What a week...

I don't know where this week has gone, but I do know that I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  I've spent time with my family, watched old movies, and have been able to work on a few projects.  It is always nice to have a down week where I can do things that I truly enjoy.

Four more hexie flowers.  These are flowers 96 through 99.  I might have to finish one more just to say I made it to 100 flowers before the end of the year.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.

I spent yesterday afternoon and this morning working on the Country Cottage Needleworks January Cottage.  Of course there are going to be 11 more patterns, one for each month, and of course I have signed up to do them all.  I'm stitching them on 35-count linen which is a stretch for me as I usually work on 28-count linen.  I did enjoy it, although it did take a little longer than I thought it would.

You can see how small it actually is when compared to a rotary cutter.  I'm doing all 12 cottages on one piece of linen.  I think I'm really going to enjoy getting back to some cross stitching once a month.

I've also been making lists, reading blogs, and trying to decide which projects to start, join, or just forget about in the new year.  I am trying to keep the list rather short as you just never know what will come up.

Enjoy your New Years Eve...some of you are probably getting ready to celebrate as I write this.  I am linking with Can I Get a Whoop-Whoop? and I can't wait to see what everyone has linked.  Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

It's Monday

Time for Design Wall Monday again.  I actually did work on a few things over the Christmas weekend while watching old movies.

I've now finished flowers 88 through 95...I can see that 100-hexagon mark getting closer and only 45 total to go.  :)  I have the whole week off of work this week, and I'm so hoping to spend some major time in my sewing room.  Although using my sewing machine is at the top of the list, I can hear a quilt shop or two calling my name.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

UFO Project List

I was supposed to have this list posted on Tuesday, but with the holidays it seems I'm a bit behind.  I'm joining the UFO Challenge over at Patchwork Times.  There are over 50 people now who are going to make a good effort at finishing some of those things that just need to be finished.

#1.  Honey Bee quilt, it just needs to be quilted and bound.

#2 Birdie Stitches quilt.  I need to finish two stitcheries, quilt, and bind it.

#3 Star Quartet by Glad Creations.  If you can believe this was a mystery by mail quilt WAY back in 2005.  It has been cut since then and just needs to be pieced, quilted, and bound.  The finished quilt will be 79" by 98."

#4  "Yours Truly Medley."  I searched and searched for all the fabrics for this and it has been cut out since (dare I say 2004).  I just started piecing it a couple of weeks ago.  It will be really nice to have this one finished!

#5  Starry Patch.  Needs to be quilted and bound.

#6 Butterchurn, needs quilting and binding....do you see a recurring theme here?

#7 Honeycomb...this needs work...I am going to finish this one, and I think it was a good thing to let it sit a bit.

#8 Farmer's wife...I'm hoping number 8 isn't chosen first...I will be continuously working on this all year and plan to see it finished.

#9 Vignette hexagon quilt.  I'm over 1/2 way with the hexie flowers, but will be continuing to work on this throughout the year.  It would be a huge accomplishment to finish this in a month.

#10 Cobblestone Lane BOM by This and That.  I have two blocks to finish and then on to the quilting and binding.

#11 Thangles BOM in the darker colorway.  I have three blocks to finish, quilting, and binding.  I'm glad binding is my favorite thing to do. :)

#12 Thangles BOM in the bright colorway...yes exact same quilt as the one above.  I have three blocks to finish and then I will quilt and bind it.

WOW...if these are all finished at the end of 2012 that will be an accomplishment.  At this point if I even work on some of them that will be amazing.  Most of the quilting has been left because my old machine wasn't the best for quilting...BUT a new machine has made residence in my home and it has a BSR, I have another machine quilting class under my belt, and I'm ready to start finishing some of these quilts.  It will be interesting to see how many of these quilts will be finished this time next year.
Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Design wall

One of these days I will actually have my quilts on my design wall...maybe that will be my goal for 2012.

Here is my Fat Quarter Shop Designer BOM for December.  I'm so glad I finished this...I'm all caught up for the year and will have a bit of a break before the next block arrives.

