December bibs

This month has been crazy, but I did manage to make 2 bibs and an elephant.  I will get them in the mail to you soon.

Happy Christmas!

On the 12th day of Christmas,
This is what you'll see,
12 quilted potholders
Underneath the tree,
11 little stockings,
All they need is filled,
10 darling bibs,
The babies will be thrilled!
9 table runners,
Four need binding yet,
8 quilted placemats,
A merry little set.
7 tiny cushions,
Meant for holding pins,
6 quilted jackets,
But none of them for men.
5 UFI's
I didn't have time to bind,
4 fancy pillows,
Need trims I couldn't find,
3 pretty purses,
 The handles still to add.
2 dashing snowmen,
Need stuffing pretty bad!
1 Merry Christmas wish,
Sent just for you,
Peace, Joy, and Happiness,
All the whole year thru!

Best wishes,
and may all your UFI's be DIT.

December Project

OK, ladies.  I'm so excited that I was able to finish this quilt for this month's project!  It was basted and waiting to be quilted, so I quilted it on my Bernina and finished the binding today.

It's around 65"X78" so that should be a good size for an older girl.

I also have one pillowcase and I may have time to make a few more.

Are we sending everything to Gayly?

Bibs for Gayly

OK Gayly, here is the deal... I have four bibs ready to go...but I really want to try my hand at pillow cases too...so I definitely plan to mail these to you..but I thought I would wait and mail when I have other things also.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Bibs for babies

Gayly, I am sending you five bibs, unisex and reversible, for the orphanage.  I'm working on some blankets, but I probably won't get them finished before Christmas.  Yesterday was the first day of our Inventory reduction sale, and Rachael and I cut over 700 yards of fabric in our 10 yards for 10 dollars section! 

God bless the quilter who 'finishes the bolt'!

Pillowcases

I wish I had more time to create more but I am leaving the country this morning because I am eloping... Eek! I whipped up two pillowcases for the project this month. They were super easy and fun to make. I used flannel because I personally love sleeping with flannel sheets. I also thought that flannel would be soft and cuddly for a child to snuggle with at night.

The boy's has a rock and roll theme, while the girl's is floral but not too girly. I hope they can provide some comfort to whomever receives them.

I would love to make more goodies for these kids so if there is a way I can continue doing so please let me know. My fiance and I are unsure if we are going to have children, but I have always thought that if I do I would possibly want to adopt. There are so many children in this world in need of a good, loving home. Many of my friends have been blessed by adopting children, both domestically and internationally, so thank you for choosing such a wonderful cause.

Stockings!

Thank you, Thank you, Jenny Fish for picking stockings for St. PJs!
Here at Granma's we were looking for something new we could do for local children this Christmas, since with the decline in gas production there have been lots of layoffs. So we borrowed your stocking idea.  Granma's came up with a very simple pattern and cut 32 kits (our goal), then asked our customers to purchase the kit, make the stocking, simple or fancy, and return them. Returned stockings earned a merchandise certificate equal to the cost of the kit. Then Sherree, a local day care provider helped us buy toys, candy, and books to fill them.  We were hoping for 32 - we ended with 38 - there are still some kits out there, but we are thrilled with the response we got for a first time effort!
So thank you Jenny, for motivating us with a great idea!

Behind. . . I am behind.  By at least 11 days.  But here we are. . .

Now, what is the chance I will be able to get this month's challenge done on time? 

Leisel

Catching up

Here's my contribution to St.PJ's I'll pick up a gift card to tomorrow and get it in the mail.
Hopefully, I'll finish the quilt this weekend and get it out soon. Work's been crazy busy with a ton of correcting to do. November was pretty much a wash for me, I managed to go to work every day, but had little energy to do much more. I'm finally feeling better and playing catch up.

Stocking for St. Pj's Children's Home in San Antonio

 Sorry I'm a little late! Here's my completed stocking and it's stuffed with a Walmart gift card!

If I could do it all over again I would have done a French seam for the inside of the stocking but who looks in the inside of the stocking anyways??


Happy Quilting!

Natalie

Santa Stocking

My stocking is done and sent off so I thought I would share it. I know it's very simple but I don't have a lot of Christmas-y fabric since we don't celebrate Christmas in our house but I thought these warm and fuzzy fabrics are so soft and cuddly that hopefully it would make some child very happy. I also thought these fabrics invoked Santa Claus.

Hopefully Santa will be able to fill it with lots of special things for the child that receives it. Included in the package was a gift certificate to Target to help!

Happy Holidays! - Hollie

December's Project...

I know that last months project was related to orphan care and this month's project is as well. Orphan care is very near to my heart and the need is overwhelming. Statistics say there are 143 million orphans in the world, children who go to bed without a mommy and daddy to tuck them in. Two of my children were once part of these statistics and I am so thankful today that I can say they are part of our family and no longer a number.

 Two of our children were born in China, our daughter lived there until she was 15 months old and our son until he was 27 months old. During our adoption trip to bring our son home, we had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with children who still wait in 3 different orphanages. Many of them wait because of medical needs, others because of their age and others simply because their paperwork has not been processed and there simply are not enough families willing to adopt.

You have a few options of what you can make this month for our project- we will be making items that will go to children in orphanages in China. If there is anyone out there reading that would like to join us, email me at quiltnmama2@gmail.com and I will send you my address to mail items to. The items will be taken by 1 or 2 adoptive families who will be traveling in the spring to bring home their children or by us on our next trip to China, hopefully sometime later in 2011.

So here is the fun part...

If you would like to make items for little ones then here are some ideas...

Baby Bibs- there are a couple of easy tutorials here and here... It would be great if you could make 1 girl bib and 1 boy bib if you choose this option.

"Taggy Blankets" are awesome for little ones too to give them something soft and yet with some texture. Tutorials are available here.

I must admit- these are my FAVORITE... this is a great tutorial for a taggy monster:)

Baby Quilt- size can vary, they appreciate anything warm that can wrap a sweet little one up during cold winter days!

Here are ideas for older kids. Often the older kids are left out when it comes to gifts and items that they need or want to have. I have a great friend who's family is going back to adopt a 2nd older child. You can read about this experience and older orphans on her friend's blog here.

Pillow cases in fun "teen, hip" prints. Again it would be great if you choose this if you could make 2- one for a boy and a 2nd for a girl.  You can use whatever pattern you want but if you need a pattern, here are a couple of tutorials- #1 and here is the link to all the patterns on the 1 million pillowcase challenge.

"Softies" are also a favorite of mine! Who child whether in elementary school, middle school or a teen wouldn't like to have one of these... the patterns are endless but here are  few you can check out!

Squirrel,  Molly Monkey, Plattie the Platypus, purl frog, or Stripe-y Patchwork cat.

Quilts- this is a much bigger commitment but just in case anyone is interested- twin size quilts are great for teenagers too for their beds.

Hope you have fun and find an idea that fits you- feel free to make 1 or 5 or more... I will actually be collecting all through the spring.  Just thought I would leave you with this picture... this is our son while he was still in China- check out the taggie blanket that he has wrapped around him, we brought it home with him and it's still very loved to this day. It was one that I made and sent 7 months before he got to come home!

 Let me know if you have questions... Happy Sewing!!!!

I am in Colorado until late Monday night so I won't have Internet access again until then!