Happy New Year!

Starting with some treasures that my Mum tucked in my Christmas stocking.  Oooo!  Some real oldies in there.  The silver coloured oval with the bar in the middle is apparently a scissor sharpener.  Some lovely old needle packets, a needle book in the shape of a sun hat, some old bodkins and a Necchi sewing machine threader.  Fun!

We were so lucky to have our family with us for Christmas.  Our wee grand baby stayed for most of the break, along with his Mum and Dad and that was just the best.  He is a world class snuggler and is already 6 months old. 

I  did not sew at all during the two week break except for a few Christmas makes just before the big day. We also got hammered with a sick thing that went through the house.  Blech!  I did make some table runners for gifts.  And some things that I even forgot to photograph.  Good grief!  So here we are in January, snow covered and under a winter storm advisory again!  

Autumn runner: Gifted

Well.  I know it is still the Christmas season but what are you going to do when your mother says, "I don't have a table runner in fall colours."  That sounds like a perfect hint for a Christmas make.  I used up a lot of scraps on this one.  Fall colours and linen scraps in random offset strips, 5" wide.  I actually make all the strip sets at a guild sew in on my featherweight and then finished the rest at home on my Janome. I quilted it densely with an Aurifil 40 weight in a lovely linen tone.  I used Aurifil 50 wt in cream in the bobbin.  The slightly heavier Aurifil gives a lovely texture.  The runner is bound in a medium olive green Grunge by Moda.  So much fun.  Gifted.  And she likes it!

A finish and another gift made

I finished this table runner nice and quick.   The binding happened while watching tv the other evening.  It felt good to use up some of my French General hoard.  It is a funny thing that I have such a stack of French General fabrics and yet rarely use it.  I really do think that my fabric tastes have evolved since I first started stock piling it.  I still like it but I don't really see it in a quilt.  At least not for me.  It looks quite nice in a table runner though.

The fabulous thing about table runners is that you get to use up batting scraps!  I have a huge pile of potential table runners!  The other fabulous thing about table runners is how quickly they quilt up.   Love that!

I quilted this simply with some gorgeous Aurifil 40 wt.  It has a beautiful sheen to it and the heavier weight allows the quilting to really sparkle.

Oh!  I ordered some labels awhile ago!  They look quite official!

Linking up with Finish it up Friday at Amanda Jean's.  Off to quilt guild tonight.  So much fun!

Making stuff from scraps

I took a bunch of scraps that I had picked up at a quilt shop awhile ago as a scrap bag.  I cut them into strips and I added a solid neutral.  I stitched them together in a pleasing pattern.  Added an interesting back which was really just some of the scraps from the front and a lot more of the solid.  And quilted the crap out of it as Amy Dame would say.

Then I played with my brand new acufeed foot.  It is a quarter inch foot.  How did I live without this?  Perfection for attaching binidngs.  Just have to say that.  Perfection!  Snazzo dazzo... I had a table runner.  Just like that.

A little Christmas in July...

I have been trying to do a little Christmas in July but it is hard to think Christmas when the flowers are blooming and the berries are doing their thing.  I did make a few table runners.  The top one is a wonky scrappy little star and the one below is wonky trees using Sandy Gervais' quilt pattern for the trees.  For the wonky stars, I used some light grey print Christmas fabric scraps.  The low volume allows the deep red stars to really pop.

And we picked blueberries today.  It has begun.  Happy Monday!!!

A Christmas Gift Finish and a welcome!

I have a finish!  From the weekend.  I really like it.  I made this wonky, wonky little star table runner for a gift.  I have to do more of this because I think they look AWESOME with all their twinkly little star-ness.

I want to say welcome to all the new followers that have dropped in and decided to stay.  It is just so exciting to see the number of followers grow!  I just noticed that there are 150 of you!!!!!  I am also stunned with the number of people who have left comments for my giveaway.  Simply fantastic!

Today was the Christmas Concert at school.  It was GREAT!  Lots of funny little Kindergarten moments and wonderful bits all the way through.  There was, of course, a standing room only crowd and gift basket and gingerbread houses for raffling.  I have to say it was wonderful and we are all so happy it is over.  I telephoned Husband when the concert was over and he thought I sounded unnaturally calm.  He he he.  That can only be because the concert was over.  I don't think I would have sounded that calm before!

I am trying to figure out how to have a list of all my quilt finishes on my blog that will link to a picture. If anyone has a great idea or where to go to figure this out, please let me know.  : )

Have a wonderful rest of your evening!  And if you have not entered my giveaway or checked out the other giveaways over at Sew Mama Sew, please do!  The loot is drool worthy!