Happy New Year

The last of the holiday company just left and the house is soooooo quiet.   I wanted to take a minute to wish you all good health and much happiness in the coming year!

Merry Christmas

Christmas Break Day #2

The first day of break, I was pretty worthless... just let the stress drain out of me while I did a little pottering around the house.  Day #2 was different...  I got busy and, among other things, I finished the quilting on the homespun stars quilt.

I followed all the major seams as well as the seams in the blocks, carrying it across the big plain blocks... producing a grid on those.

Quilted on each side of the red inner border and did diamonds in the outer border.

Because the blocks are on point, the back of the quilt looks like this...  a diagonal grid.

The red border provides a break between all the diagonal quilting lines...  I like it.

While the quilting will probably never be perfect, no matter how I try... I am pleased that it's getting easier for me to work with all that fabric and batting on my domestic machine.   I'm getting there...

Stitchin' in the Ditch

The homespun star quilt that I was supposed to get done before T'giving?  I'm working on it now.   Nothing fancy quilting-wise... just keeping it simple with some ditch work...

Since the extended family doesn't get together until New Years, I have some time but still would like to have it done in the next week so I can relax.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town!

When I talk about ADHD, I am half being funny and half serious because ADHD does run in the family... the hyperactive-impulsive type.  "Sitting still" and "doing nothing" just aren't family traits.  For example, thirty odd years ago my brother made himself a one-of-the-kind mailbox from old metal parts he had lying around.

Yesterday, I sneaked up the street and "helped" bring to a little holiday cheer to Mr. T. "Rusty" Rex.    Ain't he cute?

Of course, I'm not saying a word.... wonder if my brother will figure out who did it...

Doll Nightgown #2

I finished up the second doll night gown and so the granddaughters' Christmas gifts are done!

The flannels I used for both of the nightgowns were leftover fabric from making the granddaughters nightgowns in the past.   I wonder if they will recognize it?

Doll Nightgown

I got behind in my sewing projects but tackled a doll night gown after work yesterday.   One down, one to go...

Perfectionism reared its ugly head and I had to keep telling myself that this was "for a DOLL...  let that dressmaking (fiddly) stuff go!"    *lol*

It's the Season to... *cough cough hack hack*

...especially if you work in the public school system.   Not much going on here except resting and swilling liquids but wanted to share a few photos with you.

To fight off the "sick at home" blues... I did a little seasonal decorating to lift my spirits as I felt able.   First... my new "little tree" in the dining room....

 

...and a photo of the entire buffet.  I turned the overhead light off trying to get more a night-time effect...

 

Also did the buffet in the kitchen.... it just needs a couple of plates of Christmas cookies to finish it off, don't you think?

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My son and family attended a family gathering in South Carolina (daughter-in-law's side of the family)... for an oyster roast!  Very traditional in that neck o' the woods...   the two boys in the middle are my oldest two grandsons digging in...

...while my youngest grandson was checking out the Christmas goose!

However, I don't think Mr. Goose is in danger of attending Christmas dinner... 

 

Being Crafty

We had fun over the Thanksgiving holidays, my three little girls and I...  however, there are no photos recording the fun.   How does that happen?   

I got the granddaughters to go on an exploring trip in the yard to find a couple of pine cones for a craft project I had in mind.   A simple project...  I like simple... and one the girls could do all by themselves...  except for grandma squeezing more glue out of the bottle for them.

A couple of pine cones, some glittery pom-poms, and some glue... and we had a couple of Christmas trees!

My daughter sent me the following photo of their dining room table after they had gotten out some holiday decorations...

We made the other Christmas trees last Thanksgiving and I made the table runner for my daughter last year as well.   I think it all looks kinda nice...

Happy Thanksgiving!

...and to my Jewish friends...

Starry Quilt Sandwich

Since finishing the doll beds & linens, I've been tackling some neglected household tasks but this morning, I got back to the quilty world.

The plan for today is to get this sandwich pinned and otherwise ready to quilt!  

Doll Bed Quilts

These aren't actually quilts... more like a coverlet with a quilt-type top.  After making the quilt tops, I used a double flannel as lining, top-stitching the opening and edges all the way round.

While I was dreaming up this idea for Christmas gifts for my granddaughters, I thought it would be cute if I could find some tiny teddy bears or other stuffed animal to put on the beds.   When I stopped by Hobby Lobby after work Friday to pick up the eyelet ruffle, I came across teddy bear Christmas ornaments!

I cut off the gold cord hangers, the cheap ribbon bows, the price tags ($1.77 each!) and the materials tags.  I did replace the ribbon bows with a nicer quality ribbon and set the teddy bears up against the pillows.  Perfect!

I'm now done with the doll beds and am resisting (so far) making crochet afghans for the foot of the beds.   Yes, I am totally nutso...    ;)

I still have to make nightgowns for the grandgirls' dolls....  and, if I feel industrious, I'll make matching slippers.   We'll see...

