Iced in!

As you've probably heard, we have had an ice storm down here. Not a great deal of ice, but when it doesn't get above freezing for three days and the sun doesn't shine, the ice sticks around. The kids and hubby missed school Friday and Monday. We had pancakes for breakfast, went sledding (fun until our hands got wet and cold), drank hot chocolate (until we ran out of milk!), made cookies and salt dough ornaments, made a fake tree when we couldn't get our real one, watched Christmas movies, and had fires in the fireplace. It was fun, but if these guys don't go to school tomorrow, I'm not sure how these gifts will get done! :)

Modern Half-Square Triangle Quilt-a-Long Block 66

Welcome! If you are just joining us, information about materials can be found here, and here are the previous blocks: Block 1, Block 2, Block 3, Block 4, Block 5, Block 6, Block 7, Block 8, Block 9, Block 10, Block 11, Block 12, Block 13, Block 14, Block 15, Block 16, Block 17, Block 18, Block 19, Block 20, Block 21, Block 22, Block 23, Block 24, Block 25, Block 26, Block 27, Block 28, Block 29, Block 30, Block 31, Block 32, Block 33, Block 34, Block 35, Block 36, Block 37, Block 38, Block 39, Block 40, Block 41, Block 42, Block 43, Block 44, Block 45, Block 46, Block 47, Block 48, Block 49, Block 50, Block 51, Block 52, Block 53, Block 54, Block 55, Block 56, Block 57, Block 58, Block 59, Block 60, block 61, Block 62, Block 63, Block 64, Block 65. 

Materials:
8 3.5" squares of Color A
8 3.5" squares of Color B

*note* these are the essential materials for each block, so you can cut several blocks worth of fabric at once to save time!

Create your blocks, following the same procedure as last week. If you need help making your blocks, please see this post. You should end up with 16 2.5" squares. Ready to lay out your block? Here we go!

BLOCK 1

BLOCK 2

BLOCK 3

BLOCK 4

After you have sewn your squares into rows, press your seams. I like to press odd numbered rows to the left, and even to the right. It helps to use a small piece of paper to number your rows. I like the tiny post-it notes. 

After pressing, you are ready to sew your rows together! Pin, if necessary, but I find that these short rows don't require pinning.

Press one final time, and voila! Another finished block! Only 6 to go! Remember to add your blocks to our flickr group!

Please, if you have questions, email me at knitnlit AT gmail DOT com, or make sure you leave your email address in your comment. I've had several folks ask questions in the comments, but if you are a no-reply commenter, I can't email you back.

Seasonal Pillow Challenge

Our MQG did a seasonal pillow challenge as our last challenge of the year. I knew I wanted to make a Christmas pillow, but I also knew I didn't have a lot of time, since I had lots of other obligations! :)

I had just won a copy of Simply Modern Christmas, which has a great wreath table topper/wall quilt. (You can see it here.) I loved it, but at 26"x26" it was just too big for a pillow.

I cut up all my greens and white, sewed up a bunch of HSTs and started playing around with the layout. I thought this looked enough like a wreath to be seasonal! :) I quilted straight lines about 1/4" apart and I put in a hidden zipper in the back, which was WAY easier than I thought it would be, and looks so nice!

We don't have a lot of Christmas decor that is not up on shelves or toys, so I'm thinking I might need a few more pillows! And I found fabric to make myself a Christmas quilt, that has been waiting three years now! Maybe if I get everything done on my list.....

J is for Jungle

I was stuck on what to do for J for a long time. I finally came up with Jungle, and was going to make a skirt with panels of different animals. Then I remembered I had yardage of this print stashed, and that it would be much better!

I used the Oliver and S Class Picnic Blouse again. I didn't hem the bottom and cuffs as much as it calls for. I knew it would be roomy in the chest for her, and I wanted to leave enough length so that she could still wear it next fall. Her blouse from last fall is just now getting a bit too short for her.

She was a sad girl today - no school because of snow, so no J show and tell. :( Hopefully they will make it up with K show and tell next week!

WIP Wednesday

As if I didn't have enough other projects going on, I decided to make one more very special quilt this Christmas. I have everything cut out, now to have enough alone sewing time to get it done!

Working working working

I have been busy cutting stacks of fabric into pattern pieces for Christmas presents. There are about 50 things on my 'to-make' list. I have about 15 done. Based on the behavior of my children and the napping schedules, I may finish by Christmas 2016.

Modern Half-Square Triangle Quilt-a-Long Block 65

Welcome! If you are just joining us, information about materials can be found here, and here are the previous blocks: Block 1, Block 2, Block 3, Block 4, Block 5, Block 6, Block 7, Block 8, Block 9, Block 10, Block 11, Block 12, Block 13, Block 14, Block 15, Block 16, Block 17, Block 18, Block 19, Block 20, Block 21, Block 22, Block 23, Block 24, Block 25, Block 26, Block 27, Block 28, Block 29, Block 30, Block 31, Block 32, Block 33, Block 34, Block 35, Block 36, Block 37, Block 38, Block 39, Block 40, Block 41, Block 42, Block 43, Block 44, Block 45, Block 46, Block 47, Block 48, Block 49, Block 50, Block 51, Block 52, Block 53, Block 54, Block 55, Block 56, Block 57, Block 58, Block 59, Block 60, block 61, Block 62, Block 63, Block 64.

Materials:
8 3.5" squares of Color A
8 3.5" squares of Color B

*note* these are the essential materials for each block, so you can cut several blocks worth of fabric at once to save time!

