Made-Fabric

I got the book 15 Minutes of Play by Victoria Findlay Wolfe for Christmas.  I've already read it cover to cover and have spent a lot of time looking at the pictures.

This book provides a ton of inspiration for creating improv quilts.  The main ideas are to spend at least 15 minutes a day playing with fabric, and to piece scraps to create your own "made-fabric".  Then the book goes on to give many examples and ideas of how to use this made-fabric in quilts.

So of course I had to dig out my scrap bin and do a little playing.



I always gravitate towards my green fabrics, and after making these two pieces I am already out of green scraps.



Next up was pink.



These are just so much fun to make.  I've done this before and used the pieces to make potholders, but I will have to try using this technique in a quilt.  I wish I had more scraps!  I tend to use them as quickly as I make them.

Christmas Stockings

I managed to finish two of the four Christmas stockings just two days before Christmas.  I got stuck on deciding how I wanted to finish these.



I ended up omitting the cuffs and skipping embroidering names on them.  I finished them by just adding binding around the top.  Each stocking will have a different color Gnoma on it, so everyone will know whose is whose without the names.  Besides, I just ran out of time and needed to finish them.



One thing that has always bothered me about our previous stockings (which I bought before I started sewing), is that they don't hang right on the mantel.  They are always twisting one way or the other.



So instead of centering the loops on the side seam, I put mine on the back right next to the side.  This worked quite well, and the new stockings hang nice and straight.



I'll have to get the next two done in time for next Christmas.

Linking to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Finished Owl Ornaments

Today I can check off one more item on my Christmas sewing list.



Every year I make an ornament for my kids.  This year they are getting owls.



I found the pattern here.  If I had more time, I'd make a few more of these for our tree.

Linking up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.