November & December Sewing

 November and December were pretty much a blur for me. I was sick more than I was well and I only did the bare minimum sewing. I spent one Sunday and made teacher bags for Christmas gifts. Mikaela has 3 teachers. 

Mrs. Williams, the reading teacher, got a "book" bag. 

Mrs. West, the writing teacher, got a Huskers bag. 

Mathew's teacher, Ms. Wagner, is also a Huskers fan, so she got one as well. 

Mikaela's main teacher, Mrs. Johns, likes chickens, so she got a chicken bag. 

I had a custom order for a t-shirt quilt and this "extra" t-shirt to become a pillow. 

The backing for the t-shirt quilt. 

The finished t-shirt quilt. It was made for a dad to give his daughter, with her mom's shirts. It's queen size and I quilted it the day before I got sick. 

Earlier in November, I made this Rock Candy table topper and double potholder and kitchen boa for my Secret Santa Swap partner Linda for Christmas. 

I made this pillow and Christmas ornament for a friend from her grandma's jacket. The cousins and her mom were each getting one. It was a custom order. 

I made this Rock Candy table runner out of Tula Pink scraps. I have yet to finish it. 

After being sick for all of November and December, I found out my heart isn't pumping correctly, so I am taking heart meds and wearing a LifeVest to hopefully get my heart back on track. It was so frustrating not being able to sew or breathe. 

On Ringo Lake Clue #5

This week with Christmas was very busy, but I found some time on my breaks at work to cut out the pieces for Clue #5. I sewed up 20 last night. They went really quickly. I hope to get more made tonight, but my yellow and blue quilts are calling my name.


For the past 2 years, I've been buying yellow/gold/blue/navy fat quarters to make a blue/yellow scrappy trip around the world. As I made my other Scrappy Trip Around the World blocks, I realized I had 1 or 2, 2.5" strips left. So I started planning with this quilt to make a Blue Ridge Beauty quilt from the scraps. I cut strips and made a ton of hst's using the Essential Triangle Ruler. They are all pressed and ready for my 4 patches when they are ready. These are the last yellow/blue strips I cut out.

I sort them into groups, which become my strata sets.

Last night I finished 3 sets. I have a lot more to go, but strata sets are not my favorite things to sew.

I cut them out and tore them apart during my break today.

I got all three ready to sew together. I love how these are turning out.

I used the leftover strips sets to make pairs of two, that I matched up into 4 patches. These will become part of my Blue Ridge Beauty quilt. I've adjusted the size to work with my scraps.

I wasn't making any Christmas presents, but I picked up this bulldog fabric to make my daughter's teacher a bag. She absolutely loved it.

This is the inside fabric. It looks pretty cool as the lining.

I had a strip down the center and it was big enough to make a little-zippered bag, so I made her another little bag. It's about 9"x9"

I've also spent time this week sewing together my yellow/gray focus blocks.

I also made myself a new project book cover.

Then on a whim, I made my son's preschool teacher a couple bags as well. This is a canvas Jeep bag because she loves Jeeps.

These cute Jeep bags were made with the 1/2 zipper technique. They turned out super cute and the linings are the opposite on each.

My daughter wanted a craft set for Christmas, so I made her one with the supplies from mom's craft room. It was fun pulling supplies together.

I picked up this Quilter in training shirt for her for Christmas.

My son took this picture of me at the school Christmas program.

On Christmas Eve, we had a family picture when we got home from Mass.


I'm linking up with Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville for the mystery quilt. #onringolakequilt #quiltvillemystery

On Ringo Lake Clue #4

This weekend went by just as quickly as the last one. We butchered beef all day Saturday, but I found some time on Friday to cut out the parts of clue #4. Last night, after finishing teacher gifts (which I can't show until she opens it), I made 10 clue #4 pieces. These were super simple to make, using the directions for sewing them correctly. I need to finish cutting my brown pieces, but then I'll be able to sew these quickly. I'm doing really well at cutting out the pieces, but haven't had much sewing time, so I'll be doing these at a retreat in January. A few each week keeps me on track.


I was able to get 12 sets of the Clue #3 done from last week. I'm using my pink batik stash to make these.

My finish for the week was this Twist and Turn quilt for my dad and his wife. I was supposed to be done for their anniversary in Sept, but life got in the way so they can open it on Christmas day.

I'm finishing up my UFO list for December, knowing I won't be getting anymore finished. I'll sew clues instead. I was able to put my new UFO list in my new quilters planner and boy I've got a much shorter list this year! Quilters Planner is the website for this one. It's the 3rd year I've had one and I love it.

Yesterday we did our Christmas Eve food shopping. The kids were actually really good at posing for a picture with Santa.


Saturday 4 of the cousins were at my brother and sister in laws house to butcher, so we tried for a picture. Mr. M. didn't cooperate.

The other morning before we decorated the tree. They were up at 5 AM for school, so we had time for a picture.

My secret Santa partner received this needlebook for our Quilters Stitchers online Facebook group swap. I loved the pattern, so I have to make one for myself as well.

I sent this along with a couple fat quarters.


I'm linking up with Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville for the Clue #4 Link up.

En Provence Clues 4 & 5

This is my first mystery quilt and I wasn't sure I would be able to keep up. I've been very relaxed and I knew I wouldn't get too uptight if I didn't keep up. That's just my nature. I had most of my Christmas quilting done back in October, with the exception of a couple small projects, so I was ready.
Yesterday we were home all day due to a blizzard in Western South Dakota. I helped my daughter sew baby blankets for her new twin dolls and then I got a chance to work on my Clue 3, 4, & 5. I finished up Clue 3 as a leader ender with Clue 4. Last night around 10:30 I couldn't sew anymore, so I cut out Clue 5.

This morning my kids (5 & 4) were up at 4:30 AM! I slept in until my husband left for work, but still got up and ready for work an hour early. Since I had my pieces cut I was able to quickly get all of Clue 5 sewn at 6 AM this morning and even had time to press them before we left for work/daycare.

Last night I also finished up the Dangerous BOM block 8 from Gudrun's Crew. I just love how many small scraps this one is using up.

I also finished up my Crops block for my FGV BOM. I am only about 3 blocks behind now. Time to get caught up this week.

I finished Pie Cherries and Tumbleweeds this past week as well.

I gifted my MIL a table runner and pillow made from the scraps and excess pieces of Strip Lash, the quilt I made her when she got a new job in March. She loved them!

I made my co-workers Mug Rugs of Maxine. This is just one example and they were extremely loved.


Linking Up with Mystery Quilt Monday at Quiltville!