Where did everybody go?

This is my last little quilt for this year's Simply Charming Every Other Month SAL. It seems that the participants have vanished into thin air. Never mind, I need closure (which is not evident if you peek in my UFO closet), so I am finishing up. When the SAL began, I went through the book and chose the 6 quilts I would make through the year. For December I chose to use the pattern named "Lucille's Sewing Basket." Yes, I switched it up a little, but stayed pretty true to the pattern.

 The basket blocks are 4" finished. They were all made using a holiday charm pack that had been gifted to me by DD#1. Though the quilts in the book are designed specifically around charm squares, this is the first time I have actually used a charm pack in making one of them. I wasn't going to use black sashing (it has been a frequent sight in my quilts lately), but it just insisted on happening. The setting triangles are from a Kansas Troubles holiday print that matched color-wise and theme-wise. I wanted to use a dark green, but didn't have enough of an appropriate shade. Maybe I can bind it in dark green--do you think? Whatever color I use, I think it needs a dark binding.

What is really fun about this little quilt is that I started the piecing with my new baby--as yet unnamed.

I have been trying to find a featherweight for a couple of years, and recently Kristie (CowgirlQuilter blog) offered to sell me this one. Isn't it sweet? DH bought it for my Christmas. The night it arrived I pulled out the parts that were cut and ready for this little quilt and did a bit of piecing. Then I carted it off the next day for a regular maintenance call, so it will be ready to go under the tree. Thanks, Kristie! I love it!!
And thanks to my friend, Annie M. (no blog) and her thoughtful and timely little gift package, I had a 1/4" foot, manual, bobbins and needles on hand. I was set to go!

How is everyone doing with finishing up their handcrafted gifts? After cutting it awfully close last year on getting three quilts ready as Christmas gifts, I was planning on a "no gift quilt" Christmas this year, with one exception. That exception is all ready to be bound.

I have said before that my mother gives me the scraps and leftover units from the quilts she makes. This quilt was made from some of those pieces. The quilt she created using these 9-patch blocks is currently hanging behind the sofa in her living room. It has a lovely appliqued border and is hand quilted. With the leftovers I have made her this table topper to go on her nearby dining table. The 9-patch center is just cross-hatch quilting, like her original (but mine isn't hand quilted), and there is NO APPLIQUE in the border of the one I made (big surprise there, right?). I did have fun feathering the border, though.

It will definitely be a white Christmas in my neck of the woods. I hope you have a lovely Christmas, whatever the color!

Until next time,
Janet O.