Ho Ho Ho Christmas Quilt

Here is my latest completed quilt. I call it my Ho Ho Ho Quilt. I made it with swap blocks from the Penny Pincher 5 Ho Ho Ho block Swap that was held earlier this year at http://www.quilting.about.com/. We used Bonnie Hunter’s Pineapple Blossom quilt pattern, and as luck would have it, I had it quilted by none other than Bonnie Hunter herself. You all know Bonnie – she’s the star of Quiltville Machine Quilting and the Quiltville Blog. It seemed to me to be the natural order of things to have her do the quilting. She used the Whirly Gig pantograph pattern on it and I am very pleased with the end result. I have wanted a Christmas quilt for myself ever since I started quilting, and now I have one! So, let the Holidays begin! I am ready!

Peas and Carrots

Since my darling little Granddaughter moved to the "country" I felt it necessary to outfit her accordingly. I whipped this up last weekend, and must say I am quite pleased with the results. The shirt and overalls came from Old Navy, and the peas embroidery design came from Ann the Grans free design section. The lettering is a built in font in my Janome 11000, and the carrots on the overalls I just drew myself and then appliqued using WonderUnder. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy...

Halloween Bragging Time

Here are some of our kids, all dressed up in costumes they made themselves, getting ready to hit Duval Street for Fantasy Fest 2007 in Key West. I am not kidding, the kids literally made these costumes themselves using the green foam you buy at Joanne Fabrics, PVC pipe, felt, high density foam for facial elements that were then carved with an electric turkey carver, lots of glue, paint, sweat... My only contribution was 50% off coupons for Joannes and I sewed the pant legs, sleeves and hands out of felt they had purchased. I am blown away at how good they are! It wasn't enough that they made Spongebob and Patrick costumes - they then had to make pirate costumes for their costumes! I couldn't be more proud! Oh, and did I mention they are seven foot tall?!!!

Above, from left to right, Kate the Pirate, Justin dressed as Spongebob the pirate, Joseph the Spongebob Security Guard, and Jeremy as Patrick the pirate.

My favorite shot..........

Scrap Bag for Snips and Things

Well, the day finally came when I could no longer tolerate the ziplock bag taped to my sewing table. I used this to conveniently put all those clipped threads, clipped points and the little pieces of tear away stabilizer that we seem to accumulate while sewing. I found a great design that is perfect for the sewing room, grabbed a hunk of old pinwale corduroy, and whipped up the perfect solution for collecting these scraps. I made two straps, put a button hole on the end of each, then I screwed two small screws to the inside of the door, hung the straps on these screws, and Wa-La, I have a new trash bag! I used up an entire hunk of fabric that is probably ten years old and have something to look at that is more pleasing that the ziplock bag taped to the top of my sewing table! I will thin down this stash...I will thin down this stash...

Odds and Ends

Yes, I have actually been sewing up a storm these days. I am using up some fabrics I have had laying about for quite some time, so I feel good about the completed projects. I really need to thin down the stash because my sewing area is microscopic - and I do mean microscopic! Sooo, whining aside, here are a few of the items I completed this week.

First, and probably my favorite, is the Halloween costume for my wonderful nieces American Girl doll. I had this great black velvet, just sitting on a shelf collecting lint, very close to this fancy red silk that seemed to be screaming to line the witch's cape, and Wa-La, you have the perfect costume for a doll!

Second on the list was this bag, also made from the same black velvet, but this is lined with fabric I purchased in New York City that depicts the city in blacks and white. I embroidered a scroll design on the front of each side to spice it up a bit. It is a great pattern from Butterick and I intend to make more bags using some patchwork for one, and brown corduroy for another.

The third project for this week was also for the niece that had received the American Girl costume. She wants to be Dr. Seuss's Thing 1 and to have her little girlfriend be Thing 2 so I made for their costumes embroidered "Thing Emblems". That wasn't good enough for me, so I then made them coordinated Trick or Treat bags. I sure do love my Janome 11000 - it is so easy to embroider and personalize!

The fourth project I can't show you here because it is in a package on its way to Mishicot, WI and I don't want to ruin the surprise, and I know that the recipient reads my blog.... she will just have to wait.

Cities, Quilt Shops and Whales

My husband and I just got back from making a trek north to visit New York City and Boston for a few days. I have been to New York City many times, and never tire of it. In fact, every time I go I am amazed at the way the city energizes me! I love it there. We went to see a show on Broadway, Phantom of the Opera for the first time and I was awestruck. A fabulous evening, to say the least. I would recommend it to everyone. If you have never seen a live show, you really are missing something. The talent in front of you is truly a gift - I feel so blessed to have seen the few I have thus far. At the top of my mental "To Do" list is "See More Shows". I intend to follow through.

Naturally, I also had to hit a quilt shop while in the city. The City Quilter is more than worth the trip if you are in the Big Apple. My husband and I had been out for a nice stroll in Central Park when a rip roaring down pour began. I knew I would never find a cab in the storm and I was quickly getting soaked to the skin. My husband, always willing to support the arts (and probably avoid a tantrum), changed his afternoon plans and escorted me to the door of the quilt shop. The people in the shop were as nice as can be, and the stock was exemplary. I was in heaven and spent some of my children's inheritance while there. They will love the quilts more than any money I could leave them anyway, right?

The second half of our mini vacation was a trip up to Boston, a city I have never been to. That, too, should be on everyones "To Do" list. My sister-in-law lives in a neighborhood adjacent to Cambridge, a great place called Davis Square. I know that many people carelessly throw the word "cool" around, but honestly this place is totally cool. I loved it! From there we went whale watching, took a helicopter ride over the city, and ate some of the best food I have ever had. I don't want to be one of those people that drones on and on about their vacation, so I will end here, but honestly people - Boston is a city we should all go visit. Oh, and just so you know, my husband actually took that photo of the whales beside our boat.

Calling all Grandparents!

Here is my latest project - a bag and
pillow for my darling one year old Granddaughter, Madelyn. Her parents just moved to New York, and they took her with them. Imagine that! This was my first weekend with them living in New York, and me living here in Florida. To help myself with the tremendous "missing," I sewed up a few things for her.

Let me give you a tiny bit of background - Our last name is Freebery, so I came up with this design. We have a lot of family up in New York, and there are two sets of Great Grandparents up there as well, and I fear her forgetting about her Florida Grandparents. I want to sew up a multitude of "Berry" projects so that everywhere she looks she will be reminded of her Florida Berry Grandparents. So, all that being said, if any of you have any Berry projects or ideas - send them my way! Help this very sad Grandma create a gazillion Berry projects so that I am always front and center for little Madelyn! Terrible, probably, but it can't hurt to have a constant presence, can it?