TIME FOR "TREE TIME"

Kathy from Humble Quilter has finished and uploaded her block to our Flickr group.  I am amazed and excited about that.  It is just precious with the decorated pot and the star in a star for the topper.

Block two can now be downloaded.  The link is on the right sidebar.  I had a little trouble with this month's block.  I did it twice before I was happy with it and then took off the gifts at the bottom of the tree.  They just seemed like TOO MUCH for me to go with block one.  I did want these to be very very simple not only to appeal to beginners, but to be a very quick project that we could "get done" so we can feel good about ourselves.  It does make me feel good to finish something, doesn't it just do something for you?  I also wanted it to be a practise for embroidery stitches.  You  may not like some stitches, but you can do a few.  That is what you need for these blocks---just a few.

This is Block 2.  I opted to use cotton for the tree skirt for this one as I had this little tree print that I thought looked cute for it.  You can use a wool for yours and a blanket stitch--it will look great!!

I suggest that you use as many strands of floss as you can in your needle as the thicker the thread, the showier your block will be.  I used two strands of a thick cotton for this block and then wrapped the trunk in an over and under fashion.  I satin stitched the tips of the top star for one reason only.  I always have trouble with star tips looking good when I used a blanket stitch.  This fixes that problem and I like the look.  Remember that the General Instructions is in the original post which is what you get when you click the sidebar button.  Then you can access each block from the links underneath the button.  If you need help with embroidery stitches I have listed some links on my sidebar for that too.  I hope if you take my pattern that you will at least leave me a comment and I would really appreciate you taking my TREE TIME button and placing on YOUR sidebar to help get the word around.  Also--go by the Flickr group and look at the blocks and we would really love to see yours there too.  Remember--it is a quick and easy block to do.  If there is something about this block you don't like---CHANGE IT!  MAKE IT YOUR OWN!!               See ya on FLICKR.  As Kathy says: 

 GET THOSE TREES PLANTED!!

TREE TIME BLOCK OF THE MONTH-2010

I am sew sew excited!!  My first BOM is now launched.  I have (and still do) had many questions on the "how to's" of this deal, but maybe I have finally figured out a way to get the patterns to you.  I have downloaded them in Google Docs. CLICK HERE for the general directions/supply list of the BOM.   The link underneath the button is the directions/picture/pattern for Block 1 and where a link for each block will eventually be posted.  I have started with a simple series with a more complicated one in the works.  SEW--if this one works out for us all, my rendition of a BOM called "BOOT BOOGIE" will debut in 2011.  Tree Time will be 12 Christmas Tree Embroidered blocks with a small amount of wool applique.  Since my first block is being launched in February, I will be adding a block around the first of each month (hopefully hehehe), but at some point in the year, I will add one in the middle of the month to play catch up.  This way we will be finishing up in December and if you are zealous enough, can have a quilt ready, at least to put together, during the Christmas season.

Please join me for "Tree Time".  If you make any of my blocks, I would love to see them.  Either email me a pic that I can blog or blog it yourself, but be sure to let me know so that I can link to it.  If we have enough participants, we might even have a Flickr group. 

Thanks so much and please let me hear what you think. 

Feel free to take my button and link back to my Tree Time post.  THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Mom's Christmas Ornaments and BOM Thoughts.

I have so much I want to post about--I should post more often instead of trying to put it all in one post, but here goes anyway.  The following pictures are Christmas ornaments made by my mother.  As most of you know, she is now 83 years old and has Alzheimers.  She has always made Christmas special for my sister and I.  My dad grew up very poor and never had much Christmas, so she had to basically teach him the joys of Christmas too.  These are homemade ornaments that she made in the 1980s.  She made enough for everyone in the family to have a set. 

This is an angel ornament that belonged to a set that decorated our tree as long as I can remember.  The head is china and the body and wings are wire stretched with a sheer see through fabric like batist.  The arms are pipe cleaner like with a bead on the end.

              This is a Victorian style crazy quilt stocking with hand embroidery.

This Old World Santa quilt measures approximately 16 x 16 inches and is machine applique.  It also was made in the 1980s.

This is a book that my mom got for Christmas as a child.  It is a shaped book about 6 x 6 inches.  Inside is a poem intitled Annie and Willie's Prayer.

You can go here to hear the poem.  Mom read this poem to us each Christmas until she got sick.

I am still in dilema about a block of the month for 2010.  I have tried three and am not happy with any of them.

Of course you have seen the Texas Boot BOM for January.  I still have not done enough embroidery on it.

This is the pattern for February in the drafting stage.  Just a sneak peek of possibly nothing! LOL

This is a BOM that I worked on at the end of last year.  The trouble with it is the pattern is drafted where you make two blocks at a time and if you did n't make all the blocks alike, you would only be able to use 1/2 your blocks in one quilt but have enough for one to give a way as a gift!  I am thinking that each month you would use holiday or season appropriate fabrics.

Two of my test blocks-----I wanted to use wool for the contents of the baskets as it is so easy to work with and looks so dimensional.

An angel pattern that could easily be adapted to themes for a BOM with the clothes being different each month and the item she is holding being different.

Then there is my Christmas Tree idea.  I embroidered this tree.  I thought if I embroidered a different tree each month (color, shape, size, decorations different), it would make a fun BOM and then the following December you would have blocks for a new Christmas Quilt.

This is a drafted pattern for another month's tree.

I guess you can see why I am so confused about a BOM.  If you see anything you think is BOM worthy, please say so.  I may just post patterns as I think someone would like to have them for free and then ask if you take them to please leave a comment and post on your blog so that I can see them.  That would be fun.  Thanks for listening to me ramble. 

TOZZ IS TALENTED!!! LOOK WHAT SHE DID!

Have you ever been to Tozz's Corner? She visits me frequently. Recently I popped in on her and I could not believe what I saw!! She has a new Block of the Month. It is just precious. It is applique and Hand Embroidery. She has two blocks ready for download and you must take a little trip over to her place and take advantage of her generousity and talent.




This is a sample of what you will find--Block #1.




This Sunday is Sunbonnnet Sunday. I hope you will be sure to drop by then. I have found a fairly large pattern that I want to share and am trying to figure out how to post it for you so it will be the right size. If you have any suggestions, I will be most appreciative.
Later gators!!