Christmas is in My Heart--My Turn

 

It's my turn for this wonderful hop--

thank you, Marian of Seams to Be Sew (http://seamstobesew.com) ,

 for putting this all together!

I saw many lovely creations yesterday and read some inspirational thoughts.

 

The first Christmas item I have to show is a panel I did to hang in our church sanctuary during the Advent and Christmas season. I thought about cutting it apart but against it and left it in one piece.

 

 

Maybe you can see that I FMQed the panel. All the brown is quilted to look like stones, and the lighter areas are stippled. I outlined the word "Rejoice" and the angels. I'm sorry that I didn't save the selvage to tell you what the panel is called or the designer, but I purchased the panel at The Quilter Corner in Morton, IL.

 

The next thing is this table runner. It was a kit I bought in Washington, IL, at Peddler's Way, called "Monochromatic" by Sue Michaels.

I love the gray and red--could not pass up this kit!

 I FMQed the entire runner with paisley-like figures.

 

You can see them better here. Boy, does that use a lot of thread!! All the quilting on such a small piece used 1 1/2 bobbins on my Tiara II. I was amazed.

 

Don't you think it looks nice with a few of my nativities sitting on it?

 

Next, I have made a table runner using the "Triangle Frenzy Swirl" pattern by Bunnie Cleland. I have made several of these, and so have the members of my quilt club, Cerro Gordo Quilters. This Christmas one uses a border design that is symmetrical so you have triangles that look the same, regardless of which side they are cut from. I use my walking foot for these and quilt along the lines of the border fabric.

I think this nativity looks nice on this runner.

 

 I am working on a Christmas gift and will show you what I have done. These are placemats from the pattern "Crazy Patchwork Placemats" by Merry's Stitchins (www.merrysstitchins.com)  in Jessup, IA (one of my favorite quilt shops).

A set of 8 placemats is made with 8 fat quarters and the stack and whack method. I had made one set but couldn't find my pattern to make this one. So, I just redrew the parts and thought through the way to cut them apart, restack, and sew together. In the photo are 3 finished placemat tops and on the right is the stack of parts for the other 5 placemats. I was despairing because I had no hearts in any of my projects (except my own) but then I noticed that the green fabric in these placemats has aqua hearts in it! Covered!

 

 

Last, I will show you something that is on my list of gifts to make: this Happy Snowman panel by Debra Jordan Bryan from JoAnn Fabrics. One of my daughters will like having this. 

 

 

So, even though it's not time for decorations, I was listening to Christmas music while typing this, and I have many other  gifts on my list to make. In the meantime, we will be decorating the church after Thanksgiving and beginning to really get into the meaning of the Christmas season. I will pull out more nativities to display (I have a large collection, many of which I leave out all year long), and decorate my own home too. Every time I pull out a nativity or look at one on a shelf, I have a reminder of what this is all about. Just like the picture at the top of my blog page (which I did last year), I think about that family and of Jesus and of what he has done to change so many of our lives. We are truly blessed.

 

There are others displaying their creations today:

Friday, November 13
All Thingz Sewn
Marjorie’s Busy Corner
Jane’s Quilting
Just Sew Quilter (that's me!)
Batts in the Attic

Please be sure to visit them, and if you leave me a comment, I will enjoy reading it.

Also, be sure to enter the rafflecopter drawing for a $25 gift certificate from our sponsor The Fat Quarter Shop (www.fatquartershop.com)

 

 

 

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Thanks for visiting!