Quilting bee 2024 (finished in 2025)

One of my local quilt shops (yes I am blessed to have multiple in my area), puts on a 'free' block of the month program. And it was so fun to participate. They provide 8 blocks free with each person designing a ninth block to put together a quilt top. You have to use only fabric allowed which includes the chosen line and a couple blender lines. 

This is sort of what started me down the pattern design path. It was a nice way to start. I only had to design one block and the lay out. I loved the flowers and for my own block, well, a squirrel just called to me.

A huge lesson learned was to check the block size before designing. My first block was 12" finished and was great...except the blocks were supposed to be 10". There is a squirrel tote bag in my future with the bigger block. 

Here is my quilt top hanging in the store and here's a picture of some of the many other gorgeous tops submitted!

Now to decide if I want to join in the next quilting bee. They are using a neutral batik line, Concerto.

 This is definitely not my pallette but with the more colorful blenders it might be fun to put together.

What do you think? And who's kidding, of course I am going to join!

Merry Christmas

 I hope you are having a wonderful holiday surrounded by love and peace. My girls are now at the age that they went shopping with me and knew at least half of what they were getting as they picked it out. It is also the first year that they shopped for and bought almost all the gifts they gave on their own. I was so excited to open gifts I knew were thought out by them. I think it has made this one of my favorite Christmases this far. 

We also discussed creating family traditions and started on Christmas Eve with eating Chinese food and each picking out a book to read together while a crackling fire was on the TV. We all read for about 90min before the girls went to bed and Tony and I finished wrapping the last straggling gifts.

Do you make gifts or buy them? I know this can be a hot topic. I have worked to encourage my girls to make handmade gifts but also that they don't have control over how those gifts are received once given. My oldest got a taste of this as she made a tie blanket for her class gift exchange and could tell it was not as well received as some of the other store bought gifts. And that's ok. She enjoyed making the blanket. We make tie blankets each year with Girl Scouts to donate to a local homeless agency which works with teens. It's one of my girls favorite scout activities and so we decided to make blankets for Christmas gifts this year too.  That was a lot of tying but made some great warm gifts.

 

If you have never made a tie blanket, here is the basic instructions: For our donated gifts we tend to get 1.5yards of 2 fleece fabrics, cut 4 inch squares from each corner and cut 1-2in strips all around, double knotting each pair. It makes a great alp quilt. the girls each used 2 yards to make more of a top quilt for their twin beds too.

I enjoy making gifts for others and get great joy in giving in general. This year I made apple butter and jar openers for teachers, kitchen towels for friends and tried my 1st (definitely not my last) Hemmingway pouch as part of my white elephant gift for out friendsmas.  Making these small items to me makes it easier to give. I can see that giving quilts away may be harder. So far I have mostly made quilts for my family. I have made a few baby quilts to give away and they have been well received but I do understand the trepidation in spending hours and $$ and not being sure the quilt you give will be loved. So for me I like the small gifts at christmas. What gifts have you made that you really loved giving?

I received a fat quarter bundle of Kaffe Fassett fabric and so am having fun looking for a pattern to use them in. I haven't really used Kaffe before but the colors are fun and bright. DO you have a favorite go to pattern for larger prints? 

I hope you not only gave but received some crafty love this holiday. Enjoy the final days of 2024 and I hope you get to spend at least a little time creating.

If you want to get a start on goal setting check out my Free Guide to setting goals.

Thankful for time to be creative and a favorite recipe

 This fall has been busy and stressful. I am really looking forward to relaxing with some good food, family and friends for the holidays. Even my oldest daughter and husband who are usually "don't mention Christmas until after Thanksgiving" people are getting into the spirit earlier this year. We need something to celebrate.

My family has meandered between many friends home for the holidays over the years, and both my girls have expressed interest in creating our own traditions. Decorating during the week of Thanksgiving will likely be one of those. I spent yesterday making some Christmas pillow covers for our living room pillows with fabric the girls picked out. We have also decide to adopt the Norwegian tradition of Jolabokaflod, which translates to "Christmas Book Flood". We are going to buy each other books and chocolate to open and enjoy on Christmas eve.

I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes for the holidays. It is Double Corn Casserole from a 2010 edition of Woman's Day I could not find the recipe on their website so will share it with you.

You will need:

1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

2 eggs

1 onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 can (15 oz.) creamed corn

1 can (15 oz.) corn kernals, drained

1 pkg. corn muffin mix (I use Jiffy)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbs. chopped parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Use a 9 cup baking dish, greased.

