Tryouts on the design wall, a winner, and many thanks!

This looks terrible when I look closely--threads hanging,
the inner plaid border strips are so crooked--I promise
it will look better when I sew it all together. 

The red border won hands down on the "two cents" poll for my little baskets. I auditioned it and found when it was all the way around the quilt it seemed to smother the baskets. I thought it had looked good, too, when it was just down the one side. I tried other options and the suggestion that came from my daughter's comment to use three borders ended up looking best to me. Thanks, Aimee, and thanks for everyone's input. I really feel like the brainstorming via blog is helpful to get a different perspective on something when you are stuck.
I tried colored cornerstones on those bare corners in the above photo, but didn't like that look for this quilt. I think when the center is all sewn together the quilt will end up small enough that these pieces will fit. I don't have enough of any of the other tan/gold fabrics, so I will "make do."

I did have enough HSTs left from this little quilt to make a very small piece. I adapted the idea from the Baby Basket quilt Kathie linked us to recently. I had to "make do" even more on this one--the basket is not the one in the pattern (though it is the same size), and I had to do the borders a little differently, but I wouldn't have thought of this without that pattern. Thanks, Kathie!

Another little basket quilt got a border tryout on the design wall. Of my four Temecula Blessings Baskets mini quilts, this is the only one that is all assembled--except for the borders, which are just stuck to the wall. I decided I needed a border on it that would link the center basket, since it was brighter than everything else (and more wonky, too, if you want to get technical. I lost so many points on these baskets, as others have done before me, I should name this one "Pointless"). The light border is the same fabric as the center basket, but it appears darker to me in the border strips. I think I am going to use it, unless someone has a better idea.

Finally, I did get the plaid set of the latest "Barrister's Blocks" made. I'll have to do some catching up on my Christmas set. Thanks to Randy for all the work she puts in to this!

I think I am liking the blue/green one best of this group. I just got that teal colored shirt last week. Speaking of which, have you seen Bonnie's video of taking a shirt apart. I thought I knew how to do that but I admit, she has some slick tricks to make it go even faster. It was kind of fun to watch. Thanks, Bonnie!

The winner of the pattern giveaway is Mavis, a very creative quilter. She has been contacted by email. Thanks to all who participated. We'll have to do it again sometime. 

I finally got my herbal soap made this week, so maybe I will be throwing some of it in with my next giveaway. I will have been blogging for one year come the middle of May, so there should be some kind of hoopla involved (definition of hoopla; unnecessary fuss. That sums it up.)!

Okay, enough already! Until next time,
Janet O.

Angels we have...had in our stash for a long time!

I went 10 whole days without touching my sewing machine, other than to tack down a belt loop on my son's slacks. When I finally did sit down to sew it was to stitch binding to the secret Christmas gift quilt. As I have said before, I am THE WORLD'S SLOWEST BINDER, a title I wear with consternation. I spent hours yesterday doing the hand sewing and I am not even half way through binding the queen size quilt.
So tonight I rebelled! I needed to do something that called for a creative effort. I rummaged around and found some Christmas fabric that I think I bought over 15 years ago (anyone recognize the Brannock and Patek angel fabric--copyright date 1995? I still have a couple of yards of it).

The colors on this look dark, but they are pretty true. I had to take several
photos to get one that stayed this close to the actual fabric colors.

 I just started playing with it, having no specific pattern in mind. Then I decided to do 9-patch and snowball blocks. When I realized the gold corners on the snowballs were creating a star effect--kind of a "Sister's Choice" look--I decided to carry the gold corners into the red border and eventually had this little table topper. That makes two table toppers that are ready for FMQ. I just need to figure out a quilting design, gather my courage and go for it.
I've made no progress on my Rocky Mountain Christmas Quilt. I've been doing too much of this...

One of two baskets filled with gift bags of my herbal soap, ready for delivery!

and this...

Holiday shortbread, plain and jam-filled, being plated up for friends. I
have six holiday shortbread pans, and with three ovens at my house, I
can bake up quite a bit in a short amount of time.

along with delivering the goodies, attending choir practices for the Christmas Cantata at church Christmas Day, shopping, decorating, and all the other things all of you are trying to keep up with, too. When I think about it, to me the biggest mystery currently in the quilting world is how any of you are keeping up with Bonnie's mystery quilt. Yet blog after blog I see the evidence of the QSTs, HSTs, and string blocks accumulating on your sewing tables--some in neat little baskets (you know who you are), some in orderly stacks, and others haphazardly piled in a semblance of organization. I commend you all and stand in awe.
Christmas may bring with it a hectic pace and a stressfully long "to do" list, but I am loving the holiday music (the old standards are my favorites) and movies (again, I lean toward the black and white classics), the lights and Nativity displays, the festive foods and atmosphere of good will. It will be over all too soon. I want to relish it while I can. I think I'll go put in another Christmas movie and pick up where I left off on that quilt binding.
Until next time, from the little mountain valley where we are hoping for a white Christmas,
Janet O.