Snow!

It is warmer today.

And it snowed last night.about 3-5 inches.

So it is a much better picture taking day.

Quilt Reveal: Vintage Holiday

As you know, I have been working on the Vintage Holiday mini quilt. I missed the deadline for Project Quilting, and decided to take my time and hand stitch the binding. It looks much neater when I hand stitch because I don't have a lot of practice machine sewing the binding.

 I finished putting the binding on Vintage Holiday last night, and was very proud of myself for getting it done before the end of the month. After all, it is only the 30th and there are 31 days in January. It was even done way before midnight so I was more than a day ahead. It turns out everyone else was finished before me. They apparently don't know that when something is due on the end of the month, that means it should be finished at exactly 11:59 p.m. I couldn't post last night because I didn't want to show nighttime pictures of my quilt. My pics look bad enough during the winter day. Anyway, here is my grand reveal.

So here it is the end of the month

and time to share 

 my monthly mini challenge

organized by Wendy, the Constant Quilter.

Vintage Holiday was started January 21 and finished January 30. It uses solid red fabric and two white prints. The binding is a slightly textured red print. The pattern comes from Christmas Quilts and More magazine. I used an embroidery stitch to stitch down the red background and fused the applique down.  I sandwiched the quilt, and stitched all the applique pieces down with free motion quilting. I also outlined each of the applique pieces to make them stand out.  I realized that there was a blank space on the right side, and instead of making another sled, I decided to add a dog.  So now, this quilt fits in the dog quilt category as well as the red and white, the winter, the small quilts, and the holiday categories.

The red background is quilted with windy swirls and the white background has downward sloping lines to resemble a hill. I had a great time quilting it.

I woke up one morning, realizing that the dot under the O in Season's was supposed to be the dot for the I.  I was disappointed in myself for not following the instructions or at least thinking it through, because if I had switched those two O's, they would look more like a snowman. When I looked at the pattern, it looks like I did follow the instructions. In the unlikely event I ever make this quilt again, I will move the word Seasons so that the i is properly dotted. (It is unlikely because I don't like to repeat what I make, not because I didn't enjoy making it.)

I added a lace trim just over the  top because the lace wouldn't show over the white so there was no point in it. I also added a lace garland over a tree as a special treat for those who took the time to look closely at the quilt. In these pictures, the lace on the tree looks too white. I might have to find a way to tea stain it.

I added a corner triangle on the back for a label. The backing uses the same white as the trees.  I even went outside in the frigid temperatures to get you this and the picture at the top of the post.

Linked with:
Friday Foto Fun

Vintage Holiday Progress

In my last post, I told you I was working on a new quilt, but I did not show it to you. It is hard to take photos when it is dark, and I work during the day, so I need to remember to take a photo during a break.

I easily found the solid red fabric I had bought to make my red and white quilts that have been on my wish list ever since I heard about the red and whites quilt exhibition. Apparently, it didn't occur to me to buy white as well, so I used the white that I am using for the ATC holder. I think the splotches on the fabric look snowy. Then I cut out the red applique. To keep the letters facing the right way, I fused the fusible to the back, and placed  and pinned the pattern right side up on the front.  Then I cut them out.  It worked out quite easily without having to reverse anything.

I then cut out the white applique pieces and placed them on the background. I was worried that I might run out of the white fabric that I needed for the ATC holder so I chose another white for the applique.

I decided to use an embroidery stitch to applique the red background to the white background. I like how it looks like bushes from a distance and snowflakes close up.  Then I fused everything in place. I see that the apostrophe was lost in the process.

The top is done now, so I need to sandwich, quilt and finish. I will not be making a pillow. Since I used the embroidery stitch, I wanted to use some supplies so I went through my lace and chose a couple. I plan to birth this quilt like I did the house one, and am thinking about edging the hanging with one of the laces for a more finished look.

This is the stack of library books that I had to return today because they were due before I got a chance to really read them. I think other people like to read more in the winter than the summer so they request books so I can't renew them. I've been busy with work, and sick with a cold, and the streets have been icy, so some of these are overdue.

Linked to:
Off The Wall Friday 
UFO Busting #46 
Oh Scrap! - it isn't a scrappy project, but I used scraps of fabric to make it
ScrapHappy Saturday

Vintage Holiday

As you know, my rule for the year is to start as many quilts as I want.

I showed you this quilt pattern in a magazine on December 10. I wanted to make it, but there were other quilts I wanted to make more, and I did not want to overwhelm myself with too many projects.

Well, I did promise to make a small quilt each month, and I thought the small quilt project would be a great way to make more red and white quilts.

It snowed last night and they have been showing pictures of people sled riding on the news.

Today, I discovered that the Project Quilting challenge is to make a project with red, white, and/or blue, so I decided to meet all those things with one simple quilt.

I am using fabric, fusible applique, instead of felt. I've cut out all the red pieces and placed them, and just have to do the white pieces now. It doesn't look like a lot of pieces, but when you cut them out, there are quite a lot. I think I will quilt down the pieces instead of trying to go around each one individually.

Linked to:
Moving It Forward - to show what is slowing my progress