The Reason for the Season

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The First Gift

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Light the World

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I'm just a little bit ecstatic now I didn't sell more than one table topper during my first out-of-office (and possibly last) craft fair a couple of weeks ago. Because I'd had trouble with my domestic sewing machine and because I was running out of time, I didn't have time to finish all my table toppers, and I didn't have time to embellish the ones I did finish.

Last weekend, I had time. YAY!!!

I think the appliqués add SO much to the design, as well as sentimental value.

To me now, these are true keepsakes.

I'm not sure "cute" would be good SEO (search engine optimization) if I list any of these in my Etsy shop, but I sure think they are super cute now, especially the pink one.

I have so many more ideas I want to try for table toppers, but I have to finish two more existing table toppers and a few more WIPs first.

Table toppers give me good motivation to finish. They don't take near as long as bed-sized quilts! Or near as much batting!!!

Plus, when they don't sell, they make terrific last-minute Christmas gifts!!!

Linking up with Alycia Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Decked

I was late getting my amaryllis bulbs into the basement this year, so I didn't think I'd have any blooms until February or so. However, I received a wonderful new bulb as a gift, and it has begun forming my first blossom of the 22-23 season!

All its cousins have been moved up from the basement now, and hopefully I will have quite the show to share in a couple of months.

p> We also received our first poinsettia. I've been able to take home many from the office over the years, but none have survived more than a couple of years.

p> Our Christmas cacti have already done their thing.

My little artificial tree I've used for craft fairs over the past many years won't light up anymore, but it is covered with my homemade snowflakes.

Stockings have been hung.

p> Another wonderful gift I received this year is an advent calendar. All the days we've read so far are hanging over the door. This year's Christmas cards are beging added as they are received.

I can't go without Christmas lights. So my little nativity is brightening our evenings again, reminding us of the reason for the season.

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Snowflake Monday

I have been experiencing severe snowflake withdrawals. Not the crocheted kind, of course. I miss real snowflakes! It seems everyone is getting them but us!!! Our last storm dissipated as it slammed up against the Rockies, then reformed with a vengeance just east of us and delivered quite the winter gut punch to the rest of the country as it moved eastward, thanks to the trampoline-hurling wind. And now, our next storm is forecast for Thursday, and looks like it's going to do the very same thing, although with MUCH colder temperatures.

I didn't have a chance to pin and shape this snowflake in time for today's pattern, but guess what??? It doesn't look bad unstiffened. I was even tempted to add it to my Moda Blockheads II quilt project instead of stiffening it. Yet, I wanted to see how it would look once pinned, too. I'll add aanother photo of the truly finished flake as soon as it dries. (And I may just whip up another sample tonight for my snowflake quilt!) Kinda cool how it almost looks like a completely different snowflake once shaped.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 3 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Withdrawals Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [3 sc in ring, ch 3, 1 pc in ring, ch 3] 3 times, omitting last 3 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in starting sc to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [in next ch 3 sp work (1 dc, ch 5, 1 dc)] 5 times; 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of tr directly below, [in next ch 5 tip work (3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc)] 5 times; 3 dc in next ch 5 tip, ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: 5 sc over post of tr directly below, [ch 5, in next ch 5 tip work (5 sc, ch 3, 5 sc] 5 times; ch 5, 5 sc in next ch 5 tip, ch 3, sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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All I Want for Christmas...

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FIL Christmas Gift

(affiliate links to my fabric designs)

The pin quilt my father-in-law helped me design is done!

My little domestic sewing machine had to be adjusted; the timing was off, and it was making rat nests on the bottom of any thick seam. Now that it's working again, I was able to polish off my latest Spoonflower panel.

My father-in-law requested a string on each corner hang his pin quilt. I couldn't visualize what he wanted until I did a Google search. Oh, duh! He wants a dowel with a string on both ends.

I made a 22-inch chain using five of my crochet thread colors. We will have to buy and then cut a dowel this weekend; the only apparatus even close to a dowel at my house are knitting needles, and I'm not willing to give up any of them.

The buttonhole was a bear; I guess I haven't made a buttonhole since my 1982 Viking Husqvarna bit the dust. The manual for the Brother Project Runway said to dial (with a rotary dial) in the buttonhole setting, and this machine has no such dial. Easy fix; just punch in the desired numbers. But the rest of the instructions were equally as archaic, and it took me a while to translate them. I finally was able to watch a Brother video on YouTube to figure out how to make the buttonhole my father-in-law requested, and now I know how to work the buttonholer.

I thought the backing fabric I picked from my stash would be cute for the tabs on top, but once I finished, I didn't like them at all. So I did a rather unorthodox fix. I taped both sides of the pin quilt and spray pained the tabs. It's not perfect, but it looks better, in my opinion.

I don't know if I will be able to finish my mother-in-law's quilt from the fabric I bought to teach her how to quilt last year (she decided she doesn't want to learn to quilt) in time for Christmas, so it may have to be a Mother's Day gift. She asked for one of my calendars in a custom size, and that's done, so she won't be giftless. And I think I can finally take a deep breath and slow down a bit now!

Linking up with Alycia Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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