Lately...

I haven't posted in a while, so here's what I've been doing.  Apologies up front-for some reason I can't import pictures.  So you'll have to use your imagination.  Yay, my camera is working now, so I've added in pictures!

I made chunky clay buttons for my Log Cabin Stockings.  This was my first time using clay, and it was pretty easy.  I used this tutorial.  I used green, white, and red clay to make the buttons.  I'm pleased with how they turned out, except they may be a little soft/plyable.  The red bled all over my hands, so I wonder if it will bleed anymore.  Right now they have a matte finish, and I might go back and put on some varnish to make them shiny.  I'm sort of waiting to see if they harden up a bit more.  I may have to remake them with Fimo, which I understand to be firmer when baked.

Now for a little rant.  The embellishments I want for my log cabin stockings are: a chunky button, Christmas-themed fabric ribbon (not nylon), and a name tag.  Before the new year started, I bought 4 different Christmas ribbons from a seller on Etsy.  I like using Etsy and this is the first time something went wrong.  I didn't hear anything from the seller for 3 weeks.  Not a peep.  I ended up leaving negative comments at this point.  I should have waited.  I finally get a note from the seller, apologizing and offering the option of a refund or shipping me the items.  I say, "Send me the ribbons!  I still want them!"  She gives me a refund.  Not the ribbons.  That I still want. 
I found a couple rolls on sale at CVS, but I still need some more.  I may have to improvise.  I'm not really happy about how that went down.

I caught up on my Designer Block of the Month from the Fat Quarter Shop!  This month's block was a stocking with a Christmas tree on it.  The designer information is not with me at present, either.  This block was designed by Barbara Groves & Mary Jacobson.  I also got some matching fabric to finish the quilt and I've put together two rows.  Next month, I'll make my ninth block and have 3 rows!

Also, I've finished all the Castle Peeps pieced blocks!  I did 4 more block patterns and 8 more blocks for a total of 12 patterns and 24 blocks.  I'm setting the blocks on point and mixing them with a red and off white solid from Kona Cotton as well as bigger pieces of the Castle Peeps fabric.  I've got three rows together and I want to finish putting that together today.  I like it, but I think it would be more successful if I used a smaller scale print, or fabrics that read more solid than the ones in this line.  I still like it.  My husband says that we'll watch Merlin while snuggled under it and he'll call me "milady."  I'm silly, but I'm totally okay with that.

Blogger's Block-a-palooza started yesterday!  The first block from Quilt Dad (John Adams) looks great!  I have to start this quilt-along in February and catch up, because, well, I spent all my fun money for January by the 14th.  But I'm sticking to the budget, since it's a New Year's Resolution for me and hubby.  I've already picked out my fabric though.  I'm going to use some stash fabric and a yellow scrap bag from Pink Chalk Fabrics with some coordinating solids.  It'll be a big scrappy looking, I expect, but oh well!  The total needed yardage is almost 15 yards and with retail price of fabric being about $10/yard, I'll used the scrap bag, thank you very much.

Over the weekend I also watched some (okay, a lot) of my current favorite television shows.  My husband and I watched all the Eureka episodes from Netflix, so we moved on to Merlin.  For some reason, I love Destination Truth.  (I think it's the snarky comments from host Josh Gates.  By the way, he grew up around Boston!!)  I've watched all of the current season (four), so I'm watching seasons 1, 2, and 3 on Netflix.  I'm all caught up on Sanctuary, so I just have to wait for episodes to start again in the spring.  Apparently I totally missed the awesomeness of Battlestar Galactica.  So (you guessed it) I'm watching it on Netflix.  It's odd, because I really want to talk to someone about the show ("OMG, did you see what just happened?!?!), and then I remember that everyone besides me saw that a long time ago.

Yes, I am a Syfy junkie.

(Sorry for the long post sans pictures!)

More Stockings!

Over the weekend I finished the front of the sixth and final stocking.  I also assembled the stockings and put cuffs and loops on all of them.   Here they are:

I still have the embellishments to do, and I spent all my January crafting budget, so these won't get done until at least next month, possibly later.

Log Cabin Stockings 4 and 5

These stockings have the same contrast fabric (I call it Peppermint stripe), but I put the stripe in a different place so hopefully they will look a little different from each other when they're done.

Stocking number four has Riley Blake's Colorful Christmas fabric with mittens and mugs, with the green stripe as the contrast.  The little blue squares are from my stash.  I love how the steam from the mugs make hearts!

Stocking number 5 has tossed trees and the peppermint stripe.

Just one more front, then I can start assembling the stockings!

Stocking No. 3

Here is my third Log Cabin Stocking:

And here's the close up.  (I love the little faces peeking out!)

Log Cabin Stocking Number 2

Here is the second stocking front:

And a close up:

Log Cabin Stockings...The Beginning

When at my in-laws for Christmas, my MIL mentioned that she wanted to get new stockings for all the new family and so the heirloom stockings get a break.  Well, since my mom is a quilter and sewer, I don't think we ever had a Christmas with commercially-bought stockings.  I volunteered to make the stockings for her.  I may have gotten myself in over my head, but it would mean a lot to me if we could use the stockings I made.  I know they appreciate hand-crafted things as well.

I'm following a pattern I love of my mom's, so creatively called "Log Cabin Christmas Stocking."  Since I have to make 6 of these babies, I'm planning to piece everything first, then assemble the stockings all together.  Then, I have something special in mind for the embellishments!


Without further ado, this is the first of six stockings, in it's first phase:

The fabric is some Riley Blake Christmas fabric and some hand-me-down scraps from Mom.  Here's a close up of the snowmen and trees:

The back of the stocking will be the snowmen fabric.  The inside lining (for all six) will be red Kona Solid.

My music-to-craft-by today was Ottorino Respighi's Roman Trilogy: Pines of Rome, Fountains of Rome and Roman Festival.