Naked House and Final NTT of 2020

Happy (almost) New Year, and welcome to NTT, friends.  I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas had a wonderful holiday, even if it did look a bit different this year.  Our family definitely did.  And now that it's over, I've spent the last couple of days reclaiming my house from the holiday madness.  

I know, I know.  Technically the Christmas season lasts until January 6th, but since I put out my decorations around Thanksgiving (or before), I'm always ready for everything to be put away before the new year.  I'm just a rebel like that.  ;)  Since my house is crammed with so much Christmas decor, when it's all put away, everything feels a little bit naked.  It always takes a couple of days to reacquaint myself with the extra space in the rooms where Christmas trees once stood and all the open counter space in my kitchen.  It's pleasantly less cluttered in its regular state, but still takes some visual adjustment.

The last time we met for NTT was two weeks ago, and there were some amazing things linked up.  This stunner is by Jayne at Twiggy and Opal-

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework shared this scrappy blue quilt.  I love the movement in the geese!

Quiltpiecer showed off this lovely blue and yellow quilt-

Take a look at this cheerful quilt by Anja Quilts-

And finally, this amazing lion quilt is by Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting.  Just WOW.

Okay friends!  Now that the holidays are behind us, I'm looking forward to lots of time in my studio.  I already have a few different projects in mind, and I can't wait to get cracking on them.  I can't wait to see what you've been up to this week.  So, let's kick 2020 out the door with one final NTT.

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!  :)

Welcome to NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  As is the norm for my holiday season, Christmas activities have taken over my days and I have gotten exactly zero sewing done in the last week.  A good chunk of the week was spent helping my husband after his surgery (he lost the use of his dominant arm and hand completely for a few days and still doesn't have 100% use of his hand).  I've also made Christmas cookies and TV Trash (super spiced Chex Mix), finished up shopping/wrapping, and yes, watched even more Christmas movies with the fam.  All in all, a wonderful week as the days before Christmas wind down.

Last week's party was filled with all kinds of eye-candy, like this finished sampler from Anja Quilts-

And this beauty by Quiltpiecer-

Dreamworthy Quilts linked up progress on this fun quilt.  I don't know about you, but once Christmas and New Years Day is over, I am ready for spring to hurry up and get here.  :) 

And finally, Linda at kokaquilts showed off this scrappy quilt finish.  Lovely!

Okay friends!  Before we party, I need to let you know that NTT will be taking a break next week.  My hubby and I will be celebrating 22 years of marriage this weekend, and of course Christmas is NEXT WEEK!!!  I'll return on December 30th.  I know that the holidays look very different this year, but I hope you cherish them all the same.

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 (Just a Little Late)

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  Today, my hubby had surgery on his (dominant) hand, and though I thought we would be home and settled by the afternoon in enough time to get my weekly party post out, the surgery center had other plans for us.  He is doing okay, and currently sleeping off the remnants of the anesthesia.  This week has been all about gift wrapping, Hallmark movies, and a little more Christmas sewing.

For the past few months, I have really loved using the cloth napkins I made this summer, and I decided that I deserved a special Christmas set.  (ps- my ceramic tree was made by my grandmother in 1970 and is signed and dated by her!  It's one of my most treasured Christmas pieces).

These napkins are made just like the last ones.  The 18" print squares were paired with unbleached muslin squares (also 18") and sewn right-sides together around the edge, leaving a space for turning out.  Then, the corners were clipped to reduce bulk, they were turned out and pressed, and topstitched to finish.  Super easy!

I collected these eight fabrics with a woodsy feel and made two napkins from each half yard.  I'm keeping a set of eight for myself, and the other set will be a gift for a friend.  Eight napkins really isn't very many for everyday use throughout the holiday season, but I'm planning to add to them each year until I have enough.  These will be the perfect reason to buy cute fabrics here and there (as if I really need one, ha!).

From the looks of last week's party, y'all are busy sewing away!  Take a look at this snowflake quilt by Lori at Crossquilt-

This fun piece is by Jayne at Twiggy and Opal-

This little deer by Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room is so sweet!

