Christmas Gifts

Would you choose these fabrics to make a quilt?  (A few years ago, I would have said "No!")

How about if I add this delicious print?  Now we're talking!

I couldn't post this before, because it was a Christmas gift for someone in my quilt guild.  The beautiful print was her fabric.  We do what we call "The Brown Bag Challenge" every year.  Usually at either the June or July meeting, everyone who wants to participate brings a brown paper bag with a fat quarter in it, plus a note with their name on it.  We mix up the bags, and everyone chooses one.  Then we make a gift using the fat quarter for the person who brought it.

I made a small spiky star quilt.  I used the Accuquilt dies for the points.  The special fabric is in the star centers, the cornerstones ...

and in the corners of the border.  The blocks are 9 in. finished, the sashing is 2 in. wide (finished), and the border is made of strips that are 1 in. x 3 in. (finished).  I did some really basic quilting on it.  We exchanged gifts on the 16th, and I think she liked it!

This always happens to me!  On the Monday before Christmas, I decided this bear we bought for our granddaughter needed some clothes.  So I pretty much spent the whole day making a dress, a shirt, jeans, and a nightgown.  I hope Evie likes it.  She seemed a little overwhelmed with all the craziness on Christmas eve.  I had lots of fun sewing these little things.  Eventually this bear will need a quilt.

One of the best Christmas gifts every year is Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt.  It's something fun to look forward to during the holidays.  We're already up to Part 5 of Allietare.

I'm steadily working through part 5 on my trusty Singer treadle.

Here's what this week's units look like.  The colors are really striking.  My units range from "spot on" to OMG when it comes to the piecing.
I have to confess, I have not done part 4 yet!  It came along when I was busy with shopping and wrapping and cooking and cleaning.  When I get part 5 done, I'll go back and do part 4.

You can see my leader and ender project here.  I'm making adorable little 6 in. stars.  More about that next time.
One of the best parts of this mystery is sharing what we've done, and seeing what everyone else is doing.  There are some very talented people participating.  I love reading their stories.
Are you having fun this week?  What's under your needle?
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