Horse Pillows

“Barn Moms” get pretty creative when left to our own devices!

Eldest son is absolutely horse crazed!  I can’t claim to be far from it, myself.  But, he is a born cowboy and he loves to ride.

So, how could I not craft up a little something for Christmas that was right up his alley?  A bunch of the “Barn Moms” and I got together and made some absolutely adorable pillows decorated with horses on them.  Some were fanciful, others looked like a particular horse, we even had a fantastical unicorn in the mix!  Lots of the “barn kids” received pillows among their Christmas gifts and they seemed to be a huge hit with everyone.

My kiddo received a pillow that represents “his” horse Doc.  Doc is a quarter horse who hates baths and brushing and just wants to throw on a saddle and go–much like my son!  He is a true cowboy horse and he has claimed my son as one of his very favorite people.

(L to R) Pillows representing Hans the Hanoverian (in show braids), Baron the Shire, and Doc the Quarter Horse.

On the right are three of the pillows that I made.  I wish I had gotten more photos of them before I delivered them.  On the left is one that went to one of DS18s riding instructors.  It looks like Hans, the big, goofy warmblooded Hanoverian that lives at the stables.  His instructor often rides him in ACTHA rides and Equestrian events, hence the braids instead of a mane.  I hoped that the paisley fabric would emphasize his fancy “show” prowess.

The middle pillow represents Baron, the Shire and our only draft horse at the stables.  Unfortunately, not long after I made this pillow, he suffered a strangulation lymphoma and didn’t make it.  I am hoping that DS18s other instructor enjoyed receiving this remembrance of this big, gorgeous boy.  As much as he was my favorite horse to ride and to love on, he clearly loved her (and she loved him) more than anyone else.  It’s sad to lose a friend, but I will always remember that drafty personality and big, pretty walk of his.  Sigh.

On the far right is Doc, the Quarter Horse.  His mane is made of looped twine that is “blowing” backward because he is running across the fields.  This is my son’s favorite horse and if he had been available to lease, we would have done it.  They make such a good team together, even reading each other’s minds.  Doc is kind of a no muss, no fuss kind of horse who hates brushing, braiding, baths, or pretty much anything other than riding, meal times, and peppermints.  It’s an ideal match for my son, who pretty much feels the same way about baths and anything too fussy related to hygiene.  LOL!

Fortunately, all of the pillows seem to be well received and enjoyed!  My kiddo sleeps with his on the bed at night. He is afraid it will get messed up if it falls on the floor.

Did your child have a favorite gift that you made?

Till next time,

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Almost Christmas Quilt

My Christmas Flimsy!

Okay, it’s just a flimsy (unfinished quilt top) but I did manage to squeeze in time to piece it all together in the hectic Christmas season.  I have always said that I would make a Christmas quilt one of these days, but haven’t ever actually done it.

I fell in love with these Christmas fabrics at one of our local-ish quilt stores and picked up 8 fat quarters and a bit of extra for a creamy background and red inner border.  It’s a great snuggle size and not so overtly holiday that it can’t be used a bit over the winter also.  Gotta love that!

In the photo, it is just laying across a queen sized bed and it covers the top from the pillows to the end of the bed.  I imagine it wouldn’t be too terrible to expand it into a bed sized quilt, just adding to this central star, border, and brick edging (it doesn’t show up terribly well in the photos).

A quilting friend (Hi, Carol!) graciously offered to let me use her long arm to finish it and it just may prove to be the perfect size project to learn on.  Now, to just have time to get around to it!

Have you ever long armed a quilt before?  Please share your tips below!

Till next time,

Quilts for the Bucket List, Part 2

It never ceases to amaze me the quantity of absolutely amazing, different quilts that can be made.  The choices alone for one quilt can be mind boggling, so it’s crazy to know that there are dozens of variations on almost every idea possible that all can make wonderful quilts.  Add in fabric choices and finishing designs and options and it’s crazy!  Wonderful, but crazy!

But, here are 5 more quilts that I am drawn to (lately) that I NEED to make…one of these days.

