Santa Block Exchange Quilt Show

Helen's block

 My small quilt guild decided to have another Santa block exchange this year.  We had one back in 2005.  We signed up by the January 2011 meeting to make 12.5" blocks that had a Santa in either the fabric, or, was appliqued.  The block had to be in traditional Christmas colors, and had to include the color green. 

Emily's block

Janette's block

 The blocks could be embellished in any way the maker wanted to embellish them.

Gwen's block

Kay's block #1

 Two of us signed up twice (two sets each).  That made a total of 10 sets of Santa blocks.  The blocks were to be exchanged at the July 2011 meeting. 

Kay's block #2

Thelma's block

The finished quilt top was to be shown at the December Christmas Party, which was last night.  One lady brought her quilt top to the November meeting, but, didn't bring it back to the December meeting, so, I don't have a picture if her quilt top.  She's in the middle of changing her quilt top.  She wasn't happy with her end results.  I thought it was pretty at the last meeting.  Since she also signed up for two sets of blocks, her quilt was HUGE!

Marilyn's blocks

My block #1

 Since I signed up twice, I received two of each block (Marilyn's blocks were done in two different color ways, same design).  That meant that I had 20 blocks, including my four blocks. 

Ladies of all different skill levels signed up to make the blocks.  These block exchanges are always a good way to learn new techniques.  I've seldom done applique before now.  I decided to make one of my sets of blocks applique.  The other set I wanted to use fussy cut Santa's and create a design around whatever size I needed to make the fussy cut part.  I dislike math, but, this was good for me to exercise my brain.  It was fun trying to figure out what I wanted to do.

Some of the blocks didn't quite turn out to measure at 12.5" square.  I decided to 'frame' my blocks, then, I framed them again and made them 'wonky'.  They finished at 20" square when I was done with them. 

Since the blocks finished at 20" after I was finished with them, I decided that that was plenty big enough, and didn't use my blocks in the quilt.  I have something else planned for my blocks.  I'll show them in a later post.

Well, the Christmas Party was last night.  Good food, fun quilts, and quilty gifts, too! (more on that at the end of the post).  Our usual 1 1/2 hour meeting turned into over 3 1/2 hours.  This is my favorite quilt guild.  It is a tiny guild (about 15 ladies in all), but, everyone gets along, and, since it is so small, no one gets 'lost' and newcomers are always welcomed (and welcomed and welcomed).  You have to be more creative with your meetings when you are small and don't have much of a budget for speakers.  We are always looking for new projects to 'demo'.  Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated.  We can't bring machines very often, since several of the ladies just can't lift theirs into and out of their cars.  That limits us.

My block #2

My quilt top

I am planning on adding borders to my quilt top.  I'm going to add red to the top and bottom, and green to each side.  I think this will make the 'alternate' pattern show up better.  I think this quilt needs to be machine quilted, not hand quilted, so, since I don't machine quilt, I don't know when this quilt will be finished.  Oh well.

Thelma's quilt hanging #1

Thelma's quilt hanging #2

 Gwen (Thelma's daughter) decided to make wall hangings with her blocks.  When Thelma saw them, she liked them and copied the idea.  The extra blocks are on the back of the hangings, so that they can be turned over for a change.  Gwen didn't bring her wall hangings, so, I don't have pictures of hers.

Emily's quilt

Emily's 'pillowcase' with her quilt top

 Emily is sending her quilt and the pillowcase to a niece for Christmas.  All the other kids in her family have Christmas quilts.  I love her idea of using the extra block as a pillowcase.

Marilyn's 'Jewish' Santa quilt

 Marilyn is Jewish, but wanted to participate in the Santa block exchange.  She decided to add something 'special' to her quilt to make it fit her better.  She used some of her Hanukkah fabrics to make Hanukkah gift blocks in the center of her quilt.  I love the added 'stars' in her sashing, too.

Helen's quilt

Helen added the 'Merry' and 'Christmas' blocks to the bottom of her quilt.  She did some great stitching in the sashing, too.  It makes the quilt look like it has holly and berries on the sashing.  Sew cute!




I love that no one's quilt turned out like someone elses (with the exception of Gwens and Thelma's, but, that one was planned).  We quilters are a creative bunch.

We had a gift exchange, too.  We could spend $10 on a 'quilty' gift.  Below is what I got.

 I picked my package because of the cute snowman, bell ornament on it.  I'll have fun using these notions.  I love notions!  I could have used the Quilt block organizing hearts when I was putting the Santa blocks together.  I just used strips of paper instead. 

I hope you enjoyed my Santa block quilt show.  Now, to the dentist, then, back to my Santa blocks that didn't go into the quilt.  I'm occupying my sewing 'space' this week (since I don't have a sewing room). 


 Check it out over at Cat Patches.

Life! and some finishes

 Life happens!  On Monday, the light over the kitchen sink decided to go out.  I changed the bulb, then realized that it still wouldn't work.  On Wednesday, while I was preparing some of the food for the Wednesday night meal for church, the overhead lights went out.  We replaced the florescent bulbs, but, it still didn't work. 

After driving to the store to get new bulbs (this was late Wednesday night, after the church supper) we found that new bulbs still didn't make it work.  Oops!

I set up some lamps on stools in the kitchen so that I could see to do dishes and cook until hubby could work on the lights.  On Friday, we found out that the 'balist' had burned out on the overhead light.  By evening, I finally had lights back in the kitchen.  We still aren't sure if the light over the sink will continue to work or not.  It just lit up, like magic, after my son wiggled it a lot.  The wires are tight, we did check.  Oh well. 

Santa block exchange quilt top

finished table runner

finished baby quilt

 My Santa block exchange quilt top is finally finished.  I have to have it for the guild meeting on Monday evening.  I did not add my blocks to the quilt.  I signed up to make 2 sets of blocks.  I received 16 blocks, and added borders, then twisted them to make them wonky.  Since the blocks finished at 20" square after the borders and trimming, I didn't really need more than the 16 blocks to make a large quilt.  I will be using my blocks for something else.  I'll show them (hopefully) soon.  I'm still trying to decide if I want to add some borders.  I'm thinking I'll add more of the red on the bottom, and more of the green on the sides, to match the 'pattern' I created when I made them wonky.  Yes, it was planned that way. I think a small border will make it plenty big enough. 

On the drive to Texas and back, I finished sewing the binding on the table runner and the baby quilt.  I will show these at quilt guild on Monday, too.  Then I'll give the baby quilt to the new owners.  Hey!  I finished BEFORE the baby has been born!