Wallowing in Wool

Since returning from Winter Retreat with Miss Stacy of Buttermilk Basin earlier in January, I have done little besides wool projects. This wool heart that was the project for our final day with Miss Stacy is ready to be stitched into a pillow. The pattern for this can be purchased here.

The picnic basket topper (which I will be making into a wall hanging), just needs the feather stitch around the scallops and it will be ready for finishing. Link for ordering this pattern here.

I had never done the feather stitch until these two projects and I am very insecure with it. You can see my cheat sheet above. I'm not sure I am ready to go around the scallops. The bird's wings were shaky enough.

Miss Stacy is sponsoring a free BOM mystery quilt (you know, those things I am NOT doing this year?) on her blog. I have January's block ready to blanket stitch. I don't consider this a "true" mystery because you can see what the block looks like before you start--and I love it. I have no excuses for the fact that it is a BOM SAL.

Find this block pattern here.

 My Warm Winter Blessings mini is all ready to be basted and quilted, except I am not ready to quilt it. After seeing how Linda Hrcka quilted Lisa's original, it is hard to want to tackle it.
I made my borders on this a little narrower so that it will fit in the only place I have in which it can hang. I worded that very carefully in case my mother ever reads it. She was an English major. : )

This photo on the left shows you the difference in block size between the mini quilt and the full size quilt. I've got the single full sized block ready now to make into a pillow.

 The blanket stitching and decorative stitching are completed on my snowlamb. I will quilt it the same way I have all of the other "Lamb for All Seasons" quilts I have made.

 

As always, this free pattern can be found here. I just adapt it for each holiday or season.

And the last little bit of wool is this cute snowman ornament from Attic Heirlooms January Ornament of the Month. I have just fused it all together and started stitching on the face. (It looks like I stabbed him near the heart with my needle, but that was not my intention. :)

Like I said, I have been wallowing in wool!
Maybe in February I will actually get some piecing and quilting done--maybe.
Until next time,
Janet O.

In the Meadow We Can Build A Snowman (or bunches of them)!

Two years ago I got the kit for Lisa Bongean's Mini Warm Winter Blessings. After returning from my Winter Retreat earlier this month where we worked on two wool projects I asked myself why I hadn't stitched up this kit yet. So I have worked on it most evenings of late.

The blocks finish up at 4"x5 1/2".

I just need to sew the rows together, add the two borders and this will be ready to baste and quilt!

I ordered this kit when I attended Winter Retreat in January of 2013 with Lisa Bongean. It was my first experience with Wool applique and I learned from the master. Our project was actually two blocks from the larger version of Warm Winter Blessings, but I realized I wouldn't have anywhere to display a quilt that size, so after making those blocks I stopped and waited for the motivation to make the mini version.

This is one of the larger blocks I had made. I'm turning it into a pillow.

                         Continuing with the snowman theme, I made a new little ornament.

This is a free paper pieced pattern from Carol Doak's website that I reduced. DD#1 sent me this cool winter tree ornament and I made the snowman to go with it. I may make another one and face it in the opposite direction. You can click the photos to get a better view.





I don't have another snowman, but what about a snow-lamb?

My winter Lamb for All Seasons is ready for the wool to be stitched down. I am trying to decide how to embellish it a little more. If this is your first visit, this is based on Lisa Bongean's free pattern Old Glory Gatherings. This is the sixth lamb I have made for this series.

If you missed my last post I want to make sure you get the word. This beautiful snowflake pattern from last year's Row By Row Experience is now available on the designer's Etsy and Craftsy pages, as a  digital download for only $3.50.

Okay, let's get down to the winners of the drawing.
Karen Beigh (Log Cabin Quilter blog) is the happy winner of the 12 banner patterns.

Nancy Ratliff (Tattered Garden Quilting blog) is the runner up and will receive 3 other Buttermilk Basin patterns.
Congrats to the two of you, and thank you to Miss Stacy from Buttermilk Basin for contributing the banner patterns for this giveaway!!

This time around I got more "no reply" comments than ever before. If you find your profile name below then your profile settings do not allow anyone to respond to you when you leave comments on their blogs. You can change the settings and if you want help, let me know (making sure your email address is included) and I will link you to some good instructions.
Quilting by the Lake
Gale C.
Beth Barron
Sue in Oregon
Rhonda Knutsen
Lorraine
Lana Cadwallader
Melissa Horne
Quilter Kim
Candee
Elley Z
Sonja Mclane

Until next time,
Janet O.