Some Sweet, Quilty Christmas Presents

I got some nice, quilty presents for Christmas this year.

My future daughter-in-law did great in picking out a present for me.

wood handled seam ripper

I've been wanting one of these for a while now. 

I got this lovely, folded fabric ornament from one of the ladies that took my beginning quilting class last winter/spring.  She has gotten quite crafty since learning how to quilt.

folded fabric ornament from Kathy

Marilyn picked up some fabrics for me while she was at the Houston International Quilt show last fall.  Marilyn knew just what would make me happy.

panel of vintage sewing machines

panel of TEXAS fabric (my home state)

I may not live in Texas at the moment, but, you can't take the TEXAS out of the girl!

Hubby did well, too.  Last year, I got some of these clips from my sister-in-law, and hubby knows how much I like them and use them.

2 boxes of Clover Wonder Clips (Woohoo!)

My oldest son is teaching himself how to sew.  He has claimed 2 of my vintage Kenmore sewing machines (so far).  He was sewing up a storm for Christmas.  Here is the fleece vest he made me.

fleece vest made by Christopher

Christopher also made 2 more fleece vests while his brother and future sister-in-law were in town. 

Connor's vest

Krystal's vest

Not much sewing has been going on here, since I 'closed' my sewing room so that my son could sleep in there over his Christmas visit.  I've been organizing in my sewing room, since he left.  I'm packing up more of his stuff, to make room for more of my sewing stuff.  I'll start packing up all his stuff in the closet over the next few months (HUGE undertaking).  I've already bought shelves to go in the closet, for my fabrics to go on.  My 'organizing' will take me a few months, since I also have to find places to store all the boxes, when they are packed up. 

Happy New Year!

Some finishes and some fun gifts!

Woohoo!  All my Christmas gifts are DONE!  (but not in the mail yet).  These are the last items I needed to finish so that I can start wrapping and mailing items.

Rene' and Doris's purses

Holly and Melody's purses

The last two pursed I messed up on, when I cut them.  I had written to cut 16" x 17", when I should have written cut 17" x 16".  Oops!  It makes a BIG difference when using directional fabrics.  I fixed the problem by adding a strip of coordinating fabrics to both sides.

side 'strip' added

I also added a strip to the lining, to make it fit.  These turned out great.  I may add the strips again, on purpose.  I liked the slight contrast.  Thank goodness I had enough of the coordinating fabrics pre-quilted.  It also makes the purse an 'ooch' larger (good English, don't you think)? 

As soon as I finished the purses, I had one last item to make before shutting down my sewing room until after my son's visit.  My future daughter-in-law is coming, too, and, since we are celebrating Christmas early (they have to be back in Anchorage before Christmas), then she needed a special stocking.

Krystal's finished stocking

I think I'll add some bells to the points.  I took this pattern...

free pattern, online

and made it my own.  The only part of this pattern I used was the templates.

stocking template

 Instead of using fusible fleece, I wanted a lining in this stocking. 

I finished this Thursday afternoon, just in time for quilt guild.

At the other quilt guild's Christmas party, I got a few favors I thought you might like to see.

candle mat (I used cone thread for the picture, since I didn't have a candle in my sewing room)

chap stick holder and coaster

I also got a great gift in the mail from Terri.  I love these calendars and have a collection of them in the basement.

calendar from Terri

The last thing to arrive in the mail was my Mystery Row swap block from Deana (November block).

Mystery Row swap block

I do still need to make my block to swap for December.  I'll get it done after my son leaves. 

My best Christmas present will be arriving on Thursday at 5:10am.  Connor and Krystal will be here for 4 and a half short days.  I have lots to do before they arrive.  I'm so excited!!!!  This is the only time we'll get to see them until the week of their wedding, next May. 

If I don't post again before then, then...

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

A Handmade Christmas!

SewCalGal has been having a linky party all 2014 for hand made Christmas gifts.  Since I hadn't finished anything until November, I hadn't entered before now.  She changed up the rules a bit, for this last linky party. 

I still can't enter everything that is a homemade gift, since I'm still working on the last couple of items, but, I do have lots to show that are all done. 



To start off, I made 38  - 60 degree table runners, 19 long table runners, and 19 'bonus' round table runners.  There are lots of patterns out there, and tutorials on how to make these.  You do have to be very careful when you cut, or, your pieces won't line up properly.  It is much easier to make these if you have a 60 degree ruler (I have two rulers, in 2 different sizes).  I'd recommend buying the large ruler (12").  It can be used for any size table runner, where the smaller rulers are harder to work with, if you want to use larger patterns.  There are also other patterns, using this same ruler, making other table runners.

2 Snowman long table runners (I made 4 of these, only took pictures of 2)

4 narrow Snowman long table runners

8 bonus round table runners from the other Snowman table runners

2 Apple table runners

2 bonus Apple table runners

2 Beach themed table runners

2 more Beach themed table runners

4 bonus Beach themed table runners

2 Sunflower table runners

2 bonus Sunflower table runners

2 Floral table runners

3 bonus floral table runners

I also made 3 mini Christmas tree wall quilts.  2 of these were 'early' Christmas gifts to my youngest son and his fiance, who are attending college in Alaska. 

3 mini Christmas tree wall quilts

pattern

Here is the pattern, if you are interested.  I got my pattern at a local quilt shop.  These were quick and easy, and fun to make.  I decorated mine with little Christmas light buttons, star buttons, and red snowflake buttons from Joann's and Michael's.

I'm still working on 4 purses and a stocking. 

November NewFo's and finishes, etc

Barbara, over at Cat Patches is hosting her last year of NewFo linky parties.  There is only one more month before the end.

Here are my NewFo's for November:

Mystery Row Blocks for exchange.  I made 2 blocks, but, I'm only exchanging one block.

block I'm keeping

block I'm exchanging

I also started on 4 purses that will be Christmas presents, all requested after I made these purses, earlier this year.

Krystal's purse & Michele's purse

Betty's purse

Betty asked me to make two purses, one for each of her daughters, in OU (University of Oklahoma) fabric.  Michele's daughter also asked for a purse, after seeing her mother's purse.  I'm also making a purse for my mother-in-law, who mentioned that she would also appreciate a purse like these.

So far, I've quilted all the fabrics, and started the cutting and pinning for all 4 purses.  I still need to sit down and stitch the purses together.  I was going to make one for myself, too, but, there just wasn't time to quilt more fabric.   The purses that I've made in the past, have used pre-quilted fabrics.  All of these purses had special requests for fabrics that I couldn't get pre-quilted. 

4 purses, fabrics quilted, pieces cut out, and first parts pinned and ready to stitch

I did have some finishes in November, too.  I made 19 more 60 degree table runners.  This time the table runners were the 'bonus' table runners that are round.

8 Snowman table runners

2 Apple table runners

4 beach themed table runners

2 sunflower table runners

3 floral table runners

I also made 3 mini Christmas tree quilts.  I've already mailed 2 of these to Alaska.  One for my son, and one for his fiance.  They both liked their trees.

3 mini Christmas tree quilts

pattern for 6"x20" trees

I also managed to add a few sewing machines to my collection in November. 

1927 Singer 15 (in a base that hubby made)

Damascus treadle

Kenmore 158.17530 (1969-70)

My oldest son is now playing with three of my Kenmore machines, trying to see which one (or more) that he wants to keep for himself.  One of these days I'll have to do a blog post about what he's been sewing.