More Projects Done Before the Holidays!

A Holiday Mini-Quilt

This small and mini-quilt thing is going well!

To follow on the autumn mini-quilts, I wanted to make some for Christmas.  I saw this cute quilt in the Keepsake Quilting catalogue.  It looked easy to copy, which is one of my favorite ways to learn how to deconstruct a block pattern.  I'd like to give appropriate credit, but the catalog didn't indicate the pattern designer or whether it was a Keepsake original.

I photocopied the picture in the catalog and then blew it up so it was easier to read.  Then I drew grid lines to see how the blocks were created.

The catalogue description indicated the size of the finished quilt (it was a kit), but I knew that I wanted the mini-quilt block to be smaller than it would have been in the kit quilt.  I thought I had it figured out, but was I ever wrong.  So I ended up with an oversize block and now have a small wall hanging in addition to the mini that I completed on the second try.  I still had to do some trimming, resulting in the outer green squares being a little smaller than the inner ones.  Can you see it from the Brooklyn Bridge?  Well, yes.

The block finished at just over 12" square.  None of my Christmas fabrics looked right as a binding, but this firethorn print from an autumn fat quarter collection was just right.

Too bad I forgot to swap out the red bobbin thread.
















The hanging sleeve is sewn right in with the binding.   And I'm thrilled with how the mitered corners turned out.

Greta's Christmas Pillowcase

We were visiting friends in Delaware last week and I was forced, entirely against my will (!) to visit a quilt shop.  It was fabulous, wonderful fabrics everywhere (include upstairs).  If you ever have the chance, visit the Serendipity Quilt Shop in Dagsboro, Delaware.  I was determined not to add to my stash until I made more progress on my UFOs, but I couldn't resist a pillowcase kit to make for my granddaughter.

The kit was for making a pillowcase as a tube.  There are lots of videos on the web (a popular one is at Missouri Star Quilt Company, and Serendipity has written instructions on its website, http://www.serendipityquiltshop.com/sewing-patterns.htm.

Since the fabric was already cut (except for the red insert strip), it only takes a few minutes to put together.  Mine took a little longer because I decided to do a French seam on the side.

Another cute find at Serendipity was this bin full of scraps.  Most had been cut to about 9" squares, perfect for a 5" charm and some 2" squares.  And so much variety -- fun!

Last, But Not Least

My daughter sent for a dozen fabric samples before finally deciding on the ones she wants for the Roman shades that I'll be making for her.  Sweet fabrics and only $1 each, but we both hated to waste them.  I sewed around the edges and voila! cocktail napkins!  Quilting started as a thrifty way to make warm bedcovers out of leftover fabrics.  The trend continues...

That's it for now.  Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope Santa is good to you and brings you something quilty!