Christmas QAL - September pt3 - directions and decisions!

Dolores has quite rightly pointed out that the QAL button doesn't point to this month's Mr Linky! D'oh!

I've fixed the button now, so to come to the party, sign up with Mr Linky either by clicking on the button, on the Christmas QAL tab at the top of the page, or by clicking here.

Dear me - some hostess I am - that's like sending out invites and the doorbell not working!!

Meanwhile, I think you've all given me some wise words on my sashing dilemma, so thank you for that, and I'm going to go with the yellow.

But before I do that, I'd better get baking - anyone up for some festive gingerbread men?

Christmas QAL - September pt2 - Auditions

I've got my Christmas project out and am at the stage where I need to decide on sashing.

I had my glamorous assistant with me, but between us we can't decide between...

...brown...

...cream...








...yellow...








...or orange...








Actually, it appears that at least one of us is not keen on the orange.

What do you think?

The sun's come out, so I'm going to nip over the the allotment and ask Grumpy George what he thinks, and with a bit of luck I'll be back with some courgettes and raspberries for tea.

See you in a bit.

Christmas QAL - September pt1

Good morning, good morning!  Welcome one and all to this month's Christmas Quiltalong!  The QAL is like a pass the parcel game that Joanna and I are playing every month up to December where we have a weekend where we all set some time aside to work on our Christmas projects so we steal a march on those less organised - it's worth it for the smugness alone!

It's my turn this month, and so let me invite you all to join the party!  If you've not joined in the last few months, DON'T WORRY, as you are very welcome to be here now!

Here's where you sign up to Mr Linky (or on the tab at the top of page), so come on in, and help yourself to a coffee - oops - are we out of biscuits?  We'll have to put that right later on, won't we?

Feel free to work on your own Christmas projects or take up QuiltSue's FIENDISH CHALLENGE - can you make a Christmas item without using red or green fabric within the size guidelines set out here? Eek!

Here in the English Midlands, it is grey and dull, and I think we can all agree - it's a GREAT DAY FOR QUILTING!

Jingle, jingle...!

So what are we all doing this weekend?  We're having a PARTY!  It's the second weekend in the month, and that means that it is Christmas Quiltalong time!

I've got the hosting baton back from Joanna, and I've got some fun and games lined up for us for between our stitching sessions, so please drop by whenever you can!  I'll have a Mr Linky set up, so we can all go a-visiting to see what projects we've all got on the go. 

Will you be using your time to work on the fiendish Christmas Quiltalong Challenge that Quiltsue has set us?  Will you be working on your other Christmas items so you can be all smug and organised when the festive season is on us?

I'm going to be pressing on with my challenge item, but also I want to finish quilting Eleanor's Quilt.  Three of the eight star blocks are done with cream thread, then there's the triangle blocks, and the border the variegated orange.

Whatever you are planning, do come along!

Ready to Sandwich!

Isn't it a funny thing - you put the border on a quilt and it makes you do a step back and go 'Oooh'!  Well it does me, anyway.

Eleanor's Quilt top is finished, I've cut the wadding and backing, and will sandwich to tomorrow.



In the meantime, I have a variegated orange quilting thread, and a variegated cream.  I think the cream will make the cut - you can't see much from the pic, I'm afraid.

It's going to be an all over stipple, I think, as time is of the essence, but I'll think on that overnight.

Date of September's Christmas QAL

Thank you for your votes for the definition of 'the second weekend of September' when we hold this month's Christmas Quiltalong!  With the Saturday being the second Saturday, but the Sunday the third Sunday of the month, it wasn't as straightforward as it might be.

And it's a pretty even split either way, but I do have the casting vote, and I'm going for the 14th/15th September.  I'm really sorry for those who are busy that weekend, we will miss you - and I'll save a party bag for each of you who can't be with us.

So spread the word!  All over to my place on the weekend of 14th/15th!  Games, food & drink, a party popper or two - and Grumpy George to make things go with a swing! Can't wait!

In the mean time, I'm moving forward with Eleanor's Quilt - thank you for the votes of confidence for my piano keys border! I have one for the top and the bottom ready for trimming and attaching now that I've done the tricky dicky bit (since this pic) of trimming the quilt top.  I tell ya, if it's not a good solid rectangle now, it never will be.

So once these piano jobbies are
on, it's just the dark peach border to measure cut and attach, and then we're ready to sandwich!

What's Next, and WHEN next?

So I have been kept very busy by Grumpy George down at the allotment - there have been so many things to pick - courgettes, french beans, runner beans, raspberries and blackberries - that I have the freezer full to overflowing!

And while I've been down there, it's been tricky to keep up with sewing, and in particular blog following - I don't mean to be antisocial, honest!

But Eleanor's Quilt is coming on well - I've been careful with the bias cuts, in particular, and the starch has become my lifelong friend!

I have a decision to make now, though - because the quilt is designed for a double bed, and this is destined to go on a single bed, it mucks about with the proportions of the pattern as QuiltSue has designed - mine needs to be the same sort of length, but only 36" wide, max.

Sue's kindly downsized the block instructions for me, which makes the width about where it wants to be, but I need to boost the length somewhat.

I thought that I could run an orange bar across top& bottom, then a fat piano keys border of the background and the patterned fabric, and then the whole darn lot can have a 2 or 3" border, and that's about that.

Does that sound like a plan?  You have to use your imagination a bit with the pic!

Oh - and another thing, are we running this month's Christmas QAL this coming weekend (7th/8th) as I boldly put down in my last post, or the more correct 14th/15th Sep?  Let me know which you'd prefer and I'd get the nibbles in ready for the party!