Santa's Christmas Forest

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I hope all of you had a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday.  It took some late-night sewing, but I managed to get my latest quilt all finished and even hung up on the wall before our Thanksgiving company arrived!

I am so happy with the way this quilt turned out.  I made Christmas tree blocks in three sizes- twelve, nine, and six inches, and arranged them randomly around Santa and Rudolph. 

Then, I opted to fill in the background with improv chunks of low volume fabrics.  Most of the fabrics are very light (even for low volume), and several have touches of gold or silver which just adds to the glistening forest feel of the quilt.  My very favorite fabric is the sheet music print, and I've actually had it in my stash for a long time.  I had about two yards of it, and I've been using little bits here and there, and I'm finally down to my last 1/3 yard.  I will be so sad when I run out!  The music is "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and I knew I had to include it in this quilt.

I quilted it with super dense swirls to give the feel of blowing wind and snow, and it always amazes me to see how the texture really brings the quilt to life.  I found this pretty print for the back, and it compliments the quilt so well.  Since the front has so much green, I knew I wanted the backing to feature more red.  The sheet music background, cardinals, and berries are just perfect, and this chunky red plaid binding makes such a great frame.

I don't have many quilts hanging on walls in my house, because most of my walls get direct sunlight for at least part of the day, and I have unfortunately learned my lesson on how quickly the sun can fade a quilt. But I knew this wall behind my couch would be a great spot, and this quilt was made specifically to hang there.  It measures 48" x 50".

Some years, I give a full rundown of all of my Christmas trees when I'm done decorating, but since I just showed close-ups of all four of my trees last year, I decided to show you how some of my Christmas things are displayed instead.  My Christmas Baubles quilt is so cozy on the back of my couch, and it gets plenty of snuggles, and the Santa Belly pillow is right at home on the couch too!  You can see my vintage aluminum tree in my breakfast room in the photo above and the main tree here, but of course if you'd like to see detailed shots of all four of my trees, you can check them out HERE!

Our party two weeks ago was so full of awesomeness!  Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic linked up this gorgeous Quilt-

This lovely quilt is by Sandra at mmm quilts-

Rebecca Grace Quilting linked up this mesmerizing quilt.  It's simple but so striking!

And finally, these whales by Quilting Gail are super cute!

Okay friends!  Let's get our party going!  I can't wait to see what you have going on this week.  It's Christmas crunch time!

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!  :)

Ho! Ho! Ho! and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  I have been thinking that I want to make another Christmas quilt, but though there are lots of patterns that I love, none felt quite right.  I had a spark of an idea the other night though, and I'm SO excited about it.  I started sketching on graph paper, which is what  I always do when I'm first fleshing out a design, and I was so pleased with it that I couldn't wait to make him!

Pictures can be deceiving, so let me just tell you that this block is small!  Santa himself only measures 5" x 12", and all the tiniest pieces and snowball corners (the silver belt buckle, and around his hands) finish at only a quarter inch!  This is all traditionally pieced, and I try to never sew that small if I can help it, but for this project, I knew he couldn't be too big.  

I was so happy with the way he turned out that I immediately jumped into my next idea, thinking that it would be just as straightforward, and boy was I wrong!

Rudolph was so much trickier!  I worked and worked to get the proportions right, and the hardest part by far was the angles of the legs- and those antlers!  Again, this block is traditionally pieced, and while Santa has just a few 1/4" pieces, Rudolph is full of them!  Just to put this in perspective, all of those antlers are in a tiny, 3" x 3" section!  Rudolph himself measures only 7" from nose to tail, and just 10" from antlers to hooves.  

I confess to almost throwing this block away a couple of times during the 8.5 hours it took to make him.  Yes, you read that right.  Eight. and. a. half. hours!  I'm so happy I stuck with it though.  Rudolph is going to make a great addition to my quilt.

Now that these two blocks are finished, the rest of the quilt should be much easier.  It will still be a little bit fussy, but it won't be difficult like this.  We are hosting a Christmas party on December 4th, and my goal is to get this one finished and hung on the wall in my den before then, but with Thanksgiving next week, and all of the other prep stuff that has to happen before the party, that is a lofty goal.

Last week's party was full of inspiration, both holiday themed and not.  Amanda at Quilt As We Go shared with autumn beauty.  It's perfect for getting into the Thanksgiving mood.

This fresh, pretty quilt is by Linda at kokaquilts.  Linda is in New Zealand, so she is feeling all of the spring vibes in her hemisphere right now!

And Deb at A Scrappy Quilter linked up this warm, cozy, scrappy quilt.

