Almost a month since I last posted. Catching up!

Connor & friend decorating the tree

dining room 'sewing space'

 Boy has it been busy around here!  I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted.  This post is going to cover most of December.  I'll try to be quick about it.

Well, I missed 'Occupy Your Sewing Space', at least, I missed blogging about it and reading all the blogs.  I DID get my sewing space(s) cleaned up.  I've been so busy this summer and fall that I have hardly had time to do much housework.  Oops!  Boy did stuff build up around here. 

family room 'sewing space'

occupy your sewing room project

 My dining room is usually covered with quilting stuff.  My quilt frame (hand quilting) is set up just behind the dining room table, leading into the living room.  It acts as a divider to the two rooms, since there isn't a wall.  You can see my sewing machine case and sewing stuff behind the table by the china cabinet.  That is the stuff that NEVER goes into the basement with the other quilting stuff.

I like to set up a sewing machine in the family room, so that I can watch (listen really) to movies while I sew.  I took the table down, but, I added another quilting frame in it's place so that I could work on the Christmas presents during 'Occupy Your Sewing Space'.  This stayed up until Christmas Eve.  There just wasn't enough time to get much sewing done.  I hand quilted the 'Santa' applique blocks, but, to get everything finished, I machine quilted the other 'Santa' blocks.  I just stitched in the ditch on them. 

Christmas napkins from Marilyn

I have wonderful and generous quilting friends.  Marilyn made these Christmas tree napkins for us for Christmas.  My youngest son collects nutcrackers, so, she made the nutcracker napkins for the boys.  She even made a special napkin for my mother, who came up for Christmas.  Isn't that sweet of her!?!

Christmas ornament from Kay

My bestest ever quilting friend, Kay, made me this lovely Christmas Angel ornament.  She also made one for my mother. 

Christmas gifts from Jan & Mary

Connor in 'Mr. OEHS'

me, Connor, hubby and my mother

kitchen 'before'

Christopher in kitchen 'during'

kitchen 'after'

treadle from Kay

treadle from Kay

I sew on Thursdays with some special ladies.  These are a few of the things they gave me for Christmas.  Mary gave me a 'Really Useful Box' (it says that on the end of the box), along with preserves and the cute Santa tissues.  Jan gave me the great scissors.  Sew cute! 

treadle from Kay

Christmas presents finally finished

Christmas presents finally finished

My mother flew in early so that she could be at the 'Mr. OEHS' contest that my youngest son was in.  He sang a song from 'Mulan', 'Man out of you' for his talent.  He did a great job.  I got to escort him on stage at the start.  All the guys wore tux's.  They did a dance number, just like on a beauty pageant.  They all had so much fun!  Connor didn't win, but, he never expected to win.  He was just in it for the fun.  This was his second year to enter.  Connor is quite the ham.










My favorite present (other than having my boys and my mother here) was the new back splash in my kitchen.  I've been wanting this for a few years now. (What, your kitchen cabinets aren't this messy?)


John (hubby) and oldest son, Christopher spent two days putting up the back splash.  They waited until after Christmas, thank goodness.  Can you see how Christopher had to sit IN the sink to measure and put up the corner pieces?  That corner goes WAY back. 

Here is the finished kitchen.  They also put up the back splash under the half wall Christopher was sitting against, but, I didn't take pictures of that area.  I covered the outlet covers and painted the screws for them.  (Hint: never use Styrofoam to hold screws when you are going to paint them.  Styrofoam MELTS when it is spray painted). 


Kay gave me a treadle for Christmas!  Woohoo!  This is the cutest sewing box!  It has a storage space for my sewing tools under the cute dutch dolls.  Kay saw this and immediately thought of me.  Gee, how'd she ever think of me and treadle sewing machines at the same time?  (wink, wink).

Well, I finally finished the Christmas presents the day AFTER Christmas.  So much for being on time this year.  I'm usually finished with presents long before Thanksgiving.  Of course, I don't usually make the presents.  Did I mention that I'm a slow sewer and quilter?  These are the blocks I made for the Santa block exchange for one of my quilt guilds (see last post).  I made 6 as gifts, and I kept one of each for myself.  I also gave frames to everyone that got a Santa block quilt.

I'll try to post (shorter) posts more often in the new year!  Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!

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.

