The Snowman Post

Last year I threatened to do a snowman post one day, and it looks like this is it. The weather is appropriate (several days of snow in our forecast). All but one of the chilly guys are wool.


Four years ago this month I took my first wool class. Lisa Bongean taught wool applique at the little shop over the mountain. We used one of the snowman blocks from her Warm Winter Blessings pattern. Not only was this my first wool experience, it was my first snowman as well. I was hooked (but I still haven't done anything with this particular block--I can't even find it).


 





Using the same snowman pattern, and a table runner pattern from Primitive Gatherings, I cobbled together this little snowman wall hanging.




Eventually I did make the whole Warm Winter Blessings, in the mini size, of course.

I had made one other block in the full size before switching to the mini. As you can see here, I turned that one into a pillow.


Other Primitive Gatherings snowman projects include this little candle mat, from an issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects a few years ago, which  can now be found on the Primitive Gatherings website as  Snowy Gathering.













And there is this larger candle mat, Winter Cabin, that I made in a class with Lisa at our state guild Quiltfest in 2015.




















With Karen's help, I began making the 2015 Attic Heirloom ornaments of the month a couple of years ago. The first one was a snowman. I loved the little designs, but didn't like making them into the ornaments after stitching the design. So I gifted this one, and then started over again.







I made them into little quilt blocks, and after making 9 of them (3 snowmen) I decided I liked it as it was.


 Snowball, from HeartToHand was finished up last year at this time.

Looks about the same outside right now as it did then, but I think we have more snow this year.

This jolly fellow was an adaptation of a  patterned offered by Stacy at Buttermilk Basin a year or two ago. I used him to replace her last block in her free BOM last year. All of the blocks are finished, but I haven't decided if I will set them all together, or make small holiday banners with the holiday themed ones and put the others together into a smaller wall hanging.

The only snowman left is NOT wool. He is paper pieced from a free Carol Doak pattern. I reduced it a little (of course).
I made the nose on this little guy a bit too big. Maybe I should name him Jimmy Durante. : )


 





Have you built any snowmen lately? If you'd like to make these snowmen, say so in a comment and I will choose a name by my next post.
Until next time,
Janet O.

 

Not as bad as I thought it would be.

Things never do seem to be as hard to quilt as I expect them to be--once I can finally decide what to quilt. So why do I not learn that lesson once and for all?

Mini Warm Winter Blessings is completed and I am so happy to have it finished.

Had to hang it in my sewing room for a photo, even though it is rather out of season.

I bought the kit at a workshop with Lisa Bongean in January of 2013.  The top did not get made until January 2015. If I had never seen Linda Hrcka's quilting on Lisa's original I may not have been so hesitant to begin the quilting. I pinned Linda's work and pondered it multiple times. What I did here  is not an exact copy, but it is definitely inspired by her work.

Each snowman background is a little different. Here is a peek at a few of them. You can click for a closer view.

Of course, I feathered the border.

This shows you a comparison between the large size quilt block (which I made into a pillow) and the mini quilt.

 

I will end with my new favorite thing in my sewing room--my new Ott-Lite over my cutting table. I LOVE it!!

The bright LED ring of light shines over the whole table area, and the hinged neck allows me to raise, lower and angle it as needed.

While the Ott-lites are 50% at Jo~Ann next week I am taking DH in on Wednesday when they have a senior discount day with another 20% off your purchase. I'm going to have him purchase another one for my quilting table (I don't quite qualify as a senior). Doesn't that sound like a fun date? : )

Until next time,

Janet O.