2013-31: Xmas Table Runner

This simple table runner was made from the end of a bolt of printed placemats.  The fabric piece had half of three placemats.  I decided to even up the ends of two of them and trim the third half placemat to make a center slice that when added to the other two would make a long placemat that would become a table runner.

If you look closely in this next photo, you will be able to pick out the seam lines.  The strong rectangular visual line of created by the ivy wreath pulls your eye to the outside of the table runner while the diagonal quilting lines in the gold thread takes your focus away from the vertical piecing lines.  It is hard to find them!  Can you see the piecing lines?

This table runner looks great on my island.  Even though I finished the binding on Boxing Day, I am enjoying it as much as if I had been using it for the whole Christmas season!

2013-30: Xmas Stocking

On December 24th, inspired by my friend Amy, who made a Christmas stocking for her son’s girlfriend (who is also my niece), I decided to make a new Christmas stocking for my son.

Several years ago, I made matching cotton velveteen stockings for my son and daughter.  He did not like the stockings and although he is normally quite accepting of whatever I make, he gently complained about the new stocking.  A few days before Christmas, my daughter announced she would be bringing her  boyfriend for Christmas, so I needed an extra stocking.  Hence the impetus to make a new stocking.  She and her boyfriend got the matching velveteen stockings and my son got the new quilted stocking.  He was thrilled.

It was fairly simple to make.  I simply joined leftover blocks and patches to the approximate size and then cut out a stocking, using the velveteen one as a pattern.  I added poly batting, a bit of leftover sheeting for the backing and quilted it with freehand doodling using a thin gold Bottom Line thread.  The fuzzy cuff on the stocking is a piece of white sweatshirt fleece with the fuzzy side out.  Start to finish, it took about an hour.

Everyone admired the stocking and my daughter has put in a request for two stockings for next year.  She would like a maroon one for herself and a green one for her boyfriend.  I found myself looking over potential fabrics for these stockings, so I’m sure I will be inspired to make them!

2013-29: Puddle Duck

When I had a bit of a lull before Christmas, I decided to mount some baby quilt panels and have some baby quilts made ahead so that when babies are born, there are a few ready to pull for quick gifts.

These three panels were mounted, but before I began to quilt, I realized the backing was directional and upside down, so I remounted the tops upside down too!

The black bars are 18″ magnetic bars that keep the tops taught as I quilt them.

All three tops were quilted at once with a pantograph called Raindrops by Lisa Calle.  One of the quilts has been bound and gifted to a school auction.  The second one has made a trip to Florida and I have misplaced the third one.  I blame it on the Crhistmas bustle and I am sure it will show up as soon as I have put away the Christmas stuff.  So until I find it, I have to make do with these photos, since I cannot take a close up of the quilting!

The binding is red and suits the top quite well.  They will make great gifts for little boys.