A fun Christmas

Our Christmas included giving this quilt and an apron to our son's fiancee. She kind of expected the quilt but hadn't seen it, but didn't expect the apron. What fun to watch her face...

She wanted lots of flowers, white with pastels. While it was a challenge to find flowers in November, a local shop had this panel with a few fat quarters to match in a kit -- only one left. Fun to make for a charming and fun-loving young woman who is also smart and keeps surprising us. How delightful to surprise her!

Finally. . .

My hubby was thirteen days before he got the one little red line instead of two. He is still coughing a bit, but back to his normal self. We have been busy with catching up.

I did tell you about three finishes. I can only put two of them here as the other is a Christmas surprise for a special person. It will be posted next week. Here are the two little ones. They were leftover panels from the large quilt already posted. The first used up most of the remaining border print of small lighthouses, plus the blue I used for sashing. The red came out of my stash of scraps.

The second used up more leftovers. Feels good. I quilted them very simply as can be seen.

The picture below these is a runner that quickly went together for our living room coffee table. It matches the blue decorations used this year. I usually alternate with red/gold, but enjoy the blue ones the most. Anyway, it used up some blue Christmas fabric scraps, so that feels good too.

Below that is a top. It goes to our guild charity division. I called the person who chairs it and she said: "Make tops. We have lots of volunteers to longarm quilt them, and you have too much to do..." I wanted to hug her on the phone. Anyway, this was four orphan blocks plus a few fabrics that matched them and only one fat quarter from my stash. It is about 50" square and was fun to make. I used strip sets to make the piano key border, just as much sewing but seems to go quicker and straighter than sewing all the "keys" individually.

While all this was happening, I decided to get serious with scrap sorting. I tried various options until realizing that I work best with color, so took the orphan blocks and patterns and sorted them according to colors that would work together to make a quilt inspired from that small piece. That is, each will be improv using what I like as a color combo. It will be easier to see when I start posting them!!

In the meantime, Christmas. Almost ready. Parcels all wrapped under the tree. Stockings getting fatter by the hour. Cookies in tins and jars. Salmon ball made (our son must have that appetizer). Roasted nuts today. Kids are making dessert but I want to make one too. Turkey is thawing. Veggies bought fresh today. Singing carols without even thinking about it. I love it that God sent His Son to be our Savior and this day coming soon is about that amazing gift -- and about being with those we love. 

It is really cold here, and really white. Yesterday way -34C when I got up with a windchill of -41C. But we have a warm house and garage, and a full pantry, and are thankful for so many blessings.

May your Christmas be filled with joy and peace.

No pictures this week...

 I recovered from Covid in five days. Then hubby tested positive and the battle began. He has a compromised immune system. His doctor was worried and put him on a medication that could cure him or kill him. The cough and lack of sleep took their toll. He was disoriented at times and lost some hearing. The cough medicine that might help is sold out everywhere. Even A...zon couldn't deliver until January. BUT after a scary twelve days, hubby tested negative on Monday. We were shocked and rejoiced. Then one of our pastors found some of the cough medicine and brought it over. We cried at his loving care. So now we are resting lots BUT...

I also got a 70 x 80 top done, and two little quilts quilted, bound and labeled. Just haven't had time to take pictures or do much else. Had to go for groceries today and it was -30C this morning. No fun out there, but the pantry and frig are full and now I need a good long sleep. Back soon, I hope.