sometimes they just don't cut it.

This weekend, I went to the quilt shop in Galena IL. It was my first visit.

I found a few civil war fabrics to add to my stash. Not sure I will make the time to go back as they didn't have any pre-cuts, solids, Moda, Free Spirit, Micheal Miller or really any other fabrics I was interested in.

Not trying to be rude here, just honest.

Have you had this type of experience with a quilt shop before?

kinda of bummed after you get there?

Insert snappy Title.

I managed to finish one more of the Buttermilk Basin stitcheries this weekend.

I am hoping to start the "April" stitchery soon.

With all the cooking, eating and shopping, there wasn't much time for stitching.

I am relieved that one of our Christmas's is over. 

Now I have about 25 days to finish a few other projects.

Oh! and I nearly forgot that I made a few other gifts for my sisters.

Soon as I load the pictures and edit them, I will show you.

We are glad to be home. Tomorrow it's back to work.

sometimes hexies have no purpose

I started these yesterday from my jelly roll quilt along scraps.

I have no idea what this will become

 a doll quilt?

a pillow?

a framed stitchery?

we'll see.

Happy Friday :)

Thanksgiving and Quilts.

We've eaten lots of turkey and pie.

We've opened the gifts....

We had a great family visit.

Kaffe quilt for my mom and dad.

 My sisters' Fig n Plum quilt.

My brother's quilt.

Another sister's quilt.

At least a few of them were smiling...

no really they were all smiling, but I didn't catch it in pictures :(

And my sister is having a BOY!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Binding progress { Long }

I have made some great progress this weekend on my Christmas present quilts.

 I planned on binding at least 5.  I ended up binding 6 and started on the 7th!

Here's the stack last Friday.

The first finish was by machine.
I rarely bind by machine but I am getting the hang of it!

Baby Boy Quilt #3.
This is from the book Baby Fats by Cracker Jack Quilts. You can make 4 quilts from 24 fat quarters.
It's a great baby quilt book!
I had this quilted last year but finally put the binding on it.
I plan on taking 2 baby girl and 2 baby boy quilts with me this weekend.
My sister is having a baby early next year and I want to give her one.
The stinker knows the sex but won't reveal it until Thanksgiving Day.
So I am going prepared.
Now the other reason is that my cousin is having a baby soon. She's due December 3rd.
She doesn't not know the sex yet so I am leaving a boy and girl quilt with my mom to give her once the baby arrives.
And no, for some reason the thought of making yellow and green gender neutral quilts...hadn't crossed my mind before this last month.
For the record, future baby quilts will be made in yellow and green fabric such as the new Bunny Hill Lilly and Will fabric from Moda.

2nd finish was this Urban Couture quilt.

I had already sewn the binding to the front of the quilt and needed to flip and stitch to the back so this was sewn by hand.

My 3rd quilt is an Eye Spy quilt. This is a panel from Wal-Mart from about 8 years ago. I bought all they had left. My oldest daughter had a blanket like this that she destroyed. I made her a replacement. It's still mostly intact now that she's 9!
When she saw this one complete....she did comment "you're not giving that away are you?"...LOL I guess she's thinking she might need it for the future? LOL she's quite attached to this quilt.
At any rate, I bought more panels to make future quilts because it seemed so popular.
I have only 1 more left!

4th finish is 1974 quilt. Named after the fabric line by Moda.

It's one of the first ultra retro modern lines that Moda released.

I LOVE IT. It is extremely hard for me to part with this quilt.

1930's Scrappy Log Cabin was finished completely by machine.
I used all my scraps of 30's 2.5" strips, this is from LONG before jelly rolls and other pre-cuts.

I didn't put a dent in my 30's scraps with this either.

There are 2 more that I bound, the Kaffe fat quarter quilt and the Dance with Me Fat Quarter Quilt.

Plus another that I am hand stitching the binding on to. Hope to take pictures Thursday.

I didn't just bind all weekend either.

