Advent Sewing

We had our guild Christmas party last week and now I can finally unveil one of the projects I've been working on. A part of our Christmas party is a gift exchange. I made an advent calendar for a gift. Here it is hanging out on the mantle.

A close-up. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll post a tutorial.

These were the wonderful Christmas presents I received. I don't have a picture of the amazing knitted stocking. It's now hanging out and I've been hinting that it should really be filled for Christmas. :) My present was in the stocking and wrapped in the chicken fabric. Another guild member was doing the best sort of stash busting (for us). She went through her stash and cut fat quarters from her Christmas fabrics and gifted them to us.

When I unwrapped the fabric, I found this wonderful moose and cool ornament. I can now go around the house saying 'the moose is loose'. :)

Last week I wasn't all that thrilled with how block 50 turned out on the Nearly Insane quilt, so I made another one. Yup, I'm that insane, tackling Y seams not once but twice!

Christmas is in the Air

It's snowing and snowing and snowing today! It's the light fluffy snow that makes me think of Christmas every time I see it.

I've been working away, but there isn't too much to show right now. Just like everyone else, there will be more to show after Christmas.

Beyond Christmas secrets, I've been pretty focused on the nearly insane blocks.

I also caught up on my guild's block of the month. Even though I've posted one before, it's neat to see all of them together, so I've posted all 4. What I'm finding funny is our last BOM is the left hand block of the first picture and this weeks block for NI is block 50. Can you tell that they're the same block?

Time Passes

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been.

I've been busy working on lots of things that can't be shown just yet. (Christmas and SSCS) Though, I do have a few things. I finally got to visit my little nephew a couple of weeks ago and now can finally show you the I spy quilt I made for him.

This is a little sneak peek of the secret project(s)....

I've also been away to a couple of sew days and a retreat. I was needing a bit of a Jane break, so I made some miniature quilts instead. :) The blue quilt measures about 15"x15". (You can see the 'muddy' quilt hiding out. I've now got the three tops waiting for quilting. (After the Christmas projects.)

I didn't take a complete Jane break. I did manage a few blocks. Including the toughest Jane block. (The star inside the larger star is 1" square!)

 

Quilting

Between work and illness I've not been doing too much quilting these days. But I do have a few things to show.

A couple more Nearly Insane blocks.

And a few more Dear Jane blocks.

All Jane All the Time

That's what things have been feeling like this past little while. I guess that's why I started a few more projects. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking with it. :)

In keeping with tradition, a few more Dear Jane blocks.

I finished the top for the "muddy" quilt. This quilt is 14"x14". (Since it was recently pointed out that scale does not translate well in pictures. :)

The second nearly insane block.

My guild has decided to do a Block of the Month this year. Each person is picking a 12" (finished) block for us to do. At the end of the year, we'll have the unveiling of our very different quilts made from the same blocks. This is our first block. As I was making it, I kept thinking "Well, I double checked measurements as I cut" The block was soooo big. I measured it when I was done just to confirm it was 12" and not 18". I think this is a sign I've spent too long doing miniatures. :)

Wow. I've been much more prolific this week than I thought. (I've also been working on my SSCS gift too. I'd post a teaser but can't figure out a picture that doesn't give too much away. I will say that I'm liking how it is turning out so far. I'm a little tempted to keep it for myself. I may just have to make one for myself. :)

Sew Days

My guild had a sew day this weekend. We're lucky to have this wonderful work space with great lighting and comfy chairs available to us. That blue square quilt in the background was one of our guild projects last year.

One of the ladies brought her cousin to our sew day. Her husband suddenly passed away almost a year ago and they are making 3 quilts from his old clothes.

 I managed to finish a couple more Dear Jane blocks.

And... Since Dear Jane wasn't small enough :) When I needed a bit of a Jane break I put these blocks together. The blocks are two inches finished. I managed to get the blocks together and the rows. Now I just need the border fabric and I can finish the top. This quilt isn't exactly my colours, they're a little muddy but I love the pattern the blocks made when they were put together and the price of the kit was right.

And, just to admit to the world I really am nuts, I've started the nearly insane quilt. Yup, certifiable.

Almost Half Way!

I've now got 86 of the 169 centre blocks. If I was only doing centre blocks, I'd be 1/2 done! Since I'm doing the whole quilt, I get to say I'm almost 1/2 way done. It's wonderful to look through my binder and see sooo many blocks done. I'm on a roll now. I've been helped along by spending many lovely evenings with my no longer blogless friend (Hi Janet) chatting and working on handwork. (I'm machine piecing and hand appliqueing)
 

This past week I took a bit of a Jane break. I've been seeing various bags on blogs and fallen in love. I had a pile of charm squares left over from various projects and these seemed like the perfect projects for them. The pattern for the basket was found on ayumills site. I changed the location of the handles from the original pattern just to make it a little easier to carry things.

I went shopping and just couldn't resist a little sneak peek at my SSCS present. If you're my partner, I really hope you like it! Can you guess what it is!!?? :)

Finally, I couldn't resist. I've been having fun with the enders and leaders project. All those little triangles are now twins. I clipped the dog ears and was left with this pile. Looking at this pile, I couldn't help but to think of a lady who is quite famous in our parts. She uses *all* her fabric; including dog ears like this. (She saves them and her grandchildren make cards and pictures with them)