Merry Christmas + 200 Posts!!! Oh my!!

Merry Christmas!!!

It's been a busy start to winter for me and there hasn't been nearly enough time spent sewing.  I hope to remedy that in January and do a lot of creating.  Who knows... maybe even finishing some things!!

For the first time in many years, I've gone all out and decorated my home for Christmas and I'm hosting a family dinner today.  I can't wait!

Did you see what was in the title of my post?  TWO HUNDRED BLOG POSTS??!!? What?!? How did that happen?  I'm not always the most consistent blogger, but I absolutely love having a journal of my work and adventures.  And being able to connect with friends, family and other quilters around the world is a wonderful bonus! I started blogging in December of 2007 and quilting in September of 1998.  It's my 20th year of quilting!!! There aren't enough exclamation points to go around!

To celebrate this big event, I'm going to have my first ever giveaway!  Of course I have nothing prepared....that's so me!  After a bit of thought, I've decided that due to my love of scraps and how much I enjoy making zippy pouches, that I will make a zippy pouch and fill it with 2" squares and send it off to the lucky winner.  Please leave a comment.  I would love to hear how you found me and if you have been a reader for a while.  I'll draw a winner on New Year's Day.

Now let's get to the quilty part of my post--  I've been working hard to finish up my Scrap Happy Sampler top.  The wedge border has been a doozy.  Lots of trimming and digging through my scraps to get a wide variety fabrics. It's getting there!! We aren't going to talk about that spinny square block on the left.  Nope.  Not talking about it!! =O  I would be absolutely delighted if I could have this all together by the New Year.  Not a bad goal!

Have a Very Merry Christmas!!

From Fannie--

 And Finny--

And me!

xoxo,

Kristin

Linking up with 2 of my favorite linky parties: Oh Scrap! and Let's Bee Sewcial

Norge

In August, I started a super secret sewing project-- a birthday present for my mother! I kept it under wraps on social media so I could keep this quilt a surprise.  It's a snuggly Norwegian Flag quilt that is very scrappy and has minkee on the back.  I got it **mostly** done for her birthday in early October.  The binding was machine sewn on, but still needed about half of the hand stitching to do.  I presented it to her and then promptly took it back!  

The pattern is very simple- lots of squares.  The cutting was tedious (why must I do everything scrappy??!!?), but it sewed up very quickly.

Normally, I quilt at my mom's house, but keeping this a surprise posed a bit of a problem.  Heather graciously let me use her longarm and I did a fun, swooshy panto.

I absolutely LOVE how this turned out.  And the minkee--swoooon.  It has lovely drape and begs to be pet.  And the way the colors sparkle is EXACTLY why I do everything scrappy!  I love it so much, that I'm making 2 more!! =O  One for me and one for my amazing friend, Bethney.  

I really need to have this finished up by Christmas, so I can officially gift it.  As they say, "this binding isn't going to stitch itself", so I need to get going!

xoxo,

Kristin

Linking up with Oh Scrap!, Let's Bee Sewcial, and to motivate me to hand stitch that binding-- Kathy at Slow Stitching Sunday (it doesn't get any slower that this!!)

Scrap Happy Sampler Progress

In March I started a monthly sampler class at Blue Bar Quilts (The Scrap Happy Sampler).  It's been a lot of fun and we are nearing the end.  Somehow my monthly blocks haven't made it into my blog posts much (I'm usually scrambling to keep up each month...).  Here are my latest 2, the Lonestar and New York Beauty:

Prior to completing those, I put all of the blocks up on the design wall:

I can't wait to get this into a top. It is turning out great! The borders are up next and they are ...different.  It will be fun!

xoxo,

Kristin

Linking up with Oh Scrap, Design Wall Monday and Let's Bee Sewcial

Lutherdale Auction 2018

I have quite a bit of catching up to do-- there isn't enough time to blog about all of my quilty adventures during the summer and now the fall has gotten away from me!!!  I've had a very busy late summer/fall this year and I was able to squeeze in bits of sewing here and there, but the blogging side of things took a back seat.

