Christmas Quiltalong - Post 9

I like this so much I'm going to post it again! (Well, it's my blog, so I can do it if I want to.)

I'm not going to do a quiz this month.  There will still be a prize draw (when I decide what the prize is), but what I will do is draw a winner from amongst everyone who has posted during the day about what they are sewing today and I will announce the winner on Monday.

Now, here's some interesting facts about Christmas trees.  Did you know...

The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an American named Ralph E. Morris in 1895. The new lights proved safer than the traditional candles, which often started fires by falling in the dry Christmas trees.

The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531.

Real Christmas trees are an all-American product, grown in all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are the top Christmas tree producing states. Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas trees - 8.6 million in 1998.

Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.

The best selling Christmas trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Balsam fir and white pine.

For every real Christmas tree harvested, 2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place. Each hectare provides the daily oxygen requirements of 45 people.

Artificial Christmas trees have outsold real ones since 1991.

In 1856, President Franklin Pierce decorates the first White House Christmas tree.




Does anyone else know any useless facts about Christmas Trees?

Now it's 9.00 in the evening here, so I'm stopping for tonight.  Thanks so much everyone for joining in.  I hope you've had a good day, and look forward to seeing you all again next time.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 8

This is what I've done so far, but disaster seems to have struck.  I have run out of red strips.  I must either have put them somewhere incredibly safe, so I can't find them, or I have badly miscalculated.  I am so annoyed with myself as I was absolutely loving how this is looking, and I would have carried on tomorrow to finish the centre.  Now I'll either have to go hunting tomorrow or go shopping online for some more red fabrics.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 7

Big Brother and I need a break ...

 Those delicious biscuits were a gift from Ann.  They were in a gorgeous tin

and are rather special biscuits from Brittany.  They arrived this morning, which was wonderful timing, as it has meant that I could have one (yes, OK, two) with my coffee.  They are wonderful, thanks so much Ann.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 6

 So this,

plus 3 more, becomes

Eventually there will be 3 more.  As soon as I saw the pattern Over and Under in Scrap Basket Sensations, I thought of Christmas Wreaths, in red with white stars in the middle.  I absolutely love how this is turning out.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 5

Here is one complete block.  I love how this looking.  Now I'm off to make some more.  See you later.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 4

Progress ... or not?  I've had a rethink on this colour.  It's too bright with rest of the reds I'm using.  So, out with my trusty seam ripper it is.

Bet you can't guess what I'm making can you?

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 3

Rest of the washing done, dinner now cooking, so I started sewing.  Not for long though ... it's "Spot the Deliberate Mistake" time:

Oops.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 2

Housework's done.  Washing on line.  Dinner NOT in slow cooker yet cos I got bored with being a domestic goddess and thought I'd just go and play for a little while first.  So, this is what I've done so far, thanks to my Go! cutter again:

Don't those fabrics all look lovely and Christmassy?  Did you notice, I'm doing scrappy too?

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 1

Good morning everyone.

Rotary cutters ready?

Machines revved up?

Right, let's party.

Don't forget to sign up on the Linky-thingy by going to the tab just under my header called 2011 Christmas Quiltalong so I can send you the instructions for the next block of the Scatty Christmas Stars quilt and we can all visit each other during the day.

I'm off to do the necessary stirring up the dust in the house, get some washing done and put the dinner in the slow cooker and then I'll be back and ready to go.

A Christmas invitation ...

Cathi is unable to host the Christmas Quiltalong this month, due to business commitments, so I'll be your hostess this time. Won't you come and join us?

Is everybody ready to start sewing up a storm tomorrow?  I am, look, I actually got my Go! cutter out and started cutting some strips today so I can sit right down and sew in the morning.

Look again ...

... I know this is my second post today, but I'm just so excited I had to show you what I received a couple of hours ago.        

Yes! My book!  Written by me!  I can hardly believe it.

