Rocking Horse Baby Quilt

Finished Rocking Horse Quilt for my friends the Ritchie's new baby girl.

Started off by googling a photo of a rocking horse "clip art" style.   This one was the most prominent one and looked the most user friendly.   I tweaked it a bit, adding hearts, and seperating the pieces by fabrics.   I laid out the fabrics and labeled them A, b, C, D, etc., and wrote the label on the rocking horse clip art. 

Here I am tracing the Rocking Horse. . and making the EXACT SAME MISTAKE I continually make and have made a gazillion times:  I did not print the image in reverse!   Remember if you are doing fusible applique to print your image in reverse.  However, since I wasn't doing text or anything direction -specific, I left it as-is.  The rocking horse will just be in the opposite direction in the finished quilt! 

After fusing all the applique pieces, I used the leftovers to make a beautiful piano-key border!  I went ahead and sewed the border on.  I like my quilt top to be completely finished before starting the raw-edge fusible applique process.  

Next I just fused my pieces, and stitched them down.  I mostly used a buttonhole stitch for this project, but I also used a straight stitch with a darning foot in some of the tighter areas.  

I free-motion embroidered the baby's name in the bottom area. I used Wonderfil's Spaghetti thread for this.  (It's the thickets thread I have found that still works in my machine!)

When I took this picture, it had been 2 weeks straight of cold and snow, so I coudln't wait any longer, I had to go ahead and take the photo.  

Here I am quilting a wide whimisical feather stitch with variegated polyester longarm thread by Aurifil.  Then I used a white cone polyster thread by connecting threads for the white area.  

The photo on the left is the one Karen picked out and wanted me to try to recreate - the one on the right is my finished creation.   I had a FQ bundle of Aunt Jane 1930s reproduction fabrics that I wanted to use up and this project was perfect!

This thread would be perfect for this quilt:  Aurifil Mako Cotton Quilting Thread 50 wt. #3840 Variegated French Lilac 1420 yd.

I had a cone of  Aurifil longarm thread (that I LOVE) but cotton is great too - especially on a regular domestic sewing machine.  

My Quilt-y Xmas Wishlist!

http://www.ConnectingThreads.com/cfCart/viewWishlist.cfm?wishlistid=895A994C-98BA-742E-2E67FA5D40356EC5&media=WLBL

If you go to Connecting Threads, and make a WISH LIST, then share it on Facebook, on your blog, and to a friend via email, you will be entered to win $50 of goodies from Connecting Threads!

Merry Christmas

What an amazing Christmas. My family (Mom, Sister, Brother, Husband, Father) never cease to amaze/surprise me! Since my family all live in seperate parts of the US we put our "wishlist" on Amazon and go from there. It insures we always get what we really want for Christmas. Sometimes we'll include a sort-of "dream" item. In my case it was a new sewing machine. Well, I got one! I could NOT believe it. A Janome 2010! I was at "Mr. Sewing Machine" in Dunbar, WV looking around for new sewing machines one day. They showed me the features of each one, and the Janome that I got for Xmas has a stop feature that I am in love with. This isn't a super fancy machine but I'm pretty sure it will be better than my old Singer Inspiration 4210. LOL. My old singer baby has done a lot for me. . I've stitched SO Much on it in the last 2 years. I think I went through at least 100 belts. ANYWHO - I have yet to get the new Janome out of the box because I want to clean my home first. It's a WRECK from all the Christmas festivities.
Along with the awesome new sewing machine, I also got several FQ packs from connecting threads, + a 1/2 yard set. The 1/2 yard line is "Daisy Chain" The FQ sets are "Impressions of Kyoto,""Sweet and Sour," "Aqua Terra" and some random ones my sis picked out for me!!! They were sold out of the line I really wanted which was Merry Mushrooms by Windham, but I am absolutely thrilled that they all did this for me. Take it from me guys, if you and your family exchange regular gifts each year the Amazon Wishlist feature is the way to go!!! If Amazon doesn't have what you are wishing for, such as with me and my fabric, there is a favorite button you download and then when you go to the site that sells what you want i.e., connecting threads/sewing machine retailers etc., you then can add it to your wishlist on amazon so your family can view it. Everyone got what they wanted this year and none were dissapointed.
Here are a few photos of my fabric and stuff.






My MIL and FIL's Quilt is done!!! I got it all quilted and binded and wrapped up relaly pretty. I couldn't find a really good box to put it in, so at first they thought they were getting a water filteration system. HAHAHa Here's the finished Bloomin 9 Patch.



Guess what else is finally "almost" done?! DH's patchwork coat. There's a few things I still need to fix/finish. The collar I totally screwed up and so I need to put a band of fabric to cover up the raw edges that I couldn't figure out how to hide. I also need to put some type of closure on it - - probably buttons - - which James can help me pick out. I also might have accidentally left part of the paper backing from the interfacing in the collar. AHEM... Here's him showing off his patchwork coat. = D




Here's some of my favorite family pictures that I thought I would share:
Here's the Wiseman's by the tree - me and James(DH)
Here's the whole gang (my side of the family)

Here's my mom opening up her gift - a chainsaw !! LOL


My handsome husband in front of the tree after he opened my gift to him - the patchwork coat



My Dog (Louie the Weiner dog) got excited about all the presents and attention and I got some great shots of him this Christmas:





All in all this was a spectacular Christmas - the gifts were amazing- everyone was in such a jolly mood - no fighting - we are so truly blessed. In the midst of all our gifts and joy and Christmas cheer God blessed us with one extra gift/blessing/miracle - - A Christmas Day Rainbow. Here's the rainbow from Mom's front porch and also some pics of the backyard (behind the rainbow.) I always think the back side of the rainbow is super pretty too!






H A P P Y
N E W Y E A R !!!
G O D B L E S S