Well I have been working on my spools quilt which is becoming twice the size of Edyta's. Not sure I am going to have enough of my background fabric to do the applique border - which would have to be increased in size because of the extended quilt. But so far it is looking great. I am really enjoying looking at all the fabrics that everybody chose close up again, so nice. I have also been working on a little wall quilt for my son's form teacher for Christmas. I have used the Fabric Fancification idea and done a MATHS = Love as she is a maths teacher. It's looking good. I will post a photo when its done. I also spent all of Friday and Saturday morning helping a friend get the binding onto table mats and runners for a Christmas market on Sunday. She rented the stall months ago and then fell ill with a vertigo which wouldn't shift so was way behind with her plans. And speaking of falling ill I came down with a rotten cold/sinus infection on Saturday which brought on a migraine. But it's beginning to shift so that's grand. You asked Marilyn!

She's cutting.... That means all that thinking is having results!
Enjoy it, Marilyn, it'll be all finished and heading up to Scotland in next to no time.

My goodness it's been quiet on this thread !! My excuse? THINK,Think, think....sort, draw, sort, cut.....sort again !
Oh, brother !! What's goin' on out there...as if I didn't know !!!

Rita, you could wrap the wreath around with some of Libby's 'ribbons' and cover it with a great big bow.

Marilyn, I like the idea of putting a pretty back on it and flipping it over. Renata, you are right about the background being too busy. It seemed okay when I put all the larger squares together but then it just went wrong! Oh well, you live and learn. I think I will make cushions of the reindeer. One for me and one for my daughter.

Rita...We are our own worst critic ! Your projects are pretty ! The twister top is busy but I'd try a stronger little border
where you have used the gold..like dk green ricrac...or something...a place for your eye to stop ! and I'd prob'ly put the veins
in the holly. When all else fails...put a pretty back on it and flip it over !!

Reetzbobeetz wrote:
Great use of that fabric!! And it makes room for new stuff!!

I am sure practice does help Margo. Probably best to try it out on the least favourite fabric first.

crocus999 wrote:
I think that Edyta's technique is brilliant! And...just remember that it looks easy because this wasn't her first star!!!

That's what the P P P (practice, practice, practice) will do for all us!!!

Don't give up on it until you have tried making a few and get comfortable with the technique!

Wow, Rita, have you been busy or what? Those are great pillows. I love your choice of colos and quilting for the reindeer and frankly, it speaks pillow to me, and not runner because as a runner you might put something on it and not see the full picture any more. It is pretty darn close to the picture I had in my mind for the pillow I wish I were making. Love what you did! Your wreath quilt is actually very pretty and you might like it better at a distance of time and mixed in with other pillows it will be just fine. I'm wondering whether the background fabric is just a bit distracting because it has so much detail in it--that makes it look busy and does not give you too much wiggle room for embellishments, but it does have charm. Leave it alone, it will look nice. Your four- and eight-pointed star pillow looks so crisp and Christmasy! I"m thinking a pair would look great on my red flannel sheets (if it would only get cold here, I could put them on the bed!!!). So glad you posted--it looks like so much fun, I wish I could jump on Santa's sleigh and come over and play in your sewing room!

Renata here is something I just finished quilting. My daughter bought me the reindeer garland. It was made of felt with a sticky back so I stitched it onto the fabric. (I think it is meant for a window or something, but I didn't fancy scraping it off after Christmas). I was going to make it into a cushion cover (actually I have made two of them with different quilting in the border fabrics.) Now I can't decide whether to make them into a cushion or table runner or wall quilt. :


I also made this - not quite a cushion yet either. The Missouri Star Quilt Co had a tutorial on how to do this with the twister ruler. I have the mini ruler which DH brought back from the USA for me. I made it but I was not happy. It wasted so much fabric as you start out with nearly 50 3 1/2" squares sewn together which you then cut with the ruler. It ends up being about 12" square. And everything I have done to try to embellish this block has made it worse, I think. I put on a gold cording around the border and hate it - I am in the process of frogging it. I thought the satin stitched holly leaves would be nice, but I don't like them either.


Then there was my saw-tooth star cushion. I have been trying to conquer the stars! I am so bad at getting the points to line up and not cut off my tips so I thought I would do this one with 8" stars and 4" stars. I found the 4" stars easier than the 8" ones. I think I have got the hang of them now.
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Christmas madness - what is it that comes over me at this time every year. I have to make something Christmasy. And it usually puts me in a bad mood because I can't do it very well. Oh well, back to the 8-pointed star trials.

you don't want to spoil your stash!!!

Renata Santa wants to ride over the moon.

Terrie..right now I'd say I have enough....but who knows? I may have to get that 1 that's just right !!