Another Year in the Record Books

 Hello Everyone,

Remember this quilt.....Once Upon a Vine?  Well this quilt is at the top of my to-do list this week.  It's nice to have some handwork in the evenings, so I arranged my hexie grapes on the background and started stitching.

 

I also started making more of the basket blocks.  This quilt is still in the infancy stage and it's design as-I-go-through-the-process-by-the-seat-of-my-pants!  I'll get inspiration along the way while I move things around and play with the placement of the blocks.

 



I can't stop making these little blocks.

I didn't bring lots of fabric with me to the cabin, so I'm using what I have in the closet.

It's fun to combine all different colors.

I'm really liking this one so far.  It is going to be bursting with color.

Remember this gorgeous picture I posted last October?  This was taken at Snowflake Lake, just five cabins down the trail from our place, Wilder's Last Resort.

Look at it now.  It's not very inviting is it?

 

I don't think I'll brake out the ice skates out just yet!

 



Have a happy and safe New Year everyone!  Make your 2014 a special year full of family and friends, and quilting of course!

Soon,
Lynn

Grammy Squares

Hello Everyone,

 

Enough resting and recuperating from Christmas.  It's time for me to get back to quilting!  This block all started when I discovered a bag of 1" strips tucked away in a drawer.

 

I bought a 1" hexagon acrylic template and started piecing.  Before I knew it, I had a 6" block.

The final row will always be black.

I Y-seamed these together and I have the beginning of my Grammy Square quilt.  It reminds me so much of an afghan made from Granny squares.  But my little grand kids call me Grammy, so Grammy it is.

It's going to include every color of the rainbow, separated by different black fabrics. I think it will make the colors really "pop" and I don't have to worry about colors touching each other since they are separated by the black.  I don't want the different colors to duke it out, I just want them to be nice to each other.

I have a feeling this will be a "work on it when I feel like it quilt."  It's one of those where I don't need to think a lot about each square.  If I make a couple of squares each day and sew them together, this it going to grow into a beautiful quilt.  You know what they say, "A block a day keeps the doctor away." 

This is the same idea as my Heartfire pattern but this square is tiny.  Click HERE to see the Heartfire tutorial.  But remember, the strips are 1" stitched around a 1" hexagon center.

This is one of many projects I have going at the same time.  I'm never at a loss when it comes to quilting projects.  The only problem I have is deciding which project I want to work on. It's all good!

Soon,
Lynn

Merry Christmas to All

Hello Everyone,

 



 

 

I wish all of you much happiness this Christmas and always. 

My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who reads my blog.  I've met and made many new friends this past year through the blog and I will always treasure your friendship. 

 

Have the Merriest Christmas ever!

 

Soon,

Lynn

 

Christmas Village

Hello Everyone,

 

I hope you all had a great weekend.  Not much quilting is going on here at Sew'n Wild Oaks. Only preparations for Christmas, last minute cards, and baking.  I usually show a picture of my Christmas village every year.  This is my favorite house, the Country Quilt and Pie Shop. 



I take all of my cookbooks out of my old pie safe in the kitchen, and my granddaughters and I fill it back up with the Christmas Village.  The girls love working on the village and spend hours arranging and re-arranging the figurines, trucks, cars and sleighs.  I've been collecting the houses for over 30 years.  Storage has now become the issue!

 

Santa's annual visit was a big success Saturday night.  Our oldest granddaughter read The Polar Express then right on cue, Santa arrived.  Santa is a favorite with the little boys.  The girls are at the skeptical stage, but they went along with the program and didn't spill any beans.



I'm off to work at the shop this morning.  It will be fun seeing our customers and hearing about their Christmas plans.  Happy day to everyone.

Soon,
Lynn

All Decked Out

Hello Everyone,

 

Not much time to post today.  Our annual visit from Santa is tonight and 18 will be here for dinner. Mr. Joe will be doing his best impersonation of a scullery maid today. 

 

Thanks to a tip from HandiQuilter, I'm passing along a link to a free Christmas pattern from StudioE called All Decked Out.