Linens for Doll Beds

I may not have been sewing during the work week but I was planning... so the bed linen-making went smoothly yesterday afternoon.

I added straps with velcro that go underneath the bed so the mattresses won't slip... or slide off the bed.

The straps also hold the "sheet" on the mattress... I didn't want to mess with elastic.  With this arrangement, if the sheets become dirty, they can be removed and washed.

The quilt tops are made... now, to turn them into quilts!   Almost done.....

Doll Bed Mattresses

Now that the doll beds are painted and dry, it's time for mattresses!  Since the beds are simple with no side "rails"...  I opted for a foam mattress so that it would sit squarely on top.  I had some foam on hand and... since it wasn't 20" long, I cut two pieces for each bed.

I didn't worry about attaching the two pieces of foam because I had decided to cover the mattress.   The yellow of the foam is less than attractive for bedding imho... so a cover would take care of both issues.

I cut two pieces of batting 20" x 21" and wrapped the batting around the foam...

...and whip-stitched the edges together.   I folded the ends of the batting like you would wrap a package and whip-stitched those together.

Much nicer than just the bare foam, yes?  It took about 30 minutes to cut the batting and cover the foam for both beds....  didn't even finish up a cuppa coffee while I was doing this.

Next up will be sheets with attached dust ruffles and pillows with cases!  

A Non-quilty Project, Day 2

After sanding both beds last night, I applied the final coat of paint this afternoon after it warmed up enough to use the spray paint.  (Photos taken prior to the last coat of paint.)

The knobs are on the bed posts but not pushed down... I needed them higher so I could paint between the knob and the base.   I'll push them down once the final coat of paint dries.

While waiting for it to warm up today, I started on one of the quilt tops...

Methinks, I'll just line them with white flannel so the "quilts" will drape better.  Then, I just need to make the mattresses and pillows!

A Non-quilty Project

I took a short break from quilting to start a Christmas project for my granddaughters.  You may remember the matching sun dresses I made last summer for the girls and their dolls.

The girls love playing with these dolls and I thought they might like beds for their babies to sleep in.  I was able to find sturdy, unfinished beds for these 18" dolls by Acraftersnook (link) on Etsy.  All the finished beds were a bit pricey, especially since I needed two of them.  Plus they usually came with some butt-ugly "bed linens"... and we can't be having that.

These beds can be used singly or... they come with pegs that will turn them into bunk beds if the girls want to do that.  

Photo blatantly swiped from Acraftersnook (link) on Etsy

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I picked out spray paint because I'm lazy that way.... and the paint came with primer included.  I have to say the new type tops (twist to open and close) makes spray painting much easier on your index finger because the "button" is wider.  The shell/top also prevents paint getting on your finger as well.  

It took a number of coats to cover the bare wood but... I had all day to paint.

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With many thanks to all who have served and are serving our country...

Quilt Top Finished

I finished assembling the plaid stars quilt top yesterday afternoon and took a photo to share...  sorry the colors are so faded but you'll get the idea...

The outer border is a small navy and tea-dye check... hard to see...  looks almost like stripes in some areas of the border.

Next up...  le quilt sandwich!  Then, on to quilting...  hally-ho!

Block Assembly

The background fabric came in yesterday and I've set aside today to sew all the star blocks together during breaks from housework/laundry.   Long breaks...   *wink*

I calculated the setting triangles according to a method found online and then...  I found an online calculator that does the math for you HERE (link)!  I'm pleased to say that my math figuring came out exactly like the calculator... and, after cutting and beginning to sew...  the setting triangles are working perfectly.

Happy Saturday sewing...

Today's post....

...is brought to you by my sweet granddaughter who just finished up her soccer season this past weekend.

Don't ya just love grandmas with photos?

Twelve Blocks

Despite a touch of some bug/flu, I felt up to a little sewing and managed to finish the last couple of blocks of the plaid stars quilt top-to-be.

The blocks are not in their final arrangement... I already see a couple I'd like to move around.   Now... off to compute the setting the cutting sizes of the edge triangles.

Not resting on my laurels...

....but proceeding nicely with the next quilty project.

For my other BIL, I'd like to finish this one by turkey day.  Wish me luck....

Patriotic Stars: A Finish

I quilted away on Saturday and was able to get the binding sewn on and pinned down... but waited til Sunday morning to sew the binding down.  Good light makes all the difference when sewing, imho...

The red inner border is barn red or cranberry rather than red-red... but it's the best I could do.

I meandered in the center...

...did a loop-de-loop in the barn red border...

...and stars in the outer border.

You can see three stars plus the backing below...

...and I did my usual triangle/corner label.

The quilting isn't perfect, not by a long shot... but I am getting better.  This quilt is going to one of my brothers-in-law, both of whom are like brothers to me....

...and are wonderful uncles to my children and grandchildren.