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!