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth; stir in eggs, onion, pepper and 2 cans of corn. Add muffin mix and 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese.

Pour into baking dish and bake for 45min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese on top and place bake in oven until cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes. Let sit for 10min before serving.

This recipe is a hit and definitely a once a year treat. Let me know if you try it out. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and make sure to save some time to reflect on the past year. Sty tuned for a free Creative Goal setting guide to be released before the new year.

Project Quilting 15.1 Bird House

Here we go again! Starting the year off with Project Quilting is so fun. I was able to complete a few challenges last year then fell behind and also left my blog behind. So let's try this again. 

There's nothing like getting everything done at the last minute. I am going to try to use all my own stash and make useful items. This time I went with improve piecing and made a hot pad. I got to use some Pellon Silver Lining I have had for ages. I call it "Hot Jungle Nights."

It's not too late to join the fun. Another challenge will be released next Sunday! Check out Kim lapacek's site for details

This year was my first time completing the project Mystery which started at the end of December. It was improve piecing that ended up being roman numerals.

Looking forward to finishing this to make a cute table topper.

Project Quilting 14.3, in progress

As you know if you have been following the blog, I am working on the fun Project Quilting challeges. This week hits close to home and was educational. It is based on a block called 54-40 or fight. You can read the original Project Quilting blog for details but it was named after the dispute over the Oregon/Canadian border in the 1840s. SPOILER it didn't become the 54°40 line and there was no fight.

It got me thinking of homes. My home now is Oregon but I was born and raised in Ohio. My husband is from Tennessee and my girls are Oregonians so I decide to find blocks representing each of our home states for this week's project.

 My version of 54-40 or fight representing my Oregonian girls

My Ohio star for this Ohio girl

Road to Tennessee block to represent my husband.

I did not get the project finished by the deadline but really wanted to bring my vision to fruition. Not sure what I want to do with these blocks but had fun finding blocks and fabrics about my family in my stash. 

I also learned that putting together the 54-40 or fight with a snowball block creates the Tennessee waltz quilt which is now on my "make it some day" list.

                    The 54-40 or fight block

STRENGTHEN, my word for 2023

Is it too late for a new year post? January has already been busy and I feel I have been productive but am already trying to do too much. There are sew many fun projects and too little time, as always. 

Last year I my word was "journey" and it really helped me focus on the fun in creating rather than how far away the finish is. That change in mindset helped me complete 3 quilted projects, 7 quilt tops and lots of other projects. 

My completed "Summer Camp" top designed by Pat Sloan

part of "Boo Crew" by Fat Quarter Shop 

My "City Lights" mini quilt from a workshop I did with Peter Byrne

"Star Baby" from a class by Mountain Star Quilt Guild 

In December I did a lot of reflection and my word for 2023 is Strengthen. With more consistent sewing, I have seen my skills improve and my focus is to continue strengthening those skills. I especially want to learn free motion quilting (FMQ), so I can finish all those quilt tops. 

So far this year I have completed a quilt, soon to be shipped to a new baby, joined in on Project Quilting season 14, and have amazingly stayed on track with Sewcialites 2 from fat quarter shop. 

1st completed project this year, a baby quilt.

Sewcialites2 blocks 1-12 using Tula Pink's  Tiny Beasts

And I did start playing with FMQ, enough to realize it's going to take a lot of practice before I feel comfortable doing a quilt. I have decided to make placemats while I practice so now you know what everyone will get for Christmas this year. 

Do you chose a word for the year? I never used to but last year having a mindset that I kept referring to really helped me to stay on track with both creating and other personal endeavors. I am hoping the same for 2023, that I will come out at the end feeling a stronger sense of me. 

Project Quilting 14.2 "A Hint of Pink"

When I saw the theme for the 2nd challenge of Project Quilting I was a bit flustered. I mean didn't you see my very pink pillow I did for the 1st challenge? I also have less time now that holidays are over and I really wanted to start practicing FMQ. Hence the Tula "Pink" pink owl placemat. May not be as intricate or creative but it did take a lot of work and courage to finally commit to free motion on something I show people. 

Looking forward to challenge 14.3. if you want to join in check out Persimmon Dreams 

Worried as I was about starting FMQ? Here are my first practice pieces from yesterday 😳 I have a long way to go, but I am learning and we all start somewhere