Fa La La La Star Quilt - Christmas Quilt Project

Fa La La La by French General is quickly becoming one of my favorite Christmas lines. I have been buying bundles and yardage the past few months and have several quilts to go out of this line.

For this quilt I tried to use less Christmasy fabrics in hopes the quilt could be used all year long.  I used the Country Threads Big Star pattern.  I love this pattern as it looks great finished - but is very quick to throw together.

I love this line and thinks it looks very classy. Love the greys French General comes out with.

For the back I used a gingham cream and red from my stash.  Sticking with the idea of not having to buy anything new.  The colors went together perfectly.

This is one of my favorites and I enough enough to make myself one...gotta get working on that!

Chocolate Bars - Christmas Quilt Project

This may be my most favorite quilt I've made so far.  I had originally thought to give it to Mike, but the longer I worked on it - the more it was screaming someone else's name.  It is going to be hard to part with.

I used the Chocolate Bars pattern by Cotton Way.  Copied the front pattern to a T.  The line is by 3 Sisters called Chocolate.  It was my all time most favorite 3 Sisters line.  I loved the prints, the wovens, even the border is from that line and is a very almost flannel like brown color.  The only issue I had is working with the wovens and the soft brown everything was stretching!  Makes it hard to get  my sashings to line up.

For the back I used a small plaid/gingham and used a blue and brown stripe on the bias for the binding.  I quilted it in a simple stipple design.  This screams my brother's name and I think he'll be excited to have a warm blanket to take home.

This is a quick and easy pattern and I think screams boy - which is hard to find sometimes.  I think I'm most excited to give this quilt to him than anyone this year.  Hope he likes it!

Christmasing

Note to self - next year have everything done by December 1st!

We've done a few fun things this month with the kids - and I'm sad to see it end.  I wish we had time to fit in more.

Here are a few of the memories we've made this season.

Jake and I made Christmas brownies

Jake making Christmas cookies - look at the mounds of sugar...

Jakes first Christmas program at school

Sam and Jake meeting Santa - Sam not so thrilled with the idea

Sam eating his first chocolate marshmallow Christmas tree - he loved it

Cousins girls night out party at Marta's- Whit taught us a great Yoga class

Christmas drive through lights at Thanksgiving Point

Sam looks at the window saying WOW and LOOK through the whole drive

Jake drove us through the lights this last time

Kids loved it so much, we've been twice!

We've had a fun December - and have parties galore the next few days.  Stayed up late tonight to get a quilt done and most my wrapping - have a house to clean, clothes to fold, and some binding to get on tomorrow....turning down the home stretch now.  

Hope you're all enjoying the season.

Adoring Star - Christmas Quilt Project

My 2nd quilt is completed in my quilting project.  LOVE how this one turned out.  I love this pattern as it is quick and easy - yet still looks like a pattern.  I've actually made two of these as part of my project.

This is the only quilt I made using actual Christmas fabrics.  This is Adoring by Sandy Gervais and was her Christmas line a year or so ago.  I was at the house of the recipients of this quilt a few weeks ago and felt like their couch was missing a little something - this would look great added to her already green and red Christmas decor.  I am going to delivery this one early so they can enjoy it for a week or so before the holiday season ends.

Above is a close up of the fabrics - polka dots, pine boughs, holly berries, ornaments - all fun holiday prints.

I had a piece in my stash from a previous Sandy Gervais line that goes along great.  Nice to use some of my stash!

For the binding I used cream plaid with green and red - cut on the bias.  I think it turned out well.  I don't usually use lighter colors for my binding so I was a little nervous - but liked how it pulled all the colors together.

This one is hard to part with - isn't it fun when a quilt turns out better then you had hopes for?  Exciting thing is - I have enough to do another star with these fabrics - so I might get a little table topper to keep myself!

Two down - 4 more to go!

Peace on Earth 9 Patch - Christmas Quilt Project

A few weeks back (2) I decided to make a few quilts for people for Christmas.  MADNESS I know.  This was a quilt top I had made a few months ago - trying out the disappearing 9 patch using layer cakes.  I tried it once before and loved the outcome so I had wanted to make another one.

I love this fabric and had bought of ton of it when it was out a year or two ago.  This line fit perfectly with whom I had in mind - so I added the textured border and quilted this baby up.  It is my first of hopefully 7 quilts to be completed in just 5 short days....

My goal for these quilts is to use kits I have - but still holding true to the people receiving the quilt.  I want these to fit the personality and decor.  I think this one will go great in the family room of the person I have in mind.  Hope they like it - this fabric line was one of my favorites.

I was even able to pull the backing fabric from my stash - and from the same line.

