Design Wall Monday

I've been playing on EQ7 to work out a design for the blocks I made from Pieceful Kwilter's online 2011 BOM. Quick recap. I have these wonderful blocks.

Soooo...many steps later...

I'm getting much closer. I need to work on the border area.

Now...the next new project! It's already time for my monthly Breakfast Club meeting on Thursday. We are going to make Carrie Nelson's Oso from her book "Another Bite of Schnibbles." She's got a new technique in this pattern and I can't wait to try it. 

Our class leader, Marcia, put together a batik kit for this pattern using a lot of new batiks from McKenna Ryan's new line from Hoffman. They are gorgeous so I snatched one of those kits up at the store a couple of weeks ago (on the left). It calls for two background prints and I had the perfect ones in my stash...plus a few other batiks from my stash I plan to throw in the mix.

I'm sew excited to get started.

Sunday Recharge

I have been pretty quiet this week...house building and quilting aren't a good mix. It's going to be that way for a little while.

I'm at a point where I have to make decisions to work on existing projects and that seems to be the problem...making decisions.

Remember these wonderful blocks?

I've been trying to decide on how I want to set them...they are my February UFO. I played in EQ7 for several hours last night but still haven't figured it out.

This is the fabric that helped me select the colors for the blocks. I'd like to keep the "floral feeling" going.

Here's the blocks in the setting the BOM designer put together.

Not sure that carries the "floral feeling"...

So several versions later I decided to try a chain block.

Still muddling through it in my head...

The next project is the Scrappy Dresdan Plate. I need to figure out the center of my flowers. I have one appliqued with a yellow center. Very pretty but the background is going to be yellow so I'm thinking that might not be the best choice...maybe I should try the navy print.

When I don't have any capacity to make decisions...I turn to a stocking kit.

The Santa Nutcracker is finished...I'm starting a blue nutcracker.

Valentine's Day # 27

My husband says I'm the most unromantic person...could be true...but he certainly is the most romantic person I know. Here's hoping there are 27 more Valentine's Days together.

Friday Finish...Not!

I'm making a dent on my Dresdan plates. Nothing like having several projects going...what about the two UFO's I'm supposed to be working on?????

I found these treasures on Ebay. They were $5 a piece and the Santa's just need beards. These charts are out of print and highly coveted...complete, unused kits for these two Santas often sell for over $20 a piece. I feel like I got a major deal!

A Hare's Pace

I've spent the last three evenings working on the last two blocks of Pieceful Kwilters 2011 BOM. Lots of points! Definitely not for a beginner. Block 11 was an instant hit with me when I finished it.

Block 12 didn't thrill me after I finished it.

All that work to get my points and it's a mushy mess...batiks do present challenges. I couldn't live with it. Out came the seam ripper and two new fabrics.

A few hours later...it's all better!

This my February UFO...next...setting triangles for all of these blocks.

Shannon of Pieceful Kwilter fame, has started a new project on her blog called SAL 2012 (Sew Along). She just released the first edition. It's calling to me. I already committed to the Scrappy Plate Club and I'm falling behind on that one so I may just be an observer on the SAL 2012...sigh.

Interdiction

Hello, my name is Debbie...and I'm addicted to making Christmas stockings. I probably have 70 stocking kits waiting to be made. (Just in case Bucilla never makes another kit..I've got enough to last my lifetime.) But darn if those designers at Bucilla haven't made more cute ones. 

Due in April

Gifts from Santa...I just love wrapped presents!

Snowman Games...chubby little snowmen...who can resist them?

Twas the Night...Santa with a Grandfather Clock?  Haven't seen anything like that before.

Under the Tree...check out the adorable ornaments...and the toys! 

These all look so easy.  No dolls with braids! I'll try and finish some more stockings before April arrives.

Stocking Sunday

I spent several hours working on this tiny doll that fits in Santa's bag of toys.

Here's the front of the stocking all put together.

Next is the final construction. I line the inside of just the front piece of the the stocking with another piece felt.

I rarely use the backing provided in the kit. Often they aren't the color I would choose.  It was the case with this kit so I pulled some burgundy felt from my stash and pressed out the wrinkles. I drew the outline in chalk of the completed top.

Here's what the backside of the front piece looks like. I like to line it so that nothing that goes into the stocking will snag any of the threads. I also think it adds a lot of body to the stocking.

 I used the burgundy felt for the lining but I didn't include bumped out areas...just the basic stocking shape. I also trim it to a little less than 1/4" all around. Then I whip stitch it to the back side of the front piece. The felt is very forgiving and I stitch so that I just pick up enough of the felt with each stitch to secure it but not let my stitches show through to the front. It definitely takes a light touch.

Now it's ready for the back of the stocking to be added.

The back piece is whip stitched to the front...

In the areas where different colors come along I just stitch the base of the front with the back piece.

Here's a peek at the back where I am knotting off my thread and getting ready to start a new thread.

Here's the final stocking...all ready for next Christmas.