Design Wall Monday - 8/12/2013

True to my word, I got busy this weekend with Midnight Runner, my August Christmas project for the Christmas QAL over at Joanna's Needle, Thread, Happiness.

This is a fusible applique project that I had fused down and sandwiched for quilting some time back - probably more than a year ago.  So all I needed to do was stitch down the pieces, which also served as the backbone of the quilting.

I used a lot of sparkly glitter threads for the stitching and quilting.  You know how sometimes you go to a huge Quilt Show and buy stuff and then never use it?  Yeh, me too!  But the last time I was at Paducah, I picked up several sets of sparkly threads to play with.  They came in SO handy for this project!!!

You may not be able to see it, but this picture shows the iridescent sparkle thread I used for Santa's beard.....if you look very closely, you can see the pink and blue showing up here and there.

I used a really nice green sparkle thread for the reins....

I used gold sparkle for the reindeer and sleigh.  Look at all the threads that had to be pulled to the back, tied and buried in the quilt, just for one deer!  There were a lot of stops and starts, so the threads kept multiplying.....

Then I used a silvery-blue sparkle thread to quilt a swirly design in the background....

There's a star button to put on the top of the tree and a seed bead for Santa's eye, of course.  But this project is now all ready to be trimmed, bound and labeled!  One Christmas project down - yoohoo!!!!

The other project I got a lot done on is Genevieve's baby quilt, Live-Laugh-Love.  My DIL fell in love with the quilt Denise at Count it *All* Joy made for her newest granddaughter...

Denise's baby quilt

I didn't have a pattern for this, except that Denise sent me her pattern for the pennants *thanks!* so I decided the best way to accomplish this quilt would be to make a paper pattern.  I taped together pieces of packing paper to the size of the quilt.....

I downloaded a script font that I liked and then did my best to draw that out on the pattern...

I pinned the background fabric to the pattnern....

..... and then using a light box, transferred the drawings on the pattern to the fabric....

I used a Frixion pen for the drawing process.....

So now this project is ready for me to get busy and get it done!  Stay tuned.....

Check out all the other projects on Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times!
Also linking up with:
Tuesday Linky Party
WIP Wednesday
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

'Tis the Season.....

..... to be getting ready for the Season ..... and, yes, I mean that Season - Christmas!

Needle, Thread, Happiness is hosting a Christmas Quiltalong that I believe is just what the doctor ordered to get me moving on my Christmas UFO's.

I've seen so many blogs, websites, and even shops in my area that are doing "Christmas in July" to get us kick-started on our Christmas planning.  But what about after July?  My problem is that I may start a Christmas project in July, but come December, it's still not done!!!  Anybody with me here?  Yep, I know you are!  I have been reading your posts, remember? *wink!*

Every year as I'm decorating for Christmas, I think of all the Christmas quilt projects I have in process and bemoan the fact that they are not DONE and decorating my house.  And there are so many others that I would love to make, but I dare not start another until some of the UFO's are done!

So this year, I have decided to put a plan in action to get at least a couple of these wonderful Christmasy projects out of the sewing room and into my family rooms.  You've heard the old saying, "How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time!"  Well, that's how I'm going to handle this dilemma.  I'll assign a Christmas UFO to each of the remaining months in 2013 and do my best to get that UFO completed in that month.  If I just devote some time to a Christmas project one day a week, I should at least be able to put a dent in that UFO list, right?  I'll link up with the Christmas QAL on the second weekend of each month.

Here's my Top 5 Christmas UFO's list -

1.     Midnight Runner
This is all ready to quilt and add a little embellishment

2.    Jovial
Participated in a swap with friends - all the pieces cut and ready to sew up!

3.    "A Yenter Christmas" Tree Skirt
This one is still just a pattern and fabric in a box!  It needs a lot of work yet!
Go HERE to see my post about this and see the pattern picture.

4.     "The First Tree of Life" Mystery Sampler
All sandwiched and ready to quilt - has been for over a year now!!!

5.     Sandwich and quilt Dancing Trees
Go HERE to see my post about how much FUN making Twister quilts can be!!!

This month, I'm working on Midnight Runner.  I really need to brush up on my FMQ before I start quilting Moonglow, so this is the perfect project for me to practice with :*)  I'm planning to use some shiny, sparkly threads to give it that special Christmas BLING!!!

I know just the place for it to hang in my Living Room over the archway, and I'm excited that I may actually get to enjoy it there this coming Christmas!  This project was a kit that was gifted to me by a very dear friend, so it will really mean a lot to me to have it done =^..^=

Visit HERE to see the wonderful Christmas projects in the Christmas QAL....

There's even a fun Challenge for those of you who love that kind of thing....

HO! HO! HO!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=