I made banana bread, artisan bread and a new batch of dough to take for Thanksgiving and bake fresh that morning, and Andes Mint cookies. I stitched bindings while they baked!

You'd be surprised how much you can get done 'waiting'.

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To say the least my 'first' Christmas rush is nearly over. Tonight will be finishing the last binding, label and maybe watch Dancing with the Stars!!

I can't wait to give all these quilts to my family.

Is it Wednesday yet?

Winner and my challenge project

This post is 2 fold.

One to announce the winner of the hot pad kit and to show you my challenge project.

The winner of the XL Hot pad kit is Jen of The Quilty Home!

Congrats. I just emailed you :)

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The Columbus Modern Quilt Guild participated in a challenge for this month's meeting.

Sue from Quilt Trends gave us each a FQ of a Christmas fabric.

I made a fussy cut ornament mug rug with mine.

I spent just an evening making it. I had planned on attending the meeting last Thursday.

Well sometimes life doesn't turn out you think it will. I ended up having to treat a patient for an emergency and I didn't leave my office in time to drive 70 miles to Columbus.

I had to forego the meeting this time.

I was/am bummed.

I won't be at the December meeting either :(

On an up note:

Did you notice my mug? It was a gift from Quiltmaker for submitting my block for the 100 Quilt Blocks vol.2 .

And here's an  up close of the fussy cut ornaments.

I used matching thread to detail the ornaments.

And brown thread to make the 'hangers'.

Okay I am off to continue binding.

Oh there's been progress. I will show some tomorrow!

Mistletoe Make & Bake Blog Tour Day 6

Today's final topic is cookie exchange tips.

Here's my cookie exchange tip.

Bake your cookies at least 3 days in advance so they dry out a bit.

They will be easier to transport.

My final cookie recipe is Rolo Cookies! Rolos are yummy...and these cookies are fantastic too so I thought I would share.

Download the Rolo Cookie recipe HERE!

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Now after 5 wonderful days of fabulous projects to keep you busy this season, I have a my project  for you today.

It seems that everytime we have a family style dinner. I am using 2 hotpads under my casserole dish.

You know the staple 9"X 13" baking dish.

So I decided to make an XL Hotpad and share the idea with you.

This particular project uses 4 layer cake squares or {4} 10" squares of fabric, plus a bit of binding.

I have several layer cake squares left over from different Moda Bakeshop projects and other quilts that I have made in the last 2 years. I could make several of these in a jiff.

Now many of you may be asking why I am binding 5 or 6 quilts by Thanksgiving instead of making these in a jiff.

I am asking myself that too!

The truth is, is that I made a decision this year.

This is the year I was going to give my sisters and brother a lap size or larger quilt.

I have 2 done, third one nearly done. I think 2 of them I will bind totally by machine....not sure on that yet.

For those of you that do want to try my XL hotpad, you can download the pattern HERE!

or follow these instructions:

Make and Bake Holiday 2010

XL Hot Pad

Designed by Vickie Eapen of Spun Sugar Quilts

10”X15.5”

Ingredients:

∙ {4} 10” squares of cotton fabric or {4} Layer Cake squares

∙ Insulbrite batting at least 11”X 20”

∙ ¼ yd binding fabric

∙ Coordinating thread

 

 Sub cut one 10” square into {2} 10” X 3.5” strips

 ∙ Sew a 3.5” strip to each end of another 10” square as shown.

∙This becomes the top 10” X 16”.

*note the top and bottom could be constructed with solid pieces of fabric measuring 10” X 19.5”. Trim to 15.5” X 10” after quilting. I chose to piece top to add interest and use up my extra 10” squares from another project.

 

 

∙Take {2} 10” squares and sew them together as shown, this becomes the back of the hotpad.

∙Layer the top right side up, the insulbrite & the bottom right side down to make a quilt sandwich
∙Pin the layers for quilting

∙Quilt as desired…or quilt 1/4” channels as I did for my sample.

