Free Block of the Month: January Blocks and Calendar Holder

Here it is 2012's Block of the Month! First a little information about the blocks.  I designed the blocks as calendar blocks so each block reflects a theme for the month. The blocks are designed to be 14 inches square if bound and used as stand alone blocks on your calendar holder. If you would like to use them as part of a quilt, they will finish at 13 1/2 inches. Each month will include instructions for a traditional pieced block and a foundation pieced block. Please be sure to make sure that you don't scale down when you print out the foundations. The calendar holder will hold a finished block and paper calendar up to 14 inches wide and 12 1/2 inches long. So without further ado here are January's blocks and the calendar holder. Just click on the red print, it will take you to a Google document. Click on the download original button and it will download a PDF to your computer.

These are the blocks I made.

I will be setting up a flicker group where you can share you versions of the blocks. I hope you like and use these blocks!

A Couple of Quilts I Couldn't Show Before, Etc.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We certain did around here. 

I thought I'd show you a couple of quilts that I made as gifts. The first is for my oldest son and his wife. It is a cuddly lap quilt with a cozy flannel back. It's a Moda Bake Shop pattern called Sugar Pop N Change Quilt by Melissa Corry. I added another row to make it longer and some corner squares to the sashing. It was great fun to make and I'm pleased with the results. The fabric is from Connecting Threads.

 The second quilt is a free pattern from Hoffman called Go With the Flow by Stephanie Prescott. Again I made some changes. The original is made with some watery looking batiks. I wanted a more bold, graphic look. This quilt is for my second son and his wife and is intended to hang on the wall behind their sofa. They seemed very happy with it.

 I have been thinking back about the quilt projects I've worked on this year and the one I'm the most proud of I haven't mentioned much on this blog. This past year I designed and wrote the instructions for 25 blocks for our guild's block of the month. It was fun as well as completely challenging. I have decided to share them with you also. So starting in the next couple of days I will post instructions for two blocks a month except for the month that Easter falls in. That month gets a bonus block. The blocks are designs as calendar blocks and can be used as either a stand alone block to attach to a calendar(I will provide instructions for that too) or made into a quilt. I hope you will enjoy my blocks and please feel free to share the news with others. I appreciate my readers and hope you will enjoy this year in quilt blocks.

Santa Sack Swap

This year I participated in the Santa Sack Swap. We were to send a Sack and two small gifts to your swap partner in July and then two small gifts each month until December. In December, we were to send the two small gifts plus a larger handmade gift. My partner was Sandy from Georgia and she was an awesome! So generous!!! I opened all my gifts this morning and I'm just floored my the amazing array. Thank you so much Sandy! I love everything!!!

Here's the first picture of wonderful gifts.

Can you believe it? I had so much fun opening all these gifts.

Next is a lovely hand embroidered and hand quilted wall hanging, some lovely seashell ornaments, and a beautiful angel.

Thanks Again Sandy!!!!!

Christmas at My House Part Two

I thought I would show my entry and formal living room next. I completed my 12 Days of Christmas wall hangings earlier this year. A major UFO finish (I started them well over 10 years ago). Here they are finally finished and hanging in the entry!

 This is another view of the entry looking in from the living room.

 This is the formal living room tree. It is the most elegant tree I put up. My Mom made the angel for the top. Her dress is intricately beaded.

 

I even added ornaments to the living room chandelier and pretty red crystals to the one in the entry (I've always put the candle rings around the lights)!

I posted the TV room decorations in an earlier post as part of SewCalGal's Christmas Quilt Show. If you would like to see it go here. I hope you have enjoyed my decorations and quilts, and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

 

Christmas at My House Part One

Since all my sewing projects right now are gifts and the recipients may check my blog, I can't share my them with you until after Christmas. So I thought I would show your my Christmas Decorations. I think we will start with my great room. This is a room that includes an eat-in kitchen and small informal family room. Let's start with the tree. First of all you must know I love sunflowers and although they are not a traditional Christmas flower, I think they look beautiful with red and green.

Here's little Oliver enjoying a nap under my Santa at Home wall hanging. Teresa look closely and you will see last years ornaments on the side table!

 Next I added some Christmas quilts to my wall of quilts.

Finally there is another favorite one above the old re-purposed  dresser that hides the TV. I also added a lighted garland, a cute Santa, and some ceramic deer that I painted when the kids were little.

The next picture is another side table with some fun treasures. A tiny quilt shop given to me by a friend, a pine cone tree made by my son in scouts, a snowman teapot from my niece, a Santa that bounces down a pole to find his sleigh, and finally under the copper dome is a magical little tree made by my daughter.

A garland hangs in the arch between the kitchen and family room.

 I decorate my kitchen chandelier and hang wreaths on the pantry doors. 

 My table has a quilted topper with a poinsettia.

  The little shelves to the side of the sink have some unusual Santa's and friends.

And just when you thought this post would go on forever, one last picture. This is my hutch with some of my seasonal teapot collection and some precious ceramics made by my Mom when the kids were little(the two Santa's on the bottom shelf).

 I hope you are enjoying the holidays and finishing any projects that you have in the works. Come back for a peek at part two in the next day or two!

Mug Rugs and Free Printable Christmas Ornaments

This is such a busy time of the year, so it's nice to take some time and have some fun. Last night was our quilt guild's Christmas Party and it always delivers fun. We had potluck, games, great show and tell items, and a mug rug exchange. I incorporated an ornament I designed into the mug rug I made. I think it turned out great and the lady who received seemed happy with it.

 I received a lovely mug rug in exchange. I love the reproduction civil war fabrics and the colors coordinate with my great room perfectly!

I had a wonderful time and ended up with a mug rug that I will really enjoy.

If you would like a copy of my Octagon Ornaments, please look in my sidebar and if you make any, I would love pictures of them!