My Holiday Lane projects

HOLIDAY LANE Pillow Blog Hop 

Jill Finley of Jillilly Studios created this cute pillow pattern to share called Holiday Lane.  Madam Samm at Sew We Quilt, Blog Hop Events Queen, fell in love with it and so did I.  It so cute, and I had a lot fun making it.  Thank you Jill for sharing such a cute holiday pattern, I'm sure everyone had a great time making them turning then into all sorts of things.  I would have like to put it in a quilt, but not this year....maybe next.  A big THANK YOU to Madam Samm, of Sew We Quilt ,our cute blog hop events coordinator, the most organized, crafty person ever for choosing all these fun hop ideas.  And an even bigger Thank you to the ever cheerful Pauline of Quilt 'N' Queen  fame, our Holiday Lane blog hop cheerleader who literally battled her way through, sick with the flu and a computer that bit the dust and people....well there are some everytime, who are no shows, but I think she had more than her fair share of those not honoring their commitments this time. I am trying to making extras for those who did not.   I hear from Pauline that she, along with some other hoppers, caught the flu.... I really do hope all of you feel better soon, big germ free cyber hugs to you :). 

Okay sooooo although I am in love with of all the colors.......... a few colors really appeal to me,  lime green is tops , but red is one of my favorites too.  I think that is why I fell in love with redwork and the red & white quilt collections.  I also love candy canes and peppermints, always have, probably always will... have a few of my grand kids that like them too.  So when I thought about doing a version of Holiday Lane I kept thinking about the holidays and candy canes and peppermint candies ( NO, no not the new-fangled jolly rancher versions of candy canes that my kids like either ).  And I pulled a bunch of Christmas fabrics and a few non-Christmas blenders and put them in a visible pile to simmer and hopefully come together in a great selection.   And they sat there simmering as I occasionally stirred the pot, (i.e.-stacked and re-stacked the pieces), patiently waiting, until I was done with a few other things... and one of those things was to stitch up a sample block from my licorice twist pattern....I mailed that off last Monday, until then I hadn't done redwork in over a year and this got my itchin' to stitch fires kindled and last Wednesday while I was grocery shopping for Thanksgiving I decided that that's what I wanted my Holiday Lane pillow to be.....a stitched one..........well why not, a couple of times over the years I have appliqued embroidery designs, why not embroider an applique design?? And for some crazy reason I thought I had to have it done by Monday so I could put a post together for Tuesday................checked this Monday morning (it's the 26 as I write this post).........I have the 29th oops......I'm done early.....mark that on your calendars people, it may be the first and last time I was ready two days in advance.
Anyway I 've been wanting to do a red & white Christmas for several years and I am collecting things here and there including "pinspirations" so that one of these years I can have a red & white Christmas.  Red & white ribbons, paper, dishes, tree and table decs, candy canes, peppermints.............etc  until I collect all that here is my version of Jill's cute Holiday Lane pillow.  I kept to her original dimensions, applique pieces and layout but I did add a few bits like extra windows, starlight mint stars and some simple patterns stitched on the houses so it would give the general  illusion of fabric houses, adds a little fun to red stitching.  It took almost 3 (2.75) skeins of floss.  I drew it up Thanksgiving night after we got home.  But after making food for two places and about 70 miles of window time, stitching was not going to happen that night. So I started stitching it Friday on my lunch hour.  I stitched Friday night when I got home from work 6 pm -12:30 am, all day Saturday 7 am to 9 pm and about 4-5 hours off and on Sunday finishing it up, flanges and all, about 5:30 Sunday afternoon.... soooooooo since I'm done, NOW what do I do, I know make more??

I'm going home and see if I can make another one in a different style or maybe two ?? but different........you'll have to wait and see.  There may be more later????
in the meantime ...... just keep reading.....

Below is a picture of some of the owls Carrie stuffed. ( I think there's 13 here).  These are the ones I mentioned that I was making for my friend, who doesn't sew, but loves cute things.   I sewed them and she stuffed them.  And just like always, I didn't count as I was cutting and had way too many in progress before I counted........she ended up with 21 (plus some extra parts ;)) instead of 17, lol... and now I'm making more.  They are so cute.  I found some polka dotted cuddle fabric to make some out of for grand kids.... and another friend...

