Making Red and Green Stuff in December

In December, I often get the urge to make gifts and other things for Christmas, how about you? December is always so busy for me (and for everyone else too, duh). But I hardly ever think about doing it in July and if I do it usually passes. Fall is always typically busy too, until after Thanksgiving, so the only time I really like to focus on Christmas gifts is in December. That probably sounds like I'm cutting it short and I usually am. I've never been an early shopper. I start my Christmas shopping whenever it snows. But then I go shopping and can't decide what to get and so I think "Hmmm, maybe I should just MAKE something," LOL.

 

If you feel like making things in December too, have I got some ideas for you.  This is the LAST month for our  Small Quilt challenge that we started in January.  I chose  the Turkey Tracks quilt from my book Remembering Adelia (on page 69). To make this month's challenge, follow the pattern in the  book. Of course you may make it in colors other than red and green. (But the red and green is too cute, isn't it? That's why I picked it for this holiday month.)

This quilt would make a really cute gift for a friend. If you don't have the time, why not just buy her the book so she can make it herself, LOL?

 

 

 

 

 

Last week, before December actually arrived, I played around with making some quilty ornaments and came up with a few small "redwork" ones. They turned out so cute I decided to create a pattern and I just finished having them printed up this weekend.

 

 

 

How sweet and scrappy are these?? The pattern booklet to make them is now available for sale on my website and is similar to the Schoolgirl Club pattern booklets (4 pages plus a design insert). The pattern also includes antique graphics and some historical info on redwork traditions. 

 

 

 

 

I timed myself when I was making these and the actual stitching took about 20 minutes and then another 30 minutes or less to put it all together. There's still time! So, if you have a hankering for making some cute red and green stuff, you're in good company. I'll be doing some stitching in the evenings and making a few more of these to give away.

 

I'm notorious for making useless handmade gifts for people. Cute things, sure, but what exactly are they for?? Watch, someone in my family will get one of these ornaments and then look at me and say . . . "Uh, what is it? Oh, like, to put on the tree??" Well, I think they're sweet. And like it or not, some of them will be getting one of these.

 

 

Small Quilts from a Land Down Under

Someone special from Australia has made quite a few small quilts this year.

Marian lives on 2 acres in Tanjil South, Victoria, Australia with her partner Andy and 2 small furry boys - Elmo and Oscar. (Cats - she has four adult children as well).

Her mother was a seamstress and Marian was taught at a young age to hold a needle and thread and stitch a needlework tapestry. Her "mum" also let her sew on her Singer Featherweight and by the age of nine Marian had already made clothes for her dolls. In her teens, she also made most of her own clothes on the Singer. Lucky Marian, she still has that sewing machine.

 

 

 

 

 

Marian has an associate diplioma in Art and Textiles and, in addition to quilting, weaves scarves which she sells through a few local art galleries. I am lucky enough to have been the recipient of one of them!

She made her first quilt, a queen-size log cabin, in 1999 which was hand quilted and finished just in time for the Millenium.

 

 

Love your color combinations here!

 

By 2008 Marian had discovered civil war reproduction fabrics and Jane Stickle’s "Dear Jane" quilt and says she was definitely "smitten." To date, she has made 22 DJ blocks, each sewn by hand, just as Jane’s was.
 

 

(This is from one of my "Schoolgirl Club" patterns )

 

 

(Schoolhouse quilt from Prairie Children & Their Quilts)

Here's what Marian says about making small quilts :

 

"On a sleepless night back in 2010, I stumbled upon your [Kathy's] blog, quite by accident . . . imagine my surprise!! As it happened,  I already owned a copy of ‘American Doll Quilts’ and ‘Prairie Children and Their Quilts’ and here was the author’s blog, what a thrill!! It was while reading your blog that I discovered you had a Yahoo quilt group, so I signed up immediately because although I had never made a doll quilt before, I was keen to get started . . . and I’ve been happily making doll quilts ever since. 

"I love the whole process of making a small quilt, but above all I love to hand quilt . . . it’s such a lovely, relaxing thing to do. I must admit that I’ve enjoyed the Small Quilt monthly challenges immensely. One of the things I’ve discovered while doing the challenges is that I’m really having fun with personalizing the designs, adding my own twist, if you like. I’ve also discovered that I love the challenge of making smaller versions . . . I’ve become addicted to minis LOL!!"

 

 

 

 

 

Inside Marian's studio

 

Thanks, Marian. I've so enjoyed seeing your beautiful work.

Visit Marian's blog at http://marianedwardsdreamweaver.typepad.com  You're in for a treat!

 

 

 

 

 

Craft Sale

On Friday after Thanksgiving, instead of hitting a mall to start Christmas shopping,  my friend Ingrid and I went to a special craft sale at Karen's home. She had some wonderful things and I'm glad we stopped.

 

 

I decided I could not live without this wool appliqued Merry Christmas banner and bought that along with a wool appliqued case for my glasses. (I have not worked much with wool but it's on the list. . . )

 

 

 

I love Christmas greeting signs and am sure that Karen made this especially with me in mind, LOL. How did she know??

 

 

 

(Scrappy Stars quilt is from my book Remembering Adelia)

 

I haven't started decorating for Christmas yet but think I will hang it above the doorway from the front hall to the living room.

 

This black frame is the perfect size to show off a small, primitive appliqued quilt I'm working on (no, not wool).

 

 

(FYI - Karen said this case is made from a Kim Diehl pattern.)

 

 

It also works as a case for your rotary cutter.

 

On the way home we stopped at a couple of local shops, avoiding the big malls and the crowds.  I hate shopping on Black Friday but the crowds were not too bad at a few of the small malls we went to and I was able to pick up a few stocking stuffers for my daughter, including this adorable coffee/tea travel mug with pink dog bones on it, so sweet.

 

(Don't worry about me spoiling the surprise. I'm pretty sure my daughter would not be caught dead looking at my blog, LOL . . .)

 

We also stopped at PetSmart but I could NOT find a battery-operated crazy ball for the dog, darn it. We used to have one for the other dog and it broke. My kids are grown and there are no small children in the  family so I have to get my Christmas jollies buying toys for the dog, how sad is that?

 

Please, please won't you buy me a new toy for Christmas? "Sheepie" is starting to get a little ratty looking . . . . By the way, speaking of ratty, I could use a haircut too.

 

I was sooo tired when I got home (the three days of cooking, cleaning and entertaining for Thanksgiving finally caught up with me) that I just heated up some leftovers and crawled under a quilt and read and watched TV for a few hours, LOL. Then I got up and ate some pie. A good day.

 

 (Soldier's Cot quilt from Remembering Adelia)

 

Happy Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.
 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

I'm feeling very grateful lately. I have a wonderful family - we have a roof over our heads and more than enough to eat. Sometimes I wonder, what else do we need? Not everyone in this country is as blessed right now.

 

 

I'll be starting the cooking and baking today and tomorrow we'll have a bounty to share with family and friends. Even more to be grateful for.

 

 

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

 

 

 

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving."   ~H.U. Westermayer

 

 

"Thou hast given so much to me, Give one thing more, a grateful heart."   ~George Herbert

 

"Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude."   ~E.P. Powell

 

I burned the pecan pie a bit last year so wish me luck -  I'll be trying it again!

 

 

 

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.   ~Meister Eckhart

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you - the wonderful quilting friends I've met through this blog. I am especially grateful for your support and kindness all these years and hope that those of you who are celebrating the holiday with family and friends have a blessed time and safe travels.