Make Life Sweet Variation Quilt Finished

Make Life Sweet - photographed at Seattle Asian Art Museum

This patterns is a variation of Make Life Sweet by Sweetwater Quilts.  I followed their measurements for the width of the white strips and the colored strips but put it together in a little different manner along with the scrappy border.  The white is Kona white and 90% of the colored fabrics are from Kaffe Fassett Collective.  I then hand appliqued all the circles (4" diameter).  I do love circles!  

Wild Wild Web Quilt Finished

Wild Wild Web - photographed at Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle

This pattern is from American Patchwork & Quilting August 2011 Issue 111.  (Back issue.)  It measures about 66 x 72.  I stitched it in 2013.  Love the colors on this one!  I used scrap fabrics from other quilts, a Kate Spain layer cake, Kaffe Fassett green shot cotton, Brandon Mably's oranges for the binding, and the most delicious "Frippery - Fireworks" from Thomas Knauer for Andover Fabrics for the backing.  

Shimacho Quilt Finished

Shimacho Quilt - photographed at Washington Arboretum UW Botanic Gardens

This pattern is from Japanese Quilt Inspirations by Susan Brisco.  It is available in both paperback and kindle.  I have the paperback.  There is another pattern I plan to make from this book, a paper pieced kimono quilt, I have no idea how you would use the pattern with a kindle.  

This was a fairly straightforward quilt to piece.  The pattern has you cut multiple sizes of the small colored blocks and then each one is framed with the border fabric (Kona white for my quilt) and then the blocks are pieced together.  We have had endless rain here so I haven't had a chance to do a straight shot.  Will update when I get those done.  

It is bound with a double-sided binding, white on one side and Kaffe on the other that matches the fish.  

My cat Lois: "Did you want to sew?"

Christmas Cracker Design & Finishing Instructions

Book includes instructions for the design and complete finishing instructions for crackers, including directions of how to adjust for different tube sizes, curling the ribbon, and doing a beaded edge.  Available on Amazon for Kindle apps and readers.  

Crackers are so much fun.  Designer Melissa Shirley has lots of cracker designs: Golden Crackers, Valentine Crackers, USA Patriotic Crackers, Easter Crackers, Thanksgiving Crackers, Halloween Crackers, Christmas Toys Crackers, Giant Christmas Crackers, and more traditional Christmas Crackers.  

"Christmas Candy" ornament by Jemini Designs

This ornament is from Just Cross-Stitch Ornament issue 2001.  It's designed by Jeanette Rees of Jemini Designs.  The original pattern called for floss blended with Kreinik Blending filament stitched on 14 count Aida.  I don't stitch on Aida (hate it) so I traced a circle onto 18 count mono canvas then used fabric markers to draw on the arcs and filled in the red and green.  I then used Kreinik 1/16" ribbon to stitch the colors and two strands of #4 braid for the white.  I am trying to use up stash and the two strands of #4 tangled terribly. Never again!  It does look good though.  

I finished the ornament with a flat back with silk dupioni and padded front.  Love it!