GOODBYE 2015

When I was little, my Mom used to tell me that as we get older the time goes faster.  For a young child waiting for Christmas, I never believed her.  Now I wish someone would slow this whole thing down!
Another year has gone, but I had an eventful one. We had a wedding, and two babies so there was always some excitement in the air : )

I thought it might be fun to link up with Meadow Mist Designs , and feature my five most viewed posts of 2015.

A Little Bird Told Me

Inside Addition

Shanty Town

Littlest 

The Wedding Quilt

It was fun to go through and look at all the finishes : )  There were more, but these were the favourites
I do hope 2016 allows a little more sewing time than this last half of 2015 did.
Happy New Year to you all, and I look forward to 'seeing' you in 2016 !

THE LAST OF THE STOCKING STUFFERS

I know i'm not alone in saying this, but does Christmas come a little earlier every year?  Perhaps it's only been 11 months since the last one.........

I am nearly finished my knitting for the stockings.  The boys didn't get anything knitted, but all the girls and babies have a little something from me.

This Walking Rib Muffler was a really relaxing knit.

The pin was purchased locally and is by 2 Good Claymates.  The pattern gives this such a nice texture

Sunday, I'm being featured over at Made in Home.  Pop over and have a look if you like : )

Merry Christmas to you and yours and thanks for all the kind comments over this past year.
Looking forward to 2016!

WRAPPING IT UP

Tis the season to be finishing things up.  I have sewn the last of my Bee blocks for this year.  I was late on a couple, but I got them done and in the mail.

These blocks are for the Joy circle of do.good stitches

Houses for Jaclyn

These two are for Lara.  Simple 9 patches to end the year

This little house is for Michelle in our Mid Century Modern group. Michelle is a speech therapist so I added a little texty print for fun

and this one for Elizabeth in the same group.

On the knitty front, I picked up this little onesie and knew I had to knit matching socks.  These were fun to make but I think they may only fit for one day : )

and my daughter has wanted a pair of 'work socks' for forEVER!  I cast on and it's a race to get them finished in time to stuff her stocking

Lastly, I hosted our staff Christmas dinner again this year. Turkey dinner with all the fixings. Here we are looking stuffed : )

These are a great group of ladies to work with and I look forward to another busy year!

What about you.  Are you ready?

linking up to Wool on Sundays
Scraptastic Tuesday

FEATHERS FOR BABY -- A FINISH

You may remember a while back I posted some feather blocks.

This past week I figured out a way to get them together into a little quilt. I sewed them together like a braid, and used different size setting triangles to fill in the gaps.

I had no idea my fingers would look so creepy!  They look backwards or something.............

Anyway, for the quilting, I did straight lines following the angles of the seams. The quilting goes in four directions and I am very pleased with how it turned out. No puckers.  Loving my new Elna machine!

I added a few little scraps to the binding, just to give the edge a little something extra  : )

All the texture is brought to you by Aurifil thread in light grey. I played chicken with the bobbin a couple of times, but I won!  Got to love that about Aurifil. The bobbin lasts forever.  Even though it is heavily quilted, it maintains a soft drape. For the batting I used a piece of bamboo batting I had in my stash. It is lovely and soft.

The backing is from the same line as the feather fabrics. It's called Wanderer by April Rhodes for Art Gallery fabrics.

The quilt is for this little guy. Grandma's little precious

wearing the hat I knit for him : )  His mommy loved the diaper bag too

quilt stats:
28" x 40"
pieced and quilted by me
fabrics are Wanderer by Art Gallery

linking up

OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS

...........to Grandmothers house we go.

 Months ago, I told my daughter in law I would make her a diaper bag when baby came and then promptly forgot. My son gently reminded me about that the other day, so I got right on it.  He asked for it to be a bit smaller than the one I made my other daughter in law, and with more pockets.  Ok then  : )

I found the fabric I had tucked away and used left overs from the first diaper bag for the bottom because it is a heavier canvas fabric.  The pattern is from a class that I took earlier in the year and the main fabric is called Vintage Garden for wilmington prints

this is the other side

the pockets that were requested, and the other side has a zipper pocket

for the lining, I used Zen Chic's Background Paper fabric. Love that line! The bottom is a scrap of something else

If he is going to come visit Gramma, he will need a warm hat and some toasty socks too

These are so fun to knit.  I have another pair on the needles for a stocking stuffer  : )

When we took these pictures it was -10 outside.  I'm sure the cold affected my better judgement because I actually posed for a picture!

