Pillowcases

I needed some leaders and enders s I worked on the backs for the Food Quilt #2 and the Box Full of Letters quilt. I still have several Christmas pillowcases to make AND college care package pillowcases to make for the Young Man so I decided that pillowcases would be my leaders and enders.It is much easier to use mindless squares, but I didn’t have any prepared (make a to do list note) so it had to be pillowcase. I did a bit of putting together the Field Day quilt, but not much.

I finished three pillowcases, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but it is progress.

Gingerbread House Pillowcase
Gingerbread House Pillowcase

First, I have finished one of the Christmas pillowcases with fabric that I bought at a shop in the South Bay (forgot the name, sorry!) which I really like. The colors are cheerful and one take on the modern Christmas palette. I really like the way designers are using pink and aqua and turquoise for Christmas now. Yes, it will look dated in 10 years (remember mauve?), but I still like it. Choosing fabrics for the cuffs is always a problem for me. Not sure why. I thought this dot worked with the brown in the gingerbread houses and added a little fun fun.

Next, I made one of the college care package pillowcases. This one will be for Halloween. I don’t plan on sending giant care packages every month, but a little something every month or so will be fun. Hallowe’en is good time to fill a box with rubber spiders, mini-Snickers, spider webs and plastic ants.

Halloween Pillowcase for YM
Halloween Pillowcase for YM

I found this skeleton fabric at the Fabricworm and knew the YM would appreciate the Halloween fun. The cuff is made from an old Jennifer Sampou print from her Art Nouveau line. It has been laying around much too long and I think it works fine with the skeletons. It isn’t perfect, but it is ok and the YM won’t care.

I am feeling a lot better about my pillowcases now. They are a uniform size and I can make them quickly.

Olaf Pillowcase
Olaf Pillowcase

The last pillowcase is another for the Christmas series. I found some Frozen fabric and decided to use it to make a fun case for one of the littlest nephews. I think the orange I picked for the cuff makes for one of the best cuffs ever. Hopefully, this will delight a little boy.

I still have to make a pillowcase for his sister and she will get one from the Frozen fabric line, too. Once hers is done I can get the family’s ready to send off.

More Pillowcases

I counted up the pillowcases I need as well as the ones I have made and have a good idea of what I need to make before Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving, you ask?

I was thinking I would mail these out around Thanksgiving so the niece-phews could use them throughout the Christmas holiday. We’ll see.

Here is the grand total of what I need:

  • SIL#1: 4 kids, 2 spouses/SOs
    • 3rd oldest nephew + SO
    • Oldest niece + SO
    • Nephew (not sure where he falls in the order)
    • Youngest niece
  • SIL#2: 3 kids, 1 spouse, 2 great niece-phews
    • Oldest nephew + spouse + 2 kids
    • 2d oldest nephew
    • middle of the pack nephew
  • BIL #1: 1 kid
    • 3rd youngest nephew
  • SIL#3: 2 kids
    • Middle niece
    • middle of the pack nephew – 4th youngest (??)
  • BIL #2: 2 kids
    • 2d youngest nephew
    • Youngest nephew

____________________

Grand Total: 17 pillowcases needed

This does not count The Young Man. Not sure whether to include him or not. I am thinking of sending him a pillowcase per month when he goes to college. It might be the only time he changes his pillowcase. (EEWWW!).

I made two last year and 7 the other day. Total of 9, so I am halfway done.

2 Snowman Pillowcases
2 Snowman Pillowcases
1 Opposite Snowman Pillowcase
1 Opposite Snowman Pillowcase

Now, the thing is that I made 3 pillowcases for the littlest nephews a few years ago. They should still have theirs, but it somehow seems unfair to leave them out. I was also thinking of giving them the designs above. They are close in age and often play together. I would give the 2 that are the closest in age (different families) the top two and then the littlest nephew the bottom one. I want them to know which are theirs, so I don’t want to duplicate the designs.

Still if I give those three away when they have already gotten them, I have to make three more.

Halloween Pillowcase
Halloween Pillowcase

I think the Halloween pillowcase needs to go to the youngest niece. It just seems like her and I wonder if she will notice that it is not Christmas. Since I would be giving them out together, she will probably notice and think I am odd. Perhaps she will get two.

Flannel Pillowcase
Flannel Pillowcase

Finally, this one is flannel and nice and cuddly, except for the cuff. It is also fairly staid. Not sure who will get this. Perhaps a spouse?

Christmas Pillowcases

7 Christmas Pillowcases
7 Christmas Pillowcases

Last year, I thought about making pillowcases for all of the nieces and nephews. It didn’t get done. I didn’t do it. I made an effort, though. I pressed a bunch of Christmas fabric at some point and it has been hanging over a piece of furniture for months. For some reason, I decided to get those pieces of fabric out of my life. Well, not out of my life quite yet, but into a form where I can get them out of my life in December.