I'm still working on my Birdie Stitches.  Two more finished blocks and I only have two more to go!  I'm hoping to have them all completed by the end of the year.  The last two are a bit more involved and will be more time consuming.  I'm hoping to spend an evening watching White Christmas and A Wonderful Life which will make for some great stitching time.

I'm am linking with Patchwork Times, Fabric Tuesday, and BOMs Away.  If you get a chance, check out Lyn's Dear Jane quilt...I've been so tempted to start one and her quilt is AMAZING!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

And the winners are...

I can't believe a week has gone by already, and to be honest, after receiving so many wonderful comments I wish I had a thread set to give each of you.  I so enjoyed reading every comment, and I'm quite sure I'm the one who won here.  Thank you so much for participating in the blog hop, I know this won't be my last.

I did use Random.org to choose the winners and the numbers chosen were 8 and 204.

Fran said...I'm a traditional as far as Christmas decorating goes, & particularly treasure the homemade ornaments my daughter made when she was much younger. With the threads, I'm more of a neutral fan. Thanks for a lovely giveaway.

and 

tpott said...I'm a thankful new follower! ;->


The two of you have until Tuesday to respond to my email.  If I don't hear back, I will go to the next numbers chosen.  


Welcome to all the new followers of Meadowbrook.  Because I have reached 100 followers I am planning on having another giveaway before the end of the year.  I will be back tomorrow for Design Wall Monday, until then Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Friday Finish

I love FNSI nights.  :)  It really makes it fun to work on a project that I'm trying to finish when I know a lot of people are working right along with me.

I completed one instead of two blocks, but this one had a bit more stitching than I thought it did, and I changed a few of the colors.  The best part...my husband looked at it and said, "I don't know what you are doing with this one, but I really like it."  Is there anything better?  Only a few hours until we draw for the thread packs!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

End of the year finishes

I like to plan ahead...and I love to get the new calendar for the upcoming year.  All those empty boxes just waiting to be filled in with things to do, classes to take, and projects to start and finish (among other things).  I haven't been able to take as many quilting classes as I'd like to the last couple of years, but there are a lot classes coming up in 2012 that I'd love to get in on.  Do you have any classes you'd enjoy taking this next year?  I'm hoping to take another machine quilting class and an applique class as well as attend a retreat, but first I need to finish some already started projects.

I don't know what happened with Birdie Stitches.  I got started late on it, got caught up, and now I'm really behind again.  I finished these two blocks last night and I'm hoping tonight to finish two more?!  Last Friday night I cleaned my sewing room, we put new light bulbs in the fixtures so I have good lighting, and I'm hoping tonight to be in there sewing away for FNSI.

One more thing...if you haven't signed up for the Connecting Threads thread pack giveaway you have through tomorrow to enter.  I have really enjoyed reading all the comments and hearing about how color influences you!  There are also 100 followers now so another fun giveaway will be happening soon...  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

FNSI

So last night I was all ready to start sewing as soon as we got home from my son's basketball game.  I had my project all ready, and I knew exactly what I was going to work on.

The game was much more exciting than we thought it would be and the underdogs (our kids) won!  When I got home I decided to check my blogs to read and don't you know I found a different project that I should probably work on.  It involved hexies (which I LOVE) and they were fussy cut.

I always use the GO! to cut my hexagons, last night I did not, and in 2-1/2 hours this is what was accomplished.  Yep, pretty pathetic isn't it?  I should mention I had to choose fabrics and then decide just exactly where to position them, trace them, cut them out, and then glue them.  I decided to clean my sewing room after that.  I finished cleaning tonight and now I'm all ready for the next FNSI.  :)  I hope your weekend is much more productive than mine has been.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

The colors of the season

Welcome to the The Blog Hop Party with Give Aways.  I think this is such a fun time of year to have a blog hop with great things to win.  I love Christmas.  I wait all year long for it.  I start listening to Christmas music the end of October (really September, but some of you might think that is odd).  So, my question to you is, how does color influence you during this season?

Do you prefer trees with all white lights (or a single color like red, blue, or green) or trees with multicolored lights?