Christmas is coming soon you know      :D

Another thing I am going to make is from a prize.....

 Yea I actually won something, out of the clear blue sky ( actually drawn from a pile of comments, lol) THANK YOU to Madam Samm and Connecting Threads, queen of Blog hops and marketing,  had a giveaway.  It was from Connecting Threads, and was for a stack of Big Sky Flannel FQ's.......aren't they pretty?  I am going to make a Zigzag/chevron/rickrack quilt out of large HST's  I was going to do it last weekend but things happen and I lost my window of opportunity to cut the pieces.  Now I'll have to post it next time. 

Okay look what I got done last night....

 Holiday Lane Extras

here's version # 2

It measures about 7" across and 3" tall. :D.
And I have the pieces semi done for yet another version............if I get it done before post time it'll be at the bottom because that's where my iphone puts them, if I knew html or something maybe I could put it where i want , but sadly no!?

A giveaway? Instead of a contest where only one or two win, I prefer to give away something to everyone.....today's freebie is an old pattern but it's a quick and easy one to stitch or applique and seasonal.  I have done it both  ways.  I wish I had some pictures but I don't think so.  I gave it to you so please do not re-sell it in pattern form.  You can find it underneath the hop schedule below.  Happy Stitching!

There are about 80 participants that made their own versions some of them quite unique and different yet all reminiscent of Jill's design and are sharing pictures for all to see on the Holiday Lane hop.   I have the schedule listed below from Pauline of all the remaining participants for the last two days (only today and tomorrow ) of their showing..... Some will have giveaways, or tutorials, or freebies, you just never know, but lots of blog happiness for you to check out!!  If you missed the first of the hop Madam Samm has a link to a pinterest page with all of the entries.

Thursday November 29

Words & Stitches

Trying to Blog

Peanut's Patchwork

Moosestash Quilting

A Loose Thread

stitch, stitch, stitch

In Stitches and Seams

Hooked on Quilting

A Reformed Heath'n

Elaine - that other blog

As Sweet as Peaches

The Learning Curve Quilts and Such

Geema's Wonderings

Friday November 30

J Kafer on the Net

Busy as Can Be

Dachsies With Moxie

28 Peppermint Grove

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Kris Loves Fabric

Linda - that other blog

Dora Quilts

Shedding the Wolf

Quilting, Sewing Granny

Creative Notions

Chickadees Country Cottage Crafts

Madame Samm @ Sew We Quilt : the best for last!

it is she who makes all this creative blog hop inspiration possible!

Holiday Lane Snowflake Freebie

If you would like to join one of Samm's hops, the next one is in January, it's  

Nancy Drew Get a CLUE anything made with the Nancy Drew Fabric and she has a whole year's worth of fun events coming up so you can jump in on if you keep an eye out on her blog.  Next month she's having a book event all month, reviews of books by women for women and all sorts of subjects. 

Check it out at Madam Samm's Sew We Quilt

I am having a font issue today and it's driving me crazy!!!!

Hopefully, one more Holiday lane pic will show up below here, if not, rest assured I am still stitching it!!!!

so :) see you soon  or :D  I got it done !?! But I cannot crop & edit the photo from my phone sorry! I will fix it tomorrow from a computer with Internet access. It is a free standing Holiday Lane for daughters fireplace mantel, Yea! The houses are the exact same sizes as the pattern.

Thanks for hopping by.  Come back when you can stitch awhile, Cyndi

 

Twilling Directions and Patterns

Have you seen or heard about twilling?  I hadn't until about two years ago and I only learned it about a year ago from Pauline Quigley.  It is easy, pretty fun, and a little addicting if you are a stitcher.  It makes a cool textured stitch!!  And you can adapt it to many things.

These are my twilling patterns that I have at the quilt shops. 
See list of shops on right.  I'm also working on a few new runners and a BOM quilt with twilling.  