I made 7 pillowcases on Sunday. I don’t really like making pillowcases, but making them in batches is much better than one at a time. I get a feel for the cutting and once I deal with the cutting issues, the sewing is much, much easier. The sewing is actually really easy – 5 seams and the pillowcase is finished.

Christmas Pillowcase Project Round 1

A few weeks ago I posted a pillowcase tutorial that used some sort of Christmas fabric. I think that I really want to make pillowcases for my nieces and nephews. For those that are married, I will make one for the spouse and children as well. I thought I mentioned it, but don’t see the words on my blog. It may have been that I was thinking about it since I made the three pillowcases for the littlest nephews last year.

I have a bunch of Christmas fabric that I bought on sale for gift bags. I never made those gift bags as I really have enough and am happy with the ones I have. The fabric was languishing (read taking up precious space and getting on my nerves) in one of my drawers. I finally decided that I would actually make pillowcases for pre-Christmas gifts for the nieces and nephews so they could enjoy the holiday season while they sleep.

This means the following: <Quilt Math ALERT: Breathe deeply and don’t panic>

13 nieces and nephews
+1 great niece
+1 great nephew
+1 niece spouse
_________________
16 total pillowcases
-3 pillowcases already made for nephews last year
______________________________________
13 total to make by Thanksgiving*
-2 already made this year (see this post (-;   )
______________________________________
11 pillowcases to make by Thanksgiving

I will make as many as I can and I will start from the top down so kids in the same family or household all get the pillowcases at the same time if I can’t finish them by Thanksgiving. I feel a little bad that the littlest nephews won’t get them with their cousins, but since I plan on sending them early (so the cases can be enjoyed during the season) rather than giving them out at christmas, they really won’t know. I am pretty sure the 3rd and 5th graders don’t read this blog.

I washed all of the Christmas fabric for the pillowcases and decided to press it as I made the cases. If you have read the gift bag tutorial, you know that I don’t wash fabric I use for gift bags as I like the sizing to give the bags a bit of body and they will probably never be washed, so I don’t take the time. There is minimal pressing so I don’t break out from pressing the unwashed fabric.

Although I haven’t used up all the fabric I have, I had to buy some fun, modern Christmas fabric on sale after Grand Parlor because I loved the color. I think I bought enough for 4 pillowcases, but can’t remember.

Christmas Pillowcases
Christmas Pillowcases

Last week, I finished up the two pillowcases I started the week before I went to Vancouver.

The main body of the pillowcases is the Christmas fabric and the cuff is some fabric that looks like crumpled paper that I got in the mid 1990s. I remember getting that fabric from Lisa Call, who bought a bunch of it in several different colorways and distributed it to those who ordered and paid. I was really excited about the fabric, then never did much with this particular colorway. I used the turquoise and rose colors in various projects. Green has never been a favorite of mine, but the fabric worked very well with the Christmas fabric. (Aside: use your beloved fabric before it ends up as the cuffs of pillowcases!)

I decided I didn’t want to bother with the trim. I don’t really like the way it has come out on the ones I have made. I also think it is an extra bit of annoyance when I am trying to plow through a project. I might feel differently on future pillowcases, but for now that is the word.

I do want to try piping again and if I can perfect my piping technique, then that might look lovely. On the other hand, piping might just make ugly lines on the nieces and nephews faces when they sleep. For now, I will leave it.

I might even get the packs ready to send to people, so there isn’t a lot of packing up required. That might be a little creepy organized even for me. We will have to see.

It is kind of fun to have a project like this. I don’t think I have had one since I made the card holders. I feel like I am spreading the quilt/fabric love when I make useful stuff that non-quilt people won’t wonder too much about. Who knows? They all might think I am insane regardless.

 

 

 

 

 

*Thanksgiving is kind of my unofficial cutoff time for sewing projects like this. I go later sometimes, but really try to have big projects done by Thanksgiving so that I am not sewing at the last minute. A lot of my spare time after Thanksgiving is taken up by writing cards.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!

I took this photo back in September at the Alden Lane Nursery Outdoor Quilt Show. The quilts got people to the nursery, which actually sells plants and garden stuff (yes, my technical term).

Although, not all of you celebrate Christmas, I hope that you will project peace and love out into the world in your own way so that we can have a better world this month and next year.

Peace!

Pax!

vrede!

Pau!

Spokoj!

mir!

Rauha!

Paix!

fred!

Hetep!

Solh!

Emirembe!

etc.*

 

 

 

 

*See more terms for peace at Columbia

 

 

5×7 Folded Card
View the entire collection of cards.

All Set for Christmas

😉

Only on one front: napkins. I have started to buy some Christmas gifts, but that job is still majorly in process. I have started, slowly, because I have to spread the cost out.

We use cloth napkins. They may not be more environmentally friendly considering the manufacturing process and that we have to wash them every week. Still, they get a lot of attention when we have guests, which usually leads to interesting conversations, so I keep using them. I also don’t like the feel of paper napkins on my face. My pretty, pretty princess face. 😉

I had an idea awhile ago to make napkins for every holiday. I made napkins for Valentine’s day, 4th of July and Labor Day. I may have made more, but I don’t remember. I never got to Christmas or Thanksgiving. Frankly, I should concentrate on Thanksgiving, because that is when we have the big family party and I would get a lot of compliments. Still I haven’t done it.

