15 Minute Challenge - November 27th

One day back at work and an evening of helping Drama Teen with her science fair project pretty much wiped out the relaxed haze from the Thanksgiving weekend.  Now it's back to business as usual, except now there is also stuff that has to be done to get ready for the Christmas holiday.  I enjoy getting ready for Christmas, I just wish there was more time to fit it all in.   Thankfully most of the family shopping is done and all I need to do is get a few things for My Guy and DT. 

The Thanksgiving holiday was absolutely perfect for sitting down with some thread and an embroidery hoop.  I did get a few hours to work on the sewing machine, but most of last week was spent working on a embroidered panel which will be the center of a medallion quilt when it's finished. 

I made good use of my Thanksgiving break, working on quilt related projects for 6 out of the last 7 days.  Wednesday was spent baking and making other preparations for the holiday.  Even so it was a really good week.  I need a few more of those over the next couple of months as there are projects for DT's middle school teachers that need to be done by next May.  That will be here before I know it. 

I'm not working on any projects as Christmas gifts, so I'm not working under any immediate deadlines.  How about you?  Are you trying to finish up a few Christmas gifts?  Are you finding/making 15 minutes a day to make some progress?  Link up and share how your Christmas sewing is going. 

1. Lesley 2. Kate

3. Thea 4. Amanda

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Design Wall Monday - November 26th

Not a lot of changes to the design wall this week.  There simply wasn't a lot of time to do much sewing with all the baking and visiting going on last week.  A bit of progress was made on Evening Star.

Evening Star Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

A few more blocks were added to this month's UFO project, Scrappy Stars.



Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

Not sure how much progress there will be on any projects over the next few weeks.  Christmas preparations will get underway in earnst next weekend, so there won't be as much time to sew as there usually is.   

Linking up with Judy over at Patchwork Times this week.  I hope to take a peek at what is up on everyone's design walls later today. 

Stash Report - November 25th

Well, I'm in the same boat as Judy at Patchwork Times this week.  Too much cleaning and cooking needed to get done, plus a lot of good family visiting went on this week.  So not much going out this week.  On the other hand, what was ordered last week showed up on the doorstep this week. 

The green and black dot are stash builders, the floral print was ordered as a potential quilt back. 

I just loved the bright colors in these two.  No plans for any of the above, but it was all on sale.  So it seemed wise to add a few pieces to the retirement stash. 

Here's the damage done:

Used last week: 0.35 yards
Added last week: 12.5 yards

Used for 2012:  37 yards
Added for 2012:  337.88 yards

Net stashed for 2012:  300.88 yards

Linking up with Patchwork Times weekly stash report.  Check out all the links to see who shopped and who sewed this weekend. 

Slow Stitching Sunday - Progress At Last

We've been hanging out with family since Thursday.  The sewing machine doesn't fit real well on the couch, so the embroidery gets pulled out for "visitation" time.  We did a lot of visiting, so I made a lot of progress on the Embroidered Medallion Quilt.

Not the best picture, but I didn't have a lot of choice on the lighting.  The last time there was a post on this project was at the end of September.  I had not worked on in it much since then, so most of what's shown has been stitched over this weekend.  I always forget how enjoyable and relaxing embroidery is.  I really should find a way to work more in during a typical week, like maybe on those evenings the sewing room is just too far to walk to. 

I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts this week.  Grab a cup of coffee and check out all the amazing hand crafting posted there. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge-Back in Black

I've eaten, I've stitched, today I'll shop.  Not a bad Thanksgiving weekend.  My Guy's flight got in right on time last Wednesday, so he did make it home to celebrate Thanksgiving with the rest of us.  He's back on the road Monday for another week, so I'm enjoying his company while I can. 

This is the last Saturday in November, so it's the last chance for "shades of gray" blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Block three using that color scheme was finished last week. 

Block pattern from Janet McCarroll
publised in Block Magic Too
by Nancy Johnson-Srebro

The bright colors in the print really help keep the black from looking too dark up on the design wall.  I've always loved this fabric, I have yards of it left just waiting for a special project.  I should audition it as a border for this quilt.  I still need 6 cups to finish out the layout I had planned.  I've picked out the fabric for those and actually have one almost assembled.  I hope to finish those up this month, then spend December assembling the top. 

I've already been scheming for next year's challenge.  I've got a couple of ideas I'm playing with.  One is this project. 

This is a real rough layout, but the basic idea is there. This butterfly block has been on my bucket list for years.  I've also been playing with the idea of doing houses and or hot air balloons (also blocks that are on my bucket list), but haven't done any playing in EQ with those two motifs.  There's still time to pick one and change my mind a few times.

Check out all the other cool uses for the color gray over at Soscrappy.