Twas the Night Before Christmas....

...and all through the house, I was stitching and trying to get these blocks all finished! As I mentioned in a previous post, I am making a "Night Before Christmas" block of the month. Alas, I have finished six of the twelve blocks. Here's the sneak peak preview of them, with more to follow. The remaining six are all designed, the fabric selected, and now I'm trying to find holes in my schedule so I can applique them and finish the quilt. The blocks have all been a real delight to work on.

Month One: 'Twas the night before Christmas...

Month Two: Not a creature was stirring....
(can you see the little mouse sleeping in his hole?)

Month Three: The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...
(and my grandkids' names are on those stockings!)

Month Four: The children were nestled all snug in their beds...

Month Five: When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter....

Month Six: When, what to my wondering eyes should appear...

Yes, these blocks took a lot of time to make; each block has a lot of pieces in it. My mind doesn't count pieces, though; it only looks at the finished product and decides if it was worth it - and in this case, I was pleased with the results. The Night Before Christmas is such an endearing poem; I think that many of us can recite most of the lines from memory.

Keep on checking and eventually, you'll see the rest of the blocks. I'm anxious to finish all of them because I already know how I want the quilt to be quilted, and that's exciting to me!

Happy sewing!
Sue
(c)2008 Susan H. Garman. All Rights Reserved

Introducing Lily Rosenberry

The last post brought you "La Diva" -- the 2007 raffle quilt that my guild made. This post brings you the next raffle quilt that my guild made, "Lily Rosenberry." I designed the quilt for the guild and then a dozen gals got together and mass-produced stems and over a thousand berries. That made the applique task much easy for each of the quilters who received a block to make. Within weeks, the quilt was assembled. Denise Green once again did a jaw-dropping job of quilting the quilt. I really wish I could buy up all the raffle tickets; I would love to own this quilt! Instead, I am busy making my own set of a thousand berries -- but my quilt is going to have pink flowers and soft green leaves set on a chocolate background. I can't wait to finish it!

Lily Rosenberry

This quilt is based on a traditional block, but it is set with an unusal swag border. Its name is no secret: the quilt is full of lilies, roses, and berries!

Happy stitching -
Sue

(c)2007-2008 Susan H. Garman

It's Rodeo Time!

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is in full gear, boots and all! I love the rodeo - and I love what the Houston rodeo does for kids. Aside from livestock, cowboys and cowgirls, boots and spurs, country-western music, and barbecue, since 1957 the rodeo has given over $120 million to educational programs and support in Texas. Yahoo!

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo also hosts an annual quilt show and contest. This year's "Best of Show" was made by my guild (www.lakeviewquiltersguild.org). I had the privilege of making one of the blocks, along with many other women. Georgann Wrinkle organized guild members, and Denise Green quilted the finished quilt top. I'm really pleased that our guild was honored with a "Best of Show" award (the third one in six years!) - and so here is the quilt that won:

La Diva, 2006 Lakeview Quilters Guild raffle quilt

As a quilter, I know that quilting means many things to many people, ranging from a creative outlet to the basis for a social network, an avenue for expressing joys and sorrows, a method for sharing oneself... the list goes on and on. And thanks to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the things in that list is helping today's youth receive good educations. The "win" for us is a win-win: a student in our area will now get a substantial scholarship from the rodeo. Like I said before... yahoo!

Sue
(c)2006-2008 Susan H. Garman