If you want any of my patterns contact the stores from list on the right.  I know the ladies at Sew Sweet Quilt Shop ship things because I order fabric and patterns from them , not positive about the others.  Specialty Quilts does not ship.  They're not all internet stores.  And I'm sorry I don't have them in PDF form yet.  If you want them and have trouble acquiring them, ask your local quilt store to get them from me or send me an email and we'll work something out.

Below are left handed and right handed directions on how to do twilling also called palestrina stitch.  You can print from the picture or you can click on link below each picture for a link to google docs for a PDF version of either hand or BOTH hands

Lefties click HERE

 If you would like directions for BOTH hands,  click HERE.

right handers click below

Right Handers click HERE

I like to use floss and pearl cotton #5, each for different looks.  If I want it bold I use one strand of pearl cotton or all 6 strands of floss (floss is little harder to work with because you have 6 strands but you also have waaaaay more colors to choose from).  If I want to mix it in my redwork or embroidery I usually use 3 strands.  I have used 2 strands of pearl cotton for a BIG chunky look and it's pretty cool, but uses a lot of thread quickly!!

I recently was asked what I use to transfer designs. There are many other ways to transfer designs, but this is my personal preference.  I trace the designs using any of the blue water soluble pens/markers directly on to fabric.  The various brands are all about the same.  Kelly Jackson at I have a Notion has them and ships internationally.  Jessica & Jeannette have them at Sew Sweet Quilt but not on their web store but in their brick & mortar store so call them at 1-660-548-3056 they ship too, not positive about international.   Some pens have finer points than others.  For twilling, a fine point is not a big deal.  For redwork, sometimes is nice to have a fine point.  If you do not have a light table, tape design in place on glass table top or window with a light or sun shining through the glass.  Center fabric on design, and tape or weight down to prevent shifting (the low tack painters tape is pretty good).  Trace the designs with the blue pens.  Work your stitching then RINSE WELL in cool water, blot excess water out, Do not wring out, it just puts in excess wrinkles, and let air dry, applying no heat.  I smooth them out on a clean bath towel or smooth and pin to the design wall to let dry.

The DOWNSIDES of using the blue pens...... HEAT or extended lengths of time will sometimes, not all times, cause them to "set" the design in the fabric permanently.   It usually does not leave the blue color just a gray shadow when rinsed.  It reacts in some fabrics more than others....... I have heard that some pink fabrics have this issue?  So far, I have not had this happen except for a the remaining part of a set of blocks that were well over a year old, maybe two, that road around in the car most of the time and were not embroidered yet.   I have even ironed fabrics that had been traced and not stitched yet...........Ironing IS NOT recommended....I did it before I found out about the heat issue/reaction with these pens.

SO, do not leave your embroidery bag in the hot car in the summer or next to the heater in your car in winter.  If you don't know how long it will take you to embroider your project, cut all your blocks so fabric is same but only trace a block or two at a time, stitch, rinse,  and air dry as you go.

Here are individual pictures of the covers.

Have a great day, let me know if you have any questions. 

Cyndi Hoeller, owner Bee Tree Designs.

