Saturday, January 23, 2016

Sundry Things

Just dabbling in this and that when I have a minute. Seems I can't focus lately.
This is something I have been wanting to make for a long time. Prepped the wool one evening and have been stitching in spare moments. Just have to finish going around the trees and then stitch it to the backing.
Designed by Lisa Bongean, this little mat is cut from a 12" square of wool. This blue wool came from a pair of slacks at a local thrift store. A lucky find.
The pattern is named Snowy Gathering, and is found in the Winter 2013 issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects.
One of these days I might do a "snowman only" post. Can't believe how many of them I have stitched.


Before the holidays I had cut a bunch of purple and neutral scraps into HSTs for a long overdue project. Life got in the way and I didn't get anything finished as planned. So I stitched them together as leader/enders over the past few weeks. I toyed with different settings, but finally settled on these stars, that will finish at 3". The size of star was determined by the size of triangles I could cut from the scraps on hand.


The blocks for my youngest son's college T-shirt quilt all need coping strips in order to get them to a uniform size. Not my favorite task, so I am forcing myself to border a few blocks when I have a rare day at home. Ten down, twenty more to go!

It seems that when there is no holiday imminent, I don't have a non-seasonal runner for my hutch--at least not one I like.
So I grabbed a couple of Kansas Troubles mini charm packs, and some KT scraps, pulled out my trusty 2 1/2" tumbler template from MSQC, and went to town cutting tumblers. Kind of went overboard and cut many more than I will need. 


Fun mail from New England, lately. I won a giveaway on Vic's blog and received these wonderful FQs, and a couple of her delightful, handmade lavender sachets. And Grace sent this fun quilt block calendar that is now hanging in my sewing room. I have had the delightful opportunity to meet both of these bloggers while in NH and I consider them good friends. Thanks, ladies!


I'll finish with this shot from my sewing room window. Love it when the sunset makes it look as if there is fire on the mountains.
Until next time, when maybe I will have finished something--anything!!
Janet O.

37 comments:

  1. Finding focus after the holidays does seem to be a common malady, I know too well exactly what you mean. Your purple and neutral stars are so sweet, I imagine about like your post-fiery sunset sky outside your window. You have the most majestic view right outside your sewing room! Glad that nobody has asked for a t-shirt quilt, I don't think they know about them and I'd just as soon keep it that way, lol!

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  2. You always have such wonderful projects! Love those snowmen and star blocks and tumblers and everything!

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  3. When I first saw the picture of the snowman mat in 2 sizes I thought you had made momma bear and baby bear sizes. Typical Janet I thought --- until I realized the small one was the pattern. My bad!! Love the "fire mountain" shot. That would be fantastic as a pano print over the couch.

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  4. So glad that you liked the prize winning Fat Quarters and the little French Lavender sachets. Your mini KT tumblers look so pretty!

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  5. I would love to put a few of your tumblers in my tumbler quilt. I have 10 more rows to go and I need a few single fillers. I have no dignity!

    I made a couple wool projects and love them. Your snowman one is a keeper! Wool slacks? I don't think I'll find any of those in North Carolin.

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  6. i saw the snowman piece and thought i might make it in cottons...it is a cute holiday piece! and love your little purple scrappy blocks...glad you have found time to relax and sew...it is a balm indeed!

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  7. I love seeing all the projects you are working on. I really love the snow men. Hugs

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  8. I always look forward to and enjoy your posts but this time you have exceeded yourself. Those scrappy purple stars are truly gorgeous. Oh how I would love to have a handful of those scraps in my stash. Your stars look amazing.

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  9. Fun projects at hand! I love the snowman and the tumblers especially. Great idea using the mini charms. You show such a gorgeous view of your mountains!

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  10. You have some wonderful projects on the go...and I predict a finish in the very near future! Yes, the is nothing like a finish!

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  11. No doubt you're a busy quilter ! And I love that !
    I especially love your scrap quilt with the thimble pattern ! Lovely !
    I wish you a nice Sunday !

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  12. I can't remember if I ever told you this, but hubby has designed tee shirts for the Antelope by Moonlight bike ride for the last 20+ years - and he owns a pristine shirt of each design. Someday, when he's done with all that, he wants me to make a quilt out of all those. It'll be very tricky because there has been no consistency to the designs - color-wise or theme-wise - yikes! I love the purple stars you're working on. and tumblers are always a winning design in my book. I dare you to show us ALL your snowman projects! LOL

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  13. Happy to see you got some stitching in. The wooly snowmen are sew cute. I have some of my Neices daughter's T-shirts to cut up for a quilt. I tell her in my spare time, hahaha! Nice FQ win!

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  14. You are keeping busy with all your projecs on the go, great find with the wool background - it's a perfect colour for those cute snowmen. Those stars will be cute, finished at 3" I see you are keeping to form :-) Love your last photot - beautiful (and chilly looking)!

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  15. Fun, fun projects!!! I am loving your woolie pieces, just so pretty!