6.  Scrappy Bear Paw in Red and White.  This particular one is pictured in a discussion about quilting patterns at the Statler Stitcher blog.  The original post can be found here.  There is something that really draws me to two color quilts.  I love the reds and white, indigo blues and white, and black and white versions.  You can vary up the fabrics to get your variety and textures while still having a controlled color way and a stunning quilt.

7.  Lone Star.  Yes, please.  From my early quilting days of looking (and drooling) over books and patterns and fabrics for inspiration, this always seemed to be the ultimate star pattern, one that was WAY beyond my beginner skills.  It doesn’t look quite as hard now, but it’s still one to be dreamed of.  I adore the Amish black and brights in this one, but I find it lovely in many other color ways, also.  Choices, choices.  The original post is here.  Scroll down until it jumps off the page at you.

8.  Mariner’s Compass.  I am truly not even worthy of consideration in the skill set that it would take to create a masterpiece such as the one featured in this blog post.  The Compass itself is the center portion with the additional work to showcase it.  Stunning.  Simply STUNNING.  This definitely would require hand piecing to achieve this level of perfection.

9.  Apple Cores.  This is always a great choice for a scrappy quilt.  There is something endearing about the gentle curves.  It looks like so much more than simple straight piecing, but is, I am told, still a beginner friendly project.  I think I would like to do a hand pieced (maybe even English Paper Pieced version of it in riotous, mismatched fabrics).  It might be a good project to carry along on a trip.

10.  Storm at Sea.  This is another one of those classics that is better off with simple, slow, hand piecing.  This example is classic.  The colors of the sea in a quilt with definite movement.  This pattern is one that can look totally different by changing up the color placement in the blocks.  It’s amazing how different they can look.

In case you missed, part 1 of this article, you can read it here.

What quilts or other projects are on your bucket list?

Till next time,

 

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10 Christmas Ornaments to Make, Part 2

I love making Christmas ornaments.  It’s fun to put crafty stuff together and they make great gifts, too!  Here are 5 more lovely diy ornament ideas that I want to try (one of these years)!

6.  I love these folded fabric ornaments to the left.  Aren’t they cute?  Find the complete instructions, here.

7.  I have seen these folded fabric round ornaments before and wondered how they were created.  They are a no sew project that look far more intricate than they really are.  Love that!  Check them out here.

8.  Check out these cute little Christmas trees made from fragrant cinnamon sticks!  It’s a simple project and a great use of those little scraps and strings left over from sewing and quilting projects during the year.  It really is the little things sometimes.  Check them out here.

9.  If fabric Christmas trees are your thing, then check out this sewn version using a fabric circle.  Careful folding takes the fabric from a circle to a gorgeous tree!  Tutorial is here.

10.  Personally, I can follow written instructions okay, but it is extra easy when you have a quality video tutorial to guide you through.  And, I love the vintage sewing machine this fella uses in the video.  It makes me want to get my old treadle up and running.  Watch that video on YouTube here.

There is something festive and fun about making things around Christmas.  It doesn’t have to be elaborate crafts or expensive projects, but even a little something for the Christmas tree will be appreciated and remembered year after year.

If you missed part 1 of this post, click here.

So, which of these ornaments is your favorite?  I am really drawn to the no-sew spherical ornaments with folded fabric.

Till next time,

 

 

Slow Sunday Stitching 3

Hello friends,

This week, I haven’t worked a single stitch on the quilt.  The wonderful (steal of a deal, many years ago) lamp that sits just behind and beside my rocking chair has blown its ballast.  Hubby will have to order a new part for it, so with the holidays impending, it will be a week or more before we can get back into full quilting mode.  Sigh.  I do realize that I am very, very lucky to have a handy hubby as opposed to spending money on a new lamp.

As for actual hand stitching, I have done a little bit.  I sewed some trim and buttons on some homemade fabric Christmas ornaments.  They turned out very cute, but, unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of them.  I plan to use them as little gifts, or as gift tags.  The best part is when they are fun to actually make and you smile while you stitch!  That is success in my book!

