Monday again

Go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts to see what other quilters are up to.

I had a lovely dinner with a small group of my quilt friends on Thursday evening. Then we went to a nearby town to see a wonderful musical light display.

Here is a link that will take you to their web page Lighting Up Paxton.

I was gifted this lovely metal barn quilt. Feathered Star is my favorite block. Sadly, I have 2 quilts started using this block, but none finished.

I was also gifted with 2 plate holders. This friend makes a lot of the bowl holders to give and sell. One of her friends challenged her to make a plate holder. She gave each of us our pick of 2. I chose red and blue. What a great idea!

This weekend I worked on my Exchange blocks.
Here are the blocks before I added mine.

I couldn't decide which way I wanted the hour glass block to go. I had decided on the bottom one, but when I picked it up to sew it I must have turned it.

It's ok, this is how the directions say to place it.

Here are all the blocks with mine added, top and bottom right.

Our district lets out 2 hours early on Wednesday for Christmas break. We will be serving Christmas dinner - gravy with turkey pieces, mashed potatoes, dressing, roll, green beans, and ice cream. Each child invites two adults to eat with them. After the meal the children sing a couple of Christmas songs and parents may then take their child home. There are always a handful of students who have no adults able to come eat with them. We have wonderful volunteers and staff who sit with those children. Then there are a some students who don't get to leave with their adults because the adults need to go back to work. They are sad but we try to do something fun with them until time to dismiss for the day. This week will be a little crazy and I think we are all looking forward to having some time away from school. I am looking forward to some sewing time!

My Heart Hurts

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I knew this project would be hard, and I was right.

I am making pillows for my sister-in-law and niece.

You Are My Sunshine was their family thing. 

My brother was a bee keeper and they always grew sunflowers.

I was able to get 2 shirts that belonged to my brother to use as backing. 

I straight stitched around the applique. 

I am using the shirt fronts as the pillow back. 

I like that the shirt can be unbuttoned to remove the pillow cover for washing.

I also like having the pocket there. I think it needs a special note with maybe a picture in it.

 

 

Pillow one is finished.

Here is the layout for Pillow 2.

A Near Finish

Go here, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, to see what other quilters are doing.

Thanksgiving was a little tough this year. My family gathering get smaller every year. 

Not having my brother's cheerful presence there made this one hard. 

But we got through it and are working on plans for Christmas. 

My niece bought a house and hosting this year, so that will be something new to look forward to.

Over the weekend I worked on this quilt for by son's girlfriend. She loves Minions!

Front, I used a panel and added the orange and blue borders. Quick and easy! It is not bound yet.

Back is cozy Minkee!

I also finished quilting another cross-stitched baby quilt for my friend. She has made several of these. I have another cross-stitched one and a pieced one up next on my list.

Front, cute Noah's Ark.

Back is cozy flannel.

We had a pretty quiet weekend which we like! No Black Friday shopping, no Small Business Saturday shopping. I used to love to shop, but now I don't have the patience to fight the crowds and wait in line. I looked around on websites thinking I might find some great deals for Cyber Monday, but I there wasn't anything that I really needed or wanted.

Busy

I once again do not have much to show. I have the best of intentions during the day but have no motivation to work on much when I get home from work.

The time change always makes me feel tired, even though we gained an hour. I have a hard time wanting to get out of bed in the dark (yes, it is dark at the time I have to get up), and now the cold. 

Anyway, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish this weekend.

- house blocks for Quilt Exchange

- media cart cover (for school)

- finish quilting Ruth's baby quilt

- sash and border T-shirt quilt

I finished the house blocks.

These are the blocks that came to me this time. We are in Round 3.

This is the first block ready to be sewn.

This member has very specific instructions. She wants red roofs, 1 house block in grays, 1 in blacks (we are each making 2 house blocks) and solid red doors. 

 

After I got this one made I realized that what I interpret to be the door was not red.

So I remade it.

Mine are the the 2 on the top right.

I worked on the T-shirt quilt.

I did finish the sashing, but did not get the borders on.

The media cart cover has been delayed. My friend had said, 'You know how to sew, can you make this?' And, I said, 'Sure!'. But, now I'm not exactly sure of the kind of fit that is expected. 

I know my friend wants the ugliness of the cords and equipment to be hidden from the front and sides. But, I am not sure how to finish the back - leave it open? Make the back part with flaps that can somehow be moved out of the way to allow access to the equipment, like a curtain? And, if so, how to do that? So I am going to need to discuss this further with her. 

Not one stitch went into the baby quilt.

So I have been busy, but it feels like I didn't get much accomplished.