Christmas Napkins
Christmas Napkins

However, when I started my ‘small projects extravaganza‘, I got out some Christmas fabric to make gift bags, then I decided to make some napkins instead. It had been long enough since I made any new ones that I forgot how tedious they are to make.

I have to say that the fabric on the right creeped me out the whole time I was sewing it. I love the vintage glass ornaments, but there are a couple of faces on that fabric that look a little too much like horror movie characters for me. I will stick to using the other two types during Christmas for myself.

Still I made 12 – all the fabric I cut – and now I can move on.

Following-up on Christmas

Christmas 2012
Christmas 2012

I received these two gifts related to quiltmaking at Christmas. They are from my mom. She couldn’t resist the fabric (I have pink flamingos in my front flower bed) and the book was on my list.

I am thinking that I will make some pillowcases out of the flamingo fabric.

I am really looking forward to delving into the book and seeing if I have anything in common with the women interviewed.

Thanks, Mom!

More Christmas!

from Julie
from Julie

In addition to the group of gifts I already received,  Julie and I had our annual parking lot exchange of Christmas gifts after CQFA last weekend. I gave her the partially done Purple Journal, which seems a bit pathetic after I saw what she gave me!) and she gave me this plethora of quilty goodness.

I want to use the Mary Engelbreit panels to make journal covers. A little Mary Engelbreit in the morning is always a good way to start the day, in my opinion. She also bought me a desk needle threader. Yes, it is getting harder for me to thread my needles. I blame it on poor lighting in my living and work rooms.  I am constantly breaking the wire hand held ones, so this will come in handy. The ruler allows the quiltmaker to make wonky 9 patches. Julie and I have started to cut patches for each other. She cut Eye Spy patches for me. I cut Eye Spy patches for her. Now we are cutting Windmill patches for each other.

The final cool thing is a little package of Timtex. Who doesn’t need Timtex? I want to try making a journal using Timtex instead of a manilla folder. We’ll see if it works.

Half Moon Street from TFQ
Half Moon Street from TFQ

I am a lucky girl to have a friend who gives me gift certificates for fabric.I think we should all have a friend like that. 😉 I bought this bundle using the Intrepid Thread gift certificate from TFQ.  I love receiving gift certificates for fabric. I don’t feel guilty about buying it when I use the gift certificate.

I feel very fortunate to have such nice friends. Still, I can’t help, but look forward to my birthday. 😉

Merry Christmas!

And Peace and Joy to all of you who do not celebrate Christmas!

Tree 2009
Tree 2009

For the past few years we have only put lights on our tree. Our Christmas decorations are still in storage after our kitchen remodel. They are closer to coming out, though. Just one more step and then we can unload the storage facility. Next year we will have all of our own decorations.

This year my mom went to her storage room and got her ornaments. She and The Child decorated our tree with her ornaments. It looks beautiful!

Decorated tree 2009
Decorated tree 2009

Below is a detail. The teapot ornament is really a chime. I decided to put it on the tree this year so I could admire it.

Tree detail 2009
Tree detail 2009

Christmas Early

Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist

I have a number of tote bags with different projects in them. The idea is to be able to “grab and go.” The Big Game (we won, in case you needed to know) was this weekend. It is, generally, the family kickoff to the holiday season. I needed a project. Since I finished the handwork on Beach Town, I had nothing on the front burner. I grabbed an old project bag and found Christmas!

Really, I found a project called Kissy Fish. I haven’t worked on it seriously for awhile. I was pretty close to being done, so I brought it with me to the game. I’ll talk about Kissy Fish in another post some day.

The bag was a pit. It was obvious that the last few times I worked on it, I threw stuff into it willy nilly. Unearthing it was fun! I found great stuff that I had forgotten I had, like 8 packs of Oliver Twist threads! Who knows how long they have been in the bottom of the bag, but they are out now.  I also found a bunch of beads and other stuff I haven’t seen in ages. There were a bunch of spools of Aurifil, Madeira and Perl cotton.

It is really like an early Christmas gift. I can’t wait to get my hands on those Oliver Twist thread.

Quilting for Christmas

Quilting for Christmas doesn’t mean things that I made for Christmas, though it may mean that sometime in the future. It means gifts that I received for Christmas.

Julie sent me this great journal. It is a small square journal with a combination of blank handmade paper and graph paper. I already did one page of drawings and decorated the title page.

This was inspired by the pattern on The Child’s Christmas stocking.

Paul sent me the Civil war quilt book and Julie also came through with the Ruth McDowell and Katie Pasquini Masopust design books. I guess I had better start working on my design principles.


I also received The Quilt: A History and Celebration of an American Art Form. One of the things it has are ads of quilts from the 30s, which I really like.