Dear Santa....

My Dear Santa,

I'm sure that you remember me. It's been awhile since I've written since I have actually been working as one of your elves for the last 38 years. Children love their presents and I really love to make them and give them. But just to spur your memory, I'm the short one, slightly rotund, and I seem to have gotten gray hair over the years. How come I'm the only elf that ages? But, never mind with that. I do have a wish for me this year, and I heard through the elf grapevine that the Fat Quarter Shop might help you this year! That's exciting! Here it is Santa, isn't it pretty? A beautiful bundle of fabric. I'm sure I can do something with this. I know, I know, it's not red, which besides being your favorite color is one of mine too, but I'm a closet pastel person. Please, please remember me this year! Petite Maison will be just perfect.  Thank you ahead of time, I have faith in you. Love from, your short, rotund, gray haired elf.

Quick Christmas Button Ornament

This quickie ornament is about 3 inches by 3 1/2 inches. All you need is some old white buttons, and a little bit of muslin and a length of white satin ribbon. I cut out the hearts, and machine sewed around them leaving room to turn the ornament. You can sew the ribbon on at this point, or sew it on later. Stuff lightly and then position and sew the buttons around the outside edge keeping the heart shape. I have buttons on both sides so that it is reversible and shows well no matter how it hangs. Old buttons are rarely white, but off white, so I used an aged muslin. To get a good heart shape, simply fold your pattern paper in half and cut so that both sides are identical. Your shape could be funky or classical. I also added a bow to one side. My first intent was to cover the heart in buttons, but that made the ornament too heavy, so I only put them around the edges. It could be done in reds and greens, too. I have this one on my white and silver tree but I'm thinking that I need another one for my tree with handmade ornaments. I'd better get busy on that!

I got lazy this year! No baking! Hubby is on Atkins, and I'm diabetic, so I set up a candy buffet for visitors. Yum! I find I can stay away from it better than a homemade cookie buffet! Strangely enough the red vines are a big hit!

Check this out!

Red and white....

I really hoped that I would have the top finished by the end of the year. I only have the side triangles to go, but it won't happen, it's a lot more work.

 There is 16 of the side triangles because it is queen size. I couldn't wait to put it together though, so I left a little bit of the end seams open to put the triangles in later. I don't know how I'm going to quilt it, and I am open for ideas. I'm thinking the background in a straight line grid, but I don't know about the red areas. Send me your thoughts if you have quilted applique quilts! I think I'll go around the applique inside and out but not through the layers. Or should I go through the layers like Hawaiian quilts? If you've made a Baltimore Album quilt let me know. All these blocks came from the Baltimore Album books by Elly Sienkiewicz.

Christmas quilts are on the table, and on the wall, and the beds, and under the tree....

check out

http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com/ for a virtual Christmas Quilt show.

Christmas for kids

While I was in Pennsylvania we visited Christmas Tree Lane. This is a valley fixture in Kraynaks. It probably has 50 plus trees (I wish I had asked) and starts with the children's trees, in various themes with animatronic characters. Here's a small overview... after all the kids trees, it phases into more religious and traditional trees. I've been taking my kids there for 34 years. I wish my grandkids could see it..

I'll try to show some of the adult trees in a later post, although a lot of them came out blurry. Maybe I can hunt up some pics of other years.

Charming Girls Quilt Club

My finishes for the month... well.... hopefully my finishes for the month.

Yesterday I got upstairs for almost the whole day. I played around with my 60 degree ruler and made twelve different hexagons and put them into a table runner. I think I'll just cut the sides even to make binding a cinch. I cut strips in 2-3 inches to make the triangles. I have my favorite of them all, so I think I'll make something else out of it.  A full size red and white hexagon quilt. Now there would be a project!



My other finish is this thing that has been hanging around forever.  It was made from two charm packs and just needs the prairie points. I'm tired of looking at it! It has to be done this month!

I'm on a red and white theme this month!

While I'm here I'll show you a quick pic of my loft sewing room. The two year old and I put up the loft tree. She is still quite disturbed that it isn't green.. nope, it's white with all red and white ornaments. So far it only has the three ornaments that I bought this year, because they weren't in the 'Christmas closet'.  I haven't got things organized up there to show you any more yet. It's a messy workroom!

Happy quilting!

I should get my mail more often...

It's me!  In the middle of page 10!  I have a small mention and a couple quotes......