Are You Ready To Swap?

Kris from Dandelion Quilts is having a super fun bag swap!  It's not too late to sign up, so if you're interested go HERE to read the details and email her if you want to participate.  This will be my first swap so I'm really excited about it!  I just got a cool, new bag pattern when my LQS had their Market Review in December and this will be the perfect time to use it!  I hope you'll join us!

After reading the questions and comments, there a few more things I want to mention about the Primitive Pinwheels pattern from my last post.  First off, this pattern was so fun and easy! I think I mentioned that the single fold binding was easy, but I didn't say anything about the difficulty level of the pattern....definitely easy!  And lots of fun!  oops! I forgot to unclick italics!  There we go....Anyway, because the cutting involves using the small rotary cutter to cut all the way around a square template without moving the fabric, I would suggest wearing a protective glove.  Although I didn't come close to my hand when I was cutting, I was glad I was wearing it. Just to be on the safe side.  I have to admit I don't wear it all of the time when I'm cutting, but I probably should. Do you usually wear one of these gloves when you use your rotary cutter?  I'm just wondering.

I also wanted to mention that I quilted this project in the ditch, around the pinwheels.  By starting in one corner and working my way through the ditch diagonally to the other and then continuing to go back and forth diagonally, I was able to go around each pinwheel without double stitching. I just had to go back and fill in a few of the ditches on the edge when I had finished the middle. Got that?  I started freemotion quilting this in black thread and although I love freemotion quilting, it just wasn't giving me the look I wanted for this mini quilt, so I started frogging and then I went back to the drawing board.  Very fine, smoke monofilament thread is what I ended up using on the front, and red thread to match the backing fabric on the back. I'm not always a fan of monofilament thread, but I think it does have a place in quilting, and for me, this worked wonderfully!

Well, I'm off to make some Spicy Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers that the boys have been asking to have for a few weeks. I found this recipe in Southern Living Magazine in July 2010 and its always a hit at my house. Have a great weekend!      

A Change Of Plans

I was planing on finishing up my Blessings From the Hollow Quilt last week, but I made this very tiny quilt instead.  For Christmas my mother-in-law gave me the Primitive Pinwheel pattern from Primitive Gatherings.  My laundry basket full of scraps called out to me to get started......and finished!  

I've never used any of the Lil' Twister tools before and this 11x13 inch quilt was just too cute to resist making during the holiday break.  Christmas Day I sorted scraps and came up with a few possibilities, so there will be more of these on my cutting table in the near future.  The squares for this version are just 3 1/2 inches before they are sewn together with borders. My boys were really interested in how this idea worked.  

 Using the plexiglass square tool to cut out the pieces for the pinwheel, left this interesting scrap on my cutting board in one piece.  

I even got to dig my small, unopened rotary cutter out from the bottom of my sewing box to use for this project! It had never been used before, so when I read that a small rotary cutter was necessary, I was thrilled to have a chance to use it!  Do you use a small rotary cutter a lot?  Maybe I should be using it for other things. Just wondering.       

And a single fold binding was new to me too!  I had always wondered about it, but I just never had the need to make one until now!  After doing a search on the internet, I figured out that it wasn't too different than the double fold binding that I normally make. I just needed to put the binding strip on the quilt without folding it first, then make a small fold as I attached it to the backing.  Not difficult at all!  I was amazed at how many new-to-me techniques and tools I used on such a small quilt!

The quarter in the top right corner of the quilt gives you a better idea of its small size.  Just a warning though, if you decide to give this pattern a try it's a lot like potato chips!  It's difficult to stop at one!

Happy New Year! 

I'm Hoping Your Christmas Is...........

Santa Claus is coming to town......in your state.

Christmas Quilting!

Mostly Baking, A Little Quilting

It's been busy around here as we have been getting ready for Christmas! Big Ginger Cookies, Potato Chip Crunchies, and Decorated Sugar Cookies are in the works!  Just like in years past, we made these delicious jar cookies for friends, neighbors and teachers.  Read all about this easy gift idea here.  They are fun and easy to make.  My boys usually do most of the work, if you can call it work.  The finished jars look a lot like sand art, minus the sand of course! 

Hash Brown Potato Casserole is another holiday tradition at our house.  Not for our family Christmas dinner or anything, but for the Christmas breakfast the kids had in their elementary school classrooms.  I mix it up the night before, then the next morning I pop it in the oven for 45 minutes or so while everyone gets ready for the day.  The disposable pan of casserole goes in a few paper grocery bags.....they are excellent for keeping food warm by the way.......and off to the school breakfast we go, warm Hash Brown Casserole in hand!  This would be a great make ahead Christmas morning dish too!      

