Final Finishes for 2015

Thank you for all your kind comments on IG and on the last post.  A lot of this post was mostly written before the San Bernardino tragedy, so it may seem lighthearted. But it still is Christmas and I still delight in making, in fact it is a great leveler in crazy times.  Enjoy the quilting.

Rosette #5 is finished, so now I can start to plan #6.  I loved the fabrics that fell into place on this one.

Here’s November’s Chuck Nohara blocks.  These all measure 6″ finished, so they are like eating small bites of chocolate.  I even got the “hollow” on the cherries embroidered since last time.  The blocks on the second row on either end, are using fabrics from A Quilting Life’s Bright Sun line of fabrics, and the center one uses fabrics from their Valley collection.

Bright Sun is above. I like how different they are, yet they all coordinate.  (Yes, Sherri is a friend, and yes, I bought these from Fat Quarter Shop.)

Here are some of the steps I took for two of the blocks:

I started here, tracing the outline of the handle with a chalk pencil.  I then clipped the edges, and finger pressed it, rolling the chalked line to the underneath as I went (a trick from Becky Goldsmith of Piece O Cake).  I centered it on the upper piece, but just pinned it.  As I stitched (later on) I also ended up trimming down the seam allowance to a scant 1/4″–here it is a fat 1/4.”

I figured out where I wanted the flowers on the upper basket rim, then ironed down my freezer paper (I traced it from the book’s enlarged picture) and traced around it.

I traced the lower basket and side edges, labeled them, then clipped them apart so I could fussy cut the arrows from the fabric.  I stitched it all together, and added the lower edge.

I gauged where the handle would fall in relation to the basket using a ruler, then appliquéd it down. 

I double-checked it again.  At six inches, there’s not a lot of leeway for mistakes, yet the blocks do sew up quickly.

I pinned the basket bottom to the top piece and hand-appliqued it down.

I trimmed the upper piece after sewing it.

Next.  Start here.  Seam together the flowery petal pieces, then lay them over the corner wedge. 

I began appliquéing from the center, out to each side.  Trust me on this.

Seam together two, then four.  Then sew together each side.

The dots save you from agonizing over that center join, and are kind of fun.

Here’s what we have put up for December.  Even though we have listed four blocks, you only have to do two to feel good about yourself, especially in the month of December.

Lastly, my last bee blocks for Mid-Century Modern are finished. More info can be found on our blog.

Keep sewing, my friends.  Stay safe.  Celebrate regular days and regular life, and really celebrate Christmas this year, both in word and in deed.