HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

One of the most wonderful things about holidays is spending time with family!  Over the years I have "gone home" to my mom's house for the holidays; then my mom passed and I started having the family come to "my home"; and, now, my daughter has picked up the ritual and invites us to "her home" for the holidays.  I will do a later post about the actual day at her home with the grandsons and my son-in-law and my dear daughter.

I am taking some food with me this year, but the things I want to show you here are some things that I get out to use at Thanksgiving.

I made this spiral table runner this year and planned to give it to my daughter at Christmas.  I have decided it looks more like Thanksgiving, so I will take it to her now.

This is a Fitz and Floyd pitcher from the 1990s that I have used for a long time.  I think my daughter should have this for her table now.

For years I have used Johnson Bros. "Friendly Village" dishes on my table from November to January because I think it looks like the winters you love.  I started sharing my place settings a few years ago.  My daughter now uses it for her table.

It is such a wonderful feeling to start sharing more of the traditional things that I have had for years.  These wooden figures have been used in our home for a long time and they are going to their "new home" now. 

 

Look at these details.

 

 

One of the quilts that I get out at Thanksgiving time is my "Hidden Wells" that is done in fall colors.  This will grace my mother's drop leaf table during this fall season.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  Make more precious memories and enjoy the traditions that you cherish.


                                      -sandi





 

SISTER WEEKEND

I love to spend time with my "little" sister.  We laugh and tease each other and have so much fun.
She is a member of the Huntsville (AL) Botanical Garden and they offered a basket making class.  She and I both have made baskets many years ago.  I made egg baskets, market baskets, and a variety of baskets that had no classification name.  She made a lot of beautiful free form baskets that she called "nature baskets" because she used lots of different materials.

Now here we are several years later and she is trying to decide if she wants to get seriously into basket making.  Of course, she needed a "partner in crime" to go with her to take this flat-reed class to get back in the groove.

We started making the basket and, of course, we are checking with each other as we go along.

 

Yes, we were making the same basket with the same directions.

Here is Gigi's finished basket.

And now mine . . .

I like the oval shape that Gigi made.  Maybe if I make another one like this I will try to do the oval shape.

 

 

 

There is another class being offered next month.  Hmmm, maybe we should go do that one.  It is a wine carrier basket.

 

I still have to paint the one I just did and then it will be ready to put my fat quarter bundles in to set on the shelf in my studio.

                                            -sandi

 

 

LOTUS BLOSSOM QUILTERS' RETREAT

Here we are for four days of sewing and sharing!  I made these little pincushions for favors for the  ladies.  They are paper-pieced and finish at about 3.5 inches square.  They are filled with steel wool and batting.  The steel wool will help sharpen  the pins and needles.

All of us (there are 15 quilters) made Rail Fence Blocks to exchange with each other so we could make small quilts to remind us of our new friends we made and the joys of being with old friends to sew.  We signed our names to them.

Here is my group of blocks with every one's signature.  Now I want to get them put together into a sweet memory quilt.

They may need some sashing.  I do not think I want them turned two different directions.

I  put these blocks together and had the sashing ready to add, but decided I wanted to change the cornerstones.  So I will finish these right after the holiday.

 

 

Someone gave me a layer cake with these fabrics in it.  I have not done a Twister Block quilt, so I put these blocks together and then did not have anything with me to border it.  I have brought it home to put on the border and to cut the twister blocks to make a cute little quilt.

I took this with me to Retreat because I thought I would separate it and do another strip and add some borders.  I changed my mind.  I like it the way it is.  That means it is now ready to be quilted and will make a nice Christmas gift.

This was a wonderful retreat with lots of great friends and fun and laughter and food!!!

                                                            -sandi
 

NOVEMBER MUSINGS

November has arrived and I am greatly behind with lots of my sewing.  Lil Bit and I are going to have to get off our heating pad and the iPad and get to sewing!!

Okay here are some things that I need to get completed this month.

These little pincushions are nice little favors to add to any gift that you might be giving.
They use little snippets of fabric.  I am stuffing them with steel wool and batting.  The steel wool helps to keep pins sharpened.
Paper piecing is the technique.

Still hand quilting this little piece.  It is a Christmas gift.

This quilt uses the pattern Lawn Chair Quilts from Moda Bake Shop and is another Christmas gift.  I love using the grey as the neutral.

Here is another quilt that needs to be quilted and bound for a special Christmas gift to someone very important to me.

And the last piece I am working on for a December deadline is this cute little quilt.  Well, these are some of the blocks for a cute little quilt.

I think this is enough to keep me busy for the next 3 or 4 weeks.  I will keep you posted as I progress!

Enjoy your holiday season!

                                               -sandi