Secret Santa Christmas Swap (SSCS)

This year I again joined in Chookyblue's SSCS. I received a gift from Simona in Croatia who made me this cute mini quilt featuring lots of stitched Christmas motifs. 

 

Bells ...

candy canes ...

stockings ...

holly ...

and stars.

On the back she attached this really cool label. Very clever the way it fits into the corner and has both our names. Thank you, Simona, and thank you Chookyblue for organising another great swap.

I made a gift for Tami in the USA. This little wallhanging is based on one designed by Sally Giblin. It was in an Australian magazine ... Homespun or Country Threads .... sorry can't remember exact details.


I also made Tami one of Anni's bon bons. It was actually my first one ... the start of the obsession!


This picture also shows the ornament I made Tami ... a little bird to hang on her tree. I mostly used Peace on Earth and Roman Holiday fabrics ... both by 3 Sisters.

In the rush to get it all finished and posted on time, this was the only close-up photo I took of the stitchery squares.

 

Thanks to everyone who left well wishes on my last post. There is still plenty of time if you haven't entered the giveaway yet. Last time I looked there were 99 entries so it looks like I'll be giving away 2 fat quarter packs in addition to the tablerunner. I am looking forward to having a look at everyone's blogs over the next few days.

Giveaway - Two Years in Blogland

As today I celebrate two years in blogland AND nearly two hundred posts (this is number 198) it must be time for a little giveaway (or two!)

I had grand intentions of making something new especially for this occasion but it hasn't happened! However, I am offering this tablerunner I made earlier this year from Porcelain fabric which has sat unused and a bit sad in a cupboard until now. I'm sure it would be much happier seeing the light of day in a new and appreciative home! The pattern is one of my favourites by Heather Mulder Peterson ... Crossroads Tablerunner.

It a lot lighter than these pictures suggest. The sashing is actually white!

This is the fabric I used on the back ... once again, believe it or not, it has a white background.

 

As it's a double celebration, I'm also offering 6 fat quarters of Cottage Charm fabric and a pair of pink stork scissors. There's a bit of a pattern emerging here as this fabric line is designed by none other than Heather Mulder Peterson! Her blog, Trends and Traditions is one of my favourites ... always lovely patterns and fabrics to see. If there are 100 or more entries I will give away an additional 6 fat quarters of this lovely range.

To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on THIS post making sure I can contact you if you are a winner. That's all ... nice and easy, for me and you! I will leave the contest open until Tuesday 5th January at midnight (Penguin time!) and do a random draw on Wednesday morning. Overseas people are welcome to enter ... I am happy to post anywhere!

Thank you to everyone who has visited Aunties Quaint Quilts over the last two years. Your kind words and encouragement continually motivate me to keep creating. Molly and Oliver also say thank you for the nice messages they often receive too.

Rouenneries Quilt

Remember this peek from a few posts back. It was the centre of the quilt I started at the Kerry Swain workshop using a Rouenneries fat quarter pack. 

Kerry's quilt had a Georgetown Circle block at the centre but I had a whole lot of trouble getting it right! Actually quite a few swear words were uttered! It looked dreadful and uneven and I knew I'd never be happy with it so in the end I decided to take the easy option and just make another 25 x 25 block.

Now it looks like a Trip Around the World quilt which is fine by me. Actually I LOVE it.

Still deciding what to do for borders .... hoping I will find some yardage on sale soon!

Only 2 more days until I celebrate 2 years of blogging. Where did that time go! Although I'd rather be sewing, today I'm cleaning out the spare room! Better get back to it.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS

to all my friends in blogland.

Hope you have a great day tomorrow.

I made this simplified version of Anni Downs bon-bon pattern for lots of my work friends. They seemed to like them.

Here is Oliver 'singing' his Christmas greeting. I think it's the 'gloria' part of Ding Dong Merrily on High!

 

Still working on my A Christmas Wish Quilt ... the way I'm going it might be finished by next Christmas.

But very pleased that I finished a major project today. Will share some photos after Christmas.

Workshop with Kerry Swain

Last month I went to a workshop at Calico Crossroads led by Kerry Swain.

Pauline's store has lots of nice country gifts as well as fabrics and quilting supplies.

It was a 2 day workshop and was lots of fun ... nice people and LOTS of nice food.

Here is Sarah, 

and Vicki and Sue working very hard.

We worked on this mystery quilt designed by Kerry which she called Georgetown Circle.

Kerry's quilt was made from a range of flannels. (Sorry can't remember the name!)

As you can see there were lots of different fabric palettes used. Sarah's husband chose her fabrics ... she is giving it to him for Christmas.

Here is Vicki's quilt ... she has already had it quilted!

Some of the other quilts made at the workshop ... can't remember who did what!

 

 

Next time, I will show you the quilt I made using Rouenneries. As usual, it ended up a bit different to the others!

Christmas Ornaments

Yesterday I finished work for the year. Yippee! The last fortnight has been one long round of rehearsals and performances ... now I have fallen in a heap! Lucky I have until Feb 5 before returning to work. Below are the ornaments I received from Simona in this years SSCS. Simona is a blogger from Croatia.

She used buttons, wooden spools and thread to make me these cute ornaments. Thanks Simona.

I made this bird for my partner, Tami, using some scraps from my tumbler quilt.
  

I sewed lots of squares to make a new pieced fabric then used a bird template in Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle by Tone Finnanger. Turned out quite cute even if I say so myself!

On Tuesday night the Material Girls had their Christmas Dinner and exchanged ornaments/gifts. I received this lovely hanging decoration made by Bev. She told me the design is from a Nancy Halvorsen book.

The star on the back is her own addition. Very nice.

I made a Christmas Bon-Bon from a pattern by Anni Downs. These are fun and easy to make. The most time consuming part is stitching and needleturning the stitchery.




Here's a little peek at the inside contents which went home with Vicki.




Now I'm on holidays I hope to be a 'better' blogger! It's only nine days 'til my 2 year blogoversary so look out for a giveaway soon.