(Oh and the eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that in the comments yesterday, Bilbo was so excited she can hardly wait to see the book published, so she decided to bring the publication date forward by a month.  She was convinced that it was coming out on June 11, when really it is July 11.

Look ...

... at what I received today from Martingale & Company

I wish I could find a way of showing you how beautiful they smell too. 

Thank you so much to everyone from the company.

Look where I am today ...

Madame Samm has invited me to be her guest blogger today, so just click on the button above to see what I am wittering on about over there.

Guess ....

... what day it is on Saturday?

Just in case you need it, here's a clue:

Please help ...

... I really have an urge to try my hand at some redwork, but please could someone tell me what to use as my fabric?  Is it anything special?  Should it be a plain fabric?  Is it supposed to be done on white or cream?

Well OK I don't have a question do I?  I have four questions.  Cany anyone help me, please?

Fixed it ...

... I think.  Please let me know if anyone still has a problem.

Something strange has happened ....

.... to my Christmas Quiltalong button on my sidebar.

While I was asleep last night, some mischevious little pixies have come in and changed it.  It now shows a picture which is on someone else's latest blog post!  These pixies have been very busy as they have managed to change it on some, but not all, of the other blogs which have my button.  Now, I think the photo it now shows is a very cute one of a guy and his girlfriend and the quilt she made him, but it's not really relevant to the Christmas Quiltalong, so please bear with me while I try to put things right.

I just don't believe ....

.... how stupid I can be. 

This time there is no excuse whatsoever.  My friend Quilthaze had discovered last week that a fabric shop fairly near us in Leeds, called Skep Mill, which we both thought had closed down, had in fact been taken over and was still open, so we felt a visit was in order.  (Actually it was a return visit for Quilthaze as she had popped in there last week.)  I needed to get the remaining fabrics for my Scatty Christmas Stars so this was a great opportunity and Quilthaze also wanted to go to a city fairly near here where there was a large store which sold dressmaking fabrics.  So a Big Expotition (to quote either Pooh Bear or Christopher Robin, I can't quite remember which) was planned for yesterday. Before we left, I very efficiently checked how much fabric I needed, but decided that EQ7 had got it wrong.  I quickly recalculated, BUT .....

... I only worked out the borders.  I didn't realise what I had done until last night.  So, I now have the border fabrics, but not enough for the connector blocks.  Oh yes, I did also buy a FQ bundle and some background fabric, as the prices were fantastic.

From there off we went to the big, scarey city of Bradford.  We had a map which Quilthaze had printed off, so decided we didn't need to take Tom (my satnav) with us. 

BIIIG mistake. 

We got fairly near to where we wanted to be, then found the road closed so we had to turn off.  We got very lost, got caught up in loads of traffic (I wonder why they use their car horns so much in Bradford?), nearly had the side of the car taken off by a dustcart who wanted to be right where we were and so on, but somehow, we suddenly found ourselves on the right road. 

Hurrah. 

Nope. 

No parking spaces.  We were about to give up and go home when we spotted a space and squeezed the car in.  Quilthaze found out what she had gone there to discover, so then we decided to try and get out of the big scarey city, which we did more by luck than judgement, and drove to about 1/2 mile from my house and went to a restaurant for lunch. 

We deserved it, specially Quilthaze who had been driving.

T

I've remembered! ...

Remember my post, last Sunday? 

The one where I decided I was a fool? 

The one where I confessed that I had received these fabrics and couldn't remember what I wanted them for? 

Well, I've remembered!!!

They were for borders and bindings for these two quilts.

 

I am so glad I remembered what they were for before I used them for something else! Come to think of it, you're probably glad too, otherwise I'd just keep moaning about it after I used them and then remembered what I meant to do with them.

What a coincidence! ....

.... I forgot to tell you all the most amazing thing about our holiday last month.

At the very start of the holiday we found our seats and got ourselves settled.  A couple of minutes later someone got on and sat at the table on the other side of the aisle to us. 

