Every year I order calendar tea towels to gift at Christmas from Spoonflower.  When Spoonflower has their 2 for 1 fat quarter sale in November, it makes it affordable.  Each calendar is then $6.00.  I order the cotton poplin and a fat quarter is a complete tea towel.  I trim the edges and add binding, of course, before gifting.  I'm not gaining anything by telling you about this sale but you might want to think about doing this for inexpensive or last minute gifts to have on hand.



These are some towels I gave at Christmas in 2011.

[image] Ditsy Lizards winners!

I try to be more organized for Christmas every year.  Time slips by so fast.  Happy Gifting.
-nanette
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Recently I put together an assortment of blocks from Lori's Farm Girl Vintage book, her Quilty Fun book plus some of my own pumpkin block creations.  I found I had enough blocks for 2 full quilts with left overs.
I put together one quilt for myself but I hung it at the reception area of my work place to cheer up patients as they waited for the doctors.  Next fall I will hang it at my house and figure out another quilt for fall at work.
The other fall quilt I put together for a great friend who has helped me through some issues and listened to me when I needed an ear.  I'm very grateful to her and I thought a Thanksgiving theme fabric would be a great border for both quilts.  I used Riley Blake's Thanksgiving Harvest fabric.  And of course most of the blocks are scrappy with odd bits of prints from my shelves.  Scrappy is my favorite.

I've also got a table runner to finish binding.  I will show that one later after I watch a movie and hand stitch. 

Yes, I've been gone quite a bit from my blog.  But I'm still sewing and busy with my usual life.

-nanette
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I wanted to sew this past weekend even if it was only for a short time.  I have plenty of projects I could have dug back into but my brain and hands were wanting something else.  I love strawberries and it pretty much is the season with berries shipped here from California.  So what could be better than a strawberry block?
Lori Holt's Farm Girl Vintage book had arrived in the mail. And I had been reading and looking at it bedside so I thought I would make something from the new book.
I actually cut out scrappy fabric to make 7 blocks.  I wanted to make something small and simple for a few people so the blocks will be made into hot pads.  I am all ready to make one everyday or so this week.  But my newest granddaughter, Claire, will be here for 10 days starting tonight.  We will see if I can pry my hands off her.  Pics to follow with all 3 granddaughters.

-nanette
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Life.  It happens.  Thanks to all my friends and family for the love and support as I build back from injuries and  a life of wear and tear (ahem, and 8 kids!).  I'm recovering from hip replacement surgery and doing well.  I will have the other side done later this year.  Hopefully in the next couple weeks I will be back to swimming everyday and eventually to be able to sit and sew for a length of time.  I'm itching to get into my stash and move forward.  I've decided to sift through unfinished projects and choose something I can easily finish and do that first.  I've got a full spring and summer with family/friend visits and vacations planned so I need to focus on recovery right now.  I have 3 granddaughters I want to be able to play with and enjoy.  That is very motivating.


Life is about moving forward everyday and getting through our struggles.  We all have them.  We don't often talk about them.  In my house we are perfectly imperfect.  Just like my quilts.  None of them is without flaws, some flaws major and some minor but I enjoy each one.  I've missed being creative as I've taken a break from my love of quilting.  I have missed being inspired by your projects, too.  And like old friends, we can always pick up and go from where we left off.  Thanks for patience and support.  Love abounds.  

-nanette
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I really do apologize for all my long absences on my blog.  I think about my blog friends and especially am grateful for those that have sent me greetings and well wishes and more.  I'm entering a "rehab type" major surgery next month and someday Humpty Dumpty Nanette will be put together again.  I hope.
My 3rd granddaughter was born 2 weeks ago.  Claire is the first baby for daughter Tracey and her husband Eliot.  I probably won't get to hold her for a couple months since they live in Tulsa.  But mommy is great to send me daily pictures.  She's adorable.
Claire weighed about 5 1/2 pounds but is gaining rapidly.  Not as rapidly as Tracey's cat Max!  We are really grateful for this new addition to our family.  Now we have 3 granddaughters and couldn't be happier with our all girl trend (well, except Mason).
I have been anticipating Claire's arrival and nothing could do for her other than my favorite current fabric  - Pam Kitty Garden. My super friend Pam sent it to me her latest fabric perfect for this occasion. Love her.  Thanks Pam. (I did include a couple fabrics from Pam's past lines  and 1 fabric that isn't in that line that has whimsical kitty faces just for Max.)
I used the scalloped edge from Sunrise Studio.  The aqua and red coordinate with Pam's fabric colors. I made a tiny error on a bit of it so it isn't "perfect" but it turned out so well and I'm in love with the edge.  I chose a quilt design straight out of Red Pepper Quilts inspiration by Rita. I love Rita's quilts.  Her quilts are simple and the fabric is always set to star.  She often gives simple directions on her blog, too.
I used the patchwork yardage (aka cheater cloth) design from Pam Kitty Garden for the back.  My handy dandy machine quilter Wendy from Eagle Mountain Quilting, made sure it was squared perfelctly before embellishing it with a great garden floral/leaf design.  It turned out exactly as I'd hoped.
Baby Claire is here and adorable baby quilt done.  I love finishing a project and standing back to admire.  I'm sure Claire will love it.

-nanette
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