White Christmas

This is the first in a series of small quilts for our  dear DIL.   She had specially requested a couple of small quilts in 'liturgical colors' to use on a little table that she wants to use for family prayer time.  I was so glad to get it finished in time for Christmas.

about 24 inches square 

White is the color of celebration used during the Christmas and Easter seasons.  My first stop was Hobby Lobby for some inspiration.  They had a very pretty soft gray fabric with calligraphy: "Faith, Hope, Love, Friendship...." Perfect!

Using the fabric as the center focus, the next step was designing a pieced border.  In my book of quilt blocks I found one called "Grandmother's Cross."  I used that as the basis for the border, but ended up piecing it in strips like Seminole quilting in order to eliminate lots of triangles around the edges of each block. 

It worked out quite well, except that the four corners had to be mitered.  I don't think I've ever attempted anything quite so complicated to piece, but I took a deep breath, said a prayer, and forged ahead.  Miraculously, all four corners matched and laid flat!  I only had to make one small adjustment.

The border is quilted stitch-in-the-ditch, and the center is a simple meander.

It was challenging, but this design finally came together and it turned out much better than I expected!  It was so exciting to see her open this gift up on Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas

Just a holiday note to thank you for stopping by to Quilt Awhile with me.  I so appreciate your comments and encouragement on our quilting journey together.  Wishing you a Blessed Christmas and wonderful New Year!

Vintage postcard from my Dad's collection

Countryside Wreath

This was an unexpected Christmas surprise!  The pattern showed up when I was searching for something else, and it was just perfect to help use up some of the stash. It became a leader-ender type of project while I was working on Christmas gifts.  It was fast and easy because the pieces were 3-inches and larger.  The pattern is Countryside Wreaths (single block option) by Thimbleberries. 

Countryside Wreath 37.5 inches square

On Smith Lake parts 2-4

"Christmas time is coming and the (flying) geese are getting fat!"

Part 2 of Bonnie Hunter's winter Mystery "On Ringo Lake" is pieced.  All those flying geese!  But they're done.  Part 3 is cut out and bundled, as is Part 4, but that's as far as I get. 

Several quilted Christmas gifts are finished (or just have binding left to hand stitch.)  Posts about those will have to wait until after Christmas.  Addressing cards and gift wrapping have their priorities too.  Plus, with family arriving for the Holiday (with dog in tow) there's some pup-proofing of the house that needs to happen. 

The Christmas tree is up, but no ornaments on it yet.  Way behind in that category.  And no cookie baking has happened yet either.  DH has come down with a horrible cold, which I'm trying NOT to catch, so he's excused from helping with Christmas prep for now.

Hope your Holiday preparations are coming along. Wishing you the Joys of the Season!

On the design wall: Lighthouses

Our Dear Daughter was home for Thanksgiving and she brought me a great panel from the local quilt shop in Ashland, WI.  What a wonderful surprise!

The panel has a half-dozen 6-inch sketches of the Lighthouses of the Apostle Islands.  In recent years her hubby worked with the National Park Service as the Lighthouses were repaired, and he spent many summer days out on Lake Superior with that project.  So it has special meaning.

Lady of the Lake blocks seemed the appropriate setting, so I've pulled the blue, purple and green 3-inch blocks out of my scrap bag.  Matching a light and a dark, I'm making 2.5-inch cut HST's to go around each 6.5-inch cut lighthouse piece.

Here's where I started...

and here's what I have now...