I used a green and brown polka dot fabric as the binding to pull it all together.  Love how it turned out.  The textured border may just be my favorite part.  Hope they enjoy!

Christmas Quilt Project

About very short weeks ago I decided that I was going to give quilts for many of my gifts this year.  Wish I had thought about this a little sooner....to say the least I've been busy the last 2 weeks!

My goal has been to find quilts that fit the person in mind - using my stash.  So far I have only bought 1 back - you'll see why when I debut that quilt.

I've got 4 quilted - 2 bound - blocks done for 1 - and 1 to start....ummmm 5 days to go.

I'll share pictures as I finish!  Wish me luck...

Weekend Updates

Early weekend started on Thursday night - I went to a sweet play with a few of my in laws.  It was a beautiful play with great music.  Came home at 10:30pm to a sleeping house - all 3 boys were snoring away - so what better time then to flip on General Hospital and finish up Whit's quilt .

Friday night the whole Latimer clan went to dinner to celebrate my in law's 55th wedding anniversary.  It was fun to get together as we don't do it often enough.  Whit was nice enough to tend (thus the bribe of having the quilt done) so Mike and I went out for a little date night.  After dinner we - drove around - couldn't find a movie - hit up one place which was closed - Mike didn't feel like shopping - so we hit a quilt store - he said to keep me happy....does he know me or what?  Once we got home and got those boys in bed (their new bedtime seems to be 9:30 - 10) I had a late night sew.  Didn't come up til 2:30 AM!  I got this little quilt done.  Forgive the messing sewing room - and middle of the night iPhone shot....

I've recently - like in the last week decided its going to be a quilty Christmas - meaning most my gifts are going to be quilts.  Don't know what I was thinking - but here come the late nights!

Saturday we woke up and went to swimming lessons.  My little Sammy finally jumped into the pool without a tear.  He laughed, splashed, and swam happily - has never done that yet during lessons.  Its amazing at how different Sam has acted over the last week - could he really be aware that he is 2 now and he's growing up a bit mentally???

Jake and I spent the day watching shows (he watched, I bound quilts) making Christmas cookies and holiday hearts (his words).  We had fun decorating and eating dough together.  Before grabbing some take out we drove around and saw some lights.  It was a perfect family day together.

Today I finished quilting a quilt, got it bound, cut and sewed together yet another quilt, and finished binding 2 table runners.  Went to church with Jake who had a little talk and did so well, had lovely seafood dinner and did my nails.

Can I just say how much I love productive weekends!

Quality time with my family - check
Quality and quantity time for quilting - check
Completing a quilt that I started 5 years ago - check
Cleaned my house .... 3 out 4 ain't bad right.... at least I got 1 load of laundry in the dryer....that is progress.

Hope you've started your season with Christmas cookies and holiday hearts!

Snow Kissed Star - Aqua

Another Snow Kissed completed  (my version is here) this quilt was pretty easy to cut and sew double blocks at the same time.  I actually completed the quilt top for this one first - and was just waiting for the back fabric to quilt it.

Since Whit dibs this quilt her own - she bought the backing - a super soft white minky.  I quilted the snowflake pantograph on it and stayed up late on Thursday night to get the binding on.

I think she liked it....now we have twiner quilts!

My Bundle of Trouble is Two

Can you believe this guy is two?  I can't believe how quickly time passes. 

No longer my baby - (you'll always be my baby), but a little toddler you've become.  Still the bouncing bundle of trouble - but what a cute ball of joy you've turned out to be.  Wild and crazy, getting into everything, understanding what NO means - and doing the opposite.  You are my handful in life - but I don't know what I'd do without you. 

You are so close to speaking in sentences at this point....let me rephrase - sentences the rest of us can understand.  I love how you come get me and say "come ere" then we go running to the location of your choice and you say "look" to show me.  Your first full sentence is "Wow, Wow Wubbzy right now" meaning you want to watch your show right now.  You are so hard to resist with your cute words and smile.  When you want something, you want it now! 

I've loved watching your love for all things cars and balls evolve.  You are pure boy and seem very natural in your abilities.  We spend Wednesday nights at Little Gym and you have become quite the athlete.  Hanging on the bars, walking the beam - playing with the balls - you're favorite.  I have loved watching you become familiar with the schedule of the class, the songs, the tasks.  So much fun to see you get excited and know what is coming next. 

You are stubborn and know exactly what you want - and I know that will serve you well as you grow up.  Always stay you cause you are strong and know exactly what you want out of life.

You are such a fun little one to have around - I am blessed every day to have you in our family.

Happy Birthday buddy!  Can't wait to see how you learn and grow over the next year.