Happy New Year!!

Here is a sampling of my 2010 creations!  Not all quilts for me especially with a new grandaughter to sew for!

I am wishing you a wonderful, happy and relaxing New Year with lots of time for creating!

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We are now in Florida for the month of January and the weather for the next week is highs between 76 and 79 degrees with lots of SUN!

This is much better than the Minnesota forecast (sleet, snow, high winds and temperatures in the single digets)!

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On the drive from Minnesota to Florida, I did lots of hand stitching on my Joseph's coat - I completed three blocks.  I think that makes 25!!

I only requested one quilt shop stop per day AND WAS THAT A COMPLETE BLOWOUT!!!

I read about and see photos of all the great quilt shops on your travels.  Well, the first one.....the HIGHLIGHTS were John Deere fabric AND camo fleece.

And for the second stop we drove a few miles out of the way to find a shop that was closed from December 23rd until January 3rd!!!

Luckily, I have my computer and am able to satisfy my fabric shopping addiction with some great online sales....whew!!!

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I'll be back to show the handstitching I'm working on here in Florida.

The BEST Christmas Eve ever at our house!

Hope your was too!

Merry Christmas!

 A gift of the tiniest wooden thimble ornament brought back from Prague (near where my Maternal Grandmother was born) by my sister.

Le Petite finish

The pattern selected for Le Petite for December is Prairie Point Christmas by Cara at the Moda Bake Shop.

I used all Folklorique by Joanna Figueroa and Lisa Quan for Moda:

It was a lot of fun to make.  I used the paper bag method of choosing where to put each prairie point.  I think I'll add one more border.

I have the pattern ordered for January, but won't be able to make it because we'll be in Florida for the month and I'm not bringing a sewing machine along.

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Thank you to Amy of Lanie Jane for the cutest key fob:

Photo from Lanie Jane blog.  I received the red and pink one!

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And thank you to Tammy of A Content Life for this Hoot-N-Nanny Tote pattern:

Photo from A Content Life blog.  This should be fun to make and I think I have just the perfect fabric.

 

Mixed Bag

Sherri's handmade gifts inspired me to get the Mixed Bag pattern from Nanette and finish one last gift before our four day house guests arrived on Friday.

Front...

 

 ...and back.

I dug out that cute navy blue edging that I know has been in my "notions" box for over 30 years.  It was perfect I think.

The covered button was giving me grief and my husband help smack it into place.  I just need to wrap it today.

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Here are some "old" salt dough ornaments on my tree that I wanted to share.  My sister and I got together, made them and painted them over 30 years ago.

I'm so happy they have lasted and become a part of our tree decorating tradition.

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A Santa, Audrey and Mom photo from yesterday's party:

Seventy-seven of us got together to celebrate including my Mom, my brothers, my sisters, their children, their children's children, spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends.  The first Christmas with a grandchild - amazing.  The first Christmas without Dad - I missed him.

One Last Look At Bliss Between Friends etc.

It's all finished and ready to give to Mom!!!

 

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Great quilting by my favorite LAQer:

 

Funky pieced back:

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A few other finishes:

A minkee quilt I put together for my sister to give her granddaughter.

The name is machine applique.

 

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Magoo by Melly and Me for Miss Audrey:

Time to get back to the sewing machine!

Simple Abundance Hotdish

I finished Simple Abundance Hotdish (using blocks from the Jelly Roll Quilt Along) but was waiting for something other than dreariness to take a photo.

Well, here's what you get:

It's really not as wonky as it looks.  The photos where it was laying flat had the color all wrong.  I (obviously) quilted this myself using my own different versions of FMQ in each block after stitching in the ditch around each one.  I had fun quilting it.  

Here is the fun back:

Everything is Simple Abundance.

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I did the binding completely by machine which I often do. It's different than anyone else I've seen in blogland and here is how it looks from the front:

If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll try to do a tutorial after the new year on my method of totally machine binding.  You may not want to use it for quilts that will be judged or in a show, but there are many times this might work for you too.

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Thank you to Leah of Burgundy Buttons for the great 

Moda Candy Bar 

I won as an anniversary prize drawing!  It includes four packs of 40 - 2 1/2 X 5" pieces of fabric.  I was able to choose the light which includes Fandango, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Bliss and City Weekends. 

Go see Leah at Burgundy Buttons for lots of great fabric.

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And thank you to Jaime of Prudent Baby for the great book - Awesome Book of Thanks by Dallas Clayton:

It will be perfect for Audrey by next Thanksgiving.

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I have lots of gift sewing left to do, so I'd better get busy.  Have a great weekend.

So much time spent sewing that I haven't taken time to post and other news!

