Finally feels a lot like Christmas around here...smile

Wow!  It's been a rough few weeks.  I've been under the weather a bit after returning from family in Oklahoma at Thanksgiving.  Why can't we make a national vote and spread this fabulous holidays out a few months!

Oh well, off my soap box for now.  We got rid of my 7 foot tree and have scaled back to a 4 foot one.  I still have the tree skirt for a big tree and I have an angel for a big tree.  I think I'll keep my tree skirt but, I need a new topper.  Don't you think?

We've also been snowed in here for a while and not even the snow can brighten the grey days of winter.  Oh well, these are great quilting days.  Hmmm...I just realized I'm working on a project that is taupe-grey, what's wrong with this picture?

Actually it's a project that includes embroidery.  The embroidery work "bleeds" onto the quilt blocks.  I've said it before, if you to want to renew your interest in quilting or any hobby, go back to what excited you when you first began.  I began my obsession while living in Houston from 1985 to 1996.  There of course is the Houston Quilt Festival where there are so many teachers available to the quilter.  I took a lot of classes.  As a child I was an embroiderer, so crazy quilting was what really lit my fire.  So, going back to it, even on a grey quilt project during the grey winter days lifts my spirits.

The Sing Off

The Reverend would be proud of the Christian singing group.  They make him sound so good.

The Sing Off

Here is group #2 that's giving the other group a run for the winning title.

The Sing Off

The pure voice doesn't get much better than this!  This program is new to me and I'm liking it.

Tammy Faye Quilting No More

Ah yes, my days of eyelashes on the back of my quilt using my Horizon are gone.  The thing to do is crank the tension to the maximum 9 and the top thread is not sucked to the back yeah!

Baby Monkey (Going Backwards On A Pig) - Parry Gripp

Chelsea's Raffle Quilt for the Geology Club

Yes, quilters are either generous or we have sucker written across our forehead and don't realize it.  Well, it's not really being a sucker if you love your daughter and want to help her succeed.  Which is the case for me and my 2nd DD, Chelsea.  She's working on her Master's Degree in Geology at New Mexico State University.  While at college it's important to get involved and Chelsea is trying to help earn some funds for the group.  So guess who she turns to for help in fund raising, her local quilter, me.

I chose this pattern, called Gems which is a no brainer pattern, the best for raffle quilts, most times.  But, it being a geology club, I chose fabric that had a certain stone like quality.  You know if you click on the pictures you can get a close up of the picture and you will see.  I'm liking the floating effect of the bright squares.

In order to make a quilt like this it is vital to have a design wall.  This is one I've had for a long time, it's flannel that's quilted in 2 inch squares.  It's really valuable when you make a watercolor quilt, but, I use it for designing anything.  Another design wall is using batting.  Pin it to the wall and the fabric pieces will stick to it for easy move around design.