Santa Baby

Santa was VERY good to me this year!!  He definitely got wind of my new "obsession," and brought me plenty of new toys!

First up.... my gifts from my "Secret Santa."


My immediate family decided a few years ago that instead of everyone exchanging gifts, that we would do a "Secret Santa."  Each person would only have one person to buy for.  There is a $100 limit on store-bought gifts, and each person has to do a handmade gift.  Fortunately for me, my "Secret Santa" was my mom this year.... meaning she actually knew what the items on my wish list actually were.  Lol!

Mom got me the Martelli ErgoCutter, Skini-Mini Rulers Set, Individual Block Templates w/Fussy Cut Windows - Sizes 5.5" and 7.5", and Measure Cuts Scissors.  I also got two of the feet I wanted for my Viking machines... the Free Motion Echo Quilting foot and the Left Edge Top Stitch Foot.  Then, my parents still fill our stockings with little things, and this year I also go two rolls of Sulky stabilizer :-)  I'm so lucky to have had a crafty "Secret Santa."


Next up.... gift from the in-laws.

My MIL must have called Hubby and asked what I wanted for Christmas.  They got me the Queen-Sized Supreme Slider that I also had on my wish list.  She had no clue what it even was... so I know Hubby must have told her I wanted one.  Lol.  I have the smaller version of it and I love it.  It just is a little bit on the small side when it comes to doing larger quilts.  Now I've got both sizes and am prepared for anything!


Finally.... my gifts from Hubby a.k.a "Santa".

He got me all the organization stuff I had on my wishlist from Michaels.  We moved my craft room during our break from work (both of us were off work the week between Christmas and New Years) and I really wanted a pegboard to put by my cutting table to hold all my goodies.  Now it's just a matter of getting Hubby to actually put them up for me :-)

I was totally SHOCKED when I opened up the last present....

Not only does he pay attention when I talk, but must have a super memory to remember that I really wanted an Open Toe Free Motion Quilting Foot AND also the Do-It-All Quilter's Hoop for my embroidery machine!

LOTS of new goodies to play with... and now that my room is moved (post with pics later this week), I've got no excuse not to get in and play with them!

Hope everyone is having a terrific Tuesday!

Linking up to Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River

2015 Already?!?!

Wow!  I can't believe we're already into 2015!!  The past few months have been such a whirlwind and went by so quickly.... I was having a hard time trying to keep up!  I've got a LOT I want to share.... finished Christmas gifts, what Santa brought me, details of "Operation: Rosie Needs A Bigger Craft Room," as well as my first project for 2015.  I honestly started writing posts, but then got side tracked and never finished them :-(

That being said.... I'm going to do all my updating over the next few days and then ** hopefully ** get back on track with future posts :-)

Update #1: Finished Christmas 2014 Gifts

Total of 8 quilts in a little less than 6 months!  Not too shabby.... especially for a "newbie" like myself.  All quilts were done, washed, labeled, and wrapped by Christmas Eve!  It was a race to the finish line, but they all made it in time.  Some of them I've already shared, but there were the final couple that haven't been posted yet.

2014 Christmas gift quilts - Ready to Wrap!

Without further ado... Here are the completed Christmas gift quilts for 2014...

1.  Jolly Jelly Roll Quilt - given to my BFF

2.  Lattice Quilt - given to my Aunt Susie

3.  Easy Jelly Roll Quilt - given to my Aunt Debbie

4.  Yellow Brick Road Quilt - given to my Grandma

5.  Garden Party Quilt - given to Hubby's Grandma

Garden Party Quilt Details:

• Started: November 7, 2014       Finished: November 30, 2014
• Pattern: Garden Party from Missouri Star Quilt Co.
• Fabrics: Lagoon Layer Cake by Paintbrush Studio, Bella Solids - White Bleached Yardage, Bella Solids - Terrain Iris Yardage
• Thread: Omni Natural White Thread
• Batting: Warm & Natural

6.  Steelers Rag Quilt - given to Hubby's Grandpa

Steelers Rag Quilt Details:

