After Christmas sewing

  Christmas Irish Chain/9-patch

I started this a few days before Christmas, just to give me something Holiday-ish to work on once gifts were completed.  I got it put together yesterday and it is ready to quilt once I have a backing for it.
It is lap size so I will get some nice flannel for the back so it can be used for cuddling. 

I have some very lofty goals this year for quilting, one of which is to try to do a Christmas gift item every month.  That is the goal that will be left in the dust very soon, I am sure, but it would help me out so much when Christmas comes!


 

Up closer, so you can see some of the scraps used.  I have a few more  quilts in mind with these squares.  I have plenty of them!

Step 3 of the Frolic Mystery. 
I am skipping step 4 for now because I want to see how those quarter square triangles will be used. before I cut them.  It also might be a step that I end up simplifying for the quilt, we will see.  I love Bonnie's quilts but they are very hard for me to stay focused on with all their small pieces.  I have a bunch started that haven't been finished.  Maybe if I simplify this one a little, it will see a finish this year.

Orca Bay is one that is high on my finish list this year. 

Step 5 is done except I am 10 squares short and ran out of grey.  Off to the fabric store tomorrow, I guess. 
I also started a Star Wars scrap quilt that I need some white and grey for so it will be a necessary trip for sure. 

Also accomplished today, the layout for my daughter's "Ghastlies" quilt.  I do not have enough fabric to complete the borders though so that will also be a trip to the fabric store soon.  Cutting to commence soon. 


Look at all I can accomplish when I have vacation and am home alone.  I even did an hour on the elliptical yesterday- none today. 

Hope you all are feeling accomplished and doing what you love as the new year approaches.  This is the LAST FRIDAY OF 2019!

Christmas gifts

Now that Christmas is complete, and gifts have been gifted, I can show some of them. 

Here is my daughter's Baby Yoda.   She is a Star Wars addict and LOVES "The Mandalorian".  So, there was no question that she had to have a baby Yoda for Christmas- none of which go on sale until May, so, I pulled out my crochet hooks and a free pattern from sarahmaker.com.  This is my first 3D project and I will not be jumping into another any time soon.  However, he is VERY cute and VERY LOVED!  In fact, as much as I know she loves him, it was hard to let him leave with her tonight.  I have to say he is my proudest make of the year!

Yoda was completed in about 4 sittings- one of which started Sunday morning when I got up and ended Sunday night about bed time.  My husband fed me- otherwise, I did not leave Yoda's side.  

Here is the lap quilt I made for my daughter as well.  She loved it too!  The flannel backing is Porgs.
My son got a gray flannel comforter set for his bed and one of the accompanying pillows got a quick cover with some of the Star Wars left overs...

The plates were made with my Cricut and the towels and potholders were scrap projects- all went to friends.  

That is about all the crafted presents this year, though there were some ornaments etc- made for my own tree.  I also framed quite a few pieces of purchased art and pictures for family members.  

Hope you were able to share some of your creations with friends and family who appreciate them like mine do.  

Merry Christmas!

PHD in 2020

 I am joining in the PHD Challenge for 2020.  https://quiltinggail.com/2019/12/15/do-you-have-too-many-ufos/

I have way more than 12 PHDs but if I get 12 finishes for 2020 I will be thrilled!
Here are some of the ones waiting to be finished...

These first five quilts are hanging inthe closet just waiting for backings to be pieced and quilted.  I even have one (not pictured) that is ready to go on the quilting machine. 

Here are some of the ones that are newly started (within the last few months)...

And, a couple that are old quilts waiting for some new attention.  

My list just goes on and on.  I have at least 3 crochet projects that need to see completion as well.  Lofty goals but I am going to see what can be accomplished this year.   I would love to add some small quilts throughout the year that could be used as Birthday gifts and Christmas gifts as well.  My daughter has two quilts in mind as well that we have the fabric for.  I need to get her sewing machine to her- just inherited from my mother and needs a trip to the sewing mechanic before she starts...

