More Christmas Ornaments

I did finish all the ornaments before our family gathering on Dec 31. Here they are:

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Just wanted to stop by and wish all my friends a very Merry Christmas. Remember, Jesus is the Reason for the Season!!

Orca Bay Mystery, Step 4

I've been working on my 5 1/2" string blocks. I'm using purples instead of reds. This is what I've completed so far. Lots more to do but I'm trying out each step as much as I can fit in with all the other chaos that is going on right now!! I wanted to get started on step 5 before posting this so I could link up to Bonnie's Mystery page but it's not happening today. Perhaps before the next clue on Friday?
Here are the strings I've been working from.
Last summer my granddaughter sorted my laundry basket of scraps into shopping bags by color groups. Then my sisters helped me to fine tune into individual bags of colors. From there I'm slowly but surely organizing using Bonnie Hunter's Scrap User's System. My purple bag was nearly all "strings" or pieces that I could use in my string blocks. I may still have to cut into fat quarters or full yardage pieces but won't know for sure until I get a little further along.

Christmas Ornaments 2011

Each year I make Christmas ornaments for my Grandchildren. I hang them on a special tree, let them draw numbers and pick the one they want. One family lives in Ohio and won't be here this Christmas so I'm mailing theirs this year. I had bought these kits at the Houston show last year but because of a problem with my right hand, couldn't make them. I let them choose which ornament they would like when they were here for Thanksgiving last year because normally they have to take what's left over after the others have picked theirs. I just finished these eight and wanted to share them.

Reuben - Levi -

Dara -

Zeb -

Abby -

Judah -

Asher -

And Mom, Leslie -

Eight down and 20 to go. We're not having our family Christmas gathering until New Year's Eve so thankfully I still have 2 more weeks in which to complete the remaining ones. Aren't they cute?

Orca Bay Mystery, Step 3

I'm just barely started on step 3 but wanted to post my progress thus far. I've been working on Christmas Ornaments for the Grandkids so have neglected my Orca Bay Mystery. I plan to get back on it soon. Please check out Bonnie's blog to see the progress of all the other mystery participants' progress.

Orca Bay Mystery, Step 2

String Blocks. 3 1/2" square. I'm not even half-way there, but I'm making progress. I'm using all shades of green.

Orca Bay Mystery

I enjoy doing Bonnie Hunter's Mystery quilts. This year the title of the mystery is Orca Bay. Here's a sampling of my quarter square triangles from Step 1. I'm using navy and neutral.

Name That Tune

I've been working all afternoon on my Name That Tune block. I still have some embellishing to complete but can you tell what my song is?

Binding

The following instructions are how I make my binding and how I sew it onto my quilt. I'm doing this for the ladies in the quilt class I've been teaching for the past 4 weeks.
Cut your strips (selvage to selvage) 2 1/4" wide. Place one strip right side up and place the second strip across right side down. Leave a small amount at the top of the first strip and to the right of the second strip. Sew diagonally from top left to bottom right.

See stitching line below.

Trim excess.

Press seam open.

Then press the strip along the length wrong sides together.

I roll my binding strip on a tissue paper roll, then thread a ribbon thru the center of the roll and tie it in an overhand knot and slip over my head to hang around my neck. This lets the binding strip roll off the roll without getting all twisted up or falling off your lap and rolling under the table. (Ask me how I know this?)

Trim the excess back and batting from the edge of the quilted top. Beginning about half way down one side of the quilt, leave 8-10" of the binding and begin sewing to the quilt. Place the raw edges against the edge of the quilt top and sew 1/4" seam. (If you have a walking or even feed foot, it is a good idea to use it when sewing on your binding.)

When you get 1/4" from the end of the first side, pivot your piece and sew diagonally off the edge of the quilt at the corner. (above) Then turn your piece, fold back the binding on the diagonal

then fold the binding back along the edge of the next side

and continue sewing to the next corner.

When you get back to the first side, stop sewing at least 12 to 15" before where you began sewing on the binding. Fold back each end of the binding strip and let the folded ends meet in the middle.

I've inserted a piece of white paper here so you can see that they just barely meet. Do not overlap nor leave too much space. Finger press the fold where you will definitely have a crease where it is folded. With the quilt positioned as you were sewing, take the bottom strip and place it right side up. Then take the top strip and place it right side down in the same position you had when you were sewing your binding strips together.

Be sure to match up the folds in both directions. Sew from the top left corner to the bottom right corner just like you did when sewing your binding strips together.

Fold the strip back and see how it fits on the quilt. If it is too loose or too tight, you'll need to unsew, and start over with the folding of the ends of the binding strips, etc.

If it's just right, trim the ends (like you did before with the binding strips)

Finger press the seam open

Then refold the binding strip and finish sewing it to the quilt.

Turn the binding to the back side of the quilt, pin in place, then hand stitch the binding to the back of the quilt.

Look What the Grandkids Made

Last week, 4 of my grandchildren spend a few days with Mawmaw and Pawpaw. They each made a quilt top. They "shopped" my stash and selected what fabrics they wanted to use. I cut 10" squares and they sewed. The pattern is "40 squares on point".

First is Emily, 9.
Next is Megan, 10.

Next is Matthew, 11.

And last is Sam, 12.

I think they had a good time taking turns using the sewing machine. I pinned but they sewed it all themselves.

Last but not Least

Molly wasn't able to come to my party because Eli was sick. She was sooo disappointed when she found out about the quilts. Her quilt was made from Bonnie Hunter's Roll Roll Cotton Boll Mystery she did beginning last November. It was fun but I can truly say if step 4 (600 half square triangles) had been closer to the front, this baby would have died before it got started!! Colleen also quilted Molly's quilt.

Birthday Quilt #4

Jennifer with her quilt. I received the PTQ Lotto Blocks in January 2010. I specified I wanted a 12" finished block of your choice made from black and tan fabrics. The layout of the quilt is an original design. Colleen quilted Jennifer's quilt too.

Another Birthday Quilt

Clint with his quilt. I taught a class at Sewing World in the fall of 2007 on Eleanor Burns' Quick Trip Quilts. During the lesson, I made a quilt too. I had Colleen Eskridge quilt it. She also quilted Leslie's Ohio Star.

Happy Birthday to Me Continued

Leslie's quilt is next. She lives in Ohio. I became the owner of some Ohio Star blocks from our local guild, Possum Town Quilters and also some from a Beginner Block Lotto from About.com in September, 2007. I knew I wanted to make a quilt for Leslie with these blocks...it just took me awhile to get it going.

Me showing off her quilt.

Happy Birthday to Me

In honor of my 60th birthday, I presented quilts to each of my grown children. This was a total surprise to them. I treated them to a bed turning of all the quilts then as the last one was uncovered, I let them know which quilt was theirs.

First was Laurie's. She had requested a brown and tan quilt like the one I had made for her daughter. (The grandchildren quilts will follow in a later post.) The pattern used was a Turning Twenty by Tricia Cribbs.

Back:

Front

Laurie with her quilt: