Tree-light-ful!!

Man oh man how the month of October has vanished quickly!  We are into November??  Really??  I have not been absent from sewing though:)  This is a good note for you the reader AND me the quilter-ha!

Where to start....well if you remember on my previous post I was messing around with some Christmas trees for a MOPS raffle quilt to be raffled off on the 28th.  I completed it and being a quilter and all I have started another with all the remaining scraps:)  The same pattern and everything!  I blame it on the hubby as he said that I should do one for my shop!!  No I should.  I know,I know.

These are blocks from the raffle quilt.

I will say that this is such an easy pattern and definitely geared toward a beginner quilter in my opinion.  You get to use up some scrappy strips of fabric and it all comes out super cute in the end!!  If you don't like borders, it can be tedious,but very rewarding in the end product.

All of the fabric was donated by our mommies from MOPS and lots of Kona raffia by myself.  I can see a child spending his or her time looking at all the different Christmas fabrics displayed in this quilt.

Very high-spirited! I already brought it to a meeting and there were several smiles,ooohs and ahhs.  Enough to make this girl **blush hard!**  Some couldn't believe I had already finished it!

 One of the ladies quilts as well so she brought in yds and yds of fabric which was great for the backing!! 

 Looking around online for inspiring quilting designs to FMQ,I decided to do a tree design from my own creative thoughts;)  I used some Sulky in green that was collecting dust in my closet and it went a long way.  I still have some left.

 Each tree has a different border around it to disperse the prints evenly within the whole quilt.

There were some red and cream blocks that I had used in a baseball quilt for my brother last year  that I had leftover with no home.  This worked out lovely for the theme---love it when that happens!  There is also a collaborated bible verse that I sewed on the back in the middle of that diamond:  Luke 2:10 & 19. 

Oh and another thing, the binding skills worked themselves out for the best with this one!!    Tree Quilt measures: 50x60ish and it will be perfect to cuddle with on those cold nights watching an old Christmas movie with some popcorn.  Hopefully all the Halloween candy will be gone by then.  In my house anyway;)

Most satisfying part is trimming those tree sides down:)

Maybe after this next one for the shop,I make one for myself and family and then off to the nutty bin for me!!! lol just kidding! 

There you have it.  Now maybe you know why October zoomed by?!

Sara

Seasonal Quilting

The sun is out and it is 85.  After today it is supposedly dropping to 65--presto fall?  I sure hope so.  My favorite season of all.  I am looking forward to wearing pants instead of shorts and tank tops.  I think I get bored with the same old attire and want something new to look at-lol!  The trees are turning colors. Makes my heart warm.  Trick or treating is around the corner and pumpkin carving,caramel apples~does the body and soul good.  School  is gliding along smoothly for both, Ayden and I.  The hubby is enjoying lots of golf on his off days which makes me happy as well;)  He is a deserving man!! 

The umbrella quilt has been finalized and the camera was ready to be turned on for some live action!  sounded exciting to me! 

the BIZ:

33x39 1/4 ~~~~Kona turquoise,orange and Bahama blue in the binding~~~~scraps galore~~~~cone flower print on the back 

FMQ throughout with lightning bolts for the turquoise squares, umbrella for each umbrella triangle and swirly lines for the orange side borders

This was a wonderful opportunity to practice some filler quilt patterns out so I jumped at it.  So happy that I did because it taught me to slow down some and take more pride in my work.  I did a little each day.  Mind you this was a smaller quilt and I tend to do better at taking it slow on the smaller scale ones,but gotta start somewhere!  {Originally I was pondering using straight lines for the umbrella triangle areas,but then I would have to stitch a line, stop, back stitch, and then get my needle all set up again to do the next line,so on and so forth.  OR am I missing something??!  The umbrellas turned out sweet so I am glad I went in that direction instead!}

Raindrops will be in my shop quickly so take a looksie.

Christmas fabric landed gently on my cutting table last week and a few short days ago I dove into my sewing room to cut into them.   I had a tutorial from Jennifer burning urgently in my brain after  I scoured Flickr for some inspiration blocks.  Narrowed it down to a few,but those trees got me again.  Last year, Carol's trees in her Christmas tree skirt pattern begged to be made for my home and I made it AND it is dang cute!  

I got to cutting out some 3" strips and cut them on an angle into three different sizes for each area of the trees.  I did all that in one day and then started sewing them together into tree shapes.  Next day I went back to work, cutting out the tree trunks and their coordinating parts to be sewn on.  Also two triangles for each tree.

I swear it is as much fun as opening Christmas presents!!!  No joke there!  As you can see from the pic here, I have pressed the tree and cut them into their tree shape with the template and then sewed on the triangle to the left side.  

one completed fancy tree:):):):) 

After they all look like the above pic, I will be adding two more borders to the outside as in Jennifer's tutorial.

This is all donated fabric from the ladies/moms at MOPS.  Once it is complete, it will be raffled off to someone for their home at Christmas time:)  {A friend of mine that is also part of MOPS will be working on a regular quilt for the same raffle.}  Tremendously excited for this!!!!!!!!!  The raffle ticket sales will bring in money for our group which is greatly needed:)

Take care,

Sara

~~~~~~Energizing needed~~~~~~

Where to start, where to start!  Between dental visits due to my tooth dying, a root canal and starting an online teachers assistant program things have not been slow around my house.  I am also on a steering team for MOPS in a fundraiser position. 

We have also had Josh's dad come for a visit which was very fun!  Ayden was able to show Grandpa his preschool,play some putt-putt golf, play football and on and on.  We drove up north a bit to Josh's Aunt's home as well and really enjoyed our time there riding on ATV'S for the first time and exploring their land! 

Things are a slowing down.....waiting for the perfect moment to sneak up on us again I imagine;) 

I have been very pleased with a couple of events that have occurred in September along the lines of my quilting business.  I sold 2 quilts and a set of potholders.  More importantly,  the first quilt that traveled outside of NC went to a gal that designs for a button company in NJ.  She picked my quilt from Etsy.  Her intentions are to embellish it in buttons and then it will be at a booth on display at Quilt Market in Houston,TX!!!!!  I sent her a small biography about myself and my shop for her to enclose with the quilt.  I feel that this could only lead to positive things;) 

During MOPS last week, a friend of mine inquired about a baby quilt with her kids clothes in it.  Today I went to MOPS and she said that she would like 3 quilts.  One for each of her 3 kiddos with their baby clothes!!  Fine by me:)  I am also doing a raffle Christmas quilt for MOPS as well  to be finished by the beginning of November. 

My shop could also use some more quilts so I am trying to finish the umbrella quilt.

Already pieced the back yesterday so I need to some time to baste it up.  I really like it too now that it is all done up with the turquoise and orange border fabric.  Just need a binding color and it will be complete.

I can't forget to show off some pics of the paper piecing extravaganza;);)

Taking my time and relishing in the pattern that is evolving. 

that Kona Papaya is fabulous!!!

8 more to go and it will be ready for the center circle and then my living room for display!

In my spare time........hehehehe I created some Angry Bird bean bags for the munchkin.  The pig below them was courtesy of the hubby!!!  They are a little rough around the edges,but they serve their purpose to make Ayden smile and throw them through the piggie's mouth!

LINKING UP TO:

Sara