A Few Favorite Things

Next to working in the studio, I love to also work in my little kitchen. Yesterday was the actual Christmas day, but our Christmas with the family is both tomorrow and again either Monday or Tuesday. My two eldest boys can't seem to get along/get dates together due to schedules and the flu this year. 

It's a good thing they're not coming up today though...

Since last night

We are in the middle of an ice storm right now. It's been raining with temps in the high 20's so everything is coated in a layer of ice. And, it's still raining and it's still below freezing, so not sure how much of this we're going to continue to receive.

After we got back from moms around 5:00 yesterday I couldn't settle on doing anything. Until a fire finally lit up under my behind and I pulled out a new project to start (since the Alaska quilt is now done). I remember bringing all of the supplies back from Shipshewana last month and am excited to be working on this for the next?

I've already done the first AWAT so now I'm doing the second

I have all the fabrics and started cutting out for the first block...

Have to make 12 of these

This looks like a simple block, but after cutting, sewing, sub-cutting and organizing, I've only gotten this far...

Everything always takes longer

I'll be in and out of the studio today. I have to make cookies, deviled eggs, fudge, and Jim is working on the ham for tomorrow. With any luck, this rain will either a)turn to snow or b)get above freezing to melt all the ice before people have to head up this way. 

Merry Christmas

Well, I spent way too long on the Alaska quilt yesterday. It was supposed to be done (in my head) by mid-afternoon, but nope. Not until mid-evening. But, here it is!

It's a finish

Had to do a lot of math to get this pieced border to fit, but it fit perfectly and I'm happy with the finish.

We don't have a lot planned today other than going to moms and making pizzas. Just visiting with her will be a low-keyed day to relax and enjoy each others company. 

Merry Christmas Eve

Today is a play day. I was actually planning on making Christmas cookies today but we have one family who is currently fighting Influenza A and it looks like we may have to postpone our family Christmas to Monday or Tuesday next week. They are keeping us posted. 

Here's some of the quilting going into the Produce Section quilt...

Background work

I've only started the borders and the background and hope to work on this later today. But for now, my goal is to finish the Alaska quilt. I'm changing the borders the author instructed us to do and simplifying things a bit...

I'm going to do a 4-patch rather than a "v" like she instructs. I need to build the borders first before I can get any of them on. 

Jim is going out to his workshop to continue on with the memory boxes for the grandkids. We spent most of yesterday running the roads to pick up parts/supplies/mail/ in two different towns. Why does traveling wear one out so much?

Stick to What You Know

These projects were labeled "easy" and I guess sewing just isn't my thing. I'm glad to have taken the day out to construct these, because it literally took me until 3:00 yesterday to get them done. 

Ready for under the tree

They are cute, and they turned out nice, but they were NOT easy. And, I was not having fun doing them.

After I cleaned up from that project, I headed in the direction I'm most comfortable to head in...

Produce Section

Remember this quilt top from about a year ago? It's time to get it quilted! I love, love, love this quilt top and am sparing no expense in getting it finished. I purchased a good quality backing from MSQC and am putting bamboo batting into it. It will most likely get used during the summer months and bamboo is a little thinner than the wool.

I've already started in on it. The pics on-line have an E2E in it with just a lot of straight lines, but I want to be able to change threads and give each piece of fruit individualized attention; the attention they deserve because putting them together was a bear.

I'm going to work on Bernie this morning, I'll wrap some gifts after lunch, and then I'll be on DW playing for the rest of the day. It's what I love to do and aside from piecing together blocks, it's my favorite quilting activity. It's probably a good thing since I have three machines to do it with. Merry Christmas Eve, Eve. 

Visits and Christmas

We have people popping in and out all during the holiday season. Yesterday, Santa visited and dropped some gifts under the tree. I didn't do much else yesterday except visit and knit. 

Here's a scarf going to the DIL..

Scarf for a gift

I have another scarf in the works and will chip away at that some more today/tonight between "working" and working. It's the week before Christmas and all the holiday deadline quilts are done and picked up, so it's time for me to work on my stuff for the holidays.

Today will be the pencil pouches for the grandkids and me. 😀

Veering off the Path

Jim surprised me yesterday and took us to Frankenmuth for a holiday day. We ate how we wanted (no diet) and we just took in all the holiday festivities. The place was unsurprisingly busy. Once of the shops we visited was the Woolens shop and I was able to find two wide backs at a very reasonable price. 

We actually got home before dark and I then finished the binding on the cathedral window quilt.

All finished!

I pulled and started prepping for the pencil cases for the grandkids. 

Getting ready to put together

I'm making three. Two for each family and then another for me since I think these are so stinking cute. 

Mom stopped by already this morning dropping off some of the bigger presents for under the tree. Our Christmas here with the family won't be until Saturday. We'll head over to moms on Christmas day and make pizzas and visit for a while. 

I have scarves to work on all afternoon today while we watch holiday movies and relax. It's already been a crazy busy weekend and I'm ready to unwind a bit to gear up for the week ahead. 

Making a Quilt In A Day

Yep, this quilt was completed in less than four hours. Yes, I did cut out petals/footballs over the course of four sessions, and I took a few hours in an afternoon to grid out the background, but essentially, I have a completed (binding excluded) quilt in a day.

A completed quilt!

Getting it started

The second pic is starting the piece at around 2:30, and first pic is around 6:00. I have the binding made and will be attaching that first thing this morning. Afterward I'll be making two pencil pouches for Christmas gifts for the grandkids.

Okay, I did work all of yesterday morning and part of the afternoon on the customer quilt on Bernie, so I didn't slack off all day. I also had a customer come and pick up and she was here for a while (her husband and Jim were busy talking). 

The body is together

While I was waiting for the furnace to quit running a few times yesterday I assembled the body of the Alaska top. I have two borders to attach. One is going to be pretty easy. The other is something I have to come up with because the one given isn't going to happen. 

While working on things today I need to find the next quilt/back to load onto DW. If I keep him naked, a customer quilt will end up on the frame and I need to stop doing that.