 

There's no time for me to make this sweet little quilt this year, but there's always next year! This quilt is going on my quilt bucket list.

The night that Santa comes with one gift for each of the grandkids is my favorite night of Christmas.  As my neighbor Ruth says, "It's magical!"  Yes, there will be magic in the air tonight.  The little kids will be excited, the dog will be excited, the bells will be ringing and heard only by the true believers.  I always hear the bells......I hope you do too.

Soon,
Lynn

Christmas Open House

Hello Everyone,

 

Skate right on in and join me for my Holiday Open House for "my girls."  At final count there were 17 of us.  Did I get pictures of everyone, no.......I was busy playing hostess.

 

 

 

Not only can the girls quilt, they can cook!  Here's just a sampling of our feast.  Mr. Joe was happy with his leftovers for dinner last night.

 



I made some Cranberry-Turkey Wraps that I highly recommend as an appetizer.  I made the cranberry relish the day before the party and assembled the wraps in the morning.  They were easy, pretty, and tasty! 

 

Cranberry-Turkey Wraps

 

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 cups cranberries

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1-1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon curry powder

6 (10") flour tortillas, (spinach tortillas worked well too)

1-1/2 lbs. cooked turkey slices

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

6 tablespoons chopped walnuts

 



 -Add water, sugars and vinegar to a heavy saucepan; cook over medium heat until sugars dissolve, stirring often.  Stir in cranberries, raisins, onion, ginger and red pepper flakes, bring to a boil and cook 5 to 10 minutes until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.  Cool; cover and chill.

- Combine cream cheese, Cheddar cheese and curry powder in a small bowl; stir well.  Spread about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture over 2/3 of tortilla, leaving a one-inch border; top with several turkey slices.  Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons cranberry mixture on top, sprinkle with one heaping teaspoon cilantro and one tablespoon walnuts.  Roll up tortillas starting with filled side.  Wrap tightly in foil.  Arrange wraps on a baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes or just until warm.  Slice into  1-1/2" slices and serve as appetizers.  Or cut in half and serve as a sandwich.

Evelynne brought her Baltimore Christmas quilt to share with us.  What an heirloom she created on her embroider machine.  Spectacular!  Each and every block is a work of art.

 

Like I've always said, my girls are the best! They are excellent quilters, cooks, and most importantly good people that I'm proud to call friends .  They are all on Santa's NICE list.

 

Today I'll be getting ready for our next event.  Santa arrives this Saturday for his annual visit with the grand kids. I can't wait!  Every year I still get misty-eyed when Santa arrives and I see the excitement on their little faces.....mine too!

 

Soon,

Lynn

 



Christmas Preview Party

Hello Everyone,

 

Yesterday, quilters from all over the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Valley flocked to the Purple Orchid Inn for the Christmas Preview Party and luncheon hosted by In Between Stitches.  The theme for the party was BELIEVE. 

 

The crowd started gathering early and waited in the warmth of the sunshine and companionship.

 

Each quilter brought a donation for the Toy 4 Tots program.

 

 

The following pictures are some but not all of the quilts and projects that were on display.  This is a sample of the classes that will be offered during the first quarter of the year at In Between Stitches.  There is something for everyone.  Enjoy the show!

 



 

 

 

There was a wonderful luncheon followed by an overview of classes from each of the quilting instructors.

I got so caught up in the moment and visiting with my quilting friends, that I forgot to take pictures of the decorations on my table and all of the other tables!  Well, you will just have to take my word for it that the room was very festive, and the tables were beautifully decorated by customers and staff members.

One of my friends commented to my how lucky she feels to live in an area that has such a wonderfully vibrant quilt shop.  The owners of the shop, Melissa and Leslie Emery, do a fabulous job keeping the shop stocked with a diversity of fabrics, books, notions and patterns.  They know and appreciate each and every customer.

We all had such fun and look forward to another year of meeting new friends, learning a new technique,  making and finishing more quilts.   I do BELIEVE everyone had a fabulous day.

Soon,
Lynn