I saw her and nudged Mr Fixit and said "Is that 'C'?"  Now C is married to L, and L and  Mr Fixit have been friends since they were 8 years old.  C and L got married about the same time as us and we all used to go out together on a Saturday night and had some wonderful boating holidays together until they moved to Cornwall.  We never lost touch, although it was rare to see each other.  The last time was probably about 3 years ago. 

Still with me? 

Anyway I didn't have my glasses on, so Mr Fixit looked and said yes, he thought it was her.  Then I heard her speak, and that confirmed it.  Yes, she and L were on the same holiday, in the same carriage, and almost sitting next to us.

Woww, what a coincidence.  We had no idea they were going, and they didn't know we were. 

It made a great holiday even better for all four of us.

I am a fool ...

... Why?

Well, yesterday the postie brought me a lovely package with some great fabrics in it.  My problem?  I can't remember what I planned to do with them!

I know I ordered them for a particular reason, but I'm blowed if I can remember what.  Anyone else ever do things like that?

The winner is...

 ... well, first I want to thank SewCalGal for generously sponsoring this competition.  As I said on Saturday, her site is jam-packed full of useful information about all sorts of quilty things.  She also runs online quilt shows which are always great - a fantastic source of eye-candy and inspiration.  Anyway, I expect you'd like me to stop waffling and tell you that the winner is ...

Oh no, first I'd better tell you how I found the winner.  There were only 6 entries who got every question right, so I numbered them in the order I received them and then asked Mr Fixit to choose a number between 1 and 6, and that was the winner.

So, the number he chose was number 3, and that means that Yvonne, of 100% Crea will be getting this wonderful pattern and the buttons to go with it.  Hmm I've just thought, if I don't tell her she's won, perhaps I can keep the pattern?  None of you will tell on me will you?

Christmas Quiltalong Post 7

This is my last post for today, as it's now after 9 pm and I'm getting tired.  This is what I have been doing today in place of what I had planned.  Considering I don't usually do this sort of thing, it's not looking too bad.  Course, when I have to do things like embroidering the eyes, I might not feel quite so pleased with myself!

Thank you all for coming to my party.  I hope you've had a good time.

Christmas Quiltalong Post 7

Are you ready to switch the sewing machine off yet?  If so, go and make a coffee and then come back here for a little quiz.

This time, the prize is being donated by SewCalGal, and is this wonderful pattern, together with buttons that will just finish the quilt off wonderfully. In case any of you haven't seen her blog, it is here, and SewCalGal always has the most interesting posts where she shares her insights on all sorts of quilty topics.  She also runs online quilt shows, such as the christmas ones and there you can win great prizes.  Last year, she even gave extra chances to win to those Christmas Quiltalongers who entered, and I'm hoping she might do the same again this year.  Anyway, she has kindly sponsored this quiz, so thank you SewCalGal for doing this.

Anyway, here is today's quiz.  It's all on the subject of Christmas trees. 

It’s All About the Tree

1. Where did the Christmas tree originate?

a. America
b. Asia
c. Europe
d. Africa

2. In which century was the Christmas tree first used?

a. 16th
b. 17th
c. 18th
d. 19th

3. Which tree does not belong below?

a. Douglas Fir
b. Noble Fir
c. Scots Pine
d. Florida Pine

4. Where are most Christmas trees grown?

a. Wild Forests
b. Tropical Jungles
c. Tree Farms
d. Deserts

5. What were the first artificial Christmas trees made from?

a. Goose Feathers
b. Plastic
c. Metal
d. Chicken Feathers

6. What do most Europeans use for Christmas tree lights?

a. Incandescent Bulbs
b. LED Lights
c. Real Candles
d. Flood Lights

7. What is a tree with fake snow called?

a. Snowed
b. Flocked
c. White
d. Frosted

8. When do most Americans put up a Christmas tree?

a. Weekend After Thanksgiving
b. Second Week of November
c. Second Week of December
d. On Christmas Eve

9. When do most Europeans put up a Christmas tree?

a. Weekend After Thanksgiving
b. Second Week of November
c. Second Week of December
d. On Christmas Eve

10. What kind of origins does the Christmas tree have?

a. Christian
b. Buddhist
c. Pagan
d. Hindu

When you have the answers, email them to me.  I will leave this open until midnight GMT tomorrow and draw the winner and announce the name on Monday morning.