Joyce at HeARTS Creations linked up this modern finish-

And Barb at Mountain Quiltworks shared this festive quilt (image and link from IG)-

Okay friends!  Better late than never.  Let's get this party started!  

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!  :)

Parade of Trees and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I hope all of you in the States had a great Thanksgiving last week.  Ours was quiet, but really wonderful.  After we recovered from our turkey-coma, we finished the decorating both inside and outside the house.  Instead of sewing progress this week (which has been nonexistent), I'm happy to share my four Christmas trees with you!

We just moved into this house last November (in 2019), and because we were still in the process of getting settled when Christmastime came, I decided to only put up our main tree, and no other home decorations.  So this year, it was quite a task to figure out where everything was going to go in a new house.

My main tree is by far my favorite, but it takes the longest to decorate.  I cram as many things onto the branches as I possibly can, and lots of the ornaments are glass and sparkly, which gives the tree an icy effect (it's more pronounced at night).

I couldn't get the bow at the top to photograph properly because the daylight and room light were competing and making the bow look way too yellow, but with the room light turned off, the ornaments got lost in the sunlight.  This one shows the true color much better.

Our second tree is a must for any die-hard LSU fan.  I'm a Baton Rouge girl born and raised, so win or lose, I always love my Tigers.  And because football is in full swing well before Christmas, this one is usually the first tree to go up.  

My third tree is a mid-century modern silver aluminum tree, all decked out with peppermint ornaments and ribbon.  This tree is about sixty years old, and I was super lucky to find it in such pristine condition.  Because the branches are real metal, it isn't safe to string lights in the tree, so I chose a spot next to a window with plenty of sunlight, and it is also illuminated with a spotlight underneath.  I do actually have the original color wheel as well, but it gets extremely hot and is very noisy, so we don't use it.

My fourth and final tree is a new addition this year.  My mother-in-law loved Christmas as much as I do and had amassed quite the Christmas collection herself.  When she passed, I inherited as much of it as I could take.  She loved Santas specifically, and even had a small collection that she kept out year-round.  So I made a Santa tree containing all of her Santa ornaments, as well as some of my own.  I chose a flocked tree with colored lights and tartan plaid ribbon to keep this one looking a little old-fashioned, and because it is in a tight corner, a pencil-shaped tree works beautifully.

Now that the decorating is all finished, I just have one little gift to finish sewing, and my Christmas to-do list will be done. Then it'll be Hallmark movies (yes, I'm a sucker for cheesy storylines), gift wrapping, holiday baking, and enjoying the season at a relaxed pace.  After all, Christmas Eve is only three weeks away!

It's been a little bit since we've partied, but I definitely want to share some of the great projects that were linked up the last time.  Check out this pretty quilt by Leanne at Devoted Quilter-

Frederique at Quilting Patchwork Applique linked up this clever beauty-

The colors in this quilt by Julie's Quilts and Costumes look so warm and cozy!

And finally, I love the crisp, clean look of this finish by Anja Quilts-

Let's get our party on, friends!

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!  :)

The Final Two and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  This week has been a flurry of activity around here.  I've decorated two Christmas trees (I put up four each year) and refinished my dining room chairs (they needed a facelift), but before all of that, I buckled down and finished up the final two memory quilts in the set I've been working on.  Check out my last post if you missed the first three.

These two were a little bit more involved than the other three because of the HST's.  Oh, how I hate trimming HST's, but with shirt fabric that is already a little stretchy, trimming was unavoidable.  As with the other three quilts, these two use the same Kona Khaki background and Kona Chocolate binding, and the backing and quilting are exactly the same on all five quilts as well, which succeeds in making them a unified set.

I'm so happy with the way these five quilts turned out.  They look so warm and cozy, and I truly hope they are a treasure for their recipients.  Memory quilting isn't always the most glamorous and I don't always have time to fit them in my schedule, but when I do them, it is always rewarding to see how treasured they are.

