Christmas Decorating (quilting distraction)

The day after Thanksgiving, I started dragging the Christmas decorations out of the little eve storage areas in my quilting room. It really didn't take that long since I'm not an overboard Christmas decorator. Since we didn't decorate at all last year because of the move, I felt the need to get them up as soon as possible.

The two Santa's above were made by my DD and I in the late 90's, when we were living in Waterford. Waterford is a small town in southeast Wisconsin and like a lot of small towns the shops in its little downtown areas was continually cycling through different proprietors and contents. In the late 90's, one of the larger store fronts contained a combination pet store and ceramic shop. They poured slip into their own molds and had an area in the back of the pet store/ceramic shop where you could prepare your purchased green ware for firing and painting or glazing and firing.



The Santa on the right was done by my DD and mine is on the left.



Being that they are tall and rather light weight, they are also very unstable and prone to tipping over...which they have done several times and sustained varying degrees of damage. My Santa broken in half in one fall (you may be able to see a crack running thru his star if you enlarge picture) and DD's Santa has had his bottom quarter pieced back together (minus a few chips of plaster..see darker spots of red).

I've always tried to keep them out of harms way (pets, small children, a breeze) and even used Gorilla Grip, that securing putty.


This year, while I was dragging out the decorations, and idea came to me as I was taking these guys out of their bubble wrap....they need a stand. Downstairs I went, with Santa's in hand, to find Sweetie and explain his next project. It became our next project.

Out came the left over wood from the lazy susan (more on that in another post) and we marked the oval the size that I wanted. Sweetie then cut it out, sanded the cut sides, and then routed the decorative edge. I sanded it, put on stain, and three coats of poly (with sanding in between the first two coats). The next morning, I used a little steel wool on the 3rd coat and finished it off with a coat of butchers wax. It's not one of my more stellar finishing jobs...but it still looks pretty good and is exactly what I envisioned.

Aerial Thanksgiving Photo's

The tables set, the turkeys roasting and our neighbors will be here soon. I decided the table needed more color than a cream table cloth, so I sewed some strips together. Later, I'll sew them together to make a runner....


...for here.


Hoping for a safe and happy Thanksgiving for everyone!

Hexagon and YoYo Diversion

I decided it was time to put a portable projects kit together so that I can putz in other areas of the house. When Sweetie is in the lower level killing zombies (65 and still loves video games) and the like, I would usually bring down a book and cozy up in the recliner and read while Sweetie saved mankind from the zombie hordes. Sweetie would really love it if I played video games too, but I just lose all control of my thumb when things are trying to kill me! And it's never really just me playing the game, Sweetie is right there by my side,critiquing my moves (usually he says things like "What are you doing!?" or "Aim!?" or "It's over there not there!")which only makes my thumb even more spastic.

Anywho, my thinking was that I would be a little more productive (actually finish something)if I put some portable project together.




Used freezer paper, starch, and an ironable hex template to shape these. Sure glad I'm having my eyes examined on the 29th...it sure is hard to see if I'm making a small enough stitch!

Got a few more yoyos done...what to use them on?


Just a view of the backside.

The Shawl Is Quilted and YoYo Made

Yeah...the quilting is done and with only a few mishaps (ripped out stitches).


The backside looks ok...every little bobble and wobble shows...but after it's washed and softened up they shouldn't show as much. Now to bind it and use the tutorial for inside corners that I found on another blog.



It sure is a lot smaller than I thought it would be...but it's a cute little thing!

The Quilt Shawl Is Calling My Name!

Still!

It's laying in the same exact spot as it was on Friday.

On Saturday, I was able to turn a deaf ear and enjoy a beautiful afternoon on the bike




Hopefully after a run into town this morning, I will start quilting.

Veteran's Day and Other Things

It was a quiet celebration here at our little paradise is the mountains. I was going to have the title be Happy Veteran's Day...but Sweetie really isn't very happy on Veteran's Day. While he doesn't begrudge the celebrations, the support and warm welcomes home that Vets now receive....Sweetie is from the era of being spit on, being called a "baby killer"...his airport greeters were protesters...yes, he was spit on and had "baby killer" screamed at him. Forty-five years later...the memory still brings tears to his eyes.

BIG SIGH....

Here's my reading selection...I'm a being a pokey reader. Had to go on-line last week to renew the books and I'm only half way thru one book.



This is a shawl that I found directions for on-line, but it wasn't quilted. It was a bit dicey getting the backing and the front to line up with the bigger piece of batting in between. Fortunately, the spray basting will let you reposition!

Since it is experimentation, I just used two whole peices for the front rather than to any strips together.



The first row is marked with my homemade stencil and the Bubba is threaded and ready to go tomorrow.



Has anyone put a binding on something that had an inside corner? Will have to research that.

Sewing Socks

Last month, when I went to Dahlonega with the guild, I bought a pair of socks at one of the downtown shops. They have aloe vera embedded in the yarn and are suppose to soften your feet. Since I don't sew with shoes on, I keep them by Bubba and slip them on when it's time to sew. I better get more sewing done because my tootsies sure could use the pampering.


The last two pipers are done for the Twelve Days Of Christmas ornaments going on a tree at the library. Funny how seeing a picture of something really draws your eye to an items shortcomings. One piper looks like a "no neck" football player and the other is holding his pipe in a unique manner.



This afternoon, I pinned the last fabric bits on this Christmas Pinecone...still needs bow and hanging loop. This was from a guild demo over a month ago. This morning, I bought a couple of foam balls a Wally World to make some bigger ones.