Christmas Morning

Looks like I'm only going to finish two quilts for my big "Christmas in July Sewing Marathon".  Not much of a marathon, but it's been a busy month, and I am happy with the two tops I did complete.  I'm also happy July is almost over, Christmas in July sewing is not really my thing.

To make this block I started out with Cindy Lamman's Garden Lattice block, from her Simply Modern Christmas book.  Then I made it bigger and swapped out Cindy's center square with that pinwheelish center.  I've had a few requests for the block details, I'll work on a tutorial over the weekend and post it next week, so you can make your own Christmas Morning quilt.  I named it Christmas morning because we open our presents Christmas morning, and I think the top looks like a bunch of presents just waiting to be opened.

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 183.

I've named it Christmas Morning.

It finished at 72" x 72".

The fabric is by Kate Spain for Moda, several different families.

It has approximately 460 pieces.

Now on to some summer themed sewing, I bet I can finish a couple of quilts before summer officially ends.

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Now I just need a Chimney

I finished piecing this top this week.  This is Christmas quilt number two of four, four Christmas  quilts for gifts being my goal for 2016.  I'm now looking for my next Christmas pattern but don't intend to start it for at least a couple of months.  I am open to suggestions for a pattern for Christmas quilt number 3. 

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 177

It finished at 74" x 81"

It has approximately 252 pieces.

The fabric is an assortment of Christmas lines by Kate Spain for Moda.

The pattern is By the Chimney by Lella Boutique.

I enjoyed every minute I spent working on this quilt.  I took this picture on a gloomy rainy day,  it looks so much more festive in person.

And while we're on the subject of holiday projects and gifts, have you seen this free pattern being offered by the Fat Quarter Shop?

I intend to make several, and think you should too!   Click here for details.

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Next Up . . .

So one of my 2016 Goals is to make 4 Christmas quilts as gifts for this year.  I have one down and am getting ready to start the second.  My goal is to make one every other month and be done with them all in plenty of time to be quilted and bound.

I thought this By the Chimney pattern by Lella Boutique was very festive, who wouldn't like a Christmas quilt covered with stockings.

Selecting fabric is always the hardest part of any project for me.  Here is step one of my stockings.  I'm just going with an assortment of Kate Spain for Moda Christmas prints.  They are from different families released different years, but I think they go together just fine.

I hope I don't like this quilt too much, I won't want to give it away.

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One of Four

One of my 2016 Quilting Goals is to finish 4 Christmas quilts for gifts this year.  I've pieced my first one, 3 more to go. 

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 174

The pattern is All Wrapped Up by Kate Spain (it's a free pattern, click here)

It finished at 55" x 65"

It has approximately 282 pieces

I used random Kate Spain holiday fabrics from several families for this top.  10 inch squares worked perfectly.

I think the size and style of this quilt makes it a perfect gift.  It could be hung on a wall or used as a lap quilt.

I need to not procrastinate on piecing the back and getting it quilted!

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Catchup

I was going through my blog, reviewing what I had accomplished this year, and realized I failed to blog about three finishes!

First up is is Lo-Lo, a sample I made for market.  This quilt is deceivingly easy to piece.  If you like making half square triangle units (which I do, I make them big then trim them to size), then you'll enjoy working on this quilt.  The print fabric is a layer cake of Kate Spain Aria for Moda, the dark background fabric is a Pure and Natural woven called Charcoal also by Moda.

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 165

The pattern is Lo-Lo by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co and currently available here

It finished at 62" x 73"

It has approximately 459 pieces

I also pieced this sample, Glad Tidings.  The fabric is Miss Scarlet by Minick and Simpson for Moda.  The fabric should be available March of 2016.  The fabric does all the work for this top.  It looks very pretty in person, very festive.  The floral border fabric has a pinstripe background that adds a lot to the look.  The pattern is available now, paper or pdf, and currently 30% off with the code "count" from Minick and Simpson. click here

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 166

The pattern is Glad Tidings by Minick and Simpson

It finished at 52" x 52"

It has approximately 184 pieces.

The first two quilts, Lo-Lo and Glad Tidings,  I didn't blog about when I finished them because they were to be introduced at market, not by my blog, lol.    Then market came and went and I forgot all about them!  The next top I didn't blog about because it was such a huge disappointment that I wanted to forget about it. But I need to stay true to my list.  Most of my quilts are good, some are really good, but every now and then I come up with a stinker!  Which is what I should probably name this quilt.

It got off to a great start, I bought one layer cake and two charm packs of Primitive Muslin by Primitive Gatherings for Moda.  I loved the rich colors but it was the feel of the fabric that really got my attention.

I figured I could easily whip up a soft and warm quilt for Mr. Cupcake using these precuts. And I guess technically I did, it was easy, it's soft, and if it were quilted it would probably be warm, but that doesn't change the fact that it's ugly!  It's so hard to make quilts for guys, I thought I had come up with a great plan.  The look on my husband's face when I showed it to him pretty much summed up my opinion of the top too.  I'll give myself points for efficiently using the fabric, but the colors just don't all go together so good, maybe just using two of the colors would make for a more pleasing top.  I've decided to turn this one ugly top into two ugly tops, get them quilted, then use them as covers for Cooper's bed.  

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 164

Currently named One Ugly Quilt

It finished at 63" x 81"

It has approximately 126 pieces.

I came up with a name for my Christmas word quilt, Spelling the Spirit of Christmas! Last I checked I've answered all the questions in the comments section.

Next up, I'll review 2015, I had a wonderful year, even with that one ugly quilt thrown in, then it's on to my 2016 goals.  Hope you'll stop back by!

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Friday Finish!

It sure doesn't take long to finish a quilt top when half the blocks are already pieced.  Although I enjoyed making the Lollies blocks so much I was sort of sad when I made the last one.  This is a pattern I would enjoy making again, and maybe not in holiday themed fabric, although I think this pattern is very well suited for Christmas fabric.

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 168 - Christmas Lollies

The pattern is Lollies by Camille Roskelley for thimble blossoms

The fabric is an assortment of Kate Spain for Moda Christmas fabric

It finished at 64" x 74"

It has approximately 698 pieces.

The Lollies pattern is available here.

Have you been drooling over all social media pictures of fall market?  Black Tie Affair by Basic Grey, Spooky Delight by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs,  and Carkai by Carolyn Friedlander  are lines of fabric that are on the top of my wish list.   Now we just have to wait for it to show up in stores, which seems to take forever.  For the first time I was able to watch some great Market broadcasts on Periscope.  Did you give that a try?  It was almost like being there, except I couldn't buy anything at that Sample Spree!

And I can't let the day go by without saying happy birthday to someone who spends almost as much time in my sewing room as I do.

Happy 7th Birthday Cooper!

This is Cooper when we brought him home.

This is Cooper now,

I should maybe get him a bigger bed for his birthday.

Are you sewing this weekend? I'm hoping I am!!

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No More Lollie-gagging

Over Memorial Day weekend a friend and I had a Lollies weekend sew-along.  I stopped working on Short Line and pieced 15 blocks.  Then the weekend was over and I packed up my Lollies and went back to Short Line, and forgot about Lollies.

I've decided I better finish this quilt quickly if I want to be using it for this Christmas.  I'm using Kate Spain Christmas fabric for my Lollies.  The pattern is by Camille Roskelley for Thimbleblossoms.

I don't stop projects before I finish them very often, but it sure is nice restarting this project with half the blocks pieced!

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