I worked on some star ornaments that are being hand sewn together.  They are a little wonky, but cute and cheerful.  In the photo, the one on the left is partially sewn (it’s really kind of tough to not sew through all of the layers with every stitch and only catch the top fabrics).  The ones on the right are just pinned down.  I have no idea why I purchased these fabrics.  I got them on super sale (I found the receipt) at my LQS.  I don’t think I had a particular project in mind for them at the time.  So, this made for a rather frugal way to use up some bright, holiday fabrics into ornaments.

My biggest project is getting some things ready for Christmas projects.  Some are for gifts and some are for my home, but I spent a fair bit of time getting some dresden plate blocks ready for hand applique over the holiday weekend.  The only hand applique that I have ever done has been the raw edge, blanket stitched version.  I have never done any where the edge is turned under and the stitches are hidden before.  This could be interesting!

I like to do some hand work while watching movies or binge watching on Netflix and this appears to be a good weekend for that.  So, next week, I may have even more progress to show for my hand sewing.

Of course, I am linking up again at Slow Stitching Sundays at Kathy’s Quilts.

If you missed my other Slow Stitching Sunday posts:  #1 is here and #2 is here.

What wonderful projects are YOU working on?

Till next time,

 

Disappearing 4 Patch Baby Quilt

Washed, dried, and ready to deliver!

It is just too stinking much fun to make baby items and my favorite baby item to make is a cuddly quilt.  I have crocheted sets and quilted sets.  I love doing them both.  This time, I was able to make a baby quilt for a lovely family at church who is expecting a baby girl any time now.

This is my first real experience with any of the “disappearing” block ideas, but it really is an interesting technique to learn.  I can see this block being very versatile in various sizes and in a wide range of fabric goodies, from depression reproductions, to civil war, to red, white, and blues, to a good ol’ scrappy one.  It’s geometric without being plain and stodgy.  These fabrics just made me smile at their bright colors as I worked.

I used white muslin and a charm pack of 5 inch squares that I picked up.  The backing and binding are made from a purple muslin that feels just a tad heavier than the white muslin.  All in all, it came together pretty well.

This is the first time I have tried to use “organic” quilting, which is basically machine quilting unstructured wavy lines across the quilt top.  I didn’t mark anything and just kind of followed the lines of the piecing, working my way around pins as I went.  I like how it turned out, even if I did have to frog out (rip-it!  rip-it!) 3 rows and try again.  On the whole, it was rather easy once I got the hang of being fluid with it.  My youngest son thinks that the quilting looks like waves across the quilt top and that makes me like the idea of doing it on a predominately blue quilt some time.

I really think that this pattern and quilting style will be useful on many future projects.

What have YOU been working on lately?

Till next time,

Sneak Peek

I just love having projects to work on! In fact, I often have many going at once with a long term project interrupted a few times for quicker gifts and projects along the way.

I also have a love/hate thing with Christmas crafting. I simply adore all the projects and fun things I can make, but I feel like I must keep them all a secret until after the holiday, for fear a recipient might see them on my blog. So, this year, I have a new plan. I am just showing everything I am working on. Some will be for me, some for gifts, some just for fun. No one will know until Christmas if any of it may be headed their way.

And, as usual, I am keeping an online log of ideas that just might be useful one of these years. Who knows, one of these fun items may become gifts one of these years. Hopefully, this will keep me from forgetting good ideas and keep you full of new ideas to try also.

This is my latest fun project!  I am attempting a dresden block…or two…or three.  Love these rich, Autumn fabrics.  These are from a Moda layer cake, but I didn’t keep the wrapping, so I am unsure of the name.  I am certain that these blocks would be fabulous in any fabric combination.

What projects have you got in the works?

Till next time,

Disappearing 4 Patch Quilt Block

Beverly’s Disappearing 9 Patch Baby Quilt. Used with permission.

