Day 6 of my Christmas Countdown.
These decorations are worked on canvas with thicker threads like Perle 5. The designs are by Laura J Perin and they're called Holiday Ornaments Series #2. (The page takes a while to load.)
Day 6 of my Christmas Countdown.
These decorations are worked on canvas with thicker threads like Perle 5. The designs are by Laura J Perin and they're called Holiday Ornaments Series #2. (The page takes a while to load.)
Day 5 of my Christmas Countdown.
These cute ornaments were designed by Thea Dueck of Victoria Sampler. I still remember downloading the patterns and then searching through mum's box of embroidery fabrics to find this perfect red fabric. I always get the urge to stitch something Christmassy on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Day 4 and it's time for my first set of Mill Hill beaded ornaments.
I love stitching these little ornaments. It's a tradition now for mum to give me a new kit for Christmas and for me to stitch it between Christmas and New Year while watching cricket on TV.
The perforated paper can be a challenge at first, but once you get used to it, it's fine. Just don't pull the thread too tightly and rip the paper!
I glue felt on the back to finish the ornaments nicely, and I like to make beaded ...
read moreI have some new releases to share! Ornaments are so much fun to stitch. These were designed for Perforated Paper by Wichelt but they can be stitched on Aida or evenweave.
The Woodland Christmas Ornaments feature pretty little scenes with a snowman, a santa, an elf and a tree with cardinal birds.
Brrr and Good Morning from chilly North Carolina! The poor sea of daffodils are all weeping from this cold! Of course, for me, this means a day of sewing!
Two years ago I cam across a Twelve Days of Christmas ornament series made from felt. It was love at first site! Uncharacteristically, I ordered the full set of patterns (from Larissa Holland, mmmCrafts). At first the pattern set seemed pricey, but oh the detail, exquisite design and excellent instructions made it so worth it. I even ordered the set of felt to make them with. I printed the patterns out ...
read moreI chose finishing a Christmas tree ornament as my OMG for January. Nothing like getting a head start on next year.

The pattern came from an Oxmoor House book published back in 1986. I think I bought the book at a thrift store many years ago. I know making this ornament has been on my wish list for quite a while.
I’m linking to the finish party at Elm Street Quilts.
read moreNo change in the numbers.
Work continues on the challenge quilt. Once I sew sections together I will post pictures.
I had a couple Zoom meetings this week, which gave me opportunities to do hand work.

It’s meant to look like a Christmas cookie when finished. The stitching goes faster now that I’m past all the tiny chain stitches.

Fabric In: 0.5yards
Fabric Out: 0 yards
Net Fabric In: 0.5 yards
How did you do this week?
!--> read moreLike everyone else, I ended last year thinking about plans for this year. 2021 was not a prolific year in the sewing room. I spent far more time stitching and finished a lot of projects as compared to prior years.
I’m not a fast sewer or stitcher. I’m usually one of the last people to finish in class. I rarely have extended for creative hobbies.
That said, I will continue to have a Short List but a much smaller one. My goals this year are to use what I have, finish what I’ve started and do the ...
read moreAs I mentioned the other day, I came across a quilt top from my guild’s Community Service team. Nothing like an impending move to get me going on this top. It took no time at all to get it basted and stippled.

This scrappy quilt is one crazy flurry of color. Most of the prints are from the 1980’s and 1990’s as far as I can tell. Lots and lots of novelty fabrics were used. The person who pieced it alternated rows of seven inch squares with rows of 3 1/2″ squares and rectangles ...
read moreMy Needle Arts Guild met this week and we exchanged Christmas ornaments.
Here is my ornament.

I made ornaments like this a LONG time ago. I found the templates, but I couldn’t find the pattern. The ones I made before had fewer yo yos, but it looks fine either way.
Here is the one I received. It has a place of honor on the tree. Those are some seriously tiny stitches.

This was a random exchange. I did not receive an ornament from the person that got mine. It was more of a draw a number out of a ...
read more{I love the idea of “paying it forward”. I think the world would be a better place if we could spread some joy and acknowledgement of good deeds done by others. I try to do that once a month for my Sew Thankful Sunday posts. I highlight some great content that I’ve found on other people’s blogs that I hope will inspire you and reward the originator by bringing traffic to their site. If your blog has been mentioned without your consent, please let me know and I will take you off the current list of featured bloggers ...
read moreThis long holiday weekend has been a productive one. I finished the ornament for the exchange. I’m not posting that until later to keep it a surprise. I also finished another stitch project, using a small amount of fabric.
A few weeks ago at my Guild’s fabric sale, I bought some possible focus fabric candidates for a group challenge. That group met this week and picked the art deco fabric, but I still have a yard left. I also have the other piece and a small cut of something another member brought to share.

That didn’t help ...
read moreNo change in the numbers this week.
I’ve been making yo yos for a project I won’t show for another couple weeks.

Unfortunately, the size and number didn’t use enough fabric to count. I don’t go smaller than 1/8th yard when recording fabric in or out.
I also washed the flannel and expect to cut out the nightgown soon.

Fabric In: 25.5 yards
Fabric Out: 9.375 yards
Net Fabric In: 16.125 yards
How did you do this week?
!--> read moreSaturday's Song: Glorious Unfolding Part 3
In my last post we read about learning and praying the promise of God. I bet many of you pray them over your loved ones' lives, but do you pray them over your own life? I know I struggle to pray for myself, but I'm working on that.
In his book, Prayer of Jabez, Bruce Wilkinson writes about a man who eavesdropped on the prayers of a man he deeply respected, a man of great faith. Guess who this amazing man prayed for first?
Himself. Yup. Himself.
Friends, we are worth praying ...
read moreGet this free quilt pattern and make a modern quilt with Christmas ornaments and trees. Work with the fabrics I did or your favorite or Christmas fabrics!
I can’t believe I forgot to write a post about the quilt Deck the Halls that I designed for Dear Stella Fabrics. I worked with their collection Sparkle All the Way but it would look great with any of their Holiday fabric lines (I love “Baby it’s Cold Outside”. No, wait… so many options!).
Deck the Halls measures 53-1/2″ x 64″ – a perfect lap quilt size. The blocks are large ...
read moreI ...
read moreThis Christmas quilt with ornaments for your home decor spells Fun and Joy all in one piece! Make it in a weekend, hang it up, or snuggle under it as its size makes it a flexible accessory for the Holidays.
Photograph by American Quilter magazine. Used with permission.
“Family Traditions” measures 54″ x 56″ and the blocks finish at 12″. When I designed it I was inspired by memories of decorating the Christmas tree with my young sons, and their joy in carefully handling the exquisite ornaments, many of which we had purchased together.
The quilt features fabrics from the ...
read more