BOWLS STACKED WITH a FREEBIE or two

Okay first of all I APOLOGIZE for being late, techinical issues with my old laptop, rural wifi and an inexperienced Iphone user (me) are to blame SO SORRY
Next the THANK YOU'S:
Thank you to Regina who gave us the beautiful bowl pattern
that I started with.
A BIG WHOOT! WHOOT! to REGINA!
I had FUN with this pattern, maybe a little too much.
Sometimes a girl's gotta do what they gotta do.  And I had to do it before my head expoded!!
I wrote this post before my project was complete.... at the moment it is still in about 35 pieces or more and I am allowing myself till midnight to finish said project. And I apologize beforehand, pictures quality
may not be the best, or even good....my room is not well lit.
SOOOO, hopefully the picture gets inserted below before that time. I haven't tried it from my phone before.
Next a big Thank You to Madame Samm, Events Coordinator,Great Keeper of the blog hops of SEW WE QUILT for organizing all the hops and providing a place for non-bloggers to play! This is this first time I have jumped into one of your blog hops as a participant. I had seen quite a few, okay lots and lots of blurbs, shout outs and posts about them here and there and visited quite a few hops lately and when I noticed the one about the bowls I thought why not..........I should have checked into this a little deeper before jumping into the fray, imagine my surprise when I found out it was paper pieced.......oh my, that is not my favorite thing to do!! But I had had committed myself to your hop, and so this is my best attempt at Regina's paper piecing., bown up in all sizes But keep in mind I had fun and Thank you!!
Lastly I want to thank Carol of Just Let Me Sew, Cheerleader, Event Supervisor, coordinator of the crazy quilters!!! Oh SEW Great Carol, whom I have conversed with frequently and laughed heartily with, Thank you for your support and for putting up with my zaniness!!
I am dedicating my stack to you......
I started with a few and they looked so lonely, ..... it kind of bothered me, I had to think about it.   What would make it work where I wanted it to hang...... I wanted big, and bold.
But first I had a turtle to figure out so I ignored them while they hung there,
so lonely and small.
This is what it was looking at.........

Then I had other things with deadlines, there was a quilt back I had to piece together and a table runner to work on and the bowls just hung there. They stared are me, questioning me......."when are you coming back to us?" Well after after I got my turtle drawing done, the back pieced, and the quilt top all packed, ready for the quilter, I pulled out my bag of scraps

and set to work again, holding up scraps, sizing up colors, Rachel Ray's, " a Week in a Day" playing in the background, bowls running through my head......... then it hit me I knew what I needed to do, I tell you I work best with a 48 hour deadline, but sometimes that deadline gets the best of me and I don't finish. That 24-48 hour deadline is great for ideas but terrible for sewing time. But at least I think I have something good, something I will enjoy and maybe others. At this writing I'm not sure how finished it will be????
But, here it is.
A Weeks' Worth in a Day..... or Two Bowls!
finished at 12:05 8/15/12 CST USA
I apologize for the WET upper and lower corners, there was blue marking pen from squaring it up, It was midnight and I did not have a hair dryer.

it measures 27.5" by 43"  :)
bwhahahahaha Carol, I can hear you laughing now.
I know I'm crazy, always have been always will be. But that aside, This was fun.
I 'm glad I jumped on board and will probably do it again one of these days!!
Here is a shot of the middle, is a wet corner not a shadow.

MORE FUN FOR YOU BELOW!!

Two FREEBIE GIVEAWAYS below to anyone that wants them, one for FM ,
and one for STITCHERS
for any of you who are interested in Free Motion Quilting.. stop here first, IF NOT, jump to next paragraph........I do not do FMQ but designed a turtle anyway. I needed it and could not find a " cute"  one, only realistic looking ones....... SO I am giving away  my FMQ continuous line turtle I worked on so hard that I think part of my left brain/right brain thing had a small skirmish,  but at last one side finally won because I got thing on paper..........I tell you, my hat is off to you free motion quilters.........It took me forever and a day to figure out how to draw a continuous line turtle for a baby quilt.
But it is done & stored on google docs, and am sharing it with you.
It is for your use on your own quilts or quilts you do for others. Just do not sell the pattern, I gave it you free, pass it around free to your friends with credit back to me please. My favorite quilter, Claire, is going to do the turtle quilting on a baby quilt I made for my daughter's best friend with this turtle, the MOM2B will be thrilled! And I am glad to not have to have quilted it!!! LOL! There's a link to google docs below the picture.

You can probably print the picture, But if you would like a PDF instead, click HERE.

Not into Free Motion Quilting......here's another giveaway....for stitchers
Below is "Baskets of Plenty"
(and there are more on blog look for label "freebies" way way down side on right,
there are quite a few!)
Its a set of 12 Baskets I drew for our Quiltin' Chicks redwork group years ago.
Click on the link below the picture.

Baskets A' Plenty
a set of 12 baskets for various reasons or seasons, enjoy!

Glad you hopped by Check below for a new place to hop!

