Whew!

I love the holidays...honestly, I do....But (you knew that was coming, right?)....all the work and preparation for about everyone's enjoyment of about half an hour is just too much sometimes. Don't get me wrong. I love having my family and friends all together to celebrate Thanksgiving. It's just that "I" don't want to be the one having to do all the preparation. For a couple of years, we celebrated at a very wonderful restaurant. It was great....walk in, enjoy everyone's company, eat all the delicious food...leave the dishes for someone else to take care of...and leave! ;) This year, I left the choice up to my father as to whether we would go to this restaurant again or have it at my house. So it was at my house. It was very nice and enjoyable, and I'm not sorry I did it...but I am already thinking about next year....;) I wonder if it's too early to make reservations? ;)

Anyway, my stitching has definitely suffered a bit during this time. But....a little Christmas stitching got done (which I cannot show). I am going to try to work on something I can post a picture of...but in the meantime....something old...
These were some of the little "freebies" Martina Weber gave you as part of her mystery sign-up several years ago. Each one is from a different mystery and gives an example of some of the threads used in the mystery itself.

It's Done!!

Rabbit Run
(There will be better pictures once I hang this on the wall, I promise!)

I put the last stitches in on my bunnies this morning! They are all ready for Thanksgiving! Woohoo! Happy Dance Time!

Blocks #5 and #6....

plus more bunnies! I have been quilting on my Rabbit Run....only the two side borders to go!
(The white marks on the bottom border are from the chalk pen marker I used-it will come off with water.)














And I also finished the piecing on Blocks #5 and #6 for my Vintage Christmas:

Now you know those stray threads weren't there when I put the quilt block on the table, right? I think little gremlins come flying in as soon as they see me with my camera out! ;)
And Block #6:

More quilting

I finished the hand quilting in the center of my Rabbit Run quilt. Today I machine quilted the "brick" border. I machine stitched in the "mortar". I think I am going to machine quilt the checkerboard sections next.











Here's a close-up of the "mortar" stitching:

The big picture

Since there was a question or two about the overall quilt...here it is.
It was stretched out on the kitchen table, so a little difficult to get the entire thing in the picture...But at least you can see what will be quilted next...(probably the brownish border and the checkerboard borders..)

(I keep giving the wrong name for this one...It is Rabbit Run by Bunny Hill Designs. The original quilt was shown as being done in lavenders...I tried to use those colors, but just couldn't make them work together. Anyway...these colors are more "me.")

Switching Gears

(again!)....I have been wanting to do some actual "quilting" on the quilt tops that I have completed. Out came Bunny Run...a little stipple quilting...a little outline quilting...and some background fill-in with the checkerboard quilting....

Isn't it funny how you forget? I honestly do not know why I stopped quilting so many years ago...I do like it. Buying the fabric...all the new gadgets....the patterns...assembling....hmmmmm....maybe it had something to do with how much I was spending on it! :))

But ~ my favorite part? The actual quilting....not necessarily the machine quilting...which is OK....but the hands-on, hand quilting. Very soothing-very comforting...very cozy to be holding a nice warm blanky on your lap as you quilt it!

Another Pillow!

I LOVE my new pillow!! I was looking at various patterns when I was trying to find one for my curtains. I had seen a pillow similar to this one. I thought...ya know...I am not spending all the money for a pattern for one pillow. I knew I could come up with something on my own. I am thrilled with it. More leftover fabric from the curtains. I had purchased a rectangular pillow form in the hopes that I would be successful.

An hour and a half later and some thinking about the logistics of this one....and TA DA!! I think it took me longer to sew on the buttons than to actually make the pillow!

Here's a shot of Rusty, the new rug and the curtains. (Sorry, it's really blurry...but the others did not have Rusty in them.)
Although it does not show very well, the rug has a pattern of leaves and stems in it. And...a picture of one of the new end tables with the new lamps:
Don't ask me why the pillow is on top of the chair....I guess someone did not want to sit on it! ;)

Flowers, Bells, Present & Stocking

The stocking - a Victorian Ice Skate Stocking (Block #3) for my Bunny Hill Vintage Christmas Quilt:


The flowers, bells and present:


For some reason, Blogger rotated my second picture....hmmm....well, you can see I was busy yesterday. Two quilt blocks traced, cut and pieced in one day! Woohoo!

Hollyhocks and Doilies

....what?? Well, I started the hollyhocks in the corners of my Fairy Garden. I filled in all four corner motifs and began to move outward again. Yeah!! Those hollyhocks are going to take some time with all the color changes going on in them. But the doilies...I really do like working on them. One color thread and just keep going!


Now those dragonflies nestle in between all the stitches of the doilies.....Can I hold off much longer?
I really want to try and get at least two of those hollyhocks done, before I move on again.

Close-up of the doily:

Fairies

After working on those curtains all last week, I finally got to play with my Fairies again.

The central part is finished (with the exception of adding the rest of the crystals in the middle)

I am really, really trying to be good and not skip out to those borders with the gorgeous dragonflies....if I do, I know what will happen....the rest of the borders, corners and "doilies" will not get done....so I am saving those beauties as my incentive to finish the tedious parts. :)

Ready?

OK....finally....let's start with the pillow I made from the extra fabric. (Not the greatest picture, but you get the idea....
Now - the door:




Like my red accent wall?

















...and....ta da! the curtains.....and a little someone (Rusty) making sure he can still look out the window with the new curtains....

The curtains were supposed to be tab tops...but I changed my mind when it came time to do them. I made all the tabs, but didn't like having the red fabric and tabs on top. (The red fabric is a bit more dull in reality...the flash made it appear a bit brighter than it is.)

The curtains can be closed at night. They still need to hang for a few days....I keep adjusting all the folds, but I think I may have to get the iron out and try holding it up to them and steaming them.

OK.....where have you been?

I know that's what your saying....where the heck is she?

Well, finishing up those curtains. Sewing and cutting and pressing 7 yards of fabric. Not difficult sewing-wise....just tedious trying to maneuver all that fabric! But I finished up the long plaid pair last night.

However....no pictures yet, since I cannot hang them until Dave (my husband) puts up a new curtain rod for me. He couldn't put up the curtain rod last night, since he was painting that wall.
Tonight for sure! I cannot wait to see how they all look together.

Time for a little curtain happy dance!

Stitching?

Stitching lately....no. Sewing....yes! I have been working on my first set of curtains. We are in the process of painting our living room and I (in my infinite wisdom) decided I could make new curtains, rather than buy them. Of course, this decision was reached after looking and looking at tons of pictures of curtains. No pictures yet....but I made the curtain for the front door, as well as my first set of tier curtains for the front window! Woohoo!

Now...onto the ones that are making me nervous. I bought a very nice plaid fabric (that, of course, I have to match when sewing...) and my intention is to make them into very nice long, tab-top curtains which can be drawn together at night and held back during the day with tiebacks.....we'll see.....

One good thing about drapery fabric, it does have a very nice feel to it once stitched....now to get on with those long curtains!

Wish me luck!