Using a spool of thread or other round item, mark the corners.
∙Cut off the corner point

Bind using 2 ¼” binding strips

Roll it up with a spatula and a 9”X13” baking dish for an easy holiday gift.
If you would like to win a kit for this XL Hotpad leave me a comment by 12:00am eastern 11/21/10.
Remember if you leave a comment on each blog participating in the Make and Bake tour you will be entered in a drawing for a grand prize that was donated by all of the participants.
Should I mention, ah hem...one of the participants works for Moda? I can only imagine what she slipped into the prize pool!! too bad I can't enter.

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If you are interested in visiting the other tour folks I have included the links for you ;)

Day 1:  November 15

 Sherri Falls 

Day 2:  November 16

 Heidi Kaisand

Monique Dillard

Day 3:  November 17

Celine Perkins

 Patrick Lose

Kelly Ann Richardson

Day 4:  November 18

 Lissa Alexander

Julie Stewart

Day 5:  November 19

Roseann Kermes

Brenda Riddle

Day 6:  November 20

Vickie Eapen Me!!!

 Melisa Morrison

Mistletoe Blog Tour Day 5

The topic of the day is a holiday tradition that has to be done no matter what.

I have thought long about this.

Do we have a tradition? hmm I am not sure we do.

We split holidays between Ohio, Iowa, Texas, Florida, and South Carolina. 

It's tricky. This year we spend one "Christmas" in Iowa...but it's during Thanksgiving weekend.

Needless to say I am frantically trying to finish my hand made gifts for everyone in Iowa. By frantic, I mean I have 7 quilts to bind by Thanksgiving Day.

Ah these aren't tablerunners...

We're talking 48" and larger.

I have 2 done. That leaves 5 in 6 days.

Whew...could be an I.O.U. kind of year.

Then we spend another "Christmas" in Texas in December. I am not so frantic about that one...yet. LOL

And lastly we spend the "actual" Christmas in Ohio with our kids.

Skipping Florida and South Carolina this year.

Well actually we are leaving after the 25th for SC.

Oh right, back to traditions...I guess our tradition is to celebrate Christmas as many times and as many places as humanly possible each year ;)

How about you? staying home this year?

Crackle Top Ginger Cookie Recipe can be downloaded HERE.

Stop by todays Bakers:

Roseann Kermes

Brenda Riddle

Mistletoe Make & Bake Blog Tour Day 4

This year I found Gooseberry Patch Christmas 2010.

Absolutely love it!

I want to make the Frosted jars!!

 I wish there were more hours in the day.

Do you have a go to Holiday book or craft book??

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If you have lots of time on your hands this holiday season ;)

You could try my Chocolate Crinkles.

Download the recipe HERE!

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Or if you have time to blog hop.....

Visit the gals wowing us with their projects today:

 Lissa Alexander

Julie Stewart

Misteltoe Make & Bake Blog Tour Day 3

My sister makes these Russian Tea Cakes every year at Christmas time.

They are my weakness.

Yum, seriously.

Download the recipe HERE!

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The featured tour designers today are:

Celine Perkins

 Patrick Lose

Kelly Ann Richardson

 

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Do you remember what you received for gifts last year?

Now that's a conversation starter!

I asked my hubby that over breakfast a couple of days ago.

He didn't remember.

I remember what I received.
How about you?

Layer Cake Quilt Along Block #2

Designed by me....

Head over to Konda's blog Moose On the Porch Quilts to download the pattern!

Day 2 Mistletoe Make & Bake Blog Tour

Need a holiday sanity saving tip?

I buy or rather MAKE the same gift for as many friends and family members as I can. Two years ago, I made aprons and last year I made potatoe bags.

This year?? that's a Christmas secret ;)

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Each year we make several different kinds of cookies too.  I have been making these Andes Mint Cookies for over 20 years.
Hope you enjoy them!

To download the recipe click HERE!

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Looking for a quick holiday project or handmade gift?

Visit:

 Heidi Kaisand

Monique Dillard