Merry Christmas

It has been a while since I posted but I have been busy. 

 First up today is my Christmas quilt.  This was a BOM at the Bernina store.  It is Comfort and Joy by Silver Thimble Quilt Co. I think we did this in 2010/11.  The directions were for an experienced quilter that could look at the photo and work from it.  It did give directions on how to cut the background and borders,  make the filler strips, log cabin, nine patch, half square triangle units, churn dash , flying gees units,Square in  square,Stars (paper pieced) and berries.  The general directions were great and told you how many of each filler block that you would need, but not where the blocks were needed then. And since we got fabric for each month, we had to figure out what was needed.  I did enjoy the challenge but at least one person took hers back after the first month and wanted a refund. There were two color ways to choose from and I chose the light background. I did a simulated needle turn applique.  All of the edges are turned under and then machine zigzaged with monifilimant thread with a tiny stitch.

 This shows the border applique

 And this shows the quilting I did on the rest of the border. 

 These show some of blocks and the different filler blocks. 

I quilted this one myself.  I did a lot of stitch in the ditch and echo quilting.

  

The next one was also a BOM from the Bernina store. It is Vintage Memories by This and That.  This was in 2009/10. We used Moda  fabric by 3 Sister's called Martinique.It was a nine month BOM project.  The pattern said it was 77" X 97" but mine came out 82"x104".  

 

This is the center block. 

 One corner and borders. 

 Angel and Kirby approve.

 

 Kirby showing off the quilting on the back!

 I had this one quilted by a local lady. She had already quilted one of these so I gave her free rein! I got it back last Wednesday and bound it Thursday!

Knit one... and two...

Hello all... I'm Autumn...

I've been learning to quilt at Nan's elbow, when we are able to get together.  I learned to cross-stitch from my grandmother.  My mother, Mary taught me to crochet and tried to teach me to knit. 

Finally I bought a book and taught myself how to knit!

So I know this site is mainly for quilts but Nan said I could post anything I made here...

This is a garter stitched Lime light green and black for one of the children in the family for Christmas..She is mad about neon green!  I crocheted a simple boarder on single crochet stitch and double crochet stitch . It blinds me! LOL but I think she'll love it!

For our nephew in burgandy double moss stitch with a garter stitch boarder.  The yarn that started this blanket came from Momma Molly, so it will be history for him to always hold on too.  I went with Burgandy instead of bright red so this blanket will be perfect for our nephew at any age.

Already working on another blanket for another child of the family... I love knitting for them.  The thought of the kids dragging these things around or curled up under staying warm....

Hope you all enjoyed!

Our Bernina shop has an Embroidery club every other month.  It is a sit and sew format, so we all take our machines and have a fun morning. 

The first meeting, we did the Mylar kittens that I have previously posted. 

The next meeting we did a Mariner's Compass from Hoop Sisters.  I took my Bernina 830 to class and made the blocks in the Jumbo hoop.   All of the piecing and quilting are done in the hoop and then you assemble the blocks.  On the back of the quilt, you cover the seams with a sashing.  There was only 2 blocks, the center and the borders but you made multiple of each. 

 Yes, that is cats on the hanger!

The Next meeting, we learned reverse  applique on T-Shirts. This was a fun project that the teacher crated for us so was less expensive than the first two.  I was able to get two shirts completed in class and made the third when I got home. Sorry they are so wrinkled!

 

This is the first one I made.  I used two layers of fabric in the embroidery hoop. 

 

This is the second one.  It was a little harder to cut away the shirt.

This is the one I did at home and it is only one layer of fabric under the shirt. 

The nest meeting we made a Date Night Bag using another  HoopSisters design.  This one is crazy quilt  Going Crazy. It was two blocks plus the flap.  I did not take my 830 for this one so the bag is small. 

 Back.  Oops.  I left the pin in that is holding the flap closed! 

Front.  The cording I used to finish and for the handle is a little big and stiff , but I liked the  braided purple

The inside is fully lined and  a close up of the handle!

After we did the Mylar Embroidery our local shop was offering a class in toy making.  My friend wanted to take the class, so I signed up with her. It was a three hour class that met two times. The patterns were from the book, Sewn Toy Tales  by Melly & Me Fun Fabulous Design published by D&C(David&Charles).  There are several different covers for this book.

I almost finished my project in the first class.   We learned how to over stuff the toys so they would hold their shape and stand up.  We used a stuffing tool that looks like a "T" made out of dowel.

This is Pearl the Zebra.  I made her and her cloths.  I did finish the before the second class.

 

This is Darcy the Dinosaur.  I had a  scrap dinosaur flannel and it was just big enough tor Darcy.  The only problem, flannel stretches,  The more you stuff the fatter she got and started straining her seams!  I finished her between classes, too. 

This is Polly the pig.  I made her in the  the last class.  I do sew fast. Most of the ladies only finished one animal and unfortunately  my friend did not even finish her first.

An internet friend, cat blogger, special ordered this turtle and his twin.  He is  made from Minkee  (Benertex)or Cuddle (Shannon)  fabric.  I love making these baby lovies.

These little bears were Benertex kits from a Bernina store that was going out of business.  I think I paid $2.00 for each. 

 These Lion Minkee or Cuddly lovies were also a special order.  

I was having so much fun  making toys that I made bugs! This was a pattern that I bought at JoAnns Fabrics.  Lucky Bugs by Parlor Pets

Lady bug. I did not put any pipe cleaners or wires in the legs of these bugs.  

Grasshopper.  I stuffed these so firm (hard) that I could not easily sew the legs on, so they are hot glued on. 

Honey Bee.  The bee and grasshopper do have pipe cleaners in the wings to give them shape.

I have made a bunch of little monsters for a grandson that will arrive in December.  I will post those another time!

Mylar Embroidey

Our Bernina store has an Embroidery club that meets every couple of months.  It started out as a demo/lecture meeting.  Then the attendance dropped off to  four or five so the started think of  other formats and came up with a sit and sew format.  The first club was in March and we did Mylar Embroidery from PurelyGates.  The teacher chose Texas designs but said we could pick any from the web site. I chose, of course, Kitties !

The process is to place a piece of Mylar film (polyester wrapping paper) and stitch over it.  The Mylar gives the design a shinny metallic look with out using metallic thread that breaks easily.

 We hung a fancy curtain rod in the living room to display smaller quilts on. 

Here are close ups of the blocks and quilting.

Most of the quilting was done on the embroidery machine.   The quilting around the blocks is red paw prints in the gray and gray yarn and ball in the red.  

I added a cat and yarn ball plus mice in the outer border and sashing.  These were done in the hoop, too.  I connected the yarn balls with free hand machine quilting.