Happy New Year!

A new year, a new beginning (that's if you want to). Some may be perfectly happy where they are and didn't want to offend. I learned quite a bit about family this past year and about the saying 'family is as family does'. I recently reconnected with some people that treated as good as any blood relative could, but because of misunderstandings we had been separated for awhile. It was wonderful to get to know them again and I am very blessed to have them in my life.

I only crafted a few gifts for Christmas this past year and here they are...

Hand made notebooks for my son and his girlfriend.

I modified a couple of notebook versions I found out on the web, mainly because I like the look of the slanted pocket. The left side is for loose papers. There is a pen holder in the middle and the right side is for legal sized notepad.

 And finally I made a baby quilt for my nephew Gabriel...

The pattern is Boho Baby by Blue Meadow Designs.

Welcome back quilt

I am making this quilt for someone who is going through a difficult period in their lives. A period of self discovery that does not seem to be going so well. This person does have a lot of people that are willing to help them but I wanted to let them know how much I love them and that they will be welcome to return home. Here are the smaller starter blocks.

Which became a larger blocks that looks like this one.

Here is the finished top.

I plan on starting the quilting process this weekend. My original plan was to start last weekend but I am having some stitch tension issues with my sewing machine. :(

Ok...Ok

Well its bit quite awhile since my last post but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. Lets see...I finished the ornament mini quilt:

Created some row/block markers, to keep things straight when doing larger projects:

And make a Queen sized body pillow for our bed. I made a pillow case for it as well, but here is the pillow itself made with red ticking:

There are a few other things that I have started and I will show those in a later post.

Not quite done

Didn't quite finish the ornament wall quilt over the weekend. With any luck I'll shoot for this weekend. Here is how far I did get though...

The appliques were sewn together in rows that look like this.

Then the rows were sewn together, seams pressed open, which became the basic top. It takes a little more time to press your seams open but I love the way the tops lays flat.

I then made some smaller ornaments and added those to the top which came out to look like this.

I could just leave the top as is or add small templates to the outer edges, but I'm not sure which one I will do. I keep walking in and out of my sewing room, looking at the top on my design wall, waiting for it to 'speak' to me. I'm pretty sure that I will be on my own making this decision, though.

Ornament Wall Quilt

Ok, back to my quilting drawing board. It s been a minute (a very long one) but I was able to get back in my sewing room for awhile (man I missed it). Here is the start of my new project starts with this template:

Using these fabrics and a few others:

They turn into appliques that look like this one:

My aim of course is to complete the quilt this weekend. We'll see. Wish me luck!

A little something

I starting back on a small scale and made this little diddy for my husband. A cell phone charger basket.

It is big enough both of our cell phones to fit comfortably. The next one I make I will use a heavier stabilizer. The basket holds its shape but I would like it be a little sturdier.

A little antsy!

It has been over a month since my last post. Between family commitments and a sewing room rearrange I haven't really touched my new machine but to repair a pair of pants for my husband.Suffered a little withdrawal and a bit of anxiety; feeling 'I need to quilt so I can blog about it'. Sounds a little obsessive, doesn't it? Anyone else ever suffer from this? Just wondering. Well  most of the last couple of weeks I've been with extended family. There was the Native American Pow-Wow in North Carolina. Here are a few pics from the Grand Entrance.

Then a couple of weekend ago we attended my cousin's wedding and the remodeled Oxon Hill Manor. It was a beautiful sunny day and here a few random pictures of the manor itself. The front...

the side...

and the back.

Unfortunately since my work and its commute keep me out of the house for about 13 to 14 hours a day, I don't really get a chance to get back to my quilting until the weekends. Since most of the rearranging of my house and sewing room is nearly complete I should be able to get back to sewing this weekend...yaaaaaayyy!