Where to start? In Mid-August, I attended the annual Lutherdale Quilt Auction.  I contributed many quilts and it was fun to see the bidding.  Somehow I ended up coming home with a vintage quilt!! =O  But in even bigger news.... I won a viewer's choice award for my Peacock quilt!!! What?  That was a big surprise!  Here are a few photos of quilts I donated or contributed.  I forget the total dollar amount raised by my quilts this year, but it was a lot!!!

Peacock quilt

Galaxy of Stars

Bonus Gala Quilt 

Gala Quilt 

Finding Nemo

My New/Vintage Quilt!

Viewer's Choice!!

More updates to come!

xoxo,
Kristin

Finish-A-Long Q3 2018 Wrap Up

Like a blink of an eye, another quarter has flown by!  Time never seems to slow!  It was a fabric-filled, quilty-goodness, stitches-a-plenty few months. LIfe has been so busy that I haven't been able to chronicle as much as I would like.  But let me wrap up my finishes and incompletes.

Here is my list of goals.  It was an ambitious list!  I predicted a great few months and it was not bad.  But I still have room for improvement and I love that this link-up keeps me honest.  It was helpful that I had deadlines, like the Lutherdale Auction and babies being born!


I finished these 5 quilts

• 1- Finding Nemo
• 2- St Nick
• 3- Stars and Stripes
• 5- Grey Plus Baby Quilt
• 6- Rainbow Plus Baby Quilt

Several of what I didn't finish, I've made progress and hope to have complete by the end of the year.  Wouldn't it be GREAT if I could finish each and every one of these??!!??

• 4- Bonus Charity Baby Quilt
• 7- On Ringo Lake
• 8- Midnight Star
• 9- Legendary
• 10- Charity Rail Fence
• 11- Bonus Baby Quilt
• 12- Featherweight Tote Bag - Purple 
• 13- Featherweight Tote Bag - Orange

If you would like to see links to other's participating in Finish-A-Long, here are the blog sponsors:

• Marci - Marci Girl Designs - USA

• Sandra (also Social Media Director) - Studio Sew of Course - Ireland

• Leanne - She Can Quilt - Canada

• Ella - Throw a Wench in the Works - USA

• Felicity - Felicity Quilts - Canada

• Karen - Capitola Quilter - USA

• Izzy - Dizzy Quilts - Canada

• Lynne - Tinking Along - USA

I'm looking forward to setting my year end goals.

xoxo,
Kristin

Finish! Baby Oliver's Quilt

This is the second of the two quilts for my tennis friends that had babies this summer-- the rainbow version! I had a lot of fun picking brights from my stash and putting this together.  It is my 4th finish for Q3 and is part of my Finish-A-Long goals.

This quilt is for Liesl and Tyler and their new baby boy, Oliver.  It was a total surprise to them, which is so much fun!! Not long before I gave them their gift, I was talking to Tyler about Quilt Expo and he was like, "oh-- do you quilt?"  I had to stifle my grin, because-- Yes!  I quilt and I made one for you!  😃

Here I am holding Baby Oliver.  Even more fun that giving a quilt is to see it with the new baby!

xoxo,
Kristin

Finish! Baby Flannery's Quilt

It has been a super busy summer and I've fit it a fair amount of sewing, including TONS of binding.  On my goal list for Q3 Finish-A-Long was to complete baby quilts for two of my tennis teammates. They work together and are close friends and were pregnant at the same time-- why not make matching quilts?!?  I'll do separate posts for each quilt.

This is the grey version of the pair of plus quilts and it is for Stephanie and Mac and their new baby girl, Flannery. 💗  

They didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl until she was born and decorated her room with white furniture and grey walls.  I used a lush grey minkee on the back and while binding, I noticed how much it resembled their precious first baby, a cat Beef.  Sadly Beef's long and fun life ended this summer, but he got to meet his new baby sister and now they have a quilt that can be a little reminder of him.

We had a combination end of summer tennis and new baby party last week where I finally gifted the quilts.  Both new families were thrilled!! It's the best part of making and giving! 😊

xoxo,

Kristin