First Quilt Finish of 2022

I've got my mojo back and I've been sewing like crazy this January. Besides some serious secret sewing, I made a charity/compassion quilt for our quilt guild. Our guild gives a quilt to anyone in our community that loses their home in a fire. In December, we had three houses lost in prairie fires during an 80+ mph wind storm. Needless to say, the guild wasn't prepared with enough quilts. 

My mom had rescued some sampler blocks at a thrift store from an area quilt shop's block of the month and had donated them to the guild. I took those blocks, completed those that weren't finished and fixed a couple, then sashed the blocks to make a quilt. The blocks were scrappy but luckily my stash of Kansas Troubles fabrics blended well with the block fabrics.

I quilted an all over design of feathers on this quilt and it turned out quite nice, if I do say so myself. It will make a nice throw-sized quilt for someone in need of comfort.

In addition to finishing this compassion quilt, I also dug out a couple of Quilts of Valor quilts that I committed to make for our area QOV chapter. One was a kit that the chapter gave for me to make (way to long ago to admit) and one was a stack of scrappy rail fence blocks I had made a couple of years ago.

Both tops are ready to be quilted as soon as I finish my secret sewing project to meet a deadline. I'll share the finished quilts when they are completed. 

I also started the 2022 Stash Buster Challenge by Border Creek Station. Why, I have no idea as I have more than enough projects that are already started! But this block is fun and easy to make so I've been making a block after I get a step completed in my secret sewing. Kind of a treat! I'm using my stash of 30s fabrics and dotted backgrounds for this project. The center square and corner stones in each block will be the same green print to pull it all together.

What projects have you been working on in the new year? I'd love to hear about them!

Happy Quilting

~Sharla

Saying Goodbye To 2021

The holidays are always rushed and I never seem to have time to do everything I want to do. This year was no different. I didn't have time to do as much decorating as I wanted to or as much baking (although the hubby and I don't need the extra calories) or as much holiday crafting. One thing that was not on my list this year was buying Christmas presents as we decided to opt for a family vacation the week of Thanksgiving in lieu of gifts (except for the grandkids). Because our kids spent their Thanksgiving with us, that meant they spent Christmas with their inlaws - which made for a quieter Christmas for the hubby and I, although my brother and family was home for the holidays.

To close out the year, I thought I'd share a few photos of some of my Christmas decorations.

This year I was very excited to get to use my new Fiesta Ware lightbulb dishes along with the "A Lightbulb Moment" placemats and table runner I designed last year.

This Santa pitcher was a new acquisition in 2021 and he looked so cute in my tablescape.

My Santa mug collection continues to grow. I just love them paired with my Fiesta Ware lightbulb plates.

Jars filled with vintage ornaments and vintage Christmas lightbulbs graced my tablescape.

A few of my vintage plastic Santas and a vintage candolier that I decorated with vintage plastic Christmas items. I love them mixed in with a few pieces of jadeite.

A jadeite dish filled with vintage ornaments. Press the red nose of Santa and it lights up and plays Christmas music.

More vintage Christmas ornaments in a jadeite bowl. Love this vintage Santa even if his nose is a little crinkled.

A few of my Santa mugs along with a few of my vintage milk glass Christmas figural lightbulbs, and of course, more vintage ornaments.

I found this string of Santa lights a few weeks ago at a thrift shop. They almost match my two plastic Santa head ornaments I found last year.

Since I had no presents for under the Christmas tree, I wrapped a couple of birthday presents that were in the closet. I didn't really miss the packages with all these cute blow mold Santas and Snowmen under the tree. My tree this year was filled with lightbulb shaped ornaments to go with my "A Lightbulb Moment" tree skirt, etc. I made last year.

This is my "A Lightbulb Moment" quilt that was published in the Best of Moda Bake Shop book last year. It's still available at Martingale Publishing if you're interested.

I even managed to get my sewing studio semi-cleaned so I put up a Christmas tree to celebrate.

I managed to get a couple of projects completed during the holidays. I bought four framed cross stitch seasonal scenes with the intention of making them into pillows. I got the winter scene made into a pillow, while the rest are on my to-do list.

The only crafting I managed to do was turning this cute little deer I picked up at a thrift shop for 25 cents and a vintage jello mold into an ornament.

Didn't he turn out cute? I had plans to make Christmas bells from some other jello molds I bought this fall but it didn't happen. Maybe I'll do it before I pack all my Christmas away so they'll be ready for next year.

As we welcome a new year, I wish for all of you a happy and health year filled with quilting, crafting and thrifting with friends!

Happy New Year!

~Sharla

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