When you start thinking about a seasonal quilt do you choose brighter fabrics...

Or more traditional.

I love both, I decorate two trees and pretty much everything in between...

For my give away I have two Connecting Threads Essential Thread kits to give away.

One is a neutral kit, the other is a vintage kit.  I think it is always so nice to be able to just sit down and start sewing rather than having to run to purchase thread.  I will ship internationally so don't let that stop you from commenting.  There are two ways to enter...

1.  Leave a comment telling me whether you prefer traditional or brights and which thread kit you would like, neutral or vintage.
2.  Become a follower of my blog and leave another comment.  (If you are already a follower just leave an additional comment stating that).

Please make sure I am able to contact you via email if you are the winner.  Remember, the blog hop is open  from midnight tonight until December 17, but you can start commenting here now.  Make sure you go here to see what other fun things there are to win!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Caught up again!

I just have a second to quick post a few things.  So much to do, so little time to do it all right? 

I'm all caught up on the Fat Quarter Shop Designer BOM!  And I just noticed another block is on its way.  :)  Isn't that the way it goes?  This block was much easier to do, and they must have known that I needed breather.  It feels so good to be caught up.


The wonderful Wendy at Charlotte's Web gave me the Liebster award for my blog.  I'm so honored that she thought so highly of me to pass this on.  Wendy and I met this year due to the fact that we are working on a couple of the same projects.  She has become a dear friend and her blog is so fun to visit.  She always has amazing finishes to show, so make sure you check it out.  The rules are to copy and post the award on your blog, thank the person who sent you the award and link back to their blog, then pick five blogs and leave them a comment.  I am still working on my list of blogs to pass the award on to.

I know I mentioned last time the blog hop...it begins tomorrow not today, so I will be back with another posting to give you all the details.  

Tomorrow night is the FNSI again...can you believe it?  Actually it is an earlier one so if you are working on Christmas gifts you have an incentive to work on them. 


Remember, enjoy the holidays, and I will be back tomorrow!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Can you hear that?

I'm pretty sure with this finished block I can hear the Hallelujah Chorus playing very loudly.  This block has been on my design wall for 2 months, 2!  I had been doing so well until I started this one.  I don't know what the deal was, but for some reason this one stopped me dead in my tracks.

It is my October Fat Quarter Shop Designer BOM block.  Now that it is finished I love it, but wow...would be fun to do a whole quilt with this block wouldn't it...king sized. HA! :)  I hope you all are enjoying your holiday season.  We've been busy, but it did help to get into my sewing room last night and work on something relaxing. :)

I'm linking today with Judy For Design Wall Monday (yes, it is Tuesday), Lyn for BOMs Away, and Heather and Megan for Fabric Tuesday.  If you get a chance, check out these sites.  It is amazing to see what other people are working on.

Stay warm, stay well, and enjoy this great time of the year.  I will be back with a blog hop on Thursday that is all about giveaways! :)  Happy Stitching!! --Kristen

November Finishes

November was a weird month.  Computer problems and it seems not a lot of stitching, but I just know I was busy..really I was! :)

This turkey was so fun to make.  It is a design from The Wooden Bear called Who Me?  I started and finished it on Thanksgiving.  There are a lot of other patterns in this series which of course I feel the need to make them all.

Here is my mosaic of my November finishes for the Small Blog Meet at Lily's Quilts.  Because it takes me longer to figure out how to do some of these things (the mosaic) I just gathered my finishes and took one picture of them all.  I'm also going to be linking to Can I get a Whoop! Whoop!  There are wonderful projects shown at both blogs.


Have a warm and fun weekend (I can't believe its Saturday again).  We spent some time today at the gym for basketball games and now hopefully some sewing!  It is snowing heavily with the possibility of 8 inches, perfect weather for quilting.  Happy Stitching!  --Kristen

Christmas Quilt Show

The Christmas Quilt Show at SewCalGal is just too fun, and of course I had to be a part of it.

