almost...

Believe it or not, I am almost done showing these.  Not sure why I think you need to see every single napkin I sew!  haha.

 

 

 

And, another Christmas apron...

I sewed a few more sets tonight...will show them tomorrow.  And, that will be it!  

We got snow today.  

I'm not sure what Tag is looking for...

It's almost Christmas.  Finally!


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Snow Day...

 Snowing today...

total of 6-10 inches predicted. 

Happy I don't have anywhere 

I need to be.

One more Christmas gift to make...

then to wrap gifts.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Today is...

A knitting kind of day...

 What kind of day is it for you?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

A Few More...

I am almost done sewing Christmas gifts.

I am surprising myself...
that I am getting all my gifts done.
On time!

Of course, it may have something to do

with the fact that I am retired!
~grin~

All packages needing to be mailed have been sent.

Most of the remaining gifts will be picked up by my

son, Matthew, who will deliver them

to family members for me.

The rest will be given out as I see the recipients.

Here are a few you haven't seen...

And, look what Naomi Janome made...
twin aprons!

See those loops?
Know what they're for?
To hang a dish towel through!

(I still have yet to start on those potholders!)

When all gifts are done, 

I am going to have used

over 20 yards of fabric!

Can you believe that?

I am so very fortunate to have

had this great stash of fabrics to

pull fabrics from!  I only had

to buy for 2 sets of napkins!

Not bad, hey?

How are you doing with your

Christmas gift-making/shopping?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Breaktime!

I took a break from sewing Christmas gifts

and made something for myself.

No, I didn't start that quilt.

I made something for myself.

My. Self.

I made these...

 

Pattern weights.

12 of them.

Why pattern weights, you ask?

Well, let me just tell you about that...

Once upon a time,

I did a lot of sewing for my family.

The only part of sewing that I did not like

was the process of laying everything out,

pinning the pattern pieces to the fabric,

and cutting it all out.

Pinning took forever

and I cannot even tell you

how many times I stuck myself!

Being the wonderful Mom that she is, 

me Mum usually did that part for me.  (thank you!)

Once again, I am sewing garments

(and doll clothes).

Because me Mum is no longer able to help me,

I am the one stuck with that job.

And, yes...getting stuck.

  

So, when I ran across an article about pattern weights,

I immediately knew they were the answer

to the question that I didn't even know I was asking!

 Seriously!

 Using these weights is going to save me so much time!

I won't be sticking myself with pins, either!

(I do very little pinning when

sewing and piecing quilts.)

There are many ways to make pattern weights...

all less expensive than buying them.

Here are a few links to the different ones, 

including the one I used.

Click here and here and here.

 Okay, back to the sewing machine...

I have a few aprons waiting to be finished.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

I Saw These...

I saw these on Pinterest.

I was struck by their truths.

 

And, finally...this one.

Happy Sunday!




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

As If...

Yes, as if I don't have enough on my to-do list...

While looking through my stash for fabrics for (yet another set of) napkins, I came across these fabrics.  The kit was put together by my lqs for a BOM last year.  Along the way, I decided to not do the BOM...just too much going on at the time.  Most of them are Normandy Court and Fossil Fern, both  by Benartex...very pretty, aren't they? 

I did use a few pieces for napkins (I'll show that set later) and then started obsessing about wondering what I should do with these lovely pieces.  With the help of my friend, Erin of Why Not Sew?, (thank you!) I decided a 16 patch would be perfect.   

Even though I have a quilt top all set to sew together and another one to start right after the first of the year, and even though I am not quite done with Christmas gift-making, and I do have a few commissioned pieces to start on right after the first of the year...and especially even though I really need to concentrate on making doll clothes...I may have to take a bit of time when I wouldn't otherwise be sewing to work on the 16 patch.

Obsessed, I know. 

And crazy.

For sure.



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Just More of the Same...

No potholders.

Yet.

Still finding the need for more napkins.

 

 

 

 

same fabric...folded opposite ways.

Did make another apron, though.

With a coordinating set of napkins.

And, more Kleenex cozies.

 I really should be done with napkins.  I really need to work on a few other things.  

Hope you're having as much fun as I am making Christmas gifts!!!



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Napkins...Again...and More!

I have now made 46 napkins...WOW!  That's a lot of fabric...and all from my stash!  I think I might be done with them.  Oh.  No, that's not true.  I have an order of fabric coming to make 4 more napkins...a special order because the fabric was better than anything I had for this set.  

Here are the napkins I've made in the past few days.

Top 2 were added to the bottom 2 that I showed the other day.

Now this is interesting...I received this fabric from Cathy a few boxes ago.  Not sure what I would do with it, so it was put away.  

I looked at it at different times when choosing fabrics for projects, but always dismissed it.  (sorry, Cathy.)  However, when I was going through and choosing fabrics for napkins, I thought, "hey!  these might work well!"  And, you know what?  I think these may be my new faves!!! 

More sewing.  I made a few more Kleenex cozies...

It is time for me to move on.  Get set to admire (I hope!) the potholders and aprons I will be making!

How are you doing on your Christmas gift sewing?


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Addicted to...

Napkins!

I think I am addicted...

I have made 33 napkins to date.

Cannot help myself...

I keep coming up with fabric

from my stash that

will make great napkins!  

What do you think?

~grin~

I may make a few more to go with these...

These may be my absolute faves...

 

These are made with prairie cloth.

There's a nice old-fashioned feel to them...

 

  

I am having fun with these,

but it is almost time to

move on to the next part of the

kitchen-themed gifts.

More fun ahead!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11