More is More

How about more Wild Air?

Wild Air is the pattern by Carrie Nelson for Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.  I started my quilt in a class sponsored by the Corn Wagon Quilt Company in Springville, Utah.  After blogging about my Wild Air I received a note from Julie, who was also in my class, along with this picture of her finished Wild Air.  I thought you would enjoy seeing her beautiful quilt as much as I did.

Julie used Glace by 3 Sisters for Moda for the majority of the pieced blocks and Basic Grey Blush also by Moda for the red border.  A funny story about Julie, she has since moved from Utah, and my first reaction was, " oh no, you must really miss the Corn Wagon Quilt Co",  because I remember Julie being very active in several of their classes, but then Julie told me she now lives in Temecula, California, yes home of the Temecula Quilt Co!  How could she be so lucky, Julie said the nice ladies at Temecula Quilt Shop have welcomed her into their fold.  The next time we're moving, I'm insisting we move to a town with an active local quilt shop!

Besides getting ready for Thanksgiving, I'm also counting down to Christmas.  I got my Countdown to Christmas quilt, headboard cover, pillows, and wall hanging out the first of November.  I love this set so much I start counting down to Christmas early.  Also, if I'm going to the trouble to change the fabric on that headboard, it's going to be out for longer than one month!  This is my guest room.

Here's my Christmas in the City wall hanging.

When I'm in  my sewing room, Cooper likes to hang out right next door in this room, he gets a great view of the goings on out on the street, he's always on guard for the UPS, USPS or Fed Ex men.  I know I have a package getting ready to hit the doorstep before it's even out of the truck.

Well since this is a white quilt, and since it is out for a couple of months, I thought I would put an old blanket over Countdown to Christmas for Cooper to lay on when I'm sewing.  As you can see, Cooper was having none of that, he must be excited to have this quilt back out too, to push that old comforter out of the way.  (the bedroom set, including that great headboard where you can swap out the fabric is from Pottery Barn)

And finally, a starlight update.  Thank you all so much for all the great and supportive comments regarding my little problem with starlight, by Camille Roskelley for thimble blossoms.  Knowing you've had similar issues made me feel less foolish.  And between your comments and the passage of time, I'm feeling better about the whole thing.  I'm also taking your advice and working on the un-sewing a little bit everyday.  Once I have the blocks apart and trimmed I may even work on something else, then put those starlight blocks back together, a little break would be good for my soul I think.  Two comments really stand out, Vicky's comment was, "a quilt so nice you'll make it twice!  That's my new mantra,   I think because it's fun and true!  And Ann said, "Sometimes quilting is a humbling experience", and she is right, this was a humbling experience, but I'm better for it.   So really, thanks so much for feeling my pain.  And like I said, I have a fix for this.  If you want to feel some real pain go visit Nicole's blog, she just finished her Clover Schnibbles table topper only to spill hot wax on it, I'm not sure there's a fix for that, but I sure hope so, I feel your pain Nicole!

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Are you counting , I am!!

I'm counting down the days to Christmas and could not be happier about it!

My Countdown to Christmas quilt is home from the quilter, just in the "Nick" of time!

Connie Lancaster at Quilts Plus in Indianapolis worked her Christmas magic on this top with a custom design.  I really like the pattern in the white sashing and think it all looks wonderful.  I enlarged this photo with the hope that you can see what a wonderful job (as always) Connie did.  

There was one main reason that I selected the bedroom furniture in the guest room, the ability to change the fabric on the headboard.  I thought I would be changing that fabric all the time to match my quilts,  but I have to admit, it's a little harder to swap out the fabric on that headboard than I expected, and I've been living with a French General red floral print ever since I got the bed, until now.  

 Changing the fabric involves taking the bed apart, then the headboard apart, then attaching the fabric to the foam board, and then putting it all back together. But I've been eager to get this Countdown to Christmas fabric on that headboard ever since I finished the quilt. 

(click here for a close-up of this print)

Here's the bed, all made and ready for Christmas.  The quilt was my first finish for this year and making those pillows in February was one of the best uses of my time, 3 days worth of my time, but  I don't think I would be able to squeeze that into my schedule right now, I'm so glad they are done.  

