En Provence part 3, skipping Part 2 for now

I never shared my background squares from Step 1 of  En Provence.

Here they are, all 102 of them. I haven't decided how big to make it yet, it is just short of half.

But I started on step 3 skipping the 2nd one, just because it was easier of the 2 steps to do.  I  have 47 completed.  I am getting a little nervous about finishing Christmas sewing, so I am switching projects.

The right picture shows groups of 10 pinned together, for ease of counting. and avoiding recounting countless time.  This is a great tip I learned from Bonnie Hunter, if memory serves me right.

Gingerbread fun

Christmas tradition at the Huber household, for 4 years running anyway.  GINGERBREAD HOUSES. This year we used the kits found at JoAnns for 7.99 on sale each, plus discount. Much cheaper than buying specialty candies with baking and frosting to make.

Both kids and significant others as well as 2 grandboys come for an afternoon of gingerbread creation. Fun was had by all  Makes my heart swell.

Christmas projects

Christmas stockings ( first batch)

I love to sew for others. And I start  Christmas projects in summer.  Finishing them.... well, I'm still working on a few. I will post more on those.

But here is one I have started for my daughter and her boyfriend. We will have a cookie making and gingerbread contest at my house tomorrow for my 2 kids, 2 grandkids.  So much fun. I would like to give it to her then.

My mom made awesome stockings for us as kids which she then made for additional members as they became a part of our family ( husbands and kids). My kids love them and they are filled with small goodies such as make up or nail clippers or Tide spot sticks.

 So I thought I would continue the trend. But as they are 30ish years old, I wanted more modern ones for them.

I searched and searched Pinterest for ideas and settled on this design:  Christmas Stocking link


 The red stockings were from JoAnns in previous years.  I had to purchase polyester felt for colors and used round pinking shears for the edges and very sharp shears to cut the "snowflake stars". The names are hand embroidered.

The pieces are cut out and assembled, but not glued yet.  ( not enough time for hand sewing).

Sidetracked

We all get sidetracked. I began a project, not on my list, to jump into my lineup of projects..  I have a meeting of quilty friends next week and I found out I needed to do something with circles.

So I have an abundance of homespuns and had made one  bulls eye block of 3 concentric circles for a donation group quilt long long ago.   I pulled red and blue prints and off I went.



Bulls Eye Pattern  Link 

I found a pattern on Pinterest: One 9 inch background square with  3 circles 7 in., 5.5 in.,and 4 in. I made 7 blocks and cut them in quarters and reassembled them. So far so good. 4 squares made.

En Provence

First project (that’s new);  lots of old ones in various stages, and 4/5 Christmas ones I don’t want to reveal due to being presents. 

So the new project is Bonnie Hunter’s mystery, En Provence. Love the photos of France and the awaiting entrance. But I am not a purple or lilac girl, not now, not ever.   And it is supposed to be scrappy and my house is country colors, so I pulled my Thimbleberries box out. Yes, lots of fabrics there, dark and medium blue, reds, greens, and golds. I can’t wait to use more of them. 

En Provence  link to Bonnie Hunter's instructions

And the neutrals I have 2 yard pieces of beige, one more tan and a light soft weave. I like Bonnie’s idea of “controlled” scrappy, so I thought I would go with it.  It is hard to see the colors.  

First step:   4 patches: 3 and a half inches.  For  87 inch quilt, 221 are needed. I am starting with half.  ( You can always make more.)  100 made.





The new post came out for the second clue.  I need to get started.

Introductions

Hello!  Let me introduce myself:  Debbie.       Ta Dah!  …….Oh well, now that is over.


I am a former teacher turned learning assistant, mother, grandmother of 2 of the best little boys, wife, and more.  A Midwesterner, having lived in 3 of its states, with 4 lovely seasons of the year….sometimes it’s better to stay indoors and sew.

This is a blog about quilting intermixed with life; I have been reading blogs for a long, long, time and have absolutely loved getting wonderful ideas, patterns, recipes,  color choices, buying ideas and more. Reading about other quilters and their lives has helped me realize that I am “normal” in my journey of sewing with all the starts and stops, messes, and successes.  But I want to take the dive to sharing my ideas… mostly as a record of what I accomplish, but hopefully inspiration to others as well.

I am not great at diaries, journals, or whatever.  I have never been one to keep it up.  But I do keep at the quilting, and assorted other handwork projects and have done so for many decades. 

So “bear” with me as I hunker down in back room of my house, and show you my travels into my projects and travails of quilting and life.