New Project - Fandango/Coping

One of my new Christmas gifts had a picture of this quilt on the cover, so I had to start it at the first possible moment.  Things were pretty quiet around here Friday evening and I started cutting some of the hundreds of 1.25 X 10" strips needed for the finished quilt.  To be completely honest, the first block was made with 1.5" strips, because I thought I remembered the right measurements! 
The book is "DEVOTED TO SCRAPS"  from Leisure Arts.
I was surprised to also see a pattern from someone I actually know.  Connie Walker who used to own a local quilt shop (Whistle Stop in Selma NC) has her "Meet Me at the Manor" quilt pattern published in it too.

Lots of cutting, sewing, trimming seams and pressing but that is just what I need right now. 

 I will probably call it Coping because the uneven strips make me think of the little strips sometimes added to adjust for a block's size and  also  because that's what we're all doing around here just now.

Missing Both My Number One and Two Guys

Gordon and John 2008

So shocked to lose Gordon so soon after John.  At least they will have each other's comfort in Heaven. Gordon's friend, Stan, read the following poem at Gordon's Memorial Service on Friday.  We will miss them both tomorrow but have all our wonderful memories  of each of them which can never be taken from us.
 

My First Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below 

With tiny lights like Heaven’s starts, reflecting on the snow. 

The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away the tear 

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. 

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear 

But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas choir up here. 

I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring, 

For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing. 

I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart, 

But I am not far away, we really aren’t apart. 

So be happy for me, dear ones, you know I hold you dear, 

And be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift, from my heavenly home above, 

I sent you each a memory of my undying love. 

After all love is a gift more precious than pure gold. 

It was always most important in the stories Jesus told. 

Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do 

For I can’t count the blessing or love He has for each of you. 

So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear. 

Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

Santa Archive 2000

Santa Archive 1998

Made in 1999 - the clothing is all felt. 

My favorite details are the cardinal and the buttons on the coat.

 

Stay warm!

Santa Archives - 2003

Getting out some of the Santas today.  This is one I made in 2003.  My older sister gave me that unusual shade of wool that I used for the coat.  He has patchwork wings, an old crocheted collar and stands on a heart shaped stand that John made and I painted.  He is carrying a stuffed goose.

I entered it in the NC State Fair and won a blue ribbon.  He is the only Santa that I entered in the fair.

Stitcher's Garden Blocks

In today's workshop, I finished the 4 - 6" blocks above.  They will not be sewn next to each other in 

the finished quilt.  I may not use the one in the lower right corner as it looks really strange.

These are my blocks from last month.  I brought them home and they sat in the box all month.  the bottom one is finished except for the flower centers and borders.  After you applique the flowers, you brush the stem to chenille it.  Hated that.

I  have not started my October blocks.  So will try to concentrate on catching up as this was our last class.  They are going to offer a session on finishing the quilt early next year.  Everyone who took the class seems to have a different theme so it will be interesting to see the finishes.

###############################################

Company and socials will probably keep me away form the sewing machine for a few days.  

Little Forest Top Finished

I finished sewing the borders on this afternoon.  It is 61 x 72".  I really should rearrange my sewing space so that I can go back to a larger, more accessible area for my design wall.

 

I cut the rest of the red into binding strips.  I was going to use a small red and white stripe but it looked like it didn't belong.

I put together a couple more blocks.  Will add the centers soon as I don't like to do them all at once.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tomorrow is Stiticher's Garden Class at Thistlebee Quilt Shop in Goldsboro and I still need to get a few more things together for it.  It is our final  class.  I think they may offer a class on setting the quilt together.

It's been fun making all the blocks using different techniques.

Meanwhile Back in the Forest ------

This afternoon I decoded to clean off the sewing room table and make room to cut borders for the tree quilt.

The deer fabric is in a line called "Retro Christmas"by Robert Kaufman.  I found it at Thimble Pleasures in Chapel Hill when we took the Patriotic Quilts to the VA Hospital in Durham in November.

 

 I am using a 1/2 inch inner border of a red print that I have had forever - different than the solid shown here.
I hope I have the top squared up correctly so that the borders will go on correctly.

********************************************************************************

Saturday morning I went with some friends to a Quilter's Day of Sharing in Greenville, NC.  We saw lots of beautiful show and tell and  ate a delicious brunch provided by the Greenville Quilters Guild.  They gave each guest a fat quarter place mat, a yo-yo pin, and a little recipe booklet.  I won a nice door prize too.  Fun way to spend a cold rainy morning. Three of the many, many quilts from show and tell.

Love this with the white background

Like the brights in this one

I like that they added blocks to a strippy quilt.

Sewing Today - One Dotty Block

Today C&S came over to sew.  We spent most of the morning catching up.  And after lunch I worked on my arc units for the blocks. 

This evening I cut out the corner pieces for one block and sewed them together.  I was relieved after paper piecing all those units that the block turned out to be the correct size. The quilt in the pattern is 52 x 56".  I'm thinking of enlarging it as I want to give it as a gift.

 Tonight I finished reading "The Little Friend" by Donna Tartt which I enjoyed so much.  Now I want to read her other 2 books but I think I will wait until after Christmas.  

More Dotty

The dotty pattern has 3 different arc units.  I finished the 19 of this design.  Of course, this is the simplest one  with only 5 pieces per arc.  The others have 8 and 9 pieces.

Now I'll have to cut more lots more little pieces.

Apricot Almond Cookies

Toffee Bars


I finished my cookie baking for the time being.  I think I've  made 28 dozen since Thanksgiving.  Shelly picked up hers this morning.   I'll wait a few days before I make a few more for Christmas.