Bowls with Borders Blogs that Carol STACKED UP for
today August 15th

hop by the following to see how they stacked theirs

BINKS

ROBIN S

TRISH

QUILTING ALONG THE WAY

SEW SOMETHING GOOD

QUILT DOODLE DOODLES

HAPPIER THAN A BIRD QUILTS

DIZZY DAZE

You are here at (Stitch, Stitch, Stitch) aka Bee Tree Designs. Hope you had fun!!! Cyndi

DAISY DAYS

A QUILTING SHEEP

FREEBIE-FAT CAT

I hope you tried some twilling by now, here's a simple FAT CAT for you to try. 

I would try twilling the main parts of the cat with three strands of regular floss, and use regular stitches for the face details with 2 strands, but is up to you. If you don't twill, stitch him however you please.  If you would like to learn to twill , click on the words see this post   Just something quick and fun, a great stitch to know.  Its a very cool, textured stitch, see my header.

Click here for a link to google docs for a printable copy.

Have fun!! cyndi

twilling patterns almost ready

More about them in a few days... still editing directions, covers and the " how to twill " inserts for patterns.   Yikes, all those things are time consuming!  I want to be stitching!!  but for now..................

Here are some better sneak peeks of my first few twilling toppers!! 

SUMMER SPIRIT

FALL PUMPKINS

SRPING FLING

WINTER WHIMSY

Now I cheated on this one.  It was my first sample going to a quilt shop and I was nervous about my twilling ability.   I chickened out and only did tidbits, the twigs and scarf stripes.  My second effort was the Fall Pumpkins, followed by Summer Sprirt, then Spring Fling.   I have sketches for several more of these TWILLING TOPPERS almost ready and am getting the FAT CAT pattern ready, but have to get these ready to sell  first, why is there not 120 hours or so in a weekend, if only, lol!. 

Keep warm and dry! It started snowing at 5:30 this morning and has continued ever since.  It's not accumulating too bad about 3-4" so far.  I was hoping it would snow enough they'd send us home from work.............nope :(.     Anyway, done with my lunch hour.  Keep on stitching!!  Talk to you soon,  Cyndi

A Twilling Breakthrough



It's been a really long time, well over a year, since I have picked up a needle and thread and actually completed something. I've been in a deep dark hole that threatened to swallow me and I have been struggling to climb out of it.  I tried starting several new fun things from other designers, but nothing really got me hooked again until this fall when I heard abour a lady named Pauline.  Ms Pauline was teaching Twilling, "what's twilling??" you say.   Look above and you'll see it........there's some of it in each of the above photos.  She had already stitched out a couple of my older patterns. She did one of my beginner redwork patterns below simply called the pumpkin, and she TWILLED most of it except for the tiny details.  Look below, isn't her stitching beau tiful, so clean and smooth.   I was fascinated!!  I love texture.....

She had asked the quilt shop owner if she thought I could come up with some patterns designed more for the twilling stitch. Well, I had never done twilling so we met each other in her twilling class.  "POOF" my creative fire was re-lit, crazy stitchy ideas started crashing around in my head and I started drawing again.  Then came the stitching.  I've designed several things for the twilling stitch, have done some more redwork designs, and am having trouble finding time to get it all on paper and fabric.  The designs, directions etc. all need to be in pattern form, ready to go to the quilt shop soon.  Below is what I've done in redwork.  There will be 12 cats of the month.  For you bloggers I think I'll have helpful "SEWING" FAT cats as blog freebies beginning soon, I hope........depends on time, it maybe March.  Sorry about the quality of the photos.

"FAT CATS" shown here are April, February and March, they are not quite ready to sell but will be soon.  I ran out of grey thread for the fuzzy cat on the bottom right, but decided to show it anyway. 

Now, here's how to do the twilling stitch ............ 

See if you can understand how to do it from these directions below.   There's a place to click below photo for a link to a printable copy.

If you want a printable copy click here 

UPDATE  if you would like a verson for lefties and righties go here

It will take you to google docs where you can print it out.  Please let me know if you can figure out how to do the stitch from these directions.  This is my first rough draft at the twilling directions.  I want to put it or similiar one in with my patterns.  Would love feed back about them.