The weather has been unseasonably warm this month and extremely dry.  We are waiting for some SNOW and lots of it!  Hopefully we will see some tonight!  In the meantime, this is my snowman quilt.

I had quite a time with the wind trying to get this photographed.  I stitched the blocks when I was on bed rest with my son.  I finally finished putting the quilt together a couple of years ago.  My son is 11 now, but you know how it goes when the baby arrives, there isn't always a lot of time to sew.  I have such happy memories when I get this quilt out.

And what would Christmas be without Benny?  He loves his Santa suit...I think because he knows if he sits nicely he gets a treat.

Make sure you visit the Christmas Quilt Show.  There are so many beautiful quilts to see!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

I'm so excited!!

Christmas is coming!   Can you believe a week from today is Thanksgiving?  So much to do between sports, songs and recitations to be learned, and the regular homework for my son.  Then there are Christmas parties and special church services to attend, not to mention I need to get the Christmas trees up and decorated.

Last Saturday I took out this Christmas tree skirt kit I purchased a few years ago.  It is a Mary Engelbreit pattern, and after I purchased it I opened it up, started reading the instructions, and decided it was too complicated to even think about.  Sometimes I will think about things, ponder them, and then attempt them later.  Last Saturday I decided that I usually hate the instructions in these patterns so why not just do it the way I think would be best.  Guess what?  It is going together better than I thought it would.  I was hoping to have it almost finished by this weekend, and I do have all the trees and bushes done, but I haven't started the gingerbread houses yet.  I'm going to try to post progress often from now until Christmas and hopefully after 18 years, this year we will have a finished skirt under our tree.  Every year I decorate the tree and my husband smiles and says, "so, do we have a finished skirt this year?"  Every year I have to answer with a sheepish "no."  So think good thoughts, hopefully this year will be the year!

I did finish five more pockets this week too.  YEAH!  There aren't many to go, but there aren't many days until we start opening them up.  Hard to believe that soon it will be December.   Tomorrow night is the FNSI, don't forget to sign up, I almost did!!! :)

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Stitching!!  -Kristen

A couple 11's on 11-11-11

Wow, its good to be back.  It's almost been 11 days since my last post.  I had been having a lot of trouble commenting on other blogs and suddenly nothing was working with my computer.  I soon realized I had a horrible virus and after hours and hours on the phone I finally gave up and called someone to come over to help.  That person spent hours on our computer and it seems to be upgraded, updated, and virus free.  I am also backed up which I quickly learned is a very important thing to be doing.

That being said, I LOVE dates to remember, and today is a special one.  Every year our house gets excited for the day that has the three same numbers.  I have a friend who had a baby on 9-9-9, and have very fond memories of 10-10-10.  Today was a fun day too!

I've finished 11 more hexie flowers for the Vignette hexagon quilt.  I'm getting so excited, I'm almost to 100 flowers so the end is in sight.  I still have plenty of hexies basted and the weather is cold so they should be finished soon.

This is a fun project I found at allsorts.  The pattern is free and it is an advent calendar.  I still have to embroider the dates and put buttons on them.  I have 11 finished and hopefully there will be 25 pockets.  If not, we will do the 12 days of Christmas.

I also found this free download at allsorts.  As you can see, I'm really enjoying this new blog I found.

During this unexpected "time away" I realized something...I really enjoy this blog.  It is so nice receiving comments and emails about the things we love doing, and I truly missed interacting with everyone.  I'm back, and hopefully this computer will give us a couple more years of uninterrupted service.  Enjoy the last little bit of 11-11-11...and happy Veteran's Day to all those who have fought for our freedoms wherever in this world that may have taken them.  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Stitching!  --Kristen

October Finishes

I thought I had finished more than I had this month, after all, there were 31 days in the month.

                    First there was the Fat Quarter Shop Designer BOM block...

                        and the five Christmas Stitchalong embroidery blocks...

I spent one weekend basting 600+ hexies...

which did produce another 10 flowers.

And finally a finished This and That Mystery Monday quilt.

I am linking for the first time with...

Fresh Sewing Day

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Stitching!  --Kristen