(click here for more detail on the pillows)

It's very rare that I make a quilt exactly like the pattern and even  more rare when I use the same fabric as the pattern, and even though I've never seen an ugly project made with Countdown to Christmas by Sweetwater for Moda, I think this pattern with this fabric was the perfect marriage.  Which reminds me, why didn't Sweetwater do a Christmas fabric line this year!  I hope they come up with one for next year.

(click here for more information on this quilt)

Now really, don't you think this is plenty of Christmas cheer for one room, but wait, there's more!

Christmas in the City is also quilted (by Connie) and hanging on the wall.

(click here for more information on this quilt)

I've been counting the days until I could decorate this room and could not be happier with how it all came together.

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find Santa sound asleep in my guest room come Christmas morning!

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Done Count'n . . . . . .

I've really enjoyed working with that Countdown to Christmas fabric by Sweetwater for Moda. I've enjoyed it so much that one quilt, one wallhanging, and three pillows was not enough. Nope, I had to make one more thing, a pincushion.

I'm sure hoping Sweetwater has a Christmas fabric for 2012. I keep checking the Moda Coming Soon page, the designers that have their Christmas fabric coming out this summer are listed, but so far, nothing listed for Sweetwater. I think Countdown to Christmas came out in August last year so maybe their next line will be out in August this year. The Coming Soon fabric page at Moda only goes through July.

So after one quilt, one wall hanging, three pillows, and one pincushion I still have some fabric left.

There's some pieces from a layer cake, some pieces from a charm pack, some yardage and some scraps. I think there's enough fabric here to make something, and they are yours for the asking. If you've been hoping to get to some of this lovely fabric, but haven't gotten around to it, here's your chance.

Just leave a comment by the end of day Tuesday, February 14th. I'll announce the winner on Wednesday. I'll mail to any address my post office will accept, so this offer is not restricted to the US. If you can't leave a comment just send an email to me at cupcakesndaisies@gmail.com

In your comment, let me know what you're working on now or what's up next, I just love to know what folks are working on in their sewing rooms. Do you ever check out the Top Sellers page at the Fat Quarter Shop? It's a nice look into what folks are buying for their sewing rooms.

Here's my what's up next,

French Vintage by Joe Wood for ThimbleCreek Quilts.

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Pillow Talk . . . .

Look what I made, PILLOWS!!

Some Countdown to Christmas pillows to go with my Countdown to Christmas quilt and Countdown to Christmas wall hanging.

I've been wanting to make some pillows to go with some of my quilts ever since I picked up this book. (still available, click here)

This is "Shams with Style" by Heather Mulder Peterson and Deb Mulder. I bought this book almost two years ago; and every time I finish a quilt I think, "I need to make some matching pillows". But I'm usually in a hurry to move on to the next project on my To Do list and tell myself, "I'll make them after I get the top quilted" or "I'll make them when I'm ready to put the quilt on the bed". Well that has yet to happen so this time I decided to make the pillows now, so when Christmas rolls around and I get my quilt out, I'll have the pillows ready to go.

I recommend the book, it has several patterns (no zippers required, yeah!), provides different size requirements for different bed sizes, and the instructions are well written with great illustrations.

I decided to go with 3 pillows to stretch across the headboard. Several of the techniques required to make the pillows were new to me so I decided to make one pillow start to finish, then tackle the other two pillows.

I had a free afternoon and figured I could whip out one pillow in a couple of hours.

hahaha

This was the first time I had ever quilted anything bigger than a mug rug, and only the second time I had ever attached binding to a project.

I did use this foot for the first time and it worked great. See that guide in the middle of that foot? All I had to do was line up that foot on my quilt pattern and sew. It took 2 hours to quilt both sides of the pillow!! Who knew machine quilting was so time consuming!!

Here's a closeup of the quilting and the ties.

I used white quilting thread on one side of the pillow and red on the other. I made all three pillows that way. I'm not sure which side I prefer, but it gives me the option to go all white, all red, two white one red, or one red two white.

Yes, ties! no zipper required.

It took me over 3 days to make these three pillows but I think it was well worth the time.

Not counting the shopping, decorating, cooking, and partying that comes with Christmas, I'm all ready!

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