I'll have more in the next few days on what I've been drawing with this twilling stitch in mind.............!?!?!?  I hope you approve.  It's a fun stitch, and gives my favorite type stitching (redwork) another form of texture. 

Below is the picture of the first thing I did away from the class, away from Pauline's guidance..........yikes! I chickened out when I started my own project in twilling, and only did bits and pieces of it in the twilling stitch (the arms, scarf stripes,) the rest is in my more comfortable redwork .....outline/stem stitch, mixed with  backstitch etc.  Once I got more comfortable with it, the other projects I designed were worked mostly as twilling.  You'll have to come back to see.....see you soon.   :) cyndi

more pennies for rylee freebies

Here are some more of the penny square patterns for the quilt "Pennies for Rylee".

 SHOES 

 CLICK HERE FOR PDF LINK TO  "PENNIES FOR RYLEE" PAGE 11

Ooops it appears I missed scanning correctly, you may have to draw in the left most part of the baby boy shoe.

LABELS

CLICK HERE FOR PDF LINK TO "PENNIES FOR RYLEE" PAGE 8

CLICK HERE FOR PDF LINK TO "PENNIES FOR RYLEE" PAGE 10

Quick and easy little penny squares from this quilt below, plus some for girls.  Directions yet to follow.  Embroider them on them on 6.5" squares. 

What's really cool is this antique wicker stroller that the quilt is laying on.  Wish I could show you more, but I cropped most of it out, so the quilt would be more of the focal point. I don't think I have the original photo anymore.  I used it while it was at a consignment store to take the picture.  I am pretty sure it's still for sale.  It's so cool!!   If I was a professional photographer I would snatch that stroller up. 

Enjoy your day!!  For once, it's sunny here, second day in a row with NO rain!  need more time to stitch something, anything!!  Cyndi

 

am stitching again, finally

I hope you all had a nice Holiday.  Nothing at my house. I did go spend some time with my parents, and siblings and some of my kids. But it rained, and was fun but dreary.  Who would have thought an Easter this late in the year would have been so dreary and wet. 

Anyway, while catching up on some old blog posts on some of my favorite blogs, I ran across someone who is doing a BOM called Crazy Cats.  Now these blocks are as cute as can be but they are supposed to be appliqued.  ( I do intend to do them applique as well.)  But in the mean time, the bottom picture is how I did them Thursday night and Friday night. 

But FIRST here they are as HELENA did them.

THANK YOU HELENA FOR

YOUR CRAZY CATS!!!!

Click HERE to find Helena and her Crazy Cats.

What's so great is these CRAZY CATS got me stitching again!!!!!!! 

 I made them 50% of the original size for a mini wall hanging for my office.  They are perfect, quick and cute, definitely right up my alley.  They each only took less than 2 hours.

I did them in redwork, one of my favorite mediums!  They are first stitching I've done in months.  Now maybe I can finish something I started at my daughter's month's ago.  The worst part now will be waiting each month for the other cats.  ; )   But to entertain myself even more I am going to do these cats super mini too (ornament size),  THANK YOU HELENA.

 

I will post some more of Pennies for Rylee soon.  I still need to fix the directions. have a good day, or evening! Maybe soon I'll even draw something soon, one can only hope.  Cyndi

the CR quilt & freebies

Before the bottom fell out of my world, I did manage to finish the top my daughter's friend's asked me to make for her sister.  It is a CR quilt (Crown Royal).  I did not get it done on time but I did manage to struggle through and get it done so she could have it for Valentines Day.  Since I did not get it done as planned, I did not charge her.  I apologize for the unappealing photos.  It 's very hard to take pictures of a black quilt period, then in poor light and compounded by my inability to take a decent picture. So, here are some of the pictures I have.  It' s mad of solid black plus 3 black prints and the purple Crown Royal bags that I cut into pieces, lots of pieces!!!

(excuse the stuff my daughter had next to her bed.  I didn;t move it, was in a hurry)
Hopefully once the owner has it quilted she'll send me a picture!! 