Christmas Quiltalong Post 6

Well, I tried.  I really did.  I tried very hard.

I failed.

What did I try?  What did I fail?

Rotary cutting, that's what.  I had my fabrics ready, my cutting mat out, my rotary cutter poised, and I made the first cut.  That's when I realised.  My back was not going to like this.  So I've put it all away again for now and I'm going to find some hand sewing to do.  I'll show you later what I'm going to work on instead.

Christmas Quiltalong Post 5

Thank you everyone for helping me decide which quilt to make.  The majority vote went to Town Square, so that is what I think I'm going to do.  I'll be back later with some pictures.

Christmas Quiltalong Post 4

As you know, I always think a little music helps get us in the mood, so here is today's offering. Tonya at Hillbilly Handworks commented that she would not be able to quilt along with us, but she could sing along, so I asked her what she would like to sing, and here, just for Tonya is the song she chose:

Christmas Quiltalong Post 3

 I can't decide which quilt to do, so Sewali suggested I post some pictures, and you can all chip in and help me decide.

So the two I really like are

this one, called Paddle Wheel

or this one, called Town Square

The fabrics I have are Maison de Garance, which has beigey/tans and dark reds and is very Christmassy.  

So, which one?

Christmas Quiltalong Post 2

I'm back now, and all my chores are done, so the rest of the day is my own.

Do you like my gingerbread man candle holder by the way?  I bought him at Christmas and think he's really cute, so today he's going to be my "mascot" for the day.

I have got a gorgeous FQ bundle of fabrics which is calling me, so I'm going to try and cut some up to make one of the quilts from Kim's book Scrap Basket Sensations.  Well I will, as soon as I've decided which quilt to make!

I'll be back soon.

Christmas Quiltalong Post 1 ...

Are you ready?  No?  Me neither!  You'd think that I would be really wouldn't you but somehow, life keeps getting in the way.  I have got some fun things planned though, so remember to keep coming back.

As usual, if you go to the Christmas Quiltalong tab at the top of my blog, I have put the Linky-thingy there.  Blogger seems to have got over its temper tantrum, so please add your name to the list there, so we can all go visiting each other during the day.  I will try to get the instructions for the next block for the Scatty Christmas Stars quilt posted as quickly as possible after you have linked (or should that be "linky-ed"?) up. 

I must go and get on with some housework-type chores now, then I have to take my father to his foot-man, then I can settle down and play for the rest of the day

Christmas Quiltalong

... well, with Blogger having been down for 48 hours, it seems to me that I need a workaround, cos I'm not confident that they've fixed it properly, as my last post has been removed, soo  .....

If you are planning to join in with the Christmas Quiltalong tomorrow, please email me (you can do it from my profile page) today, then, if Blogger trips over his own two feet again, I can still send out the posts I would be doing any way, but they will come to you as emails.  Please still take photos, and then, when everything's working properly again, we can still link up and visit each other to see what we've all been up to.

Does that make sense?

Woohoo ...

...  Only two days to go ..... 

 

I hope you all know what you're going to be sewing on Saturday?  Yes?  Oh good, now could someone tell me what I'm going to do cos I don't know.

Oooh look . . .

 . . . only FOUR days until the next

I will be hosting it again this month, so get your cutters out, machines oiled, Christmas music ready and join me on Saturday for another day of fun and festive frivolity.

Mother's Quilt ...

I am aware that my blog, which is, after all, called Quilt Times, has had virtually no quilting content recently, so I thought I'd show you my first ever quilt.  At the time I made this, I had had no lessons, I did it all from books or magazines, which just might explain my non-pointy points, etc.  This was made for my mother, who loved orangey-tawny-yellow colours.