Last week's party was filled with amazing projects, like this pretty quilt from Better'n Dog Biscuits-

This quilt by heARTS Creations is so cool- and it's mounted on canvas!

And finally, Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room linked up this striking quilt-

NTT will be taking a break next week for Thanksgiving, BUT be sure to check back next Friday for a roundup of some fantastic Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals from my favorite shops around the web.

Okay friends, let's get our 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!  :)

Sewing Pedal to the Metal and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all.  I have been sewing like crazy this week, and actually have three finishes to share with you.  I'm currently working on a series of five memory quilts from men's shirts, and these three are the first set.  

I had originally planned to make the entire set of five quilts in one giant batch, but realized that I don't have enough safety pins for basting to have five quilts basted all at once.  So, breaking them up into two smaller sets was a good alternative.  

I've chosen to keep the background, binding, and backing consistent in all five quilts.  The Kona Khaki background works really well with the earthy colors in the shirts, and the Kona Chocolate binding creates a nice frame around them.

I quilted each quilt with a nice relaxed stipple which serves a couple of purposes.  Since clothing fabric is more worn than brand new fabric, it shouldn't be "quilted to death," and the stipple pattern blends right in, allowing the shirts to take center stage.

Each quilt also has a consistent chambray backing with a stripe of Kona Chocolate down the center.  I feel like pairing the shirts with these fabrics is almost like putting them with jeans or khaki pants.  It's just classic.

I am so pleased with the way these have turned out, and I'm also loving the way they look photographed with the sunlight and fall leaves behind them.  It makes them look extra snuggly and perfect for the season.  I already have the fabric for the final two quilts all cut out, and tomorrow I'll get busy on them.  This wasn't really a Christmas order per se, but I think it will be nice to get them finished and sent off as soon as I can.

Okay friends!  It's almost time to show what you've been working on this week, but before you do, take a look at some of the fantastic projects from last week.  Gretchen's Little Corner linked up this awesomely scrappy quilt-

Dreamworthy Quilts shared this pretty quilt.  It looks so warm and homey.

JanineMarie at Quilts From the Little House showed off this amazing quilt.  The quilting adds so much movement!

Quiltpiecer linked up this oh-so-amazing stunner-

And finally, this scrap-happy snowball quilt is by Jayne at Twiggy and Opal-

Are y'all ready to party?  Let's do this!

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!  :)

Shirts Galore and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday!  I've been swimming in men's shirts for several days this week.  Ordinarily, when I take a commission for a memory quilt (which is not very often), I make one or two quilts, and continue on with my other sewing at the same time, but right now, I've been processing 26 shirts and cutting out five lap size quilts from them.  When my commission is so large though, I have to put everything else aside and get down to business.  

I always choose fairly simple patterns when working with shirts, partly because I don't want to take away from the patterns in the shirt fabrics, but also because very often, the shirts given to me are not 100% cotton, which is the case with these.  Many of them are cotton/linen blend, a few are cotton/poly blend, and a couple are 100% linen, which is challenging to sew to say the least.

I usually keep the background, binding, and backing fabric consistent when I make "sets" of memory quilts.  For these, I chose Kona Khaki as a background fabric to give them a unified look, and I love the look of men's shirts with khaki.  I'm planning to "batch" these quilts to finish them as efficiently as possible.  At this point, I have all five quilts cut out and ready to piece.  I'm hoping to have these done and shipped off well before the holidays (even though this isn't actually a Christmas order).  They will definitely be keeping me busy for awhile.

Before we get to the party, let's check out the projects from last week that are keeping you busy!  Take a look at this stunning autumn quilt finish by Quiltpiecer.  I just love the fall colors!

Anja Quilts shared this lovely quilt.  The chunky hand quilting is so pretty!

This icy snowflake quilt top is by Celine at Espritpatch-

I love this sampler quilt by Lori at Crossquilt-

And finally, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique showed off this cool quilt finish-

Okay, y'all!  Let's get to the party!

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!  :)