There are 3 different blocks that make up the quilt.

Here's one more of it.  My daughter tried to take this one with the window shining through it, not good , but you can see more of pf the whole quilt.  Quilt, unbound, measures 118 in x 118 in.

Here's some more free stitch patterns for the baby quilt.

Here's the link for the google docs pdf of Pennies for Rylee  pg 5.

Here's the link for the google docs pdf of Pennies for Rylee pg 6.

Enjoy these and hope everyone is happy, calm and stitching something today!!  I 'll pop in and see what you're up to one of these days.

Mystery Monday HOW # 15

I'm glad I didn't get my drawings this morning scanned because I think I came up with some better ideas at lunch, but I needed a little time to clean them up.  So this week's HOW's are all of us at this time of year running here running there........
......

HOW #15 Christmas Chicks

 I did get things drawn for this week but have not had anytime to stitch for a long time, so no samples to look at, sorry!!!!  Well I have to go back to un-sewing........no time to blog tonight, got all the blocks done for quilt but had to un-sew 11....................just could not let some intersections go out like that, and one block had two parts (not one, nooooo...2!!) sewn in that were turned 45 degrees, stuck out like a sore thumb in the quilt too!!.  so back to re-sewing, then sewing the blocks all together, and finish up Paulette's ornaments........I put them aside and have not gotten back to them. They and AnnaLisse's gifts need to be mailed..............I am terrible at getting things in the mail.  .   Hopefully I will get back to normal blogging and emailing by the end of this week, I'm sure I've missed out on some great blogs.  Will try to go back to read old emails and other's posts to catch up on most everything!!

Need to blog on things I've received.  I got a bunch of goodies from my Ohio Twin, Cyndi from bluebirdswing, and a really cute tote bag made by Betty of luv2sew filled with more goodies as a thank you from my quilting chicks bunch.    

Monday Mystery HOW #14 done

Okay, it was back to the drawing board. today(yesterday, Sunday)...........if you tried to make last week's template like I did Sunday afternoon , you found out that the shape you end up with is a straight sided cube, no pointy top & bottom not at all the shape I was going for. (glad I did it with paper first)  HOWever you can only use three of the 4 shapes (don't forget to allow the seam allowance if you decide to cut the 4th one off) and have a triangle shape similar to what I had in mind. but I wanted a 4 sided ornament, so I had to re-draw some of the lines.  And I still wanted birds, but decided some of you may want something else so I put poinsettias on one page and the birds on the other, so it's a 2-fer.

I am still not finished am going to add a tassel to the bottom, maybe with some beads.  Also am not happy about the lack of pointiness (spell check does not like that word, lol!) at the top and bottom next time will trim the interfacing to almost nothing at the top and bottom,  it was very bulky.  Also would like it more square, I may have overstuffed it, and it's fabric what can you say.  Here is what it looks like from the bottom, before I rinsed out the blue pen.. 

The top looks the same only the hanger sewn in the middle.  Here's what it looked like after stitching,

Solid blue are sewing lines dashed blue lines are cutting lines.  Now cut it like below before sewing points together leaving sides open for turning, notice they are not stitched either, you will do that after sewing side seam shut.

After you sew all the points to each other turn inside out and stuff.

Then whip or slip stitch shut, whichever you prefer. 

NOW do a small chain over the seam you just closed...........then bury the ends and clip.

Ta DAAAAA!!!! a neatly hidden seam! add a twisted cord hanger to top and a tassel to the bottom.

Here is the pattern for the birds

click here for the birdy PDF

Here is the one for poinsettias, put french knots in the middle.

click here for the poinsettia PDF

Sorry I've been so behind lately!!!  I'm pedaling as fast as I can but the bike seems to stay in low gear!!  Just so you know, there probably not be a HOW next Monday...........that gives me two weeks to get caught up, hahahahahahaha! Like that will happen this time of year. BUT you never know, sometimes things fall into place and I might have time for one???????????   Have fun playing with these. adapt, changes them whatever.........Cyndi