Create your blocks, following the same procedure as last week. If you need help making your blocks, please see this post. You should end up with 16 2.5" squares. Ready to lay out your block? Here we go!

ROW 1

ROW 2 (sorry for the blur!)

ROW 3

ROW 4

After you have sewn your squares into rows, press your seams. I like to press odd numbered rows to the left, and even to the right. It helps to use a small piece of paper to number your rows. I like the tiny post-it notes. 

After pressing, you are ready to sew your rows together! Pin, if necessary, but I find that these short rows don't require pinning.

Press one final time, and voila! Another finished block! Only 7 to go! Remember to add your blocks to our flickr group!

Please, if you have questions, email me at knitnlit AT gmail DOT com, or make sure you leave your email address in your comment. I've had several folks ask questions in the comments, but if you are a no-reply commenter, I can't email you back.

December 1 - Christmas Jammies!

Every year I give the kids new Christmas jammies. I used to give them closer to Christmas, but now I like to give them early so they can wear them for the season.

I picked up this adorable flannel at JoAnn's a few months ago when it was on sale and I had a coupon. It is hard to see, but they have moose wearing scarves and hats. I hadn't used flannel for their jammies in several years, and I will be going back to it - they are so soft!



Their shirts were inspired by a Pinterest pin. I was a bit of a pain to cut out four sets of coal mouths, four sets of eyes and four noses (Henry has a pair too, but he was in bed when we took these pictures), and to applique them on, but they came out SO cute!

The kids were jumping up and down when they got them tonight - makes it all worth it!

Baby Perry

Several days ago I had a chance to test a pattern for Abby, who makes amazing softie patterns. 

He came together very quickly. I subbed flannel for his face instead of fleece, as I didn't have any 'flesh' colored fleece on hand. It was very easy to work with, and, I learned later, it was so much easier to transfer the face markings on flannel than it is on fleece. 

My kids LOVED him, so I knew I had to make some more! I had found some pink fleece at the store, so I used that for the others. It was a PITA to transfer the face markings onto the fleece, and as a result, I have some, well, interesting, looking babies. :) But I know the kids will love them anyway! 

You can get your pattern here! 

Diamond Oops!

I am so excited to have finished this quilt! I started it way back in the summer - I wanted to make a 'warm' quilt, so I pulled yellows, reds, oranges and hot pinks, and made HSTs with Kona Bone - it is a nice warm neutral.



It took a while to work on this with everything else going on this summer, but I finally got it quilted and bound. I LOVE it! There is one tiny mistake in it, but I think it adds to the charm. :)



I quilted it in straight lines around the large diamonds - I really like the way it came out. It is backed with a DS print I got on sale at JoAnn's last fall, and bound in Kona Pomenegrante.

Happy Thanksgiving!

So very much to be thankful for this year!

Flea Market Fancy Windmills

I am really happy with the way this quilt turned out! I had been wanting to try this arrangement of HSTs, and I wanted to make a quilt out of the Flea Market Fancy reprint - perfect match!



I used Kona White for the background. I quilted around the edges of the 'windmills.'



I bound it with a JoAnn's DS print I got last fall, and bound it in the tiny pink dots from the FMF reprint. I really don't need another quilt, but I'm not sure I can get rid of this one! :)

Let's make a deal!

We had a swap at our last FWMQG meeting-we brought fabrics, books, rulers, notions, that we no longer loved, and swapped them for new shiny things! I was excited to trade some books that I didn't love, a rotary blade that I accidentally purchased in the wrong size and a yard of fabric I never saw myself using. I brought home all of these goodies! We all enjoyed our swap and are planning another in the spring!

Modern Half-Square Triangle Quilt-a-Long Block 64

Welcome! If you are just joining us, information about materials can be found here, and here are the previous blocks: Block 1, Block 2, Block 3, Block 4, Block 5, Block 6, Block 7, Block 8, Block 9, Block 10, Block 11, Block 12, Block 13, Block 14, Block 15, Block 16, Block 17, Block 18, Block 19, Block 20, Block 21, Block 22, Block 23, Block 24, Block 25, Block 26, Block 27, Block 28, Block 29, Block 30, Block 31, Block 32, Block 33, Block 34, Block 35, Block 36, Block 37, Block 38, Block 39, Block 40, Block 41, Block 42, Block 43, Block 44, Block 45, Block 46, Block 47, Block 48, Block 49, Block 50, Block 51, Block 52, Block 53, Block 54, Block 55, Block 56, Block 57, Block 58, Block 59, Block 60, block 61, Block 62, Block 63.

Materials:
8 3.5" squares of Color A
8 3.5" squares of Color B

*note* these are the essential materials for each block, so you can cut several blocks worth of fabric at once to save time!

Create your blocks, following the same procedure as last week. If you need help making your blocks, please see this post. You should end up with 16 2.5" squares. Ready to lay out your block? Here we go!

ROW 1

ROW 2

ROW 3

ROW 4

After you have sewn your squares into rows, press your seams. I like to press odd numbered rows to the left, and even to the right. It helps to use a small piece of paper to number your rows. I like the tiny post-it notes. 

After pressing, you are ready to sew your rows together! Pin, if necessary, but I find that these short rows don't require pinning.

Press one final time, and voila! Another finished block! Only 8 to go! Remember to add your blocks to our flickr group!

Please, if you have questions, email me at knitnlit AT gmail DOT com, or make sure you leave your email address in your comment. I've had several folks ask questions in the comments, but if you are a no-reply commenter, I can't email you back.