Spotlight : Celebration Tree skirt

Warning ---- picture heavy post.....

Since I started seeing Christmas decorations in the store over the weekend, I thought I would give you a glimpse at the Celebration Tree Skirt....I love this pattern because it is fast!!! The pieces are big, the curves are soft, and it goes together very quickly. I also love it for its versatility. Whether you stick with a traditional color scheme, or go with something totally wild, it works!! Check out the examples of different color schemes.

Here's my version and some close up shots of it......

You will notice mine does not have a hole in it for the tree,  I could not bring myself to but into it, I loved it so much......You can't see in these pictures, but it has an exquisite poinsettia quilted in the middle of it, and I couldn't bring myself to cut it.

Here are some other versions that I found out in internet land.....

a fancy dancy one, with gold and silver and sparkles!!!!!

Traditional, with a hole and a slit to get around the tree....

This one is used as a wallhanging...I need to know how she did that....

Super modern color and fabric choices....

This one is pretty similar to mine....

Purple anyone??? why didn't I do purple???

Classic Christmas in Christmas prints

super brights for a mermaid christmas theme.

Kaffe to the rescue.....this one reminds me of Easter?

This combo is from a CI -- each blade in this one is from a different student in class....so varied!!!

And this one might be my favorite.....not sure what it is about this one, perhaps it is the light center, but the feathered star really jumps out in this one.....

Spotlight : Golden Harvest

Golden Harvest is a great beginner Judy pattern....when you don't want a huge investment, but you want to learn the techniques.......It has 6 of the 12 techniques, and best of all, the curves are nice and soft, so they are easy to piece!!!

Here's my version....are you seeing a pattern of purple and turquoise, yet. I have to admit they are my favorite, so they are in lots of my quilts.....

before quilting....

and once it was quilted. 

It's not very clean in the pics, but the boarder is pieced as well, which I love. It also makes it really easy to assemble, which is always a plus!!!

Here are a few of my other favorite versions....

A red, white and blue version that shoes off the pieced border and sawtooth inner border.

A blue and brown version that makes a great wall hanging!!! Love the stripey border look.

This one belongs to one of the other CI's -- I love the darker purple wrapper that she used.

A three fabric version. Easy, simple and striking.

A Kaffe Version -- click and look at the fabrics on this one, the stripes are really subtly striking.

Happy Quilting!!!!


Catherine

Progress....

So, we are five days into September....and I have managed to get a couple of my To Do's to DONE.

1. Hang the new sign in the bedroom - done.
2. Update the pictures on the mantle
3. Rearrange the pantry
4. Purge the closet #1
5. Purge the closet #2
6. Purge the closet #3
7. Binding on Summer Solstice (because I will feel finished with it then) - done
8. Reorganize the pattern drawer - done
9. organize the cutting table drawers (2) - done
10. reorganize the under sink cabinet in the guest bath
11. label all of the projects in the sewing room - done
12. Paint and install the peg boards that have been in the garage since April (yes, sad).
13. Unpack the box that has been on top of the dryer since I moved in 15 months ago.
14. Sort the knitting stash - done
15. Make a crochet and knitting stick organizer
16. Make zippy strippy bags - 6.


Do you think anyone will notice that all the fun ones got done first???


Happy quilting -- or organizing?!!!


Catherine

Hello Tuesday

So, most people do hello Monday -- but I was busy hibernating this weekend in the quilt room, and didn't come out until late Monday and realized that it wasn't Sunday.....

so, instead we are having Hello Tuesday --

Hello, Fall??? -- where are you??? -- it is still super hot here. It was 101 on Monday, and humid. And the forecast looks like more of the same. Super jealous of everyone who is seeing those cool nights return.

Hello new peeps -- welcome to the family. I have new people joining me on this journey, helping me with the office things and order fulfillment. So happy to have you on board!!!!

Hello board meetings and finance meetings and meetings meetings meetings -- I have something going on every night this week -- crazy schedule!!!

Hello healthy breakfast and dinners planned -- spent some time this weekend getting it all ready for the week. Have crock pot meals all ready to go for the week, and the breakfasts all sorted out. Fall always makes me want to get organized, including my diet.

Hello new tea and water hydration plan. I read a really disturbing article about diet coke over the weekend and I have been trying to give it up for a while, but this FREAKED me out!!!! SO, going cold turkey.

Hello organized desk -- it is nice to see you, wish you would stick around!!!! Seriously, at least for a little while......

