November Schnibble

I have my winter picnic started.  The baskets are all assembled and I am ready to start on the border.  Here is a picture of a basket but you will have to wait to see the top till it is finished. I am not sure I am going to go with the piano keys.  I need to live with the basket arrangement for a day or two to decide the best compliment.

Progress on many fronts

Just because I have not posted my progress on my many challenge and Christmas projects lately doesn't mean that I am not working!  I have been making progress and believe I will be making even more progress this weekend and next week when I take several days of of work.

1.  I have completely finished two of the three pocket dolls for Christmas presents to granddaughters.  I have all the clothes made for the third and just need to make the dolly and the pocket.

2.  Now that the handwork is finished for the doll clothes, I am back to working on my Shibori.  My guild has a brown bag challenge coming up in December.  I need to put three pieces of fabric in a brown bag along with some information about me.  I want to include an indigo shibori piece with two coordinated dyed pieces.  This picture is the beginning of my stitching for the shibori piece.

3.  For the UFO challenge, Joy in the New Year, I have tackled my fractured quilt top.  It was too fractured for my liking so I have cut it more (does that make any sense??) and inserted strips ala Ricky Timms.  Here is a picture of my progress.  So far, I like the results.

4.  I have not yet started cutting and piecing the November Schnibble, Picnic, but I do have the pattern and have chosen the color palette (not my typical cheerful, even childlike palette).  Here is a sneak peek at the materials.  It is Kansas Winter.  I am making the Schnibble to hang in the office of a co-worker and he wanted a more subdued color.  I will be starting the piecing this weekend. 

5.  Kate's quilt is still folded waiting for attention. Keep the suggestions coming for it.  I am getting a much stronger feel for how I want to proceed.

6.  Last, I have started adding details to the fabric self-portrait I am making for my Mom. The large pieces of fabric are all fused together and now I am making the faces with various media--currently using water-color pencils but will continue with some stronger colors.  I need to take a picture and get your suggestions.  Later.  This is definitely one of those tenative pieces where I work very slowly.  You know, *do a little, live with it a while, do a little more, live with it, and repeat from *

Big Day

Yesterday was certainly a big day!  First, it snowed.  First snow of the winter.  It was pretty coming down as it stuck to the trees and wires.  Today as the wind is blowing it down from the trees and wires in thick clumps, it is pretty again.  Unfortunately it is the beginnning of winter for me.

I had hoped for a long fall.  Spring lasted to the first week in August.  Rain, and the resultant mosquitoes, made being outside unpleasant. Then we had two weeks of Summer.  Fall began the last week in August.  I had hoped it would last until at least the end of November as recompense for the Spring.  Instead we have snow and  lower than normal temperatures.

But yesterday did have some wonderful things happening.  I received my package from the Fat Quarter Shop.  Now I have the pattern for the November Schnibble and a jelly roll cake of Kansas Winter for the pattern--it will be a Thanksgiving Picnic.

AND I received the book "40 Fabulous Quick-Cut Quilts" by Evelyn Sloppy from Amazon.  It has the pattern for the red and white snowball quilt challenge.  Yeah, now I can start that too!

AND I got some off-white and cream fabric prints I had ordered from Christa's Quilts for the fabric swap.  I spent the afternoon washing, ironing, cutting and packaging the fabric to send off to my 7 swap buddies.  They (packages not the swap buddies) are all sent off today to their new homes.  I know that Sinta has already sent out hers so I should start receiving mine anytime.  Whoooo Hoooo!