24 May 2013

Crafty Schmafty- Christmas Quilt! (in May, I know)

I get it. I don't post for over a month and then I put up pictures of a Christmas quilt? When there are growing children and growing bellies and what not? That borders on lame-o shame-o, but it's what's going up. 
I'm waiting on the temperature of some milk to go down so I can finish making my first ever homemade yogurt tonight...so this post is keeping me awake! (and hopefully won't put you to sleep!)

These days I find myself thinking in terms of months...

June - Parent visit, vacation
July- Anthony out always with work, Hari Raya starts
August- Hari Raya continues(the biggest holiday every year in Malaysia)
September- School starts, I am big pregnant by then! Baby possibly arrives late Sept
October- Baby arrives if he/she hasn't yet. Parents visit. I try to eek out a 2nd birthday party for Immanuelle. Possible visit from Grandma. And probably school events.
November- Still a new baby around. Lets not underestimate the level of sleepy occurring.
December- Christmas already here! No time to quilt.

See? In terms of months, I was option-less. I handle my everydays and everyweeks fine, but big projects like quilts need planning almost like a big holiday! Lets not forget I've been working on this thing slowly since December. May just required I put things into high-gear...

Lets get into the spirit of the season, shall we then?
The top...

 The Back...
 I bought the fabric back in November in 'merica at JoAnn Fabric. Its several different lines. A few specifically blue Christmas-y/winter-y themed prints with some other grays and blues thrown in. Machine quilted and hand-bound. It's 100 blocks and measures (about) 75" x 75". (Juuuuuuust wide enough to prevent my husband from being able to hold it up for a picture. I thought the on-the-floor reveal was a bit lack-luster too. But...)

I got the idea for the pattern over at Film in the Fridge"Converging Corners" is what she named hers that have this look. I kinda don't wanna put up the link because hers looks so much better than mine! But creative credit is due. I was going for a less-obvious, winter, snow-flakey, snow-y-ish, cheery, vibe. My Christmas decor is mostly blue.  I think it worked!

In pictures the colored corners look much more like T's or crosses or X's than they do in person. And in person you can see more of the sparkle-y in some of the fabric. I just didn't want a poinsetta and Santa covered blanket!

On the bed. (though it'll probably be put on the couch. But lets face it. There's not really a way to make a blue-sharpied couch cushion look inviting.)
We turned the fan on high and pretended we weren't sweating on the equator while taking these. I mean, it COULD be a sunny, crisp morning (if you squint and ignore the green trees out the window). It could!
 The quilting. I followed THIS tutorial on making nice straight lines while quilting. This is only my 3rd quilt, so I need all the tips I can get!

I eventually plan on adding hand-stitched snowflakes to the empty boxes with no quilting. (see the yellow pic below)









Close-ups. My favorite fabric ended up being the little navy blue trees with little red birds on them. They help tie in the red binding and backing and are just too cute!


My mom handed me this quilt back in November. It was made by my great-grandmother. I was hesitant to bring it overseas as I really didn't want to ruin such a treasure, but it's been quite the lovely addition to our bed. As I've been making the Christmas quilt and also staring at this quilt the last few months, I fell in love with the flowers stitched in white spaces. So I got to thinking that I could do something similar in the white spaces on the Christmas quilt. I hope to find some metallic (looking) thread to stitch them with. Festive!

I realize I'm gonna have to make it a habit of giving quilts away if I want to keep making them as, really, how many does one need in the place of eternal summer?! But there were so many times my kids helped to make the Christmas quilt, I'm so glad I did! Whether I sewed in a tank-top or not! and It will hopefully become a sweet memory of Christmas...ahem, of course, Christmas with the air-conditioners on!
To think I never met the woman who made the yellow quilt, and yet, here I am, snuggling under it each night decades later...that's just warm fuzzies all around! Merry Christmas!

I am going to link-up with "Finish it up Friday" over at Crazy Mom Quilts. So glad I have a finish to share!

6 comments:

  1. your quilts are lovely. I would never guess that you are a newbie quilter! Your snowflakes look so cool!

    -Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  2. Gorgeous, love the quilting! I've had a converging corners quilt on the go for over a year now... someday it will get finished!

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  3. Your quilt is lovely! An hooray for being ahead for next Christmas

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  4. It's beautiful! Blue is one of my favorite Christmas colors! And, great job planning ahead - I always tell myself I'm going to do that ...

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  5. it looks like you got your great-grandmother's quilting gene ability - absolutely beautiful!

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  6. Love, love, love your Christmas quilt and all the fun colors and patterns. Where oh where do you find the time?

    It makes perfect sense why you've pushed to finish it in May considering your upcoming "months". I think in terms of months too and am finding myself amazed that we'll be headed to Florida in 5 months... and that we'll be there for 6... and that when we return to Prague there's a good chance that you'll be headed our way for a visit! :-)

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