Quilt #2 - The Bunny Quilt

My goal this year is to finish 10 quilts by December 31.  Today I finished Quilt #2, the Bunny Quilt.  I realize that there is only 7 weeks left until the end of the year, but I have a lot of quilts that are almost done.  Do I think I can finish 8 more in that time?  I hope so, but we'll see.

I had picked up the bunny panels while at a quilt show a few years back.  I put some green fabric sashing around the small bunny motifs and then made them the same size as the larger bunny panels.  

I framed it in a pretty tan and then added another cream border.  The backing is tan, also and I used the same color for the binding.  I quilted it with a stipple free-motion that I did on my domestic machine, a Bernina 550.  

Then I washed it to make it nice and soft and ready to give to the new baby girl.

Here is close-up pic of me working on the quilting.  I love the little bunny quilt and I hope my friend and her new baby love it, too.  

 

Halloween Tote Bag

 

For the past few weeks, one of our local quilt shops has been having a sale from a quilt shop buy-out.  Although a lot of the fabrics were older, I managed to find some cute fall fabrics that I thought would make a little Halloween tote for my granddaughter for a reduced price.

I chose the pumpkin scarecrow fabric for the pocket and focal point, then added some yellow pumpkins for the top of the tote and brown fall fabric for the bottom.

The striped fabric made great handles to finish it off.  I like how it turned out, not too big, not too small - just right for my four-year old girl.

There's still lots of fall fabric left over to make more or to save for next year's projects.

While I didn't get to see her on the actual Halloween night, we had our own "trick or treat" game the next day.  

Here she is at the door trick-or-treating for some candy and little toys that I bought to put in her bag.  I especially like her little hand as she was holding the bag.  No tricks here, just a little treat at my door.  

Life doesn't get much better than this.  :)

Sophisticated Sled Cards

This week I took out one of last year's stamp sets called Sophisticated Sled.  When I ordered it last year, the dies were already gone so I just got the stamp set.  The sled on this card is from Alpine Adventure from a few years back.  

I used a piece of designer paper for the background and added a cut strip along the bottom for snow and three trees from Forest Foliage dies.  After I made the card, I replaced the birds with a much darker paper so that they stand out more.  I got the idea from Tami White.

This cute card with the skates features the sled stamped and cut out.  I used papers from Country Woods to make it look like siding on a porch or a door.  I used the smallest arch die for the saying.  I got the idea from Maria Kelleher.  

For the third card, I used the wreath from Sophisticated Sled for the focal point and colored it in with Stamping blends.  The papers are from remnants from Quilted Christmas.  I love the little bird sitting on the saying.  

I had fun making these cards with the ladies who come over to stamp.  We were feeling in a very festive mood when we were done.  

 

Patchwork Christmas Trees and Birds

This week I had to make a gift for my quilt guild raffle.  Because we don't have a regular meeting in December, our theme for this month is Christmas.  (I know, already!)

I decided to make some little tree ornaments that are made using 1 3/4" strips of fabrics.  I sewed four strips together and then cut them out using a 60 degree triangle ruler.  I sewed a long strip of brown fabric for the trunk by folding it in half two times ad tucking under the raw edge.  

I have a lot of Fig Tree Christmas fabrics left from a few years back, and I like using them to make Christmas items.  They are such pretty reds and greens with a bit of a vintage look to them.  

After making the trees, I decided to make a couple of little bird ornaments to coordinate with the set.  And you know that I love making my little birds.  I added a crocheted flower and button accent to them for the "wing."  

While I have made these before, I had fun making up a new batch of them.  They're quick, easy and fun to make.  That's what I love.

What do you think of my little tree ornament assortment?  Would you put these on your Christmas tree?

I just want to make more.  :)

 

Starting Christmas Cards with Yuletide Village and Shepherd's Care

Last week I had a chance to finally take out Yuletide Village stamp set.  I had picked it up last year and thought that it would make a pretty scene.  It sure does!  I got the idea for this card and the next card from Catherine Proctor and Peggy Murwin.  I love the soft colors and the little church.  

The addition of the beige designer paper cut with the arch dies adds so much.  The paper was from Nests of Winter.  I added some snowflakes to make it look like a winter day.

Here is a tiny little town like something out of a Hallmark movie.  I used three strips of paper from various designer packs.  I like how it sets up the scene and the colors for the front of the card.  

For the tree cut outs, I used the Frosted Forest cut outs.  I thought they looked great for the winter trees.  

For our third card, I used Shepherd's Care.  I got the idea for this card from Mo Rootes.  Although it's hard to tell in the photo, I used a muted designer paper to stamp the scene onto.  The shepherd stamps so nicely - the shading is right in the stamp.  The background papers are from the Peaceful Garden paper pack.  

I added a touch of gold embellishments to make the card shine.  I stamped some dots for stars using gold ink.  This card was quick and easy to make.  I hope to make some more of them.  

Have you started on your Christmas cards yet?  I have three more Christmas card classes to go.  

 

Sweater Tree Ornaments

November and December are very busy crafting months.  I'm still working on fall/Thanksgiving projects, yet need to get started on Christmas.  This week I made up some little tree ornaments made from sweaters.  I love to recycle sweaters.  :)

They are just SO cute!  I sewed some antique buttons on them for tree ornaments and added a gold cord for hanging.  Looking through my craft supplies for something that I could use for a trunk, I had the amazing idea to use thread spools!

I found some vintage spools in various sizes and stained them darker to look more like a tree trunk.  Then I glued them onto the bottoms of my sweater trees!  I am so impressed with how cute this project turned out.  :)

I used a 60 degree triangle ruler to cut out the trees and then just sewed them leaving a small hole in the bottom for turning.  I made 2 sizes - the larger trees stand up with a bigger thread spool.  The smaller ones have a mini spool and are a little more top heavy for standing.

I finished up 11 of the little trees.  Now what?  I "need" to make more.  

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Thanksgiving Bowl Fillers

When I was at Hobby Lobby last week, I found some cute fabric with little Thanksgiving sayings on it.  So of course I bought it.  I love to make little things.

I cut out the sayings and sewed them into little bowl decor pillows.  They can also be used as pin cushions.  

When cutting, I had to give up every other row, because of adding in seam allowance, but I am happy with what I got from my piece of fabric.

I love the little sayings, the colors and especially the ones with pumpkins on them

What am I going to do with them?  I might leave them in a basket for decor, give them away to people or put them in my dining room "shop." 

I made 11 in total and there's still some panels left on the fabric to work with.  

They're so cute, right?  I love having them around for my fall decor.  I might put them on the table for my Friendsgiving parties as little favors.  So I might need to make a few more.  :)

What do you think of them?  Would you put them out as fall and Thanksgiving decor?