While looking for a new idea for a baby quilt that needed to be made in about a week, I remembered my friend, Beverly, made a baby quilt that I adored.  She used French General fabrics and it was so soft and sophisticated looking, perfect for a little lady in the making.  I didn’t have any French General fabrics, but with inspiration, I looked all around the internet to find an idea to use.

And I stumbled across the disappearing 4 patch in several tutorials.  I could use a charm pack (which I adore) and find a coordinating solid to put it all together.  After looking at what options that I could lay my hands on quickly, I ended up with brights against a background of pure white muslin.  Crisp and cheerful.  Not the same feel as my inspiration quilt, but a good feel, nonetheless.

4 patch on the left, completed block on the right.

Here is the tutorial I used for making the block.  There are several other good tutorials out there and some videos, too.  If one way of presenting it doesn’t speak to you, do a Google Search and find another method.

I must admit that it was really scary to cut up a perfectly good 4 patch block!  I just knew that one slip of the rotary cutter and I would botch the job and I used up every charm square I had.  Nothing like putting a bit of pressure on yourself.  But, the quilt block you get after you make those four cuts and then move some things around and sew it all back together is nothing short of amazing!  It was stunning to see the transformation with each and every block.

Secondary design emerges when you put 4 blocks together.

And even better, a cool secondary pattern comes together when you put 4 blocks together.  I could really see how one of those pricey rotating cutting mats would be ideal for this.  I managed just fine without one, but held my breath a lot when moving my cutting mat so that nothing moved a smidge out of place.

I could totally see this block made up in varying sizes.  Hmmm.  How about Layer Cakes (10 x 10 inch squares) for a bed sized quilt?  I think that plaids would be cute like this, too.  Actually, everything from 30s reproductions to Civil War to French General fabrics could look fresh and interesting with this pattern.

I think I have found a winner!

What is your favorite go-to quilt block?

Till next time?

Finally! A Finish!

Scarf from Moda Bake Shop pattern

Dont’cha just love this scarf?  It’s the perfect blend of cozy flannel and lovely patchwork.  Here is another photo of my friend, Beverly, modeling it after she recieved it as a

Bev in her new scarf

birthday gift a year or so ago.  I loved it so much that I made another for my Mom.  She loved hers, too.  I even took some scraps and an old piece of minky backing and got it all ready to sew up to have one myself…but I never got around to sewing it.  In fact, I had forgotten all about it.

That’s probably why I found it earlier this week, still pinned together.

So, even though I haven’t been sewing much lately, I just HAD to finish this scarf.  Right?

Here she is, all warm and super cozy, made entirely with leftovers from other projects.  Beauty from chaos.  I kind of like that!

Close up view of patchwork and “dotted” minky back.

The pattern for this project is from the Moda Bake Shop website.  Here is the tutorial I used.  These are absolutely easy to make and are a great gift item.  With Christmas coming, this is a good project to try.  It can elevate a beginning seamstress

A scarf for me!

by giving her a scarf that finishes up much nicer than the title of

“beginner” would imply!

As the weather forecasters are telling us that a “polar vortex” is coming our way next week, I will be happy to snuggle in my new scarf, pondering new gifty goodness to

make!

I love wearing my new scarf!

Do you make any or all of your Christmas gifts?  What was your favorite?

Till next time,

Slow Sunday Stitching

Today, I am working on hand quilting a quilt top that my Mom inherited that never got finished.  We aren’t quite sure who made it, probably my Great Aunt, Effie Maxine Shumway.  It was pieced from scraps of clothing and left overs that date into the 1940s and early 1950s.  The top was machine sewn.

I don’t really have a deadline to get this one finished.  I just thought that it deserved to be quilted so it can be put out and loved.  It should finish out at around double bed size.  I don’t have a good photo of it in the hoop, but I do have this one which shows the top laying across our double bed.

I am also linking up to Kathy’s Quilts Slow Stitching Sunday this week for the first time.  I hope that by checking in there, I can be consistent in taking a little time out each week to slow down and sew by hand.

What are you stitching on this week?  Does hand work soothe you and encourage you to relax?

Till next time,