Okay, friends!  Let's get our party going!  But before we do, I want to let you know that NTT will be taking a break next week (11/24) for Thanksgiving!  BUT, be sure to stop by on Black Friday!  I'm gathering up the best sales and holiday specials from my favorite shops on the web, and I'll be putting it all into one special post.  And we'll get right back to NTT the following week, 12/1.  Happy Thanksgiving!

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- Holiday Lights

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all.  I've been doing more secret sewing this week, along with lots of Christmas shopping and decorating- including our outside lights (which was a full weekend affair)!

We like to do the lights when we have a nice weekend, and when we have the time.  The weather obviously gets colder as November goes on, but it also has a tendency to be more rainy too.  Last weekend was breezy and sunny with temps in the mid-sixties, so we jumped on it. We have just a little more to do, and then they'll be all ready to turn on Thanksgiving night.  

With all of the secret book sewing, secret gift sewing, and holiday hubbub, I'm sad to say that there really hasn't been time for any non-secret sewing.  So, let's just jump right into the highlights from last week's party!  This awesomely scrappy quilt is by Sandra at mmm quilts-

DonnaleeQ shared this amazing quilt-

Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic shared this fun Christmas tree wall hanging, with the link to the tutorial!

And Leanne at Devoted Quilter showed off this temperature quilt stunner.  Definitely check out her post to see more detail shots of that quilting!

Okie dokie, friends!  It's time to show me what's been going on in your sewing space!  Let's 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!  :)

Christmas Sewing and NTT

Happy November, friends!  It is so hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us.  In fact, I've already started pulling out stuff to start decorating my Christmas trees.  I put up four trees, plus decorate inside and outside my house, and it takes awhile to get all of that done.  Since we are hosting family for several days at Thanksgiving, and then hosting a Christmas party the very next weekend, all of my decorating has to be finished before Thanksgiving.  So I have to start early!

Between the secret book sewing/writing and decorating, I also need to carve out some time to do some holiday sewing, and this week I did check a couple of gift items off of my to-do list, including these cute cloth napkins.

We use cloth napkins every day because it's so much less wasteful than paper, and because it's another way for me to enjoy fabric!  My everyday napkins are all green prints which match my kitchen, as you can tell by my KitchenAid mixer.  You can see my everyday set, as well as how all of my napkins are made HERE.  

Last year I started with just eight Christmas napkins, and this year I added another eight to the mix.  So, obviously there are more than eight napkins here.  In fact, there are sixteen.  These are 18" napkins, so a half yard of fabric makes two.  I'm keeping a set of eight for myself, and gifting the other set.

I love buying pretty Christmas prints when I see them, and this quick and easy project is the perfect excuse.  I have 24 everyday napkins, and that is a good number for our family.  We always have clean napkins when we need them, and not too many extra.  So next year, I'm sure I'll add another set!

What about you?  Have you started gift sewing?  Are you an early decorator, or do you wait until after Thanksgiving?  No judgment here either way!  With all of the negative things going on in the world these days, whatever you do, do what makes you happy.  

It also makes me happy to check out your amazing projects week after week.  This beauty is by Jan at the Colorful Fabriholic-

This amazing creation is by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color-

This colorful quilt was shared by Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting-

 

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

Okay, y'all!  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!  :)

Another Week, Another Peek and NTT

Hey there, friends!  Welcome back to our regularly-scheduled Wednesday evening NTT!  This week has been another whirlwind of crazy hours of sewing that I can't really share yet, but here's another sneak peek for you.  These little birds are so sweet, and I'm loving the texture of the dense swirls.

There were so many amazing projects linked up last week!  This cute little quilt is by Zenia Rene at A Quilted Passion (btw, her photo of the back side shows so much awesome quilting!)-

I'm feeling the fall vibes from this pretty quilt by Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting-

Love these birds by DonnaleeQ-

Tubakk at Den syende himmel linked up this soothing beauty-

And this unique neutral quilt is by Kris at Sew Sunshine-

Okay, y'all!  It's time to 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!  :)

A Peek and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  I've had another week of secret sewing at lightning speed, and though I can't give you a full shot of the quilt, here's a little sneak peek.  I told you that my third book is completely different from my first two, and it definitely is, but what can I say?  Scrappy improv just makes me happy!

Suffice it to say that when I finally get to reveal everything I've been working on, you're going to love it!  Until then, I'll just give as many peeks as I can.

Last week's party was amazing with so many great projects linked up.  This Highland Cow quilt top by Anne-Marie at Stories from the Sewing Room is super cute!

