The quilt my hubby made for our son, Jeff: (Now he's made a quilt for each of the kids)
The baby quilt for Doug and Tricia (new baby boy arrives in February!!!):
And finally, my favorite project:
New Christmas Stockings!!!
I love how these turned out, but they took a LONG TIME. So, kids, they are not to leave the premises - EVER.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
(My husband always asks why I need to buy SO MANY graham crackers - because they break!!)
(Shane is here too - but he is hiding, as usual) Doug really got into the fine detail work on his house: 
And - I've managed to finish a quilting project (or 3 - but 2 are Christmas gifts - can't show them yet). This is my row quilt that our bee made this year -
I had to take off the last row and put it on the back, so it would fit on my table as a cute topper:
When I got out the Christmas stuff this year, I realized that I had given all of my kids their stockings last year, because I told them I would be making them new stockings this year!! I guess I have a little bit of sewing to do in the next two weeks! (It seemed like a good idea at the time)
It was a mite chilly! I was glad I had my trusty bandanna, because the wind was cold! It was about 32 degrees when we started. We tried to do Angel's landing, but had to turn back after an hour or so, there was too much snow and ice on the trail.
We ate yummy Thanksgiving leftovers that Deanna had so nicely packed up for us, then, off to the movies! ("The Next 3 Days" - just okay - a little too intense for me).
Back home today, got a little Christmas shopping done, we're supposed to have a big snow storm starting tonight, so it's good we're back and snug in our little house.
P.S. I don't think I'll break out the scales until March!
What is it about having a quilting magazine to savor is so enjoyable? Is it the patterns I fall in love with and fantasize about making? The peek into a famous quilter's studio or home decorated with quilts? The tips that will make quilting more fun/organized/better? The ads containing the newest designs in fabric and notions? The humorous quilting article that makes me laugh at myself and my obsession? I can't believe I have two (!) to read this weekend, I used to grab them out of the mailbox and spend part of the afternoon poring over them, but with working in the afternoons now, my free time is a little adjusted, so I actually have two "saved up" Last night, I snuggled up in bed with one, but it got late and I get up early, so I only got halfway through - that's okay, something to look forward to... (Now, if only "Quilter's Home" would come - it's my favorite!)
My sister, Heidi, comes to visit a lot (at least she used to...)and whenever she does, when she packs to go, her "straightener thing-y" is always still hot and she can't put it in her bag. So I thought I could make her a "straightener thing-y holder thing-y". And I did:
2. Put it with a fat quarter and free motion quilted it. Put some left over binding on the top edges. I then tried to figure out what would work best, I tried to make a two pocket thing-y so she could put the hot part in one section, then the cord in the other (this involved unpicking and a lot of frowning):
This was a little bulky and I looked at the left over part I had cut off and just sewed that into a slimmer pocket and that worked better. (No unpicking and no frowning)
Thursday: More of the same - fabulous food, classes and more sewing!! We made these adorable chicken pin cushions from paper-pieced log cabins that we'd made up before hand:
Friday: Repeat (Plus I got a massage - wonderful-ness!!). We had a lecture that night (while we did handwork) so I needed my "far away" glasses and my "up close" glasses - I think I really need to go and get me some bi-focals...
Saturday - packing up, a little more sewing, breakfast and back home to Mr. Handsome. It IS a great life - (plus - time change tonight, an extra hour of sleep!!!!!) I did get two quilt tops done and some applique - I will post later this week... (If you are able to get to a quilt retreat, I highly recommend it - save your pennies, it's worth it!!)
This is "Quick Strip Paper-Piecing" from a book by Judy Martin. I took this class at Quilt Festival and it was very informative! I am actually going to make a WHOLE quilt with paper-piecing! (Which I NEVER thought I'd want to do - folding, ironing, trimming and then starting all over again with the next little piece!)
The Boy:
And, Babygirl:
I got to babysit them while Brooke and Ben had a fun date (we had fun at home too), we went to the park, read stories, went toy shopping and just generally hung out and snuggled up! The night before I left, Babygirl was crying inconsolably and begged me to "just go home and get Grandpa and come back". I went to the airport and watched all of the little videos I took of the family and got a little teary at the airport. We need to go back and visit soon!
Quilting News - I am making a beautiful quilt with a new technique I learned at Quilt Fest - I will post pictures and details in a couple of days...
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I am making it a goal to complete 5 quilts before the end of the year. (I know, I don't DO goals - but I am feeling awfully behind in my quilting - my projects are piling up and I want to just enjoy my projects, not feel like I'm lagging.) I was at Quilt Festival yesterday and I didn't even buy much (I know, gasp!) cuz I feel like it's just more to do and I'm not doing what I have already. That said, Quilt Fest was really fun yesterday, the luncheon and lecture were very yummy and entertaining and I can't wait to go back tomorrow and Saturday!
Ta-da!!
Those little marks on top of the containers are numbers - for the batches they are from. 1 & 2 are probably not going to be very good. In batch #4, I used a little too much fruit - will they set up?? Batch #3 is your best bet. I followed two different recipes from two different brands of pectin - one had more fruit. I learned how to boil peaches for a minute, then slip the skins off - a very handy skill I have now mastered. Notice that it is full daylight in the first picture and it is after 9 p.m. now and I am tired! I also made 2 peach pies, well one is a pie, the other is a square thing-y - (I only own 1 pie pan). The pies turned out very tasty, but not very pretty - thus they did not make it onto the blog -poor things.
I also got the windows washed today!!!! Goody for me, they look amazingly clean (That's why I only do them once or twice a year, if I did them more often I wouldn't appreciate the amazing difference!!).
(Yes, I am feeling very Utah-Mormon-y today)
The quilting is not too exciting - just meandering with some flowers in the tan center squares. It's going on the upstairs guestroom twin bed. - Now I have to make pillow shams and new curtains too - and probably paint! (don't hold your breath).
Now, to name it - "Sick of Squares"? "Millions of Squares"? "Scrap Attack"? "Love Squared"?
