Christmas in July

I got very excited about Christmas in July last year when I participated in The Crafty Quilter's Christmas in July Blog Hop.
   
So I've been watching the blogs and searching the search engines for more quilty Christmas in July fun.  

I dragged out my unfinished projects from the last few years to work on and found a fun project to make that I'll show you soon.

Yesterday I spent some time making little houses to go around the patchwork square (I also made a similar quilt and gave it to a friend last year).

I found this darling little Christmas Scrap Mini on Pleasent Tree

     

So I made one too using brighter fabrics.  I like Pleasent Tree's better, but maybe if I get one of those cute little stands...

Confession:  I think I need a quilt psychiatrist because I have lots of newer Christmas fabrics but don't want to cut into them so keep using the old scrappy stuff.

Sunshine 16 quilting skills progress.  

I'm sewing much slower and controlled (from what I did before) which I found practically eliminates breaking the thread (and I also have to give credit to the brand, Glide thread).  Sewing slower also causes the machine to heat up faster, which forces me to stop and take much needed breaks (for the machine and me).

I love sewing those figure 8's!  I'm trying out cross hatching in the pink row and it's impossible for me to sew the diagonal lines decently.

Amazingly, it's pretty easy to sew lines going vertically or horizontally.

Stop back soon and hopefully I'll have that new little Christmas project ready to show.  Hint:  It's from an old McCall's magazine issue with a free tutorial I'll share.

Linking up with Heather and Megan at Quilt Story 

HST Dolphin Cove Baby Quilt

I pieced together this half square triangle baby quilt top a while back and finished it today to take to a baby shower.

With the  mom to be.

Pieced together with under the sea prints, blue shades of kona cottons, and white.  Quilted on domestic machine using a wavy decorative stitch and bound with a stars on seafoam print.  It's also an eye spy quilt-- did you see the pearl?

Backing is a dolphin print by Robert Kaufman.  It matches the little girl's dress and eyes!

Linking up with Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts.  And also with Richard and Tanya at Link a Friday Finish

Amazing Needle Book Reveal!

I particpated in Amy's Needle Book Swap and have been waiting and watching for a package to arrive each day.  You can imagine how excited I was, when I got home from work today and found this package!    Now that it's here, it's like being a kid on Christmas morning!!!  The anticipation made it all the sweeter!

The postage labels told me it was from a land far away.

I removed my shoes and positioned myself in a comfy place and the excitement was mounting but I didn't rush because I wanted to savor each moment.

I slowly unwrapped the parcel and found this zippered bag with a darling hexi design and zipper pull.  I immediately loved the little bag made of Essex linen and exquisite English paper pieced Liberty prints!

I took a deep breath and upon unzipping, found a myriad of other treasures awaiting me.  See the beautiful lining.

There were some charming buttons, a flag, some darling trim and to top it off a matching hexi pin cushion and needle book!!!

The hand sewn workmanship is just lovely.

Isn't the back great-- oh and you've probably guessed by now which far away land it came from.

The front cover also has a divided pocket and those little blue heart pins and the Sew Happy label are just adorable!

The felt pages are delightful and the back page even has a little ruler trim sewn on and a pocket in the back cover.

It will be so fun to pack up my little needle book, matching pin cushion and place my sewing items into my new hexi zippered travel pouch and go sew somewhere!  I will treasure all these sweet and precious items.  Thank you Raeleen!

Here's the Flickr page where you can see all the gorgeous needlebooks.

WIPs: Toasty Mugs

Isn't this the cutest block?  There will be 5 steaming cups of cocoa for the July Quilt Doodle Quilt along

I cut out most of the patches yesterday.  Each cup will be a different red print.

It's surprisingly appropriate to work on in July, because the colors are red, white and blue!

 Stop by Cindy's blog, Quilt Doodle Designs  to find out more.

Here's the Flickr group link

Also I completed my final Blogger Girls II blocks.   Visit Monique at Open Gate Quilts for all the free patterns.

I linked up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced-- lots of great links today!

Sew Kitschy Quilt Along June Block

I finished up my June block and also added borders and fixed other problems with the existing blocks so they all now measure 10 1/2" and nothing is bugging me (for now).  That's a relief!

The pitcher and cups block is for June

I added the word "cookies" on the photo of the cookie jar block in the Paint program (will embroider the real thing later)

Here are some anniversary flowers.  (Were any of you married on June 27th?)

Have you seen these orchids?

This one got broke so it gets it's own little vase.

The florist made a little bow of leaves.  The flowers look so perfect, they don't seem real!

Isn't that blue gorgeous?

Pink and Plum Triangle Quilt

Pink and Plum Triangle Quilt all completed and presented to this high school graduate.

Ombre Sewing Studio

I was one of many who jumped at the chance, when Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts asked for pattern testers back in May.  

A reminder for the link up, spurred me to get it quilted and bound today.

I practiced some free motion quilting and got playful and stitched a green thread coming off the spool and meandering around and through the needle.

Check out Sew Fresh Quilts, for pattern information and to see the other versions of the Sewing Studio!

The pattern was to be sewn vertically, but because my attic sewing room has low ceilings and no long wall on which the vertical hanging would've fit, I sewed it horizontally, which also worked out nicely.

Quilt Doodle Hockey Skate blocks for June

For the June strip of blocks, I decided a patchwork background would add variety.

And here is the batik version:

Needle Book Swap

I've joined Amy at Amy Made That for a needle book swap. Here's Amy's description, in case you're like me and wasn't sure what it is all about:

 A needle book is basically just

a pretty little sewing booklet 

with pages of fabric or felt,

for keeping pins and needles safe and handy.  

Sizes:  Small is 4 3/4" x 6"  Large is 6 x 8"

I decided to stamp a picture for the front of the needle book. I used fabric markers and linen look cotton.  The stamping didn't turn out too well, so I drew in many of the details with the Micron and Sharpie pens.  The micron worked best.  I ironed it afterwards to set the ink.

This one is playful in 30ish prints.

I put in a zipper pocket and double pockets that go across the inside lining.

Inside

Inside back has a sewn section for storing a pen.

Patchwork back.

My swap partner said she loves the creations found on the blog Pretty by Hand and so I wanted to make something a little more elegant too.

I also did a stamped image for this one and added some bead flowers.

Inside side pocket.

Felt pages

Zipper pocket in the back of this one.

Patchwork back.

It was more difficult to make these than I thought it would be, but fun to add special little touches.  If I make a dozen more, I may get better at it!  For now I'm going to see which one my swap partner might like the best and send it across the ocean to Greece tomorrow!

Since I was able to finish these up, I'm linking up with Crazy mom quilts, Finish it up Friday.  Also if you want to take a look at other needle books from the swap, stop by Amy's Flickr page.