To make Hash Brown Casserole just mix-

1-32 oz package of hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 c. sour cream

2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 c.butter

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 small onion, diced

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan. Put your mixture in the greased pan. 

Top with 2 c. crushed cornflakes mixed with 1/4 c. melted butter and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.  Enjoy!

The borders on my Blessings From The Hollow Quilt are coming along nicely even thought they have been slightly neglected due to the busy Christmas baking season! What's coming from your kitchen during the holidays?   

My blog friend Linda from The Quilted Pineapple had a giveaway to celebrate her blogiversary recently and I was so excited to be the winner!  She was kind enough to send two Charm Packs of Grace fabric and the Schnibbles pattern Jacks my way.  Thank you so much Linda!!  If you haven't already seen Linda's amazing quilting be sure to go over to her blog, click on the Quilting Eye Candy tab and check it out!  Beautiful work!   

A Winter White Wordless Wednesday

Okay, maybe not so wordless......This Christmas cactus was given to me by my mother-in-law seventeen years ago!  It has bloomed at different times of the year, depending on where we lived.

Friday Night Spilling Over Into Saturday......

Jalapenos, onions, Italian sausage, no sauce, extra pepperoni and stuffed crust

When the doorbell rang last night I breathed a sigh of relief because the pizzas were here!!  Yeah!  The Friday Night Sew In!  An evening free of cooking and full of sewing was about to begin!  I worked on getting these pieces ready for the border of my Blessings From The Hollow quilt, until I watched a little bit of TV, and then called it an early night. It had been a long week filled with Christmas shopping, decorating or fighting with the decorations depending on which day we're talking about, and school activities. I needed some rest!

I love the purple and red!

Saturday morning after walking Copper and throwing in a load of laundry, I did a little more sewing and trimming to finish off the border pieces. I'm pretty happy with getting that accomplished, along with getting a little extra sleep.  This week I hope to get more done on this border, but this is the last week of school before vacation and it's filled with special activities, exams, and half days of school, so I'm not sure how much time I'll have for sewing. The next Friday Night Sew In on December 16 will really help me out! Are you going to sign up?  

The luminary supplies for our neighborhood arrived at our house on Thursday, and the part for our Christmas tree got here too, so it should be a great week!  What do you have planned?

Tree Turmoil

I spent last Friday at my LQS participating in Elf Day.  Just a fun day of sewing and socializing with an extra effort to get some projects completed before Christmas. While I was there I was lucky enough to meet a blog friend in person!  I had recognized Jackie's picture earlier in the year when she left a comment a blog that we both follow.  I realized we went to the same LQS and I got in touch with her through her blog, Jackie's Stitches.  We had a wonderful time on Friday working on projects, having lunch, and chatting about blogging!    

Blessings From the Hollow blocks with Lilac Hill fabric.

My Blessings From The Hollow blocks are now done!  This pattern is from the amazing book Scrap Basket Sensations by Kim Brackett. I'm so glad I took it to Elf Days and got started on it again!  I had put it aside to do some quilting earlier in the year and I'm so happy to be able to get it out and get back to it!  Now I need to work on piecing the border.  It will take some time, but I think the look will be totally worth it!  I've got all the pieces cut out and ready to go!

Lots of pieces in this border!

Auditioning inner borders.  What do you think, the green or the red?  I'm leaning towards green, but I want to like the red one better!

Maybe this border would be a good project to work on during the Friday Night Sew In this week.   Have you signed up?  There are two this month and I don't know about you, but with the busy holiday season I look forward to the extra reason to carve out some time only for sewing.......Like that will really happen here.  Not very realistic with the two boys, but I can try!  Ordering pizza and getting a movie for them might help me get that extra sewing time in this Friday night!  That sounds like a plan!

On the holiday decorating front, I have finally succeeded in getting the garland to stay put over the front door!  WooHoo!  The replacement part for the lights on our new tree was delivered and the lights finally worked again.....dramatic pause.....for a week. (Please insert a big sigh here)

 When I came back from a soccer practice the other night, I discovered that the tree lights were out again.  Very disappointing.  Replacement parts are again on the way, I hope, and soon our tree will be okay, maybe by the end of the season?  We are having a gathering of neighbors here next week to count out luminary bags for our neighborhood's annual luminary night and I'd really like my tree to look nice for that party.  I'll keep you posted.  Note that the luminary bags and candles have not arrived yet and I'm getting a little concerned.  Are you sensing a pattern here?  I think I'll call and check on that delivery right now to get one more thing off of my plate! Other than my that, all is well here. Just lots of shopping and baking to be done!  I've got lots more to blog about, but that will have to wait for another post. How are you dealing with the joyous but hectic holiday season?