A few finishes for Amy's Sew & Tell link up:

The Le Petite November project - Butter Churn by Sherri Fall of This and That:

I had so much fun making this.  I chose Lumiere de Noel by French General and was worried that I wouldn't have enough contrast for this pattern.  

Actually, I'm very happy with it as it looks even better in person.  

I hope to get this quilted this weekend.

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I had enough fabric left of both the main fabric, the handle and top that I made another Birdie Sling by Amy Butler:

I added a magnetic closure to this one.  It's going to be a gift.

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I'm probably the last person to get their Jelly Roll Quilt Along quilt together, but it's finally happening.  It's ready to sandwich and quilt and the binding is all ready.  So I might have a picture tomorrow.  I already have a name for it: Simple Abundance Hotdish.


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And for the news:  We're going to be grandparents again!  DH daughter Jessica and her husband are going to have grandchild number three for us next July!

Look at what I got!!

This is what lucky me got in the mail yesterday:

My friend V made this for me!

Isn't this the most beautiful wall hanging you've ever seen?  I sure think so.

Here is a close-up of the applique and hand quilting!

 

Here is where it hangs in the four-season porch off our bedroom!

Thank you so much my friend!  I love it!

Edited later Sunday:

Here is the full photo of what I sent Victoria:

 It's Amy Butler Birdie Sling with Denyse Schmidt County Fair in home decorator and Shade Garden by Henry Glass.

  

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I never thought of Neptune as a Christmas fabric until I pulled all the coral strips out of the honey bun when I made this. 

Well, they were exactly what I needed for these:

The Moda tutorial for Secret Santa stocking pattern can be found here.  They are the perfect size to tuck in a little gift (candy, fat quarter, gift card).

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And Audrey stopped over last night so she can wear her Holiday Happy Do-Rag Headband during the holiday season:

She's growing up so fast!

So much to do and so little time!

My other project from the weekend is completed and off in the mail to my dear friend.  I am not so patiently waiting for something she just showed a sneak peak to arrive.

Here is a sneak peak of hers:

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We had an ice storm over the weekend and spent Sunday Morning watching the ice slide off our steel roof.  It has grooves every 18 inches and it slid off, the wind caught it, it floated for a bit and then crashed:

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 This morning we watch a bald eagle hunt, and catch a duck in the water.  He then brought it back to one of those trees you can see in the photos above right next to our house.  The eagle proceed to completely pluck all the feathers from the duck and eat the whole thing right there in front of us!!

After that, two trumpeter swans flew by!

I love living here!

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I'm sure no one I sew gifts for will make it this far into the post, so I will show a few things:

Headbands for two little girls using this tutorial and Holiday Happy fabric by Happy Zombie for Lecien. 

A blanket with pastel minkee on one side, polar fleece on the other and a satin binding in a nice large size.

A 12 inch ball made using a pattern in Seams to Me by Anna Maria Horner.

Some Itty Bitty Baby Shoes from this tutorial /1

Another Snap Happy bag.

And a simple camera strap cover tutorial from here.

My Pillow for the Swap and Friday Night Sew In

It' the Friday Night Sew In and forgot to post!

I've been working like crazy on my pillow for the Pillow Talk Swap Round 4 and just finished it:

I hope my swap partner likes it.  I'm sending it off tomorrow.

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Now I'm starting on a project I won't show photos because it's a gift.  I've got the pattern and fabric ready to go, so off to the cutting table!

Pillow Talk Swap Round 4 pillow received!

This is the second round of Pillow Talk Swap that I am participating in. 

I just received this beautiful pillow from Caroline of Trillium Design!!!

Caroline named this design "Of Earth and Sky" for the colors in the earth and the sunset.  I know it's perfect and am thrilled to be it's owner.

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I'm working on the one I will be sending.  I have the pattern drawn and the fabric chosen, but no photos yet.

Here is the pillow I sent for the last swap.

Update on Bliss Between Friends

I finally decided on a border for Bliss Between Friends!

I was going to put a large floral border, but then thought piano keys would be nice:

It's 80" by 102" and off to my long arm quilter because I'm not ready to try anything that big on my little sewing machine.  I can't wait to see it after she works her magic!

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Two thank you's:

Thank you to Terri from Patchwork Trails etsy and Terri's Notebook blog who sponsored Blogger Quilt Festival.

My name was drawn and I won this great bag:

 Thanks again Terri!  The quality of your work is superb!  Go visit her shop for some great gifts.

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And my name was drawn for a Market giveaway by Tammy of Karamat for this fabulous book:

 I've wanted this book FOREVER and now I have it!  Thank you Tammy!