Thursday, June 27, 2019

Navy Nutcracker Quilt...


I'm trying to finish binding all the quilts that I have almost completed before the big move in a couple of weeks. I'm fairly certain that there won't be a lot of sewing for a month or two after we move as I arrange/rearrange things in the new house to our liking. Last night I finished this Navy Nutcracker quilt. Originally, the inspiration behind this quilt was this Michael Miller Nutcracker Metallic Ornaments fabric...


But, then I decided to use this fabric from the same line -- Nutcracker Metallic Navy Overture -- in an equal amount on the quilt, so they both became equally important! I adore this fabric with all the cute nutcracker characters and scenes...


Together these fabrics make a beautiful, almost monochromatic-ish quilt...


The fabric for the boarder and binding are also from the same line... Michael Miller Nutcracker Metallic Toy Soldier. These are all on sale at fabric.com right now for an incredible price. It pays to shop for Christmas fabric off season!

Recently, someone asked who I use to do all the longarm quilting on my quilts, so I'll give a little shout out to my amazing quilter. First of all, my quilts are very simply made. I don't really consider myself a "quilter." I'm more a sewer that likes to put fabrics together to make blankets. I love making simple quilts because I love choosing and putting fabrics together. It's the fabrics that draw me to quilting. Making intricate quilts with tiny squares and complicated patterns is not my idea of fun. Obviously. But, I love to have them professionally quilted because that makes ALL the difference in making the quilts look professional, so early on I asked a quilter friend of mine who she would recommend and Donna's name came up. Donna Smith owns the company "Quilted For You" in Mead, Colorado. She quilted 45 quilts for me in one year a couple of years ago when I got the bright idea to make a quilt for all our children and grandchildren for Christmas. This she did in between all her other much more complicated quilting projects. I really appreciated the fact that she did my quilts in a timely manner because time was of the essence that year! When I moved to MA I was hoping to find a local quilter, but I found that the prices for longarm quilting were much higher in MA than in Colorado, so I decided just to ship all my finished quilt tops and bottoms to Donna, and she quilts them and sends them back. It doesn't cost much more than having them quilted here, and it doesn't take much longer than it did when I lived in Colorado. That way I still get her expert touch on my quilts. She's fabulous and she can make a so-so quilt top look like a piece of art. She's done that a bunch of times for me!

Donna suggested a holly pattern for the quilting on this Nutcracker quilt. That pattern mimics the holly on the "ornaments" fabric.



I love the gold metallic threads in these fabrics. Christmas isn't Christmas without shiny metallic touches!


Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Santa's Village Quilt...


Oh, I love this quilt. I think this Santa's village fabric is one of my favorite Christmas fabrics that I've found -- so playful and festive!


I chose a raspberry red and lime green blend for the complimentary colors for this sweet village scene, and I love how it turned out...


For the quilting I chose a pattern with trees that mimic the ones in the village and stars and moons...



The inspiration fabric is a Riley Blake fabric. The collection is called, "Way Up North" by Jill Howarth. So cute...


These Christmas quilts have been so fun to put together! I can't wait to divide them up and send them off the end of November!


Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Snow Globe Quilt...


Another Christmas quilt has been completed and three more are waiting to be bound. I've got to shift things into first gear if I want to get these done in the next few months! To be honest summer will be busy for us as we move into our new home that we've had built this last year. Finally we are able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we'll be moving in within a month. Yay!

Here's a look at the newest finished project...


This quilt has more traditional Christmas colors than a few of the others I've made. I love the snow globe fabric from Stof Fabrics Denmark.


I thought a snow flake pattern for the quilting might be especially cute with this one..


And, I used the same snow globe fabric for the backing as I did on the front...


One more to check off the list!