Decorating for Christmas

Last weekend I had a wonderful time at a quilt retreat held by my local quilt shop. I didn't know any of the ladies attending but of course it was a great way to make nine new friends! 

My retreat project was the kit, Hootie Patootie. Very fun project...perfect for the limited space at the retreat. I finished the blocks...just need to stitch them together.

I have one more stocking close to being finished...this one is for my grandson. This is the second time I have made this kit and I was a bit more savvy on the layers of construction using quilter's plastic template in the wings and plane body. The stocking front is done. I want to get the stocking fully finsihed by Thanksgiving when they come over for dinner.

I also finished an ornament that came with the kit.

I also finished stitching one more set of Noah's animals, sheep. Only two more animal sets to stitch.

Christmas decorating is underway at my house. It takes me weeks since I don't work on it everyday...and I have a pretty hefty stash. 

Switching out all my hanging quilts was an important first step.

This sweet little wall hanging was a kit given to me by my mother-in-law many years ago. We used to live in San Antonio and she lived in Houston. For many years we went to the Houston quilt show together. She no longer quilts but she certainly shares the love of quilting and hand stitching with me.

I do enjoy tackling quilt projects to employ different techniques. I'm always attracted to projects with little gimicks like unique buttons. I also am a big fan of the quilt and fabric designer, Nancy Halvorsen. This quilt is from her book, "12 Days of Christmas." 

It was a nice little challenge to figure out the quilting for each block.

I did a fusible web adhesive for the appliques and top stitched by machine with a blanket stitch.

It took me years to make this quilt. 

I remember working on all blanket stitching while living in Paris...

in my sweet little sewing room.

By far...the quilt that was the biggest challenge for me was this quilt design by Sue Garman, Classic Nutcrackers Block of the Month. I did needle turn applique...hand stitched it all!!! I saw this kit advertised in a quilting magazine and immediately signed up. I have the original advertisement...$7.75 a month for the pattern and fabrics each month. What a screaming deal! 

Looking at each block...I am so even more impressed with this accomplishment!

The detail in the design is amazing. It took me eight years to make this quilt.

The Carpenter's Star below was made with scrappy HST's from a bigger quilt...which reminds me...I need to pull it out of storage but I have run out of wall space for it!

The next quilt is another one related to my mother-in-law. I bought this kit for her and several years she returned it to me..unmade. It is a pattern by Sandy Gervais, "Shopping's Done! Gifts Wrapped." It's a fat quarter pattern where you stack the fat quarters and cut them in the same shape and switch the fabrics to mix up the colors. Lots of fun to make the blocks.

And some smaller quilts. 

I did hand stitching to make this red work quilt. I also handquilted this small quilt. It is a design by the Australian designer, Lynette Anderson. She sold the blocks individually and called her series, "Sweet Christmas."

I bought a few of the blocks in a Paris quilt shop when my mother-in-law was visiting. 

I'm a sucker for cute projects with cute buttons. 

I didn't find all twelve blocks in  Paris...

but my mother-in-law hunted down a shop that carried them when she went to the next Houston quilt show. 

Every Christmas season starts with theses two pictures being hung first...my oldest pieces made by me. 

My mom stitched two huge crewel pictures when I was growing up. My dad was in the Marine Corps and we moved a lot! Those two pictures my mom had stitched were the only pieces that were ever hung on our walls. There was a huge tree she stitched and a floral still life. I don't know what ever happened to those pieces...sad. 

I made the top Christmas tree when I was in college. I went to Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. It was...and still is a women's college. The University of Missouri Greek Town (fraternity houses)  bordered our campus. Very convenient for dating. The boyfriend of one of my friends thought I was doing homework for a class when he saw me stitching it.

I was a second lieutenant in the Air Force when I made the Christmas Tree below. That was before I was a quilter or cross stitcher. I was always a big sewer of clothing from about the age of 11.

I am working to instill the gift of creating with my oldest granddaughter. She spent the night last week and wanted to help me decorate. I turned it into DIY with Gigi! She loved it. We had a great time coming up with these snowflake decorations.

Time to get back to decorating!