Crazy Old Ladies Christmas Quilt Top

Here is the quilt top made from the three blocks I posted yesterday.  The pattern is from Crazy Old Ladies.  I used my Christmas fabric stash to make this little quilt.  I am planning to use red and white polka dots for the backing fabric.  Hopefully I will get the backing, batting, and quilt top pin basted this evening while watching the Diamondback game on t.v.  Fun little quilt.  I found a number of Christmas fabrics with blue and may make one of these with blues and use a blue snowflake fabric for the outer borders. 

I did  purchase the white background fabric at Jo Ann's.  My white stash has been depleted this year.  All other fabrics and backing are from my stash.  I'm so pleased that I have been able to make many projects this year from my stash.  Don't worry, I still have yards of fabric to choose from. 

"P" is for PUMPKIN

This is my October quiltie for the Alphabet Quiltie Swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2.  The theme for October is "pumpkins".    I had the pumpkin fabric left over from a previous project and spied this candy wrapper on the side table.  Left there by my DH who loves marshmallow and chocolate treats.  I thought it would be a perfect embellishment for my pumpkin quiltie.  Foil was easy to sew through.  I them added a pumpkin border with my Janome 11000.  Edges were finished with a satin stitch.  I think this made a cute little quiltie.

Today I will mail all my October swaps.  I completed my Fall Intrigue Basket Swap and Countdown to Christmas Matchbox Swap.  Since I will be in and out most of October I've been working to fulfill all my swap commitments.  Fall is a fun time of year.

Crazy Old Ladies Christmas Blocks

Yesterday I stopped by Scrapbooks, Etc in Mesa while the dog was being groomed.  Don't get to that part of town much since we moved to downtown Mesa.  They now have the most wonderful fabric in the shop and patterns.  I could have purchased many of the patterns but settled on two.  This is one of those patterns.
The pattern is "Which Witch?" by Crazy Old Ladies.  The small Christmas pattern is the Bonus Pattern.  I rushed home and went through my Christmas fabric.  This afternoon I completed the three blocks for this mini quilt.  Tomorrow I will add sashing and border.  Don't you just love the cute legs and shoes.  The Halloween quilt features 9 of these blocks with a strip pieced border.  (Maybe next year)

Wild West Tag Swap

I recently participated in Paula Clare's Wild West Tag Swap.  Here are the two tags I received in the swap.  The cowgirl tag was made by Paula and the cute little cowboy tag was made Michele K.  Paula also included the little horsehead finger puppet.  Below are the two tags I made for the swap.

HALLOWEEN BANNER

I made this Halloween banner for our front porch.  It is hanging above the large window at the front of our home.  (Please ignore the dirty windows)  It was very simple to make.  I had originally thought I would use vintage ephemera on the banner but when I started I fell in love with the simplicity of the flags.  The flags are made from black and orange card stock (probably will fade in the sun)  I found the letters on line and sized to the appropriate size on my printer.  The original letters didn't have the bold outer edge or black details on the skeleton.  I did these with a black Sharpie (most time consuming part of project).  I cut a template for the flags.  Orange and black flags were cut front he same template but I trimmed the edges of the orange with Fiskar edging tool.  As a final touch I glued ball fringe to the top with Ultimate Glue.  I used a hole punch to punch a hole prior to attaching the ball fringe.  A black and white checked ribbon was threaded through the holes. 

It looks perfect on the front porch over my white four poster bench.  At present a basket of fall vegetables sits on the bench with a pot of gold flowers.  Later this week I will add some Halloween decorations to the bench and front porch to accompany the banner.

I've been asked to provide tutorials for some of my craft projects.  If time allows, I will post a tutorial for this project.  You can always email if you have questions.

SMOCKINGLY PINK

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY

Today I'm sharing a "Smocking Pink" Post.

I found this lovely little pink gingham apron at a local thrift store.  The waistband of the apron has been smocked.  Instead of a grid of dots, the maker used the squares of the gingham as her smocking guide.

When the waistband was smocked, larger pink squares were created.  Isn't this a beautiful smocked waistband?  Smocking is defined as a method of gathering fabric and you can see the gathering in this photo.

I found it interesting that the pocket on this apron was placed on the outer edge.  Not sure it is practical to have it there.  I love the hemline of the apron.

More vintage smocking

I found these vintage patterns for smocked pillow covers.  The McCall's pattern is dated 1962 and the Simplicity 1963.  I've never attempted smocking but I may try making one of these beauties one day.



Thanks for visiting my blog on Pink Saturday.  Stop by Beverly's How Sweet the Sound for a list of other participants.



Fall Table Top

With my fall leaves finished, I decided to dress the table for fall.  The table runner is one I made last spring.  It is a table runner of the month from Fat Quarter Shop.  My GDs game me the lovely creamic pumpkin and I picked up the plant at Safeway.  Everything came together nicely.  Now I'm ready for fall (if it would only feel like fall!).