December/January Goals

Where has this year gone? Better yet, where has this decade gone? I think I will just focus on this month. Here are the goals I set for myself.

1. Make swap blocks. Does half done count?

2. Finish my Dutch hexies quilt. Done!

3. Prep another handwork project for the holidays. Done! I decided to knit this month. I finished two scarves and one dish cloth.

4. Start working on my vintage Many Trips UFO. Not done.

5. Choose another UFO to work on. Done! I started working on my snowball blocks.

What else did I do?

I made a quilt for my end table.

And I did a bit of cleaning in the sewing room.

And I think that’s about it!

January, I always have high hopes for you! I would like to:

1. Finish swap blocks.

2. Make 6 more leader/ender blocks.

3. Finish my snowball blocks.

4. Quilt 5 QOVs.

5. Finish a thorough cleaning of the sewing room.

6. Finish my mini for the swap.

Here’s to a productive month!

Posted in Goals, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

A Little Something

I’m taking part in a doll quilt swap on Instagram again this year. I found a sweet little antique doll quilt to replicate and so I have a jump on my swap quilt. Here are my cut pieces.

I used these dies from Accuquilt .

See how the corners are nipped for placement?

I wanted my stripes to radiate out from the center.

This is how the back looks after the first round.

Again, nipped corners help keep them lined up.

No points lost in the making of this square in a square block!

I might be able to squeeze in one more finish before the end of the decade! BTW, Accuquilt has some great deals going on to finish out the year.

Have a good one.

This post contains affiliate links.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Slow Stitching Sunday

I want to thank everyone for reading and commenting over the holidays. I scheduled most of my posts ahead because I knew I would not have time with all the festivities. I’ve kept up with reading comments, but not responding. I’ll try to get to the questions soon.

I thought I would baste a quilt for hand quilting over the holidays. Instead, I’ve been knitting. My attempts at knitting a hat were failures. So I moved on to scarves.

Daughter #1 is my beautiful model. The darker scarf was made for her, the lighter one was gifted to Daughter #3. Daughter #2 lives in Arizona so a bulky scarf is not needed. I did send her a hand knitted dishcloth! I’ve also started another dishcloth and hope to finish that today.

Have a good one!

Posted in Knitting | 2 Comments

Dollhouse Chronicles ~ My Cabin

I am looking forward to having time to spend on this little house soon.

It is a smaller scale than my big house. I was very excited when I realized that some of the furniture that Shasta sent would fit this house perfectly!

I found a gray stain that I may try to use on the exterior. I expect the Little House in the Big Woods weathered to gray at some point. I may leave the interior natural.

Have a great day!

Have a great day!

Posted in Doll House | 2 Comments

Finish It Up Friday ~ Dutch Hexies!

After 20 years, this UFO is DONE! It seems quite fitting that this is my last finish for the decade!

You may remember that it looked totally different at the beginning of the year.

I was never happy with it, and I finally decided to take it apart and try again. Now it is finally done. It is handpieced, except for the borders, and machine quilted.

I purchased these fabrics in Amsterdam in 1999. I started piecing the flowers soon after.

I’m still not 100% happy, but I think my fear of ruining these special fabrics kept me paralyzed. Now I can enjoy them on a wall instead of in a box.

I’m not happy with my machine quilting in the hexies, but I love the border.

Finished is definitely better than perfect. Have a great day!

Linking up with Alycia Quilts , Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Posted in Finishes, Hexagons, UFOs | 20 Comments

Cleaning

In January each year, I try to do a deep clean in the sewing room. I accidentally started early this year. I was looking for border options for the Dutch Hexies quilt and decided to straighten up my shelves holding yardage.

There is a bit of method to my organization here!

Then I sorted magazines and passed over half on to a friend.

I even tackled a few baskets setting aside anything I was sure I wouldn’t use to give to the same friend. This might not look neat to you, but trust me, it is way better than it was! I keep pieces smaller than yardage and bigger than scraps in these.

I have a lot of work yet to do, but it sure feels good to have a jump on this chore!

Have a great day!

Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Christmas

Hope of all hopes, dream of our dreams,
    a child is born, sweet-breathed; a son is given to us: a living gift.
And even now, with tiny features and dewy hair, He is great.
    The power of leadership, and the weight of authority, will rest on His shoulders.
His name? His name we’ll know in many ways—
    He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Dear Father everlasting, ever-present never-failing,
    Master of Wholeness, Prince of Peace.
His leadership will bring such prosperity as you’ve never seen before—
    sustainable peace for all time.
This child: God’s promise to David—a throne forever, among us,
    to restore sound leadership that cannot be perverted or shaken.
He will ensure justice without fail and absolute equity. Always.
    The intense passion of the Eternal, Commander of heavenlyarmies,
    will carry this to completion

Isaiah 9:6-7 The Voice

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My Vintage Baby Dress and a Wonderful Gift!l

Happy Christmas Eve! A few weeks ago, I shared this vintage quilt and dress with you as part of my holiday decorating. At that time, this sweet little dress was hanging on a plastic hanger.

Judy from Small Quilts and Doll Quilts read my post and contacted me saying she had a perfect vintage hanger for my baby dress! And perfect it is! It came wrapped in this lovely Christmas fabric.

The pretty bow was so festive, I decided to leave it on! I cannot thank you enough, Judy!

I thought while I was taking pictures, that I would share some details of this dress. It is entirely hand stitched.

I found this at an estate sale last summer and was just taken by it. I wonder at the babe that wore this and the loving mother who stitched it.

Have a wonderful day!

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Leaders/Enders

Here’s another leader/ender update. This is what I have left of my 1 1/2 inch cut squares.

And my four patch bin is looking emptier.

This bin is still plenty full.

But I now have nine 16 inch blocks completed and I’m quite pleased with how it looks!

The plan is to make 36 blocks and then add a narrow border. Have a great day!

Posted in Leader/Ender, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Slow Stitching Sunday ~ Dutch Hexies

I really thought the day would never come when this quilt would be on the frame!

I thought I’d share a quick tip for dividing a border into even parts without measuring anything. I cut a strip of paper the same length as the border and start folding it in half, over and over. When I get the divisions that I like, I use a chalk pencil to make tick marks on the edge of the border.

I plan to get this bound today.

Twenty years is way too long for this to be a UFO. Have a great day!

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments