Merry Christmas to all!

I'm looking forward to this wonderful few weeks, celebrating the birth of my Savior, with my family. I'll see you all after the new year!

Show and Tell! Figgy Pudding Table Runner

Figgy Pudding Table Runner, originally uploaded by myittybittyquilts.

I was so excited that I not only had enough fabric from one Honey Bun to make all 5 of our families Christmas stockings (check them out a few posts down), but I had enough to make a table runner to match! I also had a few bits left of the tone on tone FQ's and really just added borders until I was out of fabric :)
I was loving the results......... until I started quilting it. I thought this might be a good opportunity to experiment with sketchy pebble quilting because it's a small project. Let me tell you, it takes a LONG time to pebble quilt! My circles were a little, ahem, "sketchier" than I wanted and I didn't like the white thread on the chocolate brown. I did, at one point, decide to take the stitching out, but that lasted about 10 minutes and I realized that was near impossible and I forged on.
We'll chalk this one up to live- and- learn and you know now that it's on the table, I'm warming up to it :)

Please take the time to peruse the other Show and Tell's hosted by Piece N' Quilt!

About 6 weeks ago, I participated in a scrap challenge over at The Handmade Dress. Remember these candy canes?

The goal was to make a project using scraps without buying anything new. I was right in the middle of the crazy craft show rush, but I took an afternoon out to make them. I think I needed a break, anyway :)

Jennifer from the CraftSanity podcast was the judge. I was pretty excited to hear this. I LOVE her podcast! Anyway, the news is.....I WON! I was pretty honored because there were some awesome entries. Thanks, Samantha for hosting and Jennifer for judging. Samantha gave me a $25 GC to her store and here is what I chose....

I've had my eye on that Miss Madeline pattern for a loooooong time. Alas, my 13 yo daughter is not interested in wearing it, so it sat on my wish list. I chose the little girl size so I'm able to make baby shower gifts. I can't wait to try it out!

Dear Santa,

I'm not sure if I needed to be naughty or nice this year to receive a package full of Grunge, but I can show documentation to prove either one :) This is what I would just LOVE to see under my tree! Just think of the uses!

Basic Grey Grunge Basics-just a little 1/2 yard of each would be fine.

And if it isn't asking too much....a little more Figgy Pudding. a Jelly Roll, really. I can't get enough of that stuff. Besides, it matches my living room oh, so well.

If you'd like to write your own letter to Santa, I hear that Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber can make sure that he sees it :)

Family stockings with a little how-to

Family Stockings, originally uploaded by myittybittyquilts.

And here is the whole lot of them and as I promised I'll give you the low down on how I made them.

This is not a tutorial, really and I'm assuming you understand basic sewing terms and instructions :)

I started with a HoneyBun of the Figgy Pudding Line by Moda. And 5 quarter yard cuts of tone on tones from that line.

I sewed the HoneyBun strips all together and ended up with a piece of strippy fabric about 41x 45".

I found a stocking shape that I liked (I used one from New Noel) and figured out how big I wanted the contrasting fabric at the top for the "cuff" (It's not a cuff at all) I printed out the family names on my computer and used that to determine the size. Then I cut out the stockings from the stripped fabric, minus the "cuff".

I cut out the "cuffs" from the contrasting fabric, then used fusible web to attach the letters and used a small zigzag in white to stitch them down.

Next, I sewed the appliqued "cuff" to the stocking body. It was at this point that I decided to add the heel and the toe, so I went back to my fusible web and drew those shapes. Then appliqued them on using matching thread, also with a small zigzag.

I then used spray adhesive to attach the stockings to some Warm and Natural. I quilted these with just a straight stitch down each strip. I debated a LONG time about this, but I'm happy with the results. Then I trimmed them.

At this point, I used the stocking to cut out two pieces of lining. (I just used a plain white)

After they were quilted I cut out rectangles of Warm and Natural and backing fabric just slightly larger than the stocking. (This is my new method for sewing layered, shaped things together. A little wasteful, maybe, but I don't have any trouble with my seams catching everything in) Then I layered batting, backing right side up, stocking right side down and pin. I sewed around the stocking, all but the top, trimmed and turned right side out.

Now I sewed the lining pieces together, leaving a 4" opening for turning.

I needed a tab for hanging so I cut 5 pieces about 3" by 8". Folded in half lengthwise, opened up, folded the edges to the middle and ironed, then folded in half again. You know how to do this :) Top-stitched and tacked, using a zigazg stitch, onto the outside of the stocking facing DOWN.

Next, I slipped the stocking inside the lining, right sides together and sewed around the top. Flipped the whole thing out through the opening in the lining. Stitched the opening closed by machine and voila! Done!

I don't know if anyone will be inspired to try this, but if you have any questions, as I'm sure I didn't make this super clear, feel free to ask!

Oh, there was also enough of the stripped fabric left over to make a table runner. It's pieced and ready to be quilted. I think I'll save that for Holiday Show and Tell!

And the Winner Is....

sarah in the woods!

sarah in the woods said...

Lovely! Thanks for the opportunity.
I'm making a forest-themed advent calendar. Love the mushrooms!!

I'll have to check out your advent calendar. Sounds wonderful!

I'll be getting in touch with you and thank you all for visiting my little blog :)

New Stockings for the Family aka I LOVE Figgy Pudding!

I've had this lovely Honey Bun of Figgy Pudding, along with some coordinating FQ's since June. I knew they were destined to be Christmas stockings and yet, with the Quilt show and craft show, I had to just set it up on my shelf. Nope, I couldn't even leave it out to gaze at, lest I toss my then current project and immerse myself in it's yumminess. Finally, this week, I could get out that bag and get started and to tell you the truth, I didn't want to quit! Stay tuned for more FP projects along with some basic instructions on how I put these together. I just couldn't wait to show you a peek :)

Tomorrow is the last Giveaway Day! Check the next post for info :) You could win this......

Yippee! It's Giveaway Day!!

and the gift I'd love to send one of you is one FULL, YUMMY YARD of Heather Ross Mushrooms on white!! To enter the give-away, just leave a comment and let me know something that you are making this Christmas season. I love handmade gifts of all sorts and always ready for some new ideas, so inspire me! The winner will be drawn at random on December 6 and I'll have the fabric in the mail to you in plenty of time if you'd like to use it for gifts :) Oh, and for my one non-fabric loving reader (Hi, Jude!) if you comment and win, I'll send you something nifty that you don't have to sew into anything :P
Please leave a way for me to contact you in your post. Thanks for visiting and go visit the other giveaways sponsored by www.sewmamasew.com

And yes, I was just playing with the super macro setting on my camera. A photographer I am not...

Kid's Stuff

Floppy Frogs

Boxy Bags

Burp Cloth Sets

Wristlets

Coloring Totes

Chenille Bibs

Nope, no clever title. I just wanted to show a few of the kids' things I've been sewing. Some of it was for the craft show (which went really well!) and some of it is for gifts.

***Check back tomorrow, it's GIVEAWAY DAY!!***