Strip pieced quilt

 Do you watch quilting videos on youtube?  I feel like there is so much out there to learn.  Every once in a while, I like to try new techniques and the videos by Jenny at The Missouri Quilt Company are short, sweet, and entertaining. Last fall, I watched this one:

And I made this quilt:

This quilt was made for my wonderful sister-in-law, Janet.  It matches the pillows I made her last year.  I really love the color combination of white, black, and red.  It makes me feel so happy!  I used a new method (new to me!)of making the squares (from you tube).  It went quickly and then stayed on my wall for months.  I got it pieced together around Thanksgiving but had a small problem: it is really big (to me!)  and I needed to quilt it in my regular sewing machine.

So I pondered that for awhile.

I finished another quilt (my Scrappy Stash rainbow quilt) in two sections and then connected the two halves.  It worked well except I can feel a lump there in the middle and I don't like that.  

So I pondered that for awhile.

I decided to try it anyway.  So I pieced the two halves together.  I put the borders on with the inserted strips so there wouldn't be a seam in the middle of the white borders.  Then I pieced the back (you knew that I have to make that complicated, right?)

Then Christmas came. 

 I knew we would go see the inlaws after Christmas so I had to get this done.

I basted it, quilted it, and bound it the day after Christmas. I quilted it in two halves but I trimmed away a bit of the batting before I connected them so no lumps!

 Tada! 

 I love how it turned out.  

If I make this again, I would spray starch on the pieces before I cut the strips because there was some unruly stretching going on!

I quilted an all over paisley pattern in black thread.  I used six bobbins!

Quilt back

I wrote on one of the white strips for the label.

Potholder Party!

Well, not really a party!  These are a few of the gifts I have been busy making for Christmas.  I can finally post a little about them now theat they have been given and received.  Every year I try to make many of my gifts, especially for my family.  I love to think about the person I am giving the present to as I make it.  Of course, I always believe I can get way more done than I actually can!

I have a few more things on my list.  The recipients will just get a happy surprise in January or February (last year it was May before I got them all sent!!)

Anyway, here are three different kinds of potholders I made this year.

Bright star with swirly quilting

Back of Star

Black and White log cabin variation with Jester's Hat quilting

Back

Green with ladybugs disappearing four-patch with a swirly Jester's Hat variation.

Back

 Potholders are fun to make and go pretty quickly.  I use the heat resistant batting in them.  I love to go to my friends and family's houses and see them using my potholders!

My Version of "The Hood" Tree Skirt

I saw this tree skirt on a blog (FreshLemons) last year.  This year I found one on Flickr by LolaBlueOcean.  Apparently,  there was a pattern published in the 2010 issue of Fat Quarterly by Brioni Greenberg. I think all of the variations are adorable.  When my daughter asked me to make her a tree skirt, this is the one that popped into my mind.  Then she said maybe just blue stars.  Really?  I showed her the picture on Flickr.  She said it looked too complicated.  

Okay.

I decide to make this one for us.  We have had the same tree skirt for over 30 years, I think.  My mom bought it.  It is a weird mix of country and tacky, with two inch wide lace around the edges.  But the presents cover it.

Anyhow.

I start cutting and placing some of the houses and send my daughter a picture.

She liked it.

So, about 10 hours of work later, her tree skirt is done!

Tada!!!

I had a lot of fun making the houses and trees and stars.  I even made a house with their name in it next to a Christmas tree.

The Christmas lights are up early this year because my husband actually did them (for the first time, I think).  Aren't they pretty?  Well, it is daytime, so not so pretty right now but beautiful at night!)

Here is the Christmas tree!  I quilted their name onto the blue house.

Swirly quilting!  I outlined the houses and trees with the darning foot, too.

This part will be under the tree, of course.

I made wide stripes on the back and used the same fabric for the binding.

The houses and trees are on my quilt.  I just need to sew a backing, baste it, quilt it, and bind it.  We will be getting our tree on Saturday.  Hmmm...  I wonder if there is any chance I will be done?

Thanks for visiting!  Come back again soon!

December sewing (a little late!)

Here are a few glimpses of my Christmas sewing.  I made lots of ornaments this year, including 12 of these little owls (one of them was an Angry Bird!).

Overexposed Owl!

 I sewed these little ornaments for my daughter and son in law's tree.  They have a puppy and a one year old who took turns grabbing the ornaments off the tree.  Eventually, all the ornaments were on the top of the tree.

I made these pillows for my sister in law.    She asked me in August if I would make them for her.  I cut out 10" squares of batting and sewed the strips to the batting, trimmed them down and then quilted lines in the spaces.  I practiced my FMQ on the backs.  

Don't they look great in her family room?  I decided I needed some, too, so I am making some for my house (they won't match our family room but oh well!)

This pillow was my Christmas gift to my wonderful mother in law last year.  I never got a picture of it so I snapped a few this year.  It felt like visiting an old friend!

I have a few more projects to post (and mail).  Hopefully, they will be ready soon!

PS. I linked up to Sew Modern Monday at Canoe Ridge Creations and Freshly Pieced.  Go see the lovely projects!