Grandma Mary's Bear

 

I made this bear for Grandma Mary. She is going on a trip to a family reunion. In another country. With travel on planes, trains, and even cruise ships. The trip may be hard for her because Grandma Mary has beginning stage Alzheimer's. We thought if she had a bear to travel with, it might be a little easier for her.  The bear could remind her where her seat is, which is her bed, and just be a friend as she is meeting all the new people she has known for a really long time. I hope so.

 

 

Grandma Mary's bear is purple and blue lilac flannel, extra soft! I didn't know that pink was her favorite, I only guessed what color Bear's ribbon should be.

 

 

I do love stitching bears. In fact, if you'd like a keepsake bear like Grandma Mary's, send me your favorite shirt, old blanket or most any fabric, and I would love to help make it into a special

bear for you. 

Link here for directions.



 

Waiting for Santa Bear

Christmas is coming and Santa is almost on his way. How will you ever stand the wait? Fortunately, Mom has made a buddy to ease the impatient.

He's already for Santa with his night cap and quilt.

You can take off his accessories to wash or be stored easily. 

Mom has many more different color schemes. This is a classic, though.

If you can't just have one bear http://roadhomequilting.blogspot.com/2014/09/three-bears-in-little-wood.html then you can buy another one at our Etsy store. There are 7 in stock.

Saguaro Ornaments and Bunting

Christmas lights are kindofa big deal here in the Wild West. I guess it's because...no snow! There's no excuse for not getting out there and doing the work of putting up lights. So we put lights on everything. Yes, even the cactus get lights and Santa Hats. I'll be sure to get you some good pics next month.

This bunting project was so quick. Stitched up in 2 hours! That included hunting for cookie cutters and tiny Christmas lights in the back of the closet. Easy beginner quilting project.

 

You know I love quilting with cookie cutters. This time I'm using Saguaro cookie cutter for a mini-bunting pattern. Sandwich some batting and fabric scraps in Christmas colors. Double batting will give more body to your tiny cookie cutter shapes and help support the lights.

Draw around your cookie cutter. This will be your stitching line. Next, stitch the outline with your darning foot. [Or go ahead and use a regular foot. Smaller stitches - about 3.5- will help you turn the tiny curves of cookie cutter shape.]

Then stich some straight lines right across your cactus shape. Change back to regular foot and use a long stitch. Overstitch your outline - that's right - we are coloring outside the lines! When you finish a line, just flip your cactus sandwich, turn around and stitch in the other direction, just like chain piecing, no need to trim threads.

Here is the time saving part: Get your pinking shears and cut out your cactus. See - all the threads are instantly trimmed. Now you have super Cactus Ornaments you can hang with regular ornament hangers or....

Tack Cacti onto jute for a quick and quilty Southwestern Holiday Bunting!
To determine how long your twine needs to be:  add 3" to the width of  each cactus, then add 20" for ties.


Lastly, remember to add Christmas lights to your bunting. [I was lucky to find battery powered mini light string in the back of the closet.] Here is Becka with lighted Saguaro Bunting at MQG Swap.

Blue House

I started this as one my final project attempts for Quilt It Challenge! I wanted to go ahead and finish this dream project, a whole-cloth table runner.

I know you can't see it very well. I chose the new Connecting Threads variegated thread Denim Blues, which is great! Except I put it on closely matching large print fabric.

This is a Mary Engelbreit house in the woods. Love her art! Maybe I should spend more time on some thread painting to help the picture show up better? However, I'm having trouble deciding where the negative spaces should be....

What I am proud of - and why I wanted to finish this Challenge- is the free hand feathers. Not traditional feathers as I have been practicing, but more stylized to fit the "ME" picture. And it worked! At last I know how to talk to my machine:)

But this runner did not want to be finished! LOL Ran out of blue denim binding....

I still say variegated thread is a great choice for adding visual interest to whole-cloth works. Can't wait to use all my new CT variegated threads [Item No. 21289: I received set of 10 for Mother's Day!] on more whole cloth projects.

To be continued.....