Saturday, December 28, 2013

Christmas Gifts!

Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing holiday!  As we have a 3 year old, it started out amazing, but quickly deteriorated with a few tantrums. She's still talking about what an awesome day it was, though, so I guess it's a win!

Her new house, and her Princess Dress, and her Pirate Spyglass.
She is a girl of many tastes!

Santa was VERY good to her, and she is very appreciative! She wrote him a thank you note! (Hurray for manners! Let's hope it lasts!)

I made very few gifts this year . . . I learned my lesson a few years ago and just do what I can.

I made my grandmother a Rainbow Quilt from a kit from Pink Chalk Fabrics. The quilt sewed up REALLY fast!
 So bright and happy! :)

 The backing (From Camille Roskelley's Scrumptious) was picked out by Miss A because "Flowers make Oma happy", and how do you say no to that?

backing

I also knit my grandfather a blanket; I've been working on it off and on all year, but I think it turned out very nicely!

Knitted!

When I finally cast off, it was 65" x 25" . . . yes, I almost cried! But after blocking it (thank goodness for tutorials on the Internet!) it ended up 65" x 45". I'm told he fell asleep on Christmas day under it, so I think he likes it!

I made my awesome SIL a quick scarf from a kit and tutorial from The Purl Bee.

Just me . . . posing (I changed shirts so I looked presentable!)

It turned out really well! I had a hard time giving it up! I got to try something new, elastic smocking, which was easier than I thought it would be.

Smocking

Finally "Mrs. Clause" made Miss A a baby doll quilt for her new baby and baby bed!

Baby's Quilt

Thankfully I have a stock of It's A Hoot from before she was born and was able to whip up a quick quilt that matches the one on her bed.

Kirsten's bed

It's an amazing bed. My Opa (who got the knit blanket) made me this bed and a matching trunk when I was a kid for my American Girl doll (Kirsten).  Santa found it in the attic and thought it would be perfect for a new baby doll grandma was getting her. Baby has slept in that bed every night since Christmas. It makes me smile!

Those are the only gifts I made! I took it easy this year and it ended up being a great Christmas! I hope you all had one just as good!

Happy Holidays!
See ya!
EL

Quilt Stats:
Name: Oma's Rainbow
Size: 64" x 64"
Design: Line Art Kit from Pink Chalk Fabric
Fabric: 2 Robert Kaufman Kona Jelly Rolls (one white and one multicolored)
Back Fabric:  Aqua Summer from Scrumptious by Camille Roskelley
Completed: December 16, 2013

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Christmas Quilts!

Christmas Trees!

Merry Christmas!! I LOVE this time of year! I'm very into the decorating, and the baking, and the EATING!!!! Every year I want to have Christmas quilts out, but I usually underestimate my time and overestimate my ability, so I don't get them done.

NOT THIS YEAR BABY!!!!!!! Granted, one of these quilts was pieced, basted, and partially quilted, and the other is ridiculously small and completely cut out and organized, but I actually FINISHED 2 CHRISTMAS QUILTS! And that is what we are focusing on! ;)

The first one was part of a Round Robin for the Dallas Modern Quilt Guild that started in February of 2012 and ended in July of  2012. I finished this quilt on November 21, 2013!

Round Robin Quilt . . . I need to find a better way to photograph quilts!

I used the Octagonal Orb Block tutorial from Oh Fransson! as my center, 


It looks like a wreath! Hurray!

and some lovely ladies of the DMQG finished the sides.

Inner borders.

Outer Borders.

I did have to add one border to make it long enough, but it now resides on my guest bedroom bed!

Quilt Stats:
Name: Christmas Wreath
Size: I didn't measure, but it fits a full size bed really well.
Design: Round Robin (center is Octagonal Orb Block from Oh Fransson!
Fabric: Miscellaneous Christmas scraps (back is a sheet) 
Completed: November 21, 2013
Label: None, but I do have a journal I sent around for the ladies to write in. It includes pictures! :) 


The second one is for Miss A's toddler bed! I picked out the fabrics and cut them last year before abandoning it for more pressing matters.



Look at those little feet!

It is the Lovely Little Forest tutorial from Purl Bee.

I used a TON of fabrics, some are real lines, some are scraps from my stash, some are even scraps from my Grandma's stash. So I can't tell you what they are.

She wanted to photograph her quilt!

But the back and binding are from Happy Zombie's Holiday Happy line. (Miss A LOVES the "Santa's" on the back!).
"Santa" Gnomes!

Quilt Stats:
Name: Ali's Christmas Trees
Size: 44" x 52" (Small enough for her toddler bed, but big enough for a couch quilt when she moves into a big bed!)
Design: Lovely Little Forest from Purl Bee
Fabric: Miscellaneous Christmas Scraps (Back is Happy Zombie's Holiday Happy gnomes.) 
Completed: November 21, 2013
Label: None

I'm really proud of my Christmas quilts, and that I've actually had them decorating the house for the entire Christmas season. Maybe next year I'll have one for my bed! (No promises.) ;)

I do have some Christmas presents to show you next time (not too many, I decided not to kill myself;)

Merry Christmas!
See ya!
EL