As today is Mother's Day in the US, it seemed an appropriate day to show this quilt.

I must thank everyone for their get well wishes too.  I am sorry I have not replied to everyone, but typing when lying down, has proved to be impossible for me.  I am now up and about, albeit slowly, and definitely on the mend.

I may be quiet ....

... for a day or so.  I have hurt my back and the only way I can get comfortable is when I am lying flat.  It is difficult to type like that!

Do you like ...

... my little countdown gadget on the side to remind you (yes, OK, it's really to remind me) of when the next Christmas Quiltalong day is.  With that sitting there, I'll have no excuse this month for getting it wrong.

I'm ba-ack

Actually I've been back for a few days.

We had a fantastic holiday, with lots of these,

and lots of scenery like this,

 Waiting to do lots of this,

 and meeting up with friends like these,

So now I have to face these

 

We actually got home on Monday and then Tuesday was spent doing domestic things like shopping and washing.  Wednesday and Thursday was spent helping Mr & Mrs Nomad do this

 

Today I have spent in front of the TV watching this

To paraphrase ....

.... the song by Peter, Paul and Mary ;

"I'm leaving on a steam train
And I know when I'll be back again"

Tomorrow, Mr Fixit and I are off on holiday, we're going practically all the way round the coast of England, Scotland and Wales and I can hardly wait.  We're going with the same company we went to Scotland with last year, and are looking forward to lots of wonderful food, beautiful scenery, and luxury. 

See you when we get back, which will be on Easter Monday.

You know the saying ...

... "Spring is sprung, the grass is ris,
I wonder where the birdies is"?

Well I know exactly where they were at 4 o'clock this morning.  They were all in the trees outside my bedroom window, singing their little hearts out.

Humph, yawn, zzzzzzz ...............

Oops ....

.... You know how I said yesterday that since it was Christmas Quiltalong day, we were having salad, so I only had to boil some potatoes?

Well, I burned them.

I thought it was funny.

Mr Fixit did not.

Christmas Quiltalong post 3

Just so you don't think I'm slacking, this is a sneaky peek at what I'm doing now.

I got a late start today as I needed to take my father into town.  When I got home it was such a glorious day, with blue sky, sunshine, and temp in the mid to high 60s that I faffed around outside, had a coffee out there, etc and didn't start QAL-ing until about midday.  OK, so, having made all my excuses, I am still very happy with what I have achieved.

Now it's 8.30pm and I'm getting tired, so I'm going to say goodnight and curl up in front of the TV.  I hope everyone else is still having fun and getting everything done that you wanted to.

Christmas Quiltalong post 3

Here are my next 2 blocks for Scatty Christmas Stars.  I've never done a BOM type quilt before and I am really enjoying making a quilt in bite-sized pieces.  I am also enjoying all the different stars, and I want to thank Cathi for them. (She did all the stars, I'm doing the other bits later in the year to turn our scattered stars into a quilt. 

Now I have to stop and cook dinner (well, I have to cook the potatoes - we're having salad) and once they're cooking I'll be popping in to see the rest of you.

Christmas Quiltalong post 2

Pheww!  Only problems are,  1) I can't get everything in there! and 2)  I didn't buy enough of the fabric organisers.  (I told Mr Fixit I hadn't bought enough and his reply was "well, perhaps you should try actually using some of the fabric instead of just buying it."  Non-quilters just don't seem to get it, do they?)

Today ....

... is Christmas Quiltalong day.  Yippee.

Cathi is hosting it this month, so if you're joining in, don't forget to go and sign up on the Quiltalong page, here, then you can also see who else is quilting along and what they're up to.

I even have a plan today!

First I'm going to finish tidying up this "magic cupboard", and I may post a picture later to show how beautiful it looks when I've done it.  Then I'm going to make my blocks for the Scatty Christmas Stars quilt, then ... well, I'm not telling, but it is Christmassy.  See you all soon.