Across the country, around the globe

  Mrs. Claus is industrious.  Mrs. Claus is well traveled.  Mrs. Claus is generous, and kind.  Mrs. Claus is a quilter!  And I have the proof.....

  First came a package from Minnesota, about 2,000 miles it traveled to reach the home base for the Get Your Mrs. Claus On project.    Mrs. Claus from Minnesota, aka Wenanah, is a member of the HGTV Message board.  She wanted to add a little softness to our collection of doll quilts this year, and she chose to use some colorful minkee fabrics.  She added decorative stitching along the edge to finish this one.  It turned out so cute.   Wenanah sent this to represent the sate of South Dakota.

    Then a package arrived that was overloaded with postage.  I mean half of the front of the envelope was postage.  Care to take a guess how far it traveled?  Nope, I bet you missed.  I did a little research on line and discovered that these little doll quilts traveled about 11,500 miles!!!!
    Mrs. Claus of Australia, aka Shirlwin, is also a member of the HGTV Message board.  I was absolutely shocked to see all these cuties.  Shirlwin did a beautiful job, and even added some hand quilting to them.  I love them all and could not pick a favorite.

  Both of these packages arrived just in time for the organizational meeting of the toy making elves at the Greenville Woodworkers Guild.   So naturally, I took them to show the elves.  Just a little nudge  :)   A single comment from one of elves says it all....."Boy, we better get busy before they show us up."
  Mrs. Claus, you are amazing!!  Thank you all so much for your help and support.  I just love it when a plan comes together......happy stitching.

Unbound Buzz Saw

  The harder I try, the "behinder"  I get.  That means my plate is very full right now with small bits of progress on several things.   The second Free Motion class was finished up on Saturday.  This was probably the best group I have had to date, and they worked really hard at the lessons.  So we may add a feathers class for the summer.  The shop also wants a Tiara tips and hints class, so I am working that info up this week.   And throw in a demo, and tax time and you can see why I have a full plate.

   The Buzz Saw---Whopper quilt---is quilted, unbound, but quilted!  I have more thread tails to hide, and binding to cut and add  before I can call it done.


  This one is so big and heavy that I had to get Sir Old Man to lug it outside for me this morning. He is quite happy with his choice of pattern and is actually working on the bed!  I am elated that he is motivated to build that bed....now that the quilt is almost done.  :)

    His close up photo of the quilting..... note only a few straight lines through the batiks to hold them  in place.  I love how their colors stand out!  All the background is fully quilted...not quite hyper quilting, but plenty of thread was used.  I used 2 full bobbins on the border alone.












    We also re-arranged the sewing room.  It was time for a change, as I was feeling cramped. So we---really Sir Old Man did the lifting---shifted the machines around and moved the cutting table to the center of the room.    With the Tiara on the side wall, I have room for the extra support tables when I need them.  Or one of them can be moved beside the sewing machine if needed.

   And I am prepping for a demo at guild next month.  Kerri wants to feature flower blocks.  Ummm....does that sound like me?   This is the frayed edge technique that uses 4 layers of fabrics.
   I thought I would make up one block completely finished as a mug rug, and have the various stages of blocks to show.  Then I can turn the remaining blocks into a table runner.  I hope to get the sewing done on these Saturday while Sir Old Man is at a wood finishing seminar.



   And in case that is not enough......
This starts up the first Monday in March.....McTavishing we go!!!!
 I ran across this new FMQ stitch along/challenge that starts soon.  I have tried McTavishing before, with so-so results.  Not bad, just not the beautiful designs she does.  So this little adventure will be a good challenge for me this year.  Details are at Amy's Free Motion Quilting Adventures.  This sew along type challenge will include linky parties for showing progress.  Hope to see some of you there!

  It is 70 degrees here today.....and last week we were snow bound.  So I need a little time outside in the sun before I tackle the bow flex or anything else.  Happy stitching.