A Must DO

So, I'm working away on market stuff (though I did do some sewing for me on Saturday)....so I was browsing around facebook and the blogosphere (you know procrasticleaning).......and I came upon this, and well, it just spoke to me.....not that I have 5 kids (like the adorable Abbie), or the adorable house, or husband. Nor in any way does her life really resemble mine (seriously, she has had 5 kids and looks like a million bucks, and I have zero babies and could stand to lose more than a few). But I totally get that feeling that I am always behind, and yet still procrastinating on doing things (although I think she has a few more valid distractions (at least 5 that I have seen in pics)).....Needless to say, I still found her idea refreshing, and needed in my life at the moment, when it is easy to get overwhelmed with the deadlines of life. As we approach regular job budget season, and quilt market, which coincide every year, I tend to get a little over-committed and totally overwhelmed, and then I just get frustrated....

So, I am taking on the elephant challenge...starting on Monday. Do something daily to improve life. Just a few minutes of realignment. In hopes that I can keep my sanity (by making more commitments, yes, this is slightly crazy, but you know me right???)....These should also take less that 15 minutes, so it's no real time commitment (though I admit that doing them all in order on the last day of the month (which might or not be a common occurrence in my household) would be a big commitment). So, here's the list of items to work on....

1. Hang the new sign in the bedroom
2. Update the pictures on the mantle
3. Rearrange the pantry
4. Purge the closet #1
5. Purge the closet #2
6. Purge the closet #3
7. Binding on Summer Solstice (because I will feel finished with it then)
8. Reorganize the pattern drawer
9. organize the cutting table drawers (2)
10. reorganize the under sink cabinet in the guest bath
11. label all of the projects in the sewing room
12. Paint and install the peg boards that have been in the garage since April (yes, sad).
13. Unpack the box that has been on top of the dryer since I moved in 15 months ago.
14. Sort the knitting stash
15. Make a crochet and knitting stick organizer
16. Make zippy strippy bags - 6.

So, I only picked 16 activities, because I have having a real vacation this month. Yippee. Don't worry, it's a quilt retreat and I will be posting while I am there and having tons of fun with the ladies in Montana.

And on that note, I leave you with a finish from the weekend.....

 

Meandering Star

Spotlight : Bali Wedding Star and Bali Bedrunner

The Bali Wedding Star is one of my favorite Judy patterns. It's classic with the wedding ring, and equally modern, with the addition of the star at the major intersection. I have imagined so many variations on this quilt....

a blue and white rings with red stars
a black and white rings with hot turquoise stars
blue and green rings with purple stars
purple and green rings with golden stars
and the list keeps going on and on....

Here is my original version.....

and a few versions that I love from the internet.....

The traditional version.....with multiple fabrics...about 180 strips to be exact.

My personal favorite palette....using a super controlled fabric grouping (16 fabrics for the rings).

With a different border treatment...made up entirely of the scraps from the center. Again this one has matching rings, using only 8 fabrics.

Matching rings as well....

with the optional flying geese border and semi-controlled fabrics.

and a personal student favorite.....still in process....

Happy Quilting 

Feature Friday - Mariner's Compass

Here's my unquilted version of the Mariner's Compass -- the second in Judy's Technique of the Month Series. I am super excited to get this one back from the quilter -- it should be back in just a few weeks, and if I am lucky I'll get to see it on the machine while I am in Montana next month. I love the way this one turned out....and again I made some minor adjustments to my pattern -- I changed the sails to all go out, so that it glowed from behind, and I used a single fabric in my compass spikes because I had a hard time getting 3 of each color that gradiated the way I wanted, so I remade them as solid pieces. I love the  way that the print works in that position, it makes it dance!

And here are a few other samples of the same quilt.

This one has the queen extension, and light sails, and all of the border components.

This one is the basic one, with traditional sails (one light, one dark per segment) and the three piece compass points.

 This one was made by Lisa McCarthy at the same retreat that I was at.....she did three piece compass spikes, off set sails, and gorgeous custom quilting to showcase the pattern.

This one might be my favorite...it is by Tennessee Quilts, which is one of the Certified Shops, they used the same elements as me (matching sails, no border segments, and single fabric compass spikes), and I love it. She did a really nice job on the rings, alternating the black and whites. LOVE IT!!!

Another version of the queen size...but with the border values reversed.


If you are loving this quilt, and are in the Thousand Oaks area, join us on the first Saturday of the month for our ongoing class. Contact Cotton and Chocolate to get into the class!!!