This happy quit top is from Julie's Quilts and Crafts-

Quilting Gail linked up this sweet quilt-

And take a look at this huge king-sized quilt from Something Rosemade.  She put her own twist on my Unruly pattern, and it looks amazing!

Y'all just bring the inspiration week after week!  I can't wait to see what you're working on, but first I want to remind you that the blog tour for the release of my book, Scrappy Improv Quilting, wrapped up yesterday, so NTT will be returning to its regular Wednesday evening time next week.  In case you missed any of the posts, the whole list of the blog hop participants/links can be found HERE!  And you can see all of my quilts from the book HERE!

Okay friends!  Let's 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!  :)

Bonus Pattern, Finishing, and Wrap-Up!

Alright y'all.  We've been together through more than six weeks on the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour, and today it's time to wrap it up, but before I do, the book has a few more tricks that I need to tell you about!  

But first, let's recap.  Throughout the blog hop, so far- 

    *I've given lots of different ways that mini quilts can be used.

    *You've seen how the book helps even novice quilters get started with quilting tools and piecing tips.

    *I've shown how the book has step-by-step instructions for piecing scraps into improv chunks to create texture and depth in your quilt.

    *AND you've seen my 22 (!!!) mini quilts included in the book, and the beautiful versions of those patterns made by 22 different quilters along the way.  

At the risk of sounding like an infomercial- But wait!  There's more! (just couldn't resist, haha!)  I mentioned that this book is written so that even a beginning quilter can finish the projects.  There's no "baste, quilt, and bind as desired" here!   

The Finishing Your Quilt section of the book has all of the guidance you'll need to transform your scrappy improv masterpiece into a completely finished quilt.  This chapter has so much great info, I decided to put it into bullet points for you!  The Finishing Your Quilt section contains-

    *Guidance for making your backing, choosing batting, and full basting instructions (with graphics!)

    *Quilting options- free-motion vs. walking foot quilting, choosing a motif to accentuate the design, and how to square-up the quilt after quilting

    *Full binding instructions for machine binding or hand-finished binding, including how to measure properly for a scrappy binding

    *Display options- how to turn your mini quilt into a pillow and how to add a hanging sleeve

    *Laundering tips to keep your mini quilt looking its best

    *Sizing Up- how to turn these mini quilts into larger projects if you want a full sized quilt, and how to apply the scrappy improv technique in a variety of ways!

It really is a comprehensive book!  Even if you've been quilting awhile, you're sure to find a helpful hint or two.  As if that wasn't enough, don't forget that I've also created the exclusive Sweet Bee digital pattern as a little thank-you gift with the book purchase.

Thanks so much for following along with the blog tour, and I truly hope you'll add Scrappy Improv Quilting to your quilt book library!

Signed copies are available in my Etsy shop HERE, or ask about it at your local quilt shop.  It is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major booksellers.  

And shop owners, you can get it from any of the major distributors- Checker, Brewer, United Notions, and EE Schenck.  I hope you'll consider adding it to your library or carrying it in your shop!  You know you want to start having fun with your scraps, and I promise, it's super easy and FUN!  :) 

In case you missed any of the blog tour stops, here is the full list for you.  There is a ton of quilty eye-candy in these links!

Scrappy Improv Quilting Blog Tour Schedule-

8/31- Intro, Single Block Beauties, and Simple Shapes

9/7- Seasonal Sensations, Standards With a Twist 

9/13- Summer Blossom- Lori @ Crossquilt
           Up, Up, and Away- Sandra @ mmm quilts

9/15- Flutter- Rose @ Something Rosemade
           Botanics- Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

9/20- Face the Sun- Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts
           Full Spectrum- Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal

9/22- Prismatic- Anja @ Anja Quilts
           Downpour- Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting

9/27- Funkytown- Vasudha @ Storied Quilts
           Cherub Wings- Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

9/29- Chapel Window- Kris @ Sew Sunshine
           Winter Frost- Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

10/4- Heartstruck- Rebecca Grace @ Rebecca Grace Quilting
           Star Spangled- Christine @ Triangles & Squares

10/6- Birds of a Feather- Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts
           Fall Foliage- Susan @ Quilt Fabrication

10/11- Ornamental- Gail @ Quilting Gail
            Churn, Churn, Churn- Cynthia @ Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

10/13- Sunset Crossing- Kate @ Katie Mae Quilts
             Positivity- Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts

10/18- All Dressed Up- Linda @ Flourishing Palms
             Shockwave- Anne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

10/20- Sweet Bee (a bonus thank-you pattern), Finishing, and Wrap-Up (right here!)