Santa block exchange

Helen's block

 One of my quilt guilds had a Santa block exchange.  I've posted pictures of my blocks in previous posts, along with the rules.  We exchanged blocks last Monday night.  It's been so busy around here, that I'm just now getting to post all of the blocks from the exchange.  I signed up twice, so, I get 2 of each block.  Now I just have to figure out a setting, and, if I want/need to make more blocks for my quilts.

Emily's block

Jeanette's block

Gwen's block

 I bought some great Santa Cowboy fabric (see my previous post) that I will probably use in at least one of the quilts.  I can use it to make another block.  I also have other Santa fabric that I can use.  I have at least 2 more Santa applique patterns that I didn't use that I could make up, too.  A plethora of Santa possibilities!  This same guild had a Santa block exchange in 2005.  I was in that exchange, too.  It took me 2 years to finish that quilt, but, I just love that quilt.  That is one of the reasons we did it again.  I don't know what I'm going to do with so many Santa quilts. 

Kay's 1st block

Kay's 2nd block

Thelma's block

 Kay is the other lady that signed up twice.  See, I'm not the only one ; )  She was also in the last Santa block exchange.

Marilyn's blocks (1 red, 1 green)

my 1st block

my 2nd block

I saw my 2nd block pattern at a quilt show this weekend.  I had my camera, so I showed it to the vendor.  She had kits made up.  I bought another kit for Christmas ornaments from her.  I've bought from her at the same quilt show in years past.  Tomorrow, you'll get to start seeing quilts from the show.

Teapot Tuesday and other things, too!

Boy do I have a lot to share today.  I was planning on posting yesterday, but, storms when thru in the morning and knocked out the power for several hours.  Our area lost power to about 868,000 homes.  There are still about 375,000 with out power this morning.  It's hot and humid.  I hope they get power soon. 

This is my teapot for today.  I've had this teapot for many years.  See, I've loved old sewing machines long before I started to collect them.

 Isn't this cute!  My friend, Mary gave this to me last week.  She knows I love sewing machines, including toy sewing machines.  This one even has a bobbin.  Thanks Mary!

 Well, I finally finished all of my Santa blocks for the Santa block exchange with one of my quilt guilds.  Since I couldn't remember how many blocks to make, I made 12 of each block (I only needed 10).  I signed up twice, that is why I made 2 different block sets.  I'll use the extra blocks either in the quilt(s) or I'll make little wall hangings as gifts. 

The top Santa block has buttons sewed on for eyes, buttons on Santa's coat and on the mistletoe.  The bottom Santa block has 2 different Santa's for the center square.  You can see the different centers on this post.  The top block is fused applique.  I've never done this before since it is so hard to hand quilt thru fused applique.  It's fun to try something new.  On the second block, I'd seen a pattern similar to this one in several places, but, none of them were the correct size, so, I drew it up to fit what I needed.  Graph paper is great.

Quilts of Valor booth at Farmer's Market

Quilts of Valor raffle quilt

 This is where I was Saturday morning.  I helped at the Quilts of Valor booth at the local farmer's market.  Our chapter of Quilts of Valor is trying to raise money for fabric and batting for more quilts.  Our chapter works closely with Great Lakes Naval Base and the Returning Warrior Weekends (RWW) that they hold about 4 times a year.  We make approx. 90 quilts for each RWW.  We also make quilts for other soldiers in our area along with quilts sent to hospitals for wounded soldiers.  That's a lot of quilts.  If you quilt, you know that cotton fabrics and batting have gone way up in price.  We have lots of long arm quilters that donate their time and batting for these quilts.  We also get donations of small amounts of fabrics, but, we always need fabrics for blocks and backings.  One of our members made this lovely quilt for us to raffle off. 

Quilts of Valor signature quilt top

Quilts of Valor poster

 We are also  having people sign blocks for donations.  These blocks will be made into signature quilts for our soldiers, like the one in the picture.  One of our great quilters had her whole family sign blocks and she not only raised funds for Quilts of Valor, but, she sewed the quilt blocks from her family into a top.  How great is that!  We have wonderful quilters in our group.  If you appreciate our soldiers and want to help out, contact Quilts of Valor and find your local chapter.

Quilts of Valor signature blocks

Sorry this post is so long.  The Santa block exchange was last night at quilt guild.  I'll post pictures of all of the blocks in another post.