• Started: November 27, 2014       Finished: December 2, 2014
• Pattern: My Own Pattern
• Fabrics: Steelers Cotton, Black Keepsake Calico Cotton, Gold Keepsake Calico Cotton, Black Snuggle Flannel, and White Snuggle Flannel <-- All from JoAnn's
• Thread: Omni Black Thread
• Batting: None

 7. "Realtree" Hunting Rag Quilt - given to Hubby's step-father

"Real Tree" Hunting Rag Quilt Details:

• Started: December 2, 2014       Finished: December 6, 2014
• Pattern: My Own Pattern
• Fabrics: "Real Tree" Cotton, Brown Keepsake Calico Cotton, Hunter Green Keepsake Calico Cotton, Brown Snuggle Flannel, and White Snuggle Flannel <-- All from JoAnn's
• Thread: Coats & Clark Machine Quilt Cotton Thread - Dogwood
• Batting: None

8.  OSU Rag Quilt - given to Hubby's brother

OSU Buckeyes Rag Quilt Details:

• Started: December 6, 2014       Finished: December 9, 2014
• Pattern: My Own Pattern
• Fabrics: Ohio State Cotton, Grey Keepsake Calico Cotton, Red Green Keepsake Calico Cotton, Grey Snuggle Flannel, and White Snuggle Flannel <-- All from JoAnn's
• Thread: Coats & Clark Machine Quilt Cotton Thread - Nugrey
• Batting: None

Phew..... I'm getting tired again just thinking about all that!  Lots of hard work, hand-binding, cursing (lol), and hand-cramping (from snipping all those seams)... but it was totally worth it!  I even put "Pearl" thru the ringer and made matching labels for all of them.

I used some of the leftover fabrics from the fronts of the quilts and added borders around them.  Spent two nights hand-sewing them to the backs of the quilts... and they were all ready to go! I honestly kinda impressed myself with all of this... they all turned out well, AND they were all done in time!

Well, that's it for my first update for 2015 :-)  I'll be back with more in the days to come.  Stay tuned.....

Linking back to Finish It Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts , TGIFF at Quilt Matters, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Link-A-Finish Friday at Richard & Tanya Quilts

TGIFF: Quick 'N Easy Potholders

I needed a quick break from working on my Garden Party quilt, so I whipped up a couple of really quick and easy potholders for Christmas gifts for co-workers :)

I was searching for a pattern for something that wouldn't take too long, would be relatively inexpensive, and creative to do for the gal's at work.  Countless websites later, I finally found the Quilt Expressions blog and fell in love with their tutorial for some potholder gifts.

Armed with coupons, I headed off to JoAnn's last Saturday and rummaged around the last remaining bits of Christmas fabric they had.... they were pretty picked clean!  Grabbed some pairs of fabric and a couple of yards of Insul-Bright, and I was on my merry way.

Before I could get started though, I was kinda forced into cleaning up my craft room.  Had a bit of an avalanche of shopping bags that were piled up in the corer of materials for gifts as well as some additions to my stash.  Took about 2 hours, but I got it all organized and put away.

I ended up re-folding all the fabric from JoAnn's before attempting to put it away.  I really loathe when they fold up the cuts, especially when I'm waited on by this young guy that works there.  He practically just rolls it up in a ball and shoves it in a bag :-(  Drives me NUTS!  Especially when now it's extremely wrinkled and not only needs to be re-folded, but also pressed even before I'm ready to use it.  Ah well, it's done and my room is back to being all nice and organized :-)

Without further ado, I give you the first of many (17 total) Christmas pot holders....

Christmas Potholders details:

• Started: November 16, 2014       Finished: November 18, 2014
• Pattern: Folded Potholder by Quilt Expressions
• Fabrics: Holiday Impressions fabric from JoAnn's
• Thread: Connecting Thread
• Batting: Warm & Natural & Insul-Bright

I did as the tutorial instructed and attached the binding to the back and then pulled over to the front and machine quilted it together.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about that.  One one hand, it would be much easier to do and 10x quicker, but I'm not liking the way it looks when finished.  Thankfully, I've got a million more to make, so room for more trial and error.

Hope everyone is having a fabulous Friday!




