Christmas Gifts Complete

I finished my last Christmas gift yesterday. I made a table runner for Sherri my awesome reflexologist. She has made me feel awesome all year so I was very happy to make her something to show my appreciation. The table runner pattern is called a 10 minute table runner. It is the same pattern I used to make Beryl's runner except I made hers a bit wider. I had bought these two materials separately and when I was looking through my stacks I thought they would be great together. I was trying to download her business graphic to convert to and embroidery file but I just couldn't get it to convert. So, I looked through some embroidery designs online at Ibroidery and found this beautiful Japanese script which is the symbol for Love. I used a purple varigated embroidery thread and it really turned out beautiful. I then sewed on two buttons and added two dark blue tassels. Sherri really loved it and she is going to hang it in her office area. I think this is one of the favorite things I have made.

This is my embroidery machine in action. I really love this thing!

Here is the Japanese Love symbol. It turned out really pretty with the verigated purple thread and with the yellow background it really pops.

Here is the runner all sewn together. This is a really easy project. The middle panel is 10 inches across and the other is 18 inches across. Both are width of fabric long minus a couple inches to even up the ends. You sew the 10 inch material to the 18 inch material right sides together along each long edge. It will make a tube. You then center the 10 inch material and the extra 18 inch material will make the border for the 10 inch material it is about a 2 inch border. I then did a decorative stitch on each end so when you fold into the points you have a nice finish.

This shows the runner with the ends folded in to the points. I used an adhesive fabric glue to tack the points down and then I did the same decorative stitch straight across the folded line.

I hand sewed two buttons near the end of each folded point and then finished the ends with a tassel hanging from each button. This picture shows the finish project. It is called a table runner but I think this one looks nice as a wall hanging.

I had to stop at JoAnn's on the way home yesterday to get the buttons and tassels for the runner and there were these huge snow mountains all over the parking lot! Yesterday I also finished Mark's and Jaclyn's surprise gifts. I have them packed and ready to be taken to the post office. Once I know they received them I will post the pictures. Supposed to go to a couple quilt shops today with Clarinda. Creative Fires in Springfield has 20% all your fabric cuts. We were also going to go to Sulphur Grove so that Clarinda can see Lenny the cat. We might make Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's but will depend on how much time she has. Her dad is in a nursing home following a surgery and she goes to see him everyday. Plus we had more snow last night so need to check the road condition My plan this weekend is to work on JoAnn's quilt and possibly get it quilted in the next four days. (wish me luck) All right that is all the news for today!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!! It has been a busy few months since the retreat. I've been working on Christmas gifts since then so haven't posted because I couldn't post any pictures or talk about what I was making. It has been the year of the scarf here in the Pigeon household. I had thought to make a few larger projects but time just ran out on me so most people got scarfs. I had a wide range that I made, some of the easier ones were the ruffle scarfs which are really easy to knit. I also sewed some scarfs out of fake fur and other materials, I got a real easy pattern from one of the quilt shops in Cincinnati. I also made one infinity scarf that I got from another quilt shop in Cincinnati. Here are a few pictures of all the scarfs I did. I missed taking pictures of 2 of the scarfs I made but I think the grand total was 10 scarfs!

Here are the pretty scarfs all in a row.

I finally bought myself an embroidery machine. I've been looking for awhile and finally settled on one. I forgot to take a picture of it but will have one for the next post. But I do have pictures of what I have embroidered. The first one is a little Christmas design that was built in design from the machine. The next one is from a disc I bought with lighthouse designs. I made my friend Ann (who is also my chiropractor) a wreath made with a rag rug technique with the embroidered lighthouse in the middle. It turned out really good and I will make some more with different themes to give as other presents.

I also made a Christmas wreath using the rag rug technique. I made it before the light house one and thinking i will make a design to go in the middle to jazz it up a bit.

I made Beryl a table runner from a kit I got at a quilt shop in Indiana. It has the purples that she likes. I have another one I want to make her for her birthday but you won't see the finished one until February since her birthday is in January and I can't post it here until after that.

I made this applique lighthouse for Rachel for her birthday, but didn't get it to her until Christmas. I was only a few months off! This was my first applique project. I really enjoyed it and will try to do others in the future.

This is the bunny I made my friend Melissa's son Jack when he was born. He is now several years older and a little worse for wear. He occaisionally comes to Miss Nanci's hospital to get sewn up. In his last visit he had some major ear work done because sister Clarissa decided to pull his ear thread out and start unraveling Bun-Bun's ear. I am very sad now because Melissa moved to New Mexico this past week and I am going to miss her terribly. I am not sure how Bun-Bun will get along, there will have to be some long distance visit to Miss Nanci's hospital.

I have been sick a couple of times since October. I had a bad flare up of my diverticulitis and was out of work for about a week. Then in December I was sick with cold/flu symptoms and missed work and had to cancel our anniversary trip to Washington DC. The puppies kept me company in bed and on the couch during my illnesses and I snapped a few pictures of them. David and I celebrated 28 years this year, hard to believe it has been that long! He got me some beautiful carnations.

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas. Pictures of Jack and Puppy and our snow storm.

Finally, I am on version 3 of the quilt I am making for my friend who got married in Oct. I started two other quilts and then didn't like them. This is the third and final version. This is the one! I have it all sandwiched and ready to be quilted on the long arm. I have had to put it off while I was making all of the Christmas gifts. I have one quilt to finish up for Christmas and it is for Mark. I can't show a picture of it or his girlfriend Jaclyn's present until after they get them. Once I get Mark's done, I will start quilting this one and hopefully have it done soon. I am hoping to work on it this weekend, I am not sure how long it will take me since it will be my very first quilt that I will fully quilt on my new machine.

Well, that's all the news for now. I need to get working on the bindning for Mark's quilt. I want to get it in the mail tomorrow. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and will have a Happy New Year!! Nanci