All this will barely put a dent in the stash or the number of UFOs.  I have got to get this under control!

Midweek update

Here is where I am with the Frolic Mystery- again, not committed yet but you gotta have something to do when you can't sleep.  So, if I end up completing this quilt, it might be called "Insomnia".

Here's the majority of my cookie baking crew, all decked out and only slightly messy at this point.  It was a great time with family that I don't get much of anymore.  Treasured moments for sure!

Here are the pajamas for PJ day at school this week.  I made the shirt with my Cricut and the pants are warm and fuzzy.  Fun to wear!
Yesterday was flannel day and today is Christmas hat and sock day.  The fun goes on all week, trying to motivate students before they take finals next week.

Made a little progress on my Neat Ripple afghan.  The pattern is from Attic 24.  LOVE HER!  But I don't know how she makes such fast progress on her crochet.  It took me about 2.5 hours for 4.5 rows.

Hard to see but the above are the results of my GoodReads reading challenge for 2019.  40 books so far this year and still counting.

And, the solar panels have been installed but await the inspector's approval before they can come in to use.  I'm less than thrilled with the appearance but hopefully our cooling bill this summer will make up for it!

Gratitudes to get me through the week:  2 great kids who are working hard on college finals, a lovely home to keep us warm and cozy, an amazing spouse who puts up with all my craziness and crafts, Secret Santa week at work to remind us all what is most important- making others smile!  Being healthy enough to worry about getting healthier, canine companions who have been devoted friends for many years and will be greatly missed when they are gone which is almost certain to happen for a couple of them in 2020, a fresh new year on the horizon.  And lots of quilting a crochet projects to keep me busy!

Happy Hump Day!

What's Happened Lately...

So, I seriously have not committed to the Bonnie Hunter Frolic Mystery.  I have  other of her mysteries started and unfinished...One I worked on in the middle of the night recently...

But I have so much fabric hanging around and needed something fresh to get me motivated so I have step one of Frolic done and printed step 2...

Some of the other projects I have worked on recently...

A tree from our plethora of Corks.  What was I thinking when I saved all these?  Another thing to consider...do we really need to be drinking all that much wine?

Some crochet ornaments...I am at least enjoying them.

A tree skirt for my new tree but it needs a few more rows and I don't know if I will actually get that done any time soon.

Then I got the house decorated for Christmas.  Its a much larger task when the kids aren't around to help anymore. 

My daughter recently had a recital.  Amazing, as always.  She just sent out her Graduate School Applications.  I am so proud of her for the hard work she has put into her degree in Opera voice performance!

Here is the Love Bird ornament for this year.  My husband and I will be celebrating 25 years this summer.  We have lovebirds for many of those years for our tree..  They are surprisingly hard to find.

And here I am, being happy about Christmas and looking forward to a fresh new year!  

Snapchat filters are one of my favorite things!  

Cricut fun

These are a few other projects I have done, with a great friend.  A group of us at the HS were Care Bears for Halloween.  My friend and I had great fun making all the shirts!
Then, next week we are having a "Blast from the Past" Bookfair so I made myself a shirt and passed on the iron on design to my assistant so she could make one.  I am having too much fun with my Cricut and Easy Press!

I even made these to hang in time for Thanksgiving. 

Cookie Baking Day

Today is cookie baking day!

I can't wait for my two kids and my son's girlfriend to arrive, although I do need to get busy and clean up a bit before they get here...

Here are the new aprons I made- with my new Cricut machine- in anticipation...

This one is for my son- everyone got to choose their design...

This is for my daughter...

My husband, who grew up in Hawaii and longs to head back there to reside in retirement.  This was, by far, the most complicated Cricut design I have dealt with so far.

My son's girlfriend chose this one.  One of my all time favorite movies!

And this one is mine.  

All of the patterns were found online either free at lovesvg,  or on etsy for a small fee.  I did some changes and combining of patterns etc.  

I hope to get a group photo today before all the lovely white is covered with cookie ingredients!