Dashing Through the Snow

I'm so excited!   I just heard about the 2012 Christmas Quilt Show.   Just in time to go from being a blog wallflower to an actual participant!  As luck would have it, I have completed exactly one quilt (2 if you count the ABC class I took, where I made what is now a dog bed).  It just so happens that my quilt is a winter scene, which makes it a perfect fit for the the Christmas Quilt Show.

Be sure to check out the Quilt Show by clicking on   the Christmas Quilt Show  or on the link in the sidebar. 

So here goes:


   This is a quilt I finished this past February.  As you can probably tell,  I loooove machine embroidery.    This quilt was machine embroidered from OESD pattern # 12359. It is a wall hanging measuring 29 1/2" wide x 28" high.   The background is a solid light beige cotton, and the sashing is a solid black cotton.  Everything else is stitched.

 

 It's a bit hard to see the details in the overall picture, so here are some close ups so you can see the stitches. 

 

 
The embroidery was done on 24 individual blocks which were then pieced together, matching the pattern. The snowflake sashing is comprised of 20 additional pieces and 4 cornerstones.   
The horse was over 100,000 stitches.  The one tree was 53,000 stitches
Total stitches for the embroidery was approximately 500,000.

Batting and backing was attached and I did a stitch in the ditch to quilt it all together. Ribbon was attached to mimic window panes. I used a Kona solid in light beige for the background, and a black and gold print for the backing. It took me about 8 weeks to complete (sewing on weekends only).

I hope you like it!

                                                                  

Thanks Without Angst

As a type A personality, this week always marked the start of stress season.  From making the perfect Turkey, to the right hors d'oeuvres, perfect linens, etc, etc, etc.  And to top it off I am blessed with  a family that might as well replace the word "meal" with "drama".

Then 2 years ago, someone told me about their in-laws.  There is actually a family out there who does not stress.  They do not guilt each other into showing up, or excel at one-upmanship.  They simply celebrate the day and invite you to join.  It is up to you whether or not to accept.  Either way, they celebrate.

So I tried it.  "I'm cooking dinner at my house.  You're welcome to join us."  That was it.  It was freeing.  No drama.  Everyone is doing want they want.  Everyone is happy.  I am thankful for my happy family.

And  about that Turkey?  Well, think of it this way.  The worst case scenario is that I will have a total meal disaster and have to order pizza.  I am thankful that no matter what, we will not go hungry this day.  Or any day this week.

And my house will not be perfect.  I will probably have dust somewhere, or forget to perform some crucial act like refinishing  the floors.  But my house will be warm and safe.  I am thankful for that.

And if someone teases me because my linens don't match, I will laugh and be thankful that my mom is still around to help me celebrate this special day.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I hope you laugh today.

Welcome

Hello!  Welcome to my blog.  I'm very new at this, so please bear with me while I stumble through this bloggy stuff.  (I plan to share any insights, and welcome all help.).

I am also fairly new to the world of sewing and quilting.  Well, my mother taught me to sew when I was young, but I strayed, so am not what you would call up to date.  And this quilting thing - I feel like Alice down the rabbit hole.  There's a whole new world I never knew existed!

But I have seen more beautiful and artistic people and creations in this past year than I have seen in a very long time.  Warm people who want to share their art, their knowledge and most of all themselves.  And it all starts with  bits of fabric and thread!

I am most definitely NOT an artist.  But when I sit down at my machine with some of my own fabric and thread, for a little while I feel as though I am.