Wednesdays Sneak Up On Me!

Hey there, friends!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and I'd like to apologize for missing last week's post.  The days just got away from me, and I didn't even realize I hadn't posted until last Friday evening.  This week has been super busy too, and I even finished a little quilt.  To be fair, this one was a joint effort.

For each of her great-grandchildren, my grandmother embroiders a quilt panel (or blocks), and then she passes them to me to turn it into a quilt.  I picked this one up at Thanksgiving and will bring it back finished at Christmas.  My youngest cousin is expecting her third child, and this one is for her!  I'm always in awe of my grandmother's beautiful handwork.

I'm also prepping for TWO Christmas parties this weekend.  Friday, we are hosting my husband's department for a party, and then we're hosting our Sunday School class on Saturday.  Each party will have about 30-35 people, so at this point, we're in full crazy party-prep mode.  Yesterday and today were all about the leaves (though there are obviously still plenty on the trees, so I feel like this is a losing battle).

After our two parties, things will not be slowing down.  My husband and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, and we're squeezing in a trip before we travel (again) to see family at Christmas.  Whew!  It's a lot to fit into the last few weeks of the year.

All of this is to say that after today's party, I will be taking a social media vacation for the remainder of 2023.  Don't worry, I'll be back in 2024 refreshed and ready to see all of your creations!

So, let's check out the final party highlights for 2023!  Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl linked up this beauty-

Take a look at this fun little quilt by Quilting Gail-

And I love this scrappy one by Deb at A Scrappy Quilter-

Okay friends!  Let's make this last party of 2023 a great one!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Happy Black Friday!

Hey there, y'all!  I hope you've all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, full of family, friends, and delicious food. My Christmas decor has actually been up for a couple of weeks, but I'm always excited for Black Friday, because it is the official, official kick-off of the Christmas season.  Today is also the day that I get to fill you in on the Black Friday deals from my favorite shops around the web, so read on, friends!

Lady Belle Fabric is kicking off the holiday season with 25% off the entire store, not including longarm services (no code needed!).  

If you're looking for the perfect collection to make a special holiday project, Lady Belle has plenty of gorgeous choices.  This Noel collection by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics is so lovely.

Or, how about the Wintertale collection by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics?  These fabrics have such a rich, elegant palette.

Lady Belle is also offering free shipping on all orders over $125, and all other orders ship for a flat rate of $5.  So, head on over there and fulfill all of your holiday wishes!

              

There's also lots going on at LouLou's Fabric Shop.  Right now, ALL kits, patterns, bundles, and precuts are 25% off.  The discount will be applied at checkout.  There are also hundreds (yes, literally hundreds) of bolts marked down to $5 per yard.

LouLou's also has lots of secret deals happening all this weekend.  Check out the Daily Deals section each day so you don't miss out!

And, just in case you were wondering, LouLou's Christmas shop is FULL!  Tons of yardage, precuts, kits, and bundles all ready to make your holiday sewing fun.  Go take a look!

                    

So, what are you waiting for, friends?  Pop over to these amazing shops and check out all of the amazing fabrics they have to offer.  I know you won't be disappointed.  Happy holiday season, and happy shopping!

Thankful for NTT

Hey there, friends.  Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday.  Thank you to all who expressed condolences on the loss of my grandfather.  It was a beautiful service, complete with a military honor guard, and I even managed to make it through the eulogy without breaking down.  I think he would have been proud.

Instead of sewing, this week has been all about finishing my Christmas decorating and recovering from Covid, which I unfortunately must have picked up from someone at the funeral.  I'm almost a full week out from my first symptoms and doing much better now.

Without further ado, let's get right to the highlights from our last party, which was two weeks ago.  Maggie at Making a Lather linked up this scrappy beauty-

Something Rosemade showed off these two lovely quilts-

I love this pretty finish from Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room-

And finally, this modern quilt by Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl is a stunner. 

Okay friends, before we party, I want to let you know that NTT will be taking a break next week for Thanksgiving.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with lots of family, friends, and food.  I'm so thankful for YOU!

