Saturday, December 31, 2016

Really? Already?

December 31! How did that happen? Oh yeah, about half the month has been spent in recovery from toxic exposures. Even now I'm trying to cope with back-to-back exposures. Granted, they were relatively low-grade exposures but each one takes its' toll. {sigh}

I made up a total of ten pillowcases to be gifted this season. These are the ones I made for the four granddaughters:


My husband, the movie fanatic, received a case featuring fictional movie end credits. One of the bookworms in the family has a book print on the end of her pillowcase. I really enjoy finding just the right prints for each person.

I had to take the shoo-fly blocks off the wall for the time being. I didn't have the energy to pursue other layouts and now we need heat day and night (the wall heater was covered by my design wall extensions). A moment of panicked realization caused me to start work on a baby quilt for a baby due on February 1. He'll be a first child so there's no guarantee he'll arrive on time but it's time to get busy making his quilt nevertheless! That meant a rummage through the stash.

Back in the day I bought this yardage of panels in bright, happy colors and then didn't know what to do with it. Sound familiar? I fussy-cut some of the panels but decided to cut construction time by leaving nine of them together. To bring the panel up to a better working size I added the stripe all around.


I wanted to utilize more of the animal panels if I could so four of them were put in the middle of "barn doors." This elongated version of a Churn Dash block is what I know as Hole in the Barn Door.


I made four to hold the four corners of the finished quilt. Then I went through my 8" postage stamp stars that I'd made throughout the year in conjunction with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I found enough to get about halfway around the central panel. Yesterday I made an additional six stars.


The teal/turquoise stars a are a bit of a stretch as far as the colors in the panel go but I think I can make them work. The question now is what to use to fill in around the stars. My LQS is having their year-end sale. I went downtown one day this week but couldn't even go through the door because of the perfume a previous customer wore. Went back yesterday, late, and was able to spend a bundle! I think I have a print now that will work around those stars, and a lot of other fun prints to play with as well. :D

I'm linking up with the RSC for this final link party of the year. I'm also looking forward to playing along in 2017 again, although I haven't entirely decided how I will approach it.

I hope all my cyber friends have had a lovely holiday season. We thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas celebrations. I'm looking forward to a productive and colorful new year, and wish the best for all of you too!



10 comments:

  1. The pillowcases turned out well and the baby quilt is coming along nicely, too. Wishing you a SCRAPPY New Year!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. One of my good crazy quilting girlfriends has the same type of chemical allergies that you do. She has to leave her home in Nebraska every summer for about 4-5 months (crop dusting) and stay with other family in Colorado. Whenever we have a retreat, we room together because I know of her issues and it works for us both. Anyway, haven’t you and I known each other for YEARS (?!?!), dating back to our crazy quilting days in Crazy Quilting International??

    Anyway, I LOVE your quilt, and I think all the colors work well together. It is just darling. Looking forward to “seeing” more of you and your work in 2017.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those pillowcases are great - such a fun way to put novelty fabrics to use. Love the evolution of your baby quilt. The design process can be full of surprises.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your pillow cases are charming. I should learn how to make them. Easy way to use yardage. Your baby quilt is so colorful and you always have extra things to tuck in as needed. Happy New Year to you and your family, and I pray for your good health.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm sorry to hear you've been suffering again Sue.
    I love your pillowcases. I have made them before as we have a very wide bed and it's hard to get rectangular pillowcases in France anyway (they prefer large square ones!?!) let alone any variation on normal size. However, I've never thought to make them as gifts so that's one idea for next Christmas - which will be here before we know it! ;)
    Happy, Healthy, Peaceful New Year to you.
    x

    ReplyDelete
  6. This will be a marvelous baby quilt -- colorful, fun to explore, and full of love. I'm not settled on my RSC 2017 approach yet either - maybe I'll just play it by ear. We'll see. Best year end/year beginning wishes to you and yours!

    ReplyDelete
  7. A happier, healthier New Year, dear Sue. Your pillowcases are adorable, and I bet everyone loved theirs, being so carefully selected and created. The baby quilt is as wonderful as always, appearing as if by magic from the depth of your stash of fabrics and blocks. If you can't find a fabric that works, how about flying geese or a sawtooth strip along the postage stamp stars – or even a piano key border in the same colours as the background stripe but wider. And now I'll shut up and see what you decide yourself...! All the best for 2017, and wishes for a cleaner, healthier world for you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm so sorry you've been ill again. Hopefully you can escape exposure for a while!

    ReplyDelete
  9. perfect for a baby quilt

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hopefully you are almost recovered from your exposures last month. You found a great use for your postage stamp stars. It's going to be a very cute, fun and bright baby quilt.

    ReplyDelete

I'm sorry it's difficult or impossible for some of my readers to leave comments. I do appreciate your visits and the kind comments I receive.