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  16. I always love seeing what you're working on. I love the fact that the size of your blocks were determined by the size of your scraps. :0) The sunset certainly looks like "raining fire in the sky". (John Denver's Rocky Mountain High). Have a wonderful week.

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  17. Such sweet purple stars, love them. The tumbler block is a good idea for the little charm packs. What a great photo, idyllic scenery, definitely calendar worthy! Well except you got a great quilting calendar and can just look out the window for a great view!

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  18. I have made that little snowman penny rug. It is so cute and looks great on a table in our family room throughout the winter with a candle on it. Enjoy making it! It is very sweet!

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  19. Oh I am in dreamy heaven looking at your snow capped mountains! I never grow tried of that view! Loving the snowman mat too, I might just have to make one for myself, being a snowman fan and collector it only seems right!

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  20. Love your little purple stars! Can hardly wait to see what you do with them. I've never seen a quilt calendar like that one. Who published it? May have to look for one next year.

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    1. Tina, I don't know if you will come back here to see this, but you are set as a "no reply" blogger and I can't respond to you directly. The Calendar appears to be published by Andrews McMeel publishing.

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  21. You do have a pretty amazing view! I really like that quilt block calendar. You have many projects going and I love them.

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  22. Love the title of your post! Nothing wrong with variety :)

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  23. Your snowman piece is adorable. Do you have any info. on where the calendar was purchased? I really like it! Thanks.

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    1. Like Tina, you are set as a "no reply" blogger, so I cannot respond personally. I have no idea where the calendar was purchased, but it is called "A Quilt Block Every Day", by Debbie Kratovil. Publisher's name is in my response to Tina, above.

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  24. what a gorgeous sunset photo! wow that is an incredible view.
    Your snowman mat is adorable and the tumblers look great.
    The Tshirt quilt will be so special. I know what it is like to force myself - not fun, but you'll get in the groove and it will be so worth it. I still have my son's running shirts in the attic for someday.....

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  25. The snowman mat is adorable. I love the shade of the blue background. Your tumbler cuts look great. Sometimes it's just fun to do something there's no deadline for - enjoy. The tee shirt blocks look great. I have never made a tee shirt quilt but I know it's trickier than it looks. I, too, am working on a project I have little enthusiasm for. I hope to get the quilting done this week. Then I can work on something that will bring a smile to my face.

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  26. I find it hard to concentrate in the wintertime. I seem to just want to hibernate, mentally as well as physically! And with a view like that, WOW - I'd never be able to leave my window! I'd be permanently stuck to a chair with my quilt and a cup of tea, staring at such gorgeousness LOL!!! And speaking of gorgeous ... That piece of blue wool!!! I love snowmen too, but I bet you've got a lot more of them than I do. I'd love to see them all in a post sometime! The t-shirt quilt is coming along - they are a labor of love but such a treasure.

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  27. What a view! I think it would be hard for me to concentrate after seeing that in the morning. Good for you for making a t-shirt quilt for your son. I have made more than I'd like to remember and I am with you when you say they are not your favorite to make. He will surely appreciate it. I adore the tumblers.

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  28. Cute snowmen and what a great wool find - I love the color. Your purple stars are pretty - isn't it amazing what you can accomplish with leaders/enders? I have a bazillion T-shirts that my mom wants made into a quilt - can I send them to you? Lol! Not my favorite thing to make. The tumblers sure are a great way to use charm packs. Another beautiful postcard...you must have a great source - hahahahaha

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  29. Love the wool snowmen...I love all of your wool projects that you do :)
    And I think I am in love with your neutral/purple stars!!! Such a simple but beautiful combo.
    I'm excited to see your hutch runner when it's all done :)
    Cool calendar!

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  30. I love the snowman candle mat! I might have that issue of Primitive Quilts - I'll have to hunt for it. That would be fun to make. Isn't it fun to get wool from thrift shops? I've gotten some good deals that way. Your gifts are lovely!

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  31. Your landscape is so incredibly inspirational! And speaking of inspiring... stopping by to see what you're working on is always that and more! I love the wool applique and the tumblers minis. The T-shirt quilt will be a treasure forever. Your gifts are lovely, I do love that calendar from Grace and Vic's scraps are simply wonderful too; lucky you!

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  32. Hi Janet, been out of touch for a bit. Ran into some PC problems. The age of my pc was old !! So I bit the bullet and purchased a new one. Being it was windows 10, I had to learn new things again. Sure is rough when one's age can't comprehend the new technology. I have been busy making memory pillows from shirts. My next order is to make one out of a T Shirt. Not to happy about this one. Knit just doesn't want to operate. I think I will have to use a light weight stabilizer? Great luck on your gifts
    Your photos of your views are awesome. Hang tight

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  33. Seems to me that I made one of the wool snowman mats quite some time ago. A gift if I remember correctly. A good design.

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  34. Janet, even your unfinished projects are so impressive!! Love what you do!! And the view?? I don't see how you get to focus on sewing!!

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  35. Very glad the view isn't fire on the other side of the mountains. We think the same looking your way! Fantastic projects. Tumbler table runner is really special.

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