Now, let's link up!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

No NTT This Week

Hello friends. I’m sorry but there will not be NTT this week. I am currently driving to attend my grandfather’s funeral, so please save all of your projects for next week. 

-Kelly

Father Christmas and NTT

Welcome to a (slightly late) edition of Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  I finished my pillow this week, and I love it so much.  Whether you call him Santa, Father Christmas, Papa Noel, or any one of the many names for him, he sure is cute!

This pillow measures 12" x 20" counting the binding width, and I'm loving the tall, narrow size.  In this photo, he is sitting on the bed for scale.  Here's another one propped up in an upholstered rocking chair.

I don't always opt for dense, detailed quilting, but for this little project, it was a must.  The quilting really brings him to life!

I used long lines and coordinating thread to add dimension to Santa's robes, skin, and belt, and a continuous spiraling line to give shape to the bag.  My very favorite parts though, are his beard and white fur trim.  I had a little bit of doubt that I would be able to make swirls that small, but I did it!  Those trim pieces on his cuffs and hat are only 1/2" wide, and even the wider center stripe is only one inch!  I kept the background simple with a dense stipple, so this entire pillow is covered in amazing texture.

I made an envelope closure on the back, using this fun holly swirl print that I had in my stash, and I had just enough of the red plaid fabric for the binding.  There are lots of different way to finish a pillow, but if you're unsure of how to do it, you can check out my tutorial HERE.

Okay, friends!  It's time to check out some of the amazing stuff from last week's party.  Maggie at Making a Lather linked up this fantastic scrappy quilt top-

Wow!  Look at this fun one from Deb at A Scrappy Quilter-

This gorgeous green quilt is from Quilting by Dawn-

Okay, friends.  Since I'm already a little late, let's get down to business!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Funkytown, Santa, and NTT

Hey there, friends!  Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday!  I got back late Friday night (or more accurately, very early Saturday morning from visiting the Trinity Valley Quilt Guild in Arlington, TX.  We worked on the Funkytown quilt in the class, and had lots of fun!  Check out some photos-

                               

                           

                               

I love how each person's scraps and background choices can make the quilt super unique!  No two quilts are alike, even though everyone was following the same pattern.  In case you don't remember, here's a reminder of mine (included in my book, Scrappy Improv Quilting)-

I would love to come visit you, and I do have a few open spots for 2024, as well as availability in 2025.  Send me an email and let's get something on the calendar for your guild!

Since getting back, I've actually done a little sewing. 'Tis the season to start really thinking about Christmas gifts, after all!

We have a few holiday parties that require "swap gifts," and this Santa block is destined to become a pillow for one of those.  It's the same Santa I designed for my Santa's Christmas Forest quilt a couple of years ago, but this time, I added a little more print to the mix.  I think the addition of the text background and plaid sleeves/hat add just enough interest, allowing this block to stand alone as a pillow.  With borders, this block measures 11" x 20", so a 12" x 20" pillow form will fill it out nicely.

Last week's party had lots of great links!  This cozy, scrappy finish is from Maggie at Making a Lather-

Love this cute quilt from Anja Quilts-

This fun, wonky courthouse steps quilt is from Deb at A Scrappy Quilter-

And Rebecca Grace Quilting shared this awesome Halloween quilt (along with another one in her post!)

Okay y'all!  Party on!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

NTT- Last Trip of the Year

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all.  Currently (at the time of posting), I'm visiting the Trinity Valley Quilt Guild in Fort Worth, Texas.  It's my last teaching trip of the year since I don't travel during the holiday season, and we'll be having lots of fun!  If your guild is looking for a presenter in 2024, I still have a few dates available.  Send me an email and we'll talk!

Last week's party was, once again, filled with quilty inspiration.  Take a look at this scrappy finish from Gretchen's Little Corner-

Sandra at mmm quilts linked up this amazing finish-

This cute quilt is from Quilting Gail-

This fun patriotic quilt is from Alycia Quilts-

And take a look at this cozy quilt linked up from Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting-

Okay friends, let's get this thing going!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)