Linking back to Finish It Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts , TGIFF at What a Hoot!, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Link-A-Finish Friday at Richard & Tanya Quilts

Finish Friday: Busy Little Christmas Elf

Brace yourselves... this is gonna be another long one!!!  Two big projects to share, plus a little one for fun.  I've been a busy little Christmas elf lately... so I've got plenty to share :D

1. Downton Abbey Yellow Brick Road Quilt

 

This one is a Christmas gift for my grandma.  I had originally intended on giving it to her back when she was here in Ohio and in the nursing home, but she went home too fast and I didn't have a chance to finish it in time.  I actually got the top done way back at the beginning of September and started the FMQ on it.  It ended up taking a bit of a back seat to a couple of impromptu projects, but then I finally cracked down and finished it!  It's actually been done for a while, I just haven't had the chance (or decent weather outside) lately to get it photographed.  Without further ado... here are the details for this one:

Downton Abbey Yellow Brick Road Quilt Details:

• Started: August 24, 2014       Finished: October 5, 2014
• Pattern: Yellow Brick Road by Atkinson Designs
• Fabrics: Downton Abbey: Dowager Countess Fat Quarter Bundle, Kona Purple solids (I don't know the exact color... I got it at JoAnn's)
• Thread: Coats & Clark - Machine Quilting Thread - Plum Shadows
• Batting: Warm & Natural

This was the first project I've ever done FMQ on!  I think that's why it took a bit longer to do.  FMQ is more time consuming, plus I was so scared I was going to mess it up that I kept putting off working on it.  Sucked it up and did it.  Done, washed, and ready to wrap!

Easy Jelly Roll Quilt in 6 Sizes

 

 

Along with the layer cake I bought way back when, on one of my first orders from Missouri Star, that I used on the Lattice Quilt, I picked up this jelly roll to do a quilt for Aunt #2 for Christmas.   I picked a real simple pattern for this one... for a couple of reasons.  1) I don't have much time so I couldn't make it too fancy or I'd never finish it, and 2) my aunt isn't a "flashy" kinda gal.  This pattern and fabric fit the bill perfectly!  

This really IS an easy jelly roll quilt!  once the strips were sewn together and then cut down into blocks, the top only took 3 evenings after work to complete!  No border and just straight-line, echo stitch quilting made this one a really quick, yet pretty quilt.

Easy Jelly Roll Quilt in 6 Sizes (Lap Size):

• Started: October 10, 2014       Finished: November 8, 2014
• Pattern: Easy Jelly Roll Quilt in 6 Sizes by Mack & Mabel
• Fabrics: Grant Park Jelly Roll (discontinued), Grant Park Warm Red yardage (discontinued - binding), Kona Solids - Parchment Jelly Roll (sashing)
• Thread: Connecting Threads - Taupe
• Batting: Warm & Natural

All-in-all, it's been a very productive couple of weeks!  So happy to be able to check TWO gifts off the Christmas list.  4 down.... 5 to go!  Fortunately, 4 of the last 5 are rag quilts and shouldn't take too long... especially when I can recruit Hubby into helping me with snipping the seams :D

Oh, and I finished up a quick little project too!

I made a cute little Elf hat for my niece, Miss L.  I made the 12-24 month size, but it seems awfully big!  I may make another one in the 0-6 month size and see how that one looks.  If this one is too big, I can always give it to Hubby's DJ-ing partner's 8 year-old daughter :D

Lil' Elf Hat details:

• Started: October 23, 2014       Finished: November 9, 2014
• Ravelry Project Page Link
• Pattern: Favorite Elf Hat by Janet Jameson
• Yarn: Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn - Cranberry, White, Limelight
• Needles: Size 8 DPNs (double-pointed needles)
• Notions: Clover Pom-Pom Maker - Large Set (I used the smaller of the two)

This came out so stinking cute (plus I have a ton of yarn leftover) that I'm putting these on "the list" for the rest of "our kids" for Christmas next year! The Clover Pom-Pom makers are AWESOME and made making the pom-pom for the hat so quick and easy!  There are a ton of YouTube videos showing how to use them, and instead of just wrapping one color, I used all three at the same time.  Made a really cute, mulit-colored one :D

Well, that's it for my Friday!  Busy, busy, busy... and getting busier by the day!  Hope everyone has a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!



