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!
