Stitch it and Gift it... my day!

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my blog. First, a thank you to  Carla, for hosting another fun blog hop! I always enjoy these blog hops, looking at all the creativeness out there.

My long time readers know how much I love to give my stitching goodies. I am always making things for birthdays and Christmas. I have 4 kids, so have made many a quilt for them. Along with book bags and pencils pouches, purses and pillow cases. Making things is FUN! And giving them is even better! Extended family members and friends have all been recipients of my quilts and things.

My latest quilt is this one. As you can see, it isn't finished yet. But I promised you a full picture today, so here it is. I hope to finish it soon.

 This is my Cornerstones on Edge pattern. I took my original Cornerstones pattern, made the blocks 3" bigger and put them on point. I really love this design! A perfect one for boys (I have 3 boys, so am always trying to find good patterns for them). Of course, it's great for girls too ;)

Here's a closeup. I am doing 'organic' straight line quilting, simple and easy.

Carson is 15, he is already 5' 10". He outgrew his dinosaur quilt long ago and is really in need a of new quilt. He is my picky teenager, so I let him choose the colors for his quilt. I showed him a page full of these beautiful Shadow Play fabrics and told him to pick 3 or 4 colors.....The gray and black were a given. lol.  And he loves animals, so I threw those in for a bit of fun :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Christmas is right around the corner, so I've been busy making a few small gift items too. This little mat/wall hanging is simple and quick to put together, so I thought, as my gift to you, my readers and visitors, that I would give you the pattern so you can make a few too. It is a simple, quick design using mostly 2.5" squares and HTS's. You can use any size squares you want and make it any size. Or make a few and put them into a table runner, or make a lot and make it into a quilt. You can put hanging triangles in the back and make it a wall hanging. I think it would look lovely with a big candle in the center of it, used as a candle mat.

Here you go:

This project is 18.5" square. It's made up of 2.5" squares and some 2.5" HST's.

You will need: twenty-eight -  2.5" colored squares, any color you want.
                         four - 2.5" background squares
                         eight - 3" colored squares
                         four - 3" background squares
                         one 6.5" background square
                         two - 2.5" x 14.5" background strips
                         two - 2.5" x 18.5" background strips

 

I forgot to put the 6.5" square and four of the 3.5" squares in the picture

                                                                           
Make eight HST's from four of the  3" colored squares and the 3" background squares.  Using whichever method you like. Trim to 2.5".  Press seam towards background square.

Lay out 4 sets of 6 colored squares...the sets can all be the same or you can mix them up. Sew together. I sew a top square to a bottom, press the seam up. Next row, press down, third row press up. That way the seams next nicely together.

Sew together one 2.5" background square, one 2.5" colored square and two HST's. Watch how you turn these HST's, you want the background side facing the background square. 

Make the snowball block: Place one 3" square in each corner of the 6.5" square, rights sides together. Sew a diagonal line and cut 1/4" from that line. (Like my good friend Pat, I don't like having to draw the diagonal lines, so I cut the corners off first, then sew.)  Press open.

Sew a 4-square patch to either side of two 6-square patches, making sure the background square is on the outer top edge, not touching the 6-square patch. Sew a 6-square patch to either side of the snowball block. 

Now sew all three rows together. Put a 14.5" background strip on the top and bottom. Add the remaining 2 strips on either side.  Sandwhich with batting and backing, quilt and bind it.  Embellish anyway you want.

Wouldn't these look cute with some seasonal buttons sewn around the wreath? Happy Holiday making!

Please make sure you visit my fellow blog hoppers today and tomorrow.

Thursday, November 14th

Beaquilter

RidgeTopQuilts

Cynthia's Creating Ark
Songbird Designs
Farm Quilter
Kathy's Kwilts and More
Bumbleberry Stitches
Quilt Schmilt

Have a great day!

The holidays are coming.

Hello All,

Fall weather is setting in; cool mornings and warm afternoons. The leaves haven't started to turn just yet, but they will be soon. I always enjoy the change of season :)

You know the Holidays are coming soon. The quilters, makers and gifters are starting to make gifts and do secret sewing. And my favorite blog hops are coming up.

Here is a sneak peak of my middle son's quilt top, that I've finally finished. It came out so good, I know he is going to love it! You can see the rest of this quilt on my day in the Stitch it and Gift it blog hop on Nov 14th.

I'm making a mug rug and coffee cozy too, that will be a gift for a fun swap I am doing on my quilting form, Quilting around the World.  I've got some cute Christmas fabrics to use.

And then, on Dec 5th, you can stop in and see another one of my family's favorite cookies, in the annual Virtual cookie exchange blog hop, hosted by Carol over at Just Let me Quilt.


 

Thank you Carol! This is always a fun one :)

I'm also working on 2 of my WIP scrap projects that I started this Summer too. So enough to keep me busy. I'l pop in and show you progress when I have it. 

The white in the top box is the background, this is going to be another Irish Stars quilt. The bottom is the Film at Five project I started this past summer, the gray on the right will be the background.

Have a great day!