Linking back to Finish It Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts , TGIFF at Quilt Matters, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Link-A-Finish Friday at Richard & Tanya Quilts

Make-A-List Monday: 11/10/14

Crikey!  October completely got away from me, and it seems like November is too!  I've been productive, just haven't had the chance to write it all down.  Lol.  Thought with there being only 44 DAYS until Christmas... I really needed to put my To-Do list together to help me stay on track so I can get everything done.

The list is a "comprehensive" one, including EVERYTHING that I need to do... not just Christmas.  The saddest part of this is that about 98% of the projects on this list have been completely shopped for... just need to get done.  That's a LOT of stash!!! 

I managed to get one more of the Christmas gifts checked off the list this weekend, but there are still 5 left that are "Must Do's."  Need to keep to my "schedule" I put together and get stuff done. 

Anywho.... here's my Make-A-List Monday for this week....

• Blog posts of finished projects - Got pictures taken over the weekend, just need to write everything up for ya'll :-)  Look for these posts later this week!
• FINISH editing of wedding photos  - I desperately need to finish the editing on the photos from a wedding I shot in July!  I've got them about 95% done, with all the important portraits done... just have to finish up the pre-wedding photos and some of the reception photos and they'll be done.  The bride was happy with what I've given her so far, so these last few are just extras... but I need to get this project off my plate!
• Continue working on the Garden Party Quilt - I started working on this one over the past week or so, getting everything cut and the squares snowballed.  I'm hoping to get all the 4-patch blocks done this week so by the weekend I can start assembling the top.

I'm keeping it simple this week, mainly so that it's not so overwhelming that I fall behind so quickly.  If I can get more done, I will... but for now this is a start.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and have a wonderful week to come!

TGIFF/Finish It Friday - YUMMY!

Well, I can officially say that my second "real" quilt is done!  

I'm so happy with the way it turned out!!  I love the colors, I love the pattern... I love it all!!  I finished hand-binding it in the wee hours of the morning this morning, got it washed and dried, and it's ready to go in my "Top Secret Christmas Gift" storage until December :-). 

I haven't put a label on it yet as I think I'm going to wait until I get all the gifts done for this year and do them all at once. I bought some printable fabric I'm going to use and figured it would be easier just to print a whole sheet of them and do them all at the same time!

Here are the details on the quilt:

• Started: June 9, 2014    Finished: July 4, 2014
• Pattern: Jolly Jelly Roll by Christa Quilts
• Approx Size: 49" x 49"
• Fabrics: Ansonia Pink & Chocolate jelly roll, Kona brown and pink yardage (can't remember their names)
• Thread: Sweet Pink from Connecting Threads
• Batting: Warm & Natural

As always, still being a newbie to quilting, I have a lot to learn.  Some of the things I learned on this one are:

• The importance of squaring up your blocks before attempting to sew them together. I don't think my strips were 4 1/2" tall, so when I cut the strips into 4 1/2" squares.... They were more rectangle than square which made sewing them together rather difficult. 
• Need to perfect matching of seams. I pressed the seams on the strips open like the pattern states, but I continued to do so on the squares which made it difficult to match the seams since they wouldn't "nest"
• Just how much fabric shrinks!  This one appeared to be rather large before washing.  It's supposed to be 51" x 51", but I lost 2" on the height and width on this one during washing.
• The bigger the quilt, the longer it takes to hand-bind. Lol. This one took me three nights to hand-bind and my poor fingers are SORE!!

Now that I can check this one off my list, it's time to start a new project. I think before I tackle another big quilt, I'm going to whip up the table runner for my coffee table. It'll be a nice little break from the mega-sewing that is a big quilt. With this weekend being a 3-day weekend for us here in the states, I'm shooting for having it done by Sunday. We'll see. Lately my weekends haven't been going as planned, so I'm not getting my hopes up. 

Hope all of you who are celebrating Independence Day today have a very happy and safe holiday!!




Linking back to Finish It Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts , TGIFF with at Quokka Quilts, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Link-A-Finish Friday at Richard & Tanya Quilts