And It's Done!

I'm such a pokey hand-sewer, but I got the binding all finished on the tree skirt!  (I did stitch the ties by machine though.)

I'm very happy with it, especially as the shape was very different from anything I've pieced or quilted before. 

Here it is under the tree.  The perfect size for where we have the tree these days.  

The white sheet can retire! ♥

Stitchin'

Ever since Dan put the new lift in my sewing cabinet I've been like a woman with a whole new persepective on sewing.  I think it's because it's so easy to switch between embroidery and regular sewing.  Whatever, I've been having fun in my sewing room and that makes me smile.

A couple of quilters I have followed for years did a "24 Days of Christmas" on Instagram (no, I'm not on there, but I can view) and they inspired me no end.  Each day of December they posted pictures of quilts and other stitcheries in Christmas vignettes.  I got new ideas for my own decorating and ideas for new projects, so to my sewing room I went.

First up was this simple little quilt for our bedroom dresser.  I used fabrics from the Christmas quilt I made a couple of years ago.  

Next up, I decided it was time to get a tree skirt made! After forty-four years of marriage, I needed to do this. I had purchased more of the Through the Winter Woods fabric to make the skirt in the book by the same name, but then discovered the skirt was huge--like six feet across which is much too large for where our tree sits.  I had thought of trying to scale the pattern down, but it had so many pieces it just seemed to be too much to contemplate so I did nothing.  Until this week when I decided I had to prevail and get with the program.  I looked through my books and patterns and found Happy Holidays by Atkinson Designs.  Right there on the front was a tree skirt that would work perfectly.  

I used the Winter Woods fabrics and a few scraps from other projects and got the top done Saturday. As usual, Terry Atkinson's directions were perfect (her methods are genius--I don't know how she figures out such clever ways to cut and sew) and a top made of equilateral triangles came together perfectly.

I just finished quilting it and now will get to the binding. Stay tuned for a final viewing!  ♥

A New Year . . .

. . . and it's a cold white one here at the resort.  By Christmas Day we had a foot or so of beautiful white stuff, and a little more came down in the days that followed.  And then it turned cold.  Cold as in it was one degree last night at nine o'clock.  We've had some fog and that, coupled with the cold, has resulted in hoar frost that covers every little branch, twig, and spider web. It's a fairy land out there, people!

Box Elder at the end of our deck

View out the front door

Look at that brilliant blue sky!

I am loving every moment of this incredible beauty.  It's warm and cozy here in the resort and we were blessed with a lovely Christmas season with family.  Bruder Bear and Karen drove up to our home town on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day drove our parents up here for a day of feasting and visiting.  BB's son JR and daughter Kirsten and husband Tim also came.  Ann, Eric and the boys were able to run over for a hour or so (Eric's parents were spending the holiday with them) and we had fourteen of us catching up with one another . . . and putting a puzzle together!

Peanut M&M's are a must for puzzle work!

My Dad was particularly pleased to have so many of his family around!  (And the cookies didn't hurt, either!)

At 92, his biggest gift was family together

We celebrated Christmas with Ann and family on New Year's Eve and had a great time.  We dubbed the event "The Pizza and Present Extravaganza."  :-)  An excellent time was had by all.

And now, it's 2016.  A whole new year before us.  ♥

Merry Christmas!

The cookies are baked, the tree is up, and it's time to rest and reflect on the true meaning of this season.  

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:11

Amen! ♥

I Like to Color

It's true--I do like to color!  I'd been reading about the new adult coloring books for some time when I found several different ones at Costco one day.  Of course I had to buy one--and one for Ann!  The apple does not fall far from the tree when it comes to coloring. :-)

A few Saturdays ago, the doorbell rang and there were Ann and Daniel.  Ann handed me a book and said, "Merry Christmas!"  It was a Christmas coloring book she'd bought as part of my Christmas and then decided I should get to enjoy it as part of the season. 

 She was right! ♥

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

We were forecast to get between 1-3 inches of snow last night. I awoke early this morning to the sound of the snow plow and thought they must be desperate for a little work.  When I got up, I opened our bedroom curtains to this:

It appears when all is said and done (it snowed for a few more hours) that we have about seven inches! 

See that dark spot on the lower middle left?  That's our well which normally sticks up about two feet. It has a lovely mushroom cap of snow.  :-)

What a beautiful day!!  Now if only our 4-wheeler wasn't in the shop!! Normally we have a plow attached to the front so Dan can do our driveway.  Maybe it'll be ready today?  She said hopefully. ♥

Knock Knock! It's Me!

Well, hey there!  Yes, it's me.  And it's December.  The house is all decorated and the cards are sent. I'm enjoying the season and puttering away with little projects.  And I finished a big one!

I finally quilted the big Through the Winter Woods quilt I started last winter (seen here and here) over Thanksgiving and then got the binding on over the next week.  Ann and Eric and boys were here for Thanksgiving and Ann was able to quilt a top she made years ago, so we congratulated ourselves over our accomplishments.  Two big buffalos down!

Another big yahoo took place this last weekend.  When I got my humongous Bernina 830 a few years ago, I knew it was too heavy to use with the lift in my sewing cabinet so Dan locked it into position so I could have the bed of the machine even with the cabinet top and built a box to lift it up when I wanted to embroider.  It worked, but it was a chore to lift that 45 pound machine in and out, so I often didn't. I'd put off embroidering or I'd muddle along sewing without having the machine even with the cabinet top.  Last summer I wondered if it would be possible to order just a heavy duty lift and after checking the internet, found one.  We ordered it and it's been in a box under a table in my sewing room. Until Saturday.  Can I just say I am thrilled?  It has rejuvenated my sewing mojo and I'm one happy sewer.

So, Saturday night I just had to embroider something. The new lift worked perfectly and up popped my machine, ready for the embroidery unit.  I dug out my huge jumbo hoop, found a piece of Osnaburg and began a one color Christmas wreath I've been wanting to make for several years.  I didn't even know what I would do with it, but I decided the time had come to stitch it and stitch I would.  I toyed with several colors and went with my favorite dark red.  When I was done, I decided to make it into a pillow with fabrics left from the Winter Woods quilt.  Several hours and five presser feet later, I was done.  Here's a photo of the quilt and the pillow.

Five presser feet?  Yup!  The quarter inch foot for the seams, an all purpose foot for the zigzaging the Osnaburg edges, the ruffler for the ruffle, the buttonhole foot and the button sew-on foot for the closure on the pillow back. And oh yeah--the embroidery foot for the design.  Guess that's six! ♥