I am going to deliver the bag this week and soak up some baby snuggles.  Sure hope mommy likes it

As a side note, the shop where I work is getting a line of fabric in called 'Paris Forever'.  I'm thinking it will be just perfect for another bag for myself : )

linking up with Let's bee Social 
Needle and Thread Thursday 

METRO AREA

December is just around the corner so I thought I would post month number 4 a few days early.  I know of someone who is anxiously awaiting this post.  Hi Miriam !

previous months are here  and here

This months blocks relied on the black and white scraps from previous months.  Lots of choices

Four months in and I am loving this project.  I hope to start adding sashing just to see what it's going to look like.

I've been teaching a beginner quilting class this week.  I have 8 ladies happily learning the ropes.
Maybe they will let me post a picture : )

Enjoy your week end

Carla

LITTLE MAKES

With two new grandsons in the past three months, I realized that I needed to make two more stockings before the big day.  So.........avoiding everything on my design wall, I did just that.
I went to my go to stocking pattern by Imagine Gnats.  I made mine a bit smaller tho

After piecing the feathers for this baby's quilt, I had oodles of fabric left over so I made his stocking from that.

The little bug bias tape was perfect for the hang tab.  Nothing girlie about THIS stocking

and just look at this backing.  I found this on my travels and new it would come in handy for one of my axe wielding, plaid flannel wearing boys!  I wish I would have bought more. Why didn't I buy more ???

I did the same thing for the other baby's stocking.

These are all Art Gallery fabrics except for the backing.  It is a Dear Stella print

details : )

both of the stockings have polka dot lining----for the win

and as if on cue, it snowed.  May as well roll with the punches and use it for a photo op : )

Thanks for stopping by

Carla

linking up with Scraptastic Tuesday 

THE DESIGN WALL--A WORK IN PROGRESS WEDNESDAY

Where do I start?  Some days are overwhelming when I walk into my room to sew.  Perhaps if it wasn't so messy......
I've not done too much other than work and spend time with the new babies.  Cuddles are very important : )

This is my design wall currently. My millefiori has been stalled for months.  Just a few more pieces and #3 will be done, but I just can't get with it

The blocks on the left have come in the mail and I am to make a quilt for charity. Unfortunately our group dissolved, so I don't think I will be getting any more blocks. Oh well, they are easy ones to make so I will get it done.  One day.

Patchwork City are fun blocks too.  Choosing colours each month has been great.  I need to keep one step ahead of everyone that is doing this as a block of the month through the shoppe. This is now sold out so the pressure is on  : )

Then there are the feathers.  I think 5 is it.  I'm deciding on a setting and it looks like I will have some improv piecing to do.  There is another baby shower this Saturday.  Think I'll be ready?

and because Christmas is just around the corner, I am making a scarf for a stocking stuffer.  This yarn is baby Alpaca and wool.  I really like this plum colour

The pattern is by Churchmouse Yarns and is called the Walking Rib Muffler.

I shouldn't be bored anyways

linking up with Let's Bee Social 

A SHOWER FOR BABY

Yesterday was so much fun.  I had the privilege of hosting another baby shower for my newest grandson. My daughter in laws and my daughter helped me pull it together. I decided the theme would be hunting seeing as though my son really likes that.  We had fun putting the table decor together.

One of my daughter in laws is very talented at putting together little displays.   Those are deer droppings in the bowl : )    She included the reversible flannel pants I made and hung a hat from the antlers. All the ladies thought it was lovely.

I first made a tiny pair of socks out of a variegated skein I had in my stash.  The pair didn't really match when I was done, but I knew once the hat was finished,  it would make sense

Cute just the same. The pattern for the socks is from Churchmouse yarns.  The hat worked up fairly quick

I found a bag of handmade buttons at a thrift store and knew they would come in handy sometime.

Then this flannel came into the shoppe where I work and oh I just had to have some!  I made a pair of reversible pants using the Quick Change Trousers pattern by Anna Maria Horner.  They turned out so cute and are so very soft.  The hat was a perfect match which was kind of a fluke.  Lastly I found a little pair of Camo boots.  I'm not sure who loved it more.......Mom or Dad : )

The little knits are a perfect fit.  Happy Gramma

There was music!  My other little grandson loves to hear his daddy play guitar

there was food of course

excuse the plastic wrap

..........and just one more of my daughter having a little snuggle.
It was a lovely day and we are truly blessed with these little boys

linking up with wool on Sunday's