It's beginning to look a lot like........

Christmas projects in the works!

Just a few more stitches and this baby will be done :-)

How's your Christmas sewing coming along??

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?

Finish it up Friday
NewFO 
Sew Darn Crafty

Are you running out of space??

No not for fabric.  For your pictures on blogger??  I have noticed a lot of bloggers mentioning they have reached their limit of free space on blogger.  Did you know that when blogger FORCED us to go to the new interface, your picture size doubled when publishing??  Aha, so that is why the space is being eaten up so quickly.

I found a very helpful blog post on Blue Eyed Beauty Blog.  Helen found the solution to the problem.  I now upload my pictures to Picasa and resize them to 800x600, which will NOT go against your picture count.  I also can watermark my pictures at the same time.  A double benefit.

This has been a huge blog saver for me, as I do not have a store, or sponsors.  I just enjoy blogging and sharing about my quilting and thrifting experience. 

So check out Helen's post Fixing Photo Limit Problem.

And then have a Happy Quilting day!

Making my own Charms

Have you ever bought charm packs only to find that you don't have quite enough to finish your quilt?  Or maybe you just want to make your own charms. 

That's when this handy tool comes to the rescue :-)

You can easily cut as many charms as you like.  Cut strips into 5" or 6" and then re-cut the strips to make the charms.

Here is the yardage recipe for a 6" charm pack -

1/4 yard = 8 squares
1 fat quarter = 12 squares
1/2 yard = 24 squares
3/4 yard = 40 squares
1 yard = 56 squares

You can also cut your jelly roll strips.

Very fast and easy.

 

Yardage guide for strips. I always find this information helpful when trying to decide how much fabric to purchase.

Width = Strips Per Yard -

1.5" = 23 strips
2" = 17 strips
2.5" = 13 strips
3" = 11 strips
3.5" = 10 strips
4" = 8 strips
4.5" = 7 strips
5" = 7 strips
5.5" = 6 strips
6" = 5 strips

This method seems to be just as effective as a cutting system.  Plus it doesn't take up storage room when not in use.  I just slide it next to my sewing machine table until I need it again.

Happy Quilting!
 

Support your LQS

Saturday was support your Small Business day.  Did you do your part??

 Country Quilts & Bears is a lovely quilt shop, with a BIG heart.

Yes, I did do a little bit of shopping :-)  

I have always had a weakness for French General.  Chateau Rouge is a beautiful line.  So I will have to find a really nice pattern to work up something beautiful :-)

Happy Quilting!

A Zig and a Zag

I love the look of quilting in rows in this zig zag quilt.

I've seen this done on several blogs.

It really turned out to be an easy and efficient way to quilt this quilt top.

It took a little bit of wrestling during the process, but I am so pleased with the outcome.

Finish it up Friday

Link a Finish Friday

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?
Sew Darn Crafty

Thankful

source

Happy Thanksgiving!  I know some of my readers will not be celebrating Thanksgiving today, but in any case, we all have something to be thankful for.

I am taking Carol's challenge to write a post about being thankful.  There are so many things I am thankful for.  There have been many challenges this year, but I have purposed to be thankful, even through difficult times.

One thing I am particularly thankful for is my family.  It seems in our day, there are not many who can share that they have been married to the same wonderful man for over 30 years.  When I met my husband, he came from a large family, who valued their strong family traditions.  It was all so new to me, but I felt drawn to the energy from these family ties.  I never experienced  this growing up, and it was something I longed for.  Through the years we have celebrated Thanksgiving with my hubbys parents, brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews.

This year will be different.  My precious mother in love passed away this past spring at the age of 91.  She left us with many memories of happy shared times.  But with her passing, there is also the passing of traditions.  We will all be taking up the mantle and making our own family traditions.  This holiday season will certainly be different.

I am thankful to God for His love and faithfulness.  We each walk a different path.  I may not know what the future holds, but I have the assurance that HE does hold the future, and knows where we are going.

Wishing you a very Happy and blessed Thanksgiving day. 

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Can't think of a better way to start the holiday season :-)

Happy Quilting!