Happy Valentine's Day

May your Heart be filled with the Love of those You hold near and dear.  Take every opportunity to tell your family and friends that they are loved.  Hugs, kisses and smiles are FREE.  Receive and give, all that You can.

This is a charity quilt that I made last year.

The heart pattern is free and can be found at http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/heart_quilt.htm

I used the heart block in each corner (4) of the disappearing nine patch block.

http://www.popularpatchwork.com/news/article.asp?a=5294

Christmas Quilt #2

As I said in my last post, I collected a lot of Christmas fabric in 2011.  So, if you are keeping score, this is Christmas quilt #2 and  'Turning Twenty' #4.  What better way to showcase all those gorgeous fabrics.

Christmas Quilt in Turning Twenty pattern.

Christmas ornament quilting pattern

Back of Christmas quilt

A beautiful gold binding to finish.

I think that I have Christmas quilts out of my system for now.  However, I still have a lot of Christmas fabric, so I see more Christmas quilts in my future.

 

Christmas Lap Quilt

I kept collecting Christmas fabric in 2011, so I must have wanted a Christmas quilt.  Below is my Christmas lap quilt. The idea came from a picture on the internet.  I promise to update this entry and give credit, when I find it again. 

Christmas Lap Quilt just back from the LAQer. 

It is quilted in Christmas ornaments, in gold colored thread.  The pictures do not do the quilting justice.  Below are close ups of the quilt pattern.  It was quilted by the Celtic Quilter.  She has a LAQ machine that downloads patterns from a website.

The back with binding.

The binding is cut on the straight of grain.  I love this fabric.  We use to have to cut stripes on the bias to get this look.

Merry Christmas 2011

I just finished wrapping the last gift.  Can you say procrastination?  At least, I am not trying to finish a quilt for tomorrow.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  Been there, done that a few times.

May Ya'll have a Very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

Christmas Stocking Tutorial

I like things fast and simple, so I make my stocking a little different than most. 

Step 1:  Find a stocking that you like.  ( In your home, in another home or on the internet)  Draw around the whole stocking on a piece of paper.  Add 1/4" around the whole thing.  This is your pattern for the outside of your stocking.  Cut out your paper stocking.

Step 2:  Lay your paper stocking pattern on a longer sheet of paper. Draw around it and add two times the width of the cuff, to the top of the pattern.  This is your lining/cuff pattern.

Two sets of stocking and lining/cuff pieces.

Step 3:  Lay two pieces of fabric right sides together and pin on stocking paper pattern and cut out.  Do the same thing for your lining/cuff paper pattern.

Step 4:  You will have two fabric stocking pieces and two fabric lining/cuff pieces.  Match one stocking piece and one lining/cuff piece at the tops, right sides together.  Sew a 1/4" seam.  Do the same for the other two pieces.  MAKE SURE BOTH TOES ARE FACING THE SAME DIRECTION, WHEN YOU OPEN UP FLAT. 

THE TOE OF ALL FOUR PIECES SHOULD POINT IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

Step 5:  Lay two long pieces right side to right side.  Placing stocking pieces together and lining/cuff pieces together.  Pin as needed.  When you are ready to sew, your piece should look like the photo above.

Step 6:  Sew a 1/4" seam around the whole piece, LEAVING A SMALL OPENING FOR TURNING, along the back side of the lining/cuff piece.  Make sure it is below where the cuff will be. 

I use two pins to mark my beginning and where to stop, so I won't forget.

Step 7:  Remove any pins and clip around the toes on each end to make for a smooth turn.  Do not clip thru your sewing.

Step 8:  Turn the whole piece so right sides are all showing.  Remember, toes should still be pointing in the same direction.

Step 9:  Whip stitch the small opening shut.

Step 10:  Starting at the toe of your lining/cuff end, stuff the lining/cuff piece inside the stocking end.  I find that it is easier to pinch the toe of the lining and push it all the way to the toe of the stocking.  This helps to keep things from getting twisted.  Keeping your hand inside, run your fingers along the seams of the foot to match everything up.  Take your arm out and grab the toe and heel of both the stocking and lining and give it a good shake.  You will end up with your stocking and the perfect cuff at the top.  Just turn down the cuff and you are finished.

Stocking with cuff at top, before folding down.

Step 11:  Optional:  Tack the two toe pieces together with a couple of small stitches
and sew a small piece of ribbon to the top for hanging.

Stocking with cuff turned down.

Christmas Stockings

My quilt guild donates Christmas stockings to a local charity each year.  They are filled by the charity and given to local children, along with food and toys to make Christmas brighter for the whole family.  Pictured below are the six that I made this year.

I make my stockings a little different than most people.  I like to make the lining and the cuff as one piece.  I'll put up a tutorial as a separate post.

Linus Project Quilts for Preemies

The quilt guild that I belong to, donates quilts to Project Linus each year.   We were asked for Christmas Preemie Quilts a few months ago.  They are about 24" x 24".  One side is flannel and the other is cotton, no batting.  I made three, using Christmas cotton fabric and blue, sheep covered flannel for the backs.

http://www.projectlinus.org/chapter.php?StateKey=TX 

Visit the website above to find a chapter in your state.  The quilts go to babies and children that spend too much of their young lives in our local hospitals.