Feathers in the snow

  The power stayed on and I got a lot....a whole lot.... of work done on the border of the Buzz Saw quilt.  Now that I am approaching the third side, I sort of have this quilting design figured out.
   I wanted the feathers to curl over in a more circular effect along the sides.  I figured out that having them go in opposing directions created a very neat effect.  At the corners, I used a straighter spray of plumes rather than a curling one.

 

  The snow has stopped for now, and I was wanting a photo of this one on that fluffy white stuff.  So a quarter of the quilt will have to do.  There's about an inch of sleet and ice under that top couple of inches of snow.  That kept me from trying to lay it out completely smooth.

 


  I also finished off a couple of  snack mats for a little variety to my day.
Happy stitching.

They said it would....

  Snow!   It arrived early this morning....this is the first round, and tomorrow is the blaster.
  I prepared in every way, except for fabric dye.  Once again I put it off, did not order dye, and we get snow.  Instead I am at the Tiara.  Want to peek?

  I am starting at a corner and developing a winding, curling feather.
I was having so much fun, I hated to stop.  Yet, to preserve my back/shoulders I am making myself stop after about 12 inches or 20 minutes at a time.

    I am making these very free form because I am not good at the "follow the line" type of feathers.  I am sort of working in sections, rather than a continuous feather  all around the border.  When I run off the edge, I will just start another one.

 

  And just in case we lose power....I am prepared with fabric and rotary cutter to keep me occupied.

   Happy stitching.

Doll quilt and the banner

  A new doll quilt arrived this week from Quiltnanny of the HGTV Message board.  It is a small sampler of wonderful blocks.  And then I flipped it over to see the back......

  Quiltnanny used the cutest fabric on the back.  It's a wonderful alphabet fabric full of bright colors and animals.  Thank you, Quiltnanny, for representing New Hampshire with this one.

  I so appreciate all the gals at HGTV who really keep the Mrs. Claus project rolling on!












 

It is almost time for the Winter Olympic games to begin and those wonderful banners from Sochi are everywhere.  It was 2 years ago when they caught my eye and inspired my venture into 60 degree triangles.  Here is the post where I began.  Ironically, it is my most viewed post!  Must be the color  :)
   So in honor of the games, I pulled out the purple banner to enjoy.

   I have cleaned the machines, and filled the bobbins, so now it is pedal down for me.   Happy stitching.


 
 

January Something old, something new

  Something new........
 Done just in time.....the twin baby quilts are finished.  I used the crossroads blocks to make these two...one girl and one boy.  Lynne queried how I would handle the white areas on them.  Good question!  Normally I would quilt them flat, but the purpose of these are to be cuddly and soft.  That meant open, simple quilting.

   For Bella's, I used big fat hearts with a little swirl.  48 hearts equal a lot of love, and all connected with loops and curls.   These are the weeping heart style that were part of the first month's lesson during the Free Motion Quilting Challenge.  They came in handy here to fill up that white space and still keep it soft.

 
   But no hearts for Blake's.....instead I did my version of coloring book stars.   I actually pulled out my doodle pad and practiced drawing a few dozen of these before I began to quilt.  Not all the lines are straight, but once washed, who will notice.  And don't you dare call the quilt police on me.








 Something old......

   I made some headway on quilting the huge whopper  Buzz Saw quilt.   This will be around for a few more weeks or months!  Actually, I am ready to do some straight lines on it and then move to the border.
  My explanation of selecting the quilting pattern led to 2 posts talking about my ideas on design layers.







    And to finish off my month, I added borders to two pieced tops, that are official UFOs.   I posted about my simple borders technique that I used for these.


  February's plans are easy to make.  Quilt, quilt, quilt......work on the Buzz Saw till I drop, or get tired anyway.  And pin the 2 UFOs.  Play a little bit more with the stings of batiks for the jumbled library quilt.  Short month, so short list.....kind of.
Linking to Never too hot to stitch
for Something old, Something new.

Happy stitching.