Please visit me at my new “nest”! December 31, 2010

Happy New Year my friends!

This 2011 New Year is bringing with it many new exciting changes for me

Since my “Year of Handmade” is over…it was really just a one year challenge…I am migrating my blog over to “The Threaded Nest” HERE over at Blogspot, in anticipation of my new Etsy shop where I will be offering custom quilts, pillows, and other handmade yummies!

Please hop on over now and check out “Mason’s Quilt”…and I would be thrilled if you would join me often (you can even subscribe, hint, hint!)

Happy New Year,

Colette

Mine Mine Mine!!! December 9, 2010

So the postmistress comes to my door a few minutes ago with this enormous package

with “Surprise” and “PTS4″ (Pillow Talk Swap 4) and I totally start FREAKING OUT

because I know exactly what is inside of the box!!!

After I screamed

R. screamed, “I knew it was for YOU!”

I can hardly believe that I am the recipient of this SPECTACULAR Echino (serious love there) and linen pillow

from none other than my dear friend Gayle (pillow blogged HERE)!!!

When my daughter R. saw this pillow on her blog she said, “Wouldn’t you love to have that pillow Mum?  What if it is for you?”

I told her that I knew who it was for (because Gayle had told me who her PTS4 partner was)

but that I would definitely make myself one just like it to match my Echino quilt I made earlier this year…

ha ha Gayle, you totally fooled me ;D

Doesn’t it look just lovely and match perfectly with my Echino quilt???

I love how she used a couple of the prints from my quilt and then introduced a few other coordinating prints too.

I especially LOVE the turquoise panther…

and the design…

and the quilting…

and all of those lovely french knots!!!

I promise Gayle this is one pillow that will be treasure and LOVED

PS – this is my LUCKY week because I also won a $20 gift certificate to Quilthome.com

(link on side bar) ~ thanks Quilthome.com!

Happy holiday crafting,
Colette

 

 

I Just Couldn’t Wait! December 7, 2010

I finished up this pillow on Sunday and have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of a down pillow insert

so that I could take some pictures of this pillow I made for my Pillow Talk Swap 4 partner.

(Just look at all of our snow!!!)

I know I already have posted today, but I just couldn’t wait to show you this

I was inspired by this lovely pillow by Three Red Apples HERE

which is still available for purchase in her Etsy shp HERE.

(Wouldn’t it made a wonderful Christmas gift for someone special?)

This 12″ x 16″ pillow was made using Tula Pink’s “Plume” fabrics (I just adore all of her collections!)

I hand stitched all of my hexies, hand appliqued them to a white linen background, and then finished it with a decorative stitch.

For the pillow I back, I did some simple piecing with two of my favorite Plume fabrics.

I love how sweet and feminine this pillow is!

Oh, and check out that custom label…pretty legit right???

And to top it off…I put a hidden zipper in the bottom.

I am feeling pretty proud of myself at the moment…

my sewing skills have come a LOOOONG way since I started blogging last Christmas!

I really hate to see this little pretty go =0(

I certainly hope she loves it as much as I do.

Happy sewing,
Colette

 

A Little UK Love!

Am I a lucky gal or what???

Look at all of this UK loveliness that I received yesterday from Matildasgirl for the Scrappy mug Rug Swap on flickr!

I requested a Holiday mug rug in red, white, and linen with a Scandinavian feel and she was spot on with this one.

Both the snow flakes on the mug rug and that teenie tiny Union Jack (be still my heart!!!) are cross stitched.

Oh and look at those yummy hot cocoa packets she sent along…

R. and I will enjoy steaming cups of cocoa when we come back in from playing in the snow we got last night ;D

Off to play in the snow!

Happy Holidays,

Colette

Oh What A Pair! December 6, 2010

Oh what a lovely pair of quilting bee blocks (if I do say so myself, ha ha)!

This is an improvisational (right angle ~ she did not want wonky) blockfor Jenninfer ~ Not Your Grandmas Quilting Bee ~

made using this terrific tutorial over HERE at The Sometimes Crafter.

Once I made up one I was easily able to create my own improvised block…

but wish I would not have run out of the Kona white fabric

so I could have added a horizontal strip of white to the top of the block.

Its funny that I sort of dread (and procrastinate) sitting down to work on bee blocks

but once I actually start, I have a jolly good time sewing them up.

You would think I would have learned to look forward to it after all of these months, right???

I just received some lovely Hope Valley DS fabrics for some dresden blocks to make for the NYGQB December blocks ~

I am so looking forward to tackling those little cuties for Valerie

Happy quilting,

Colette

 

 

A Hunting We Will Go! December 5, 2010

Christmas Tree “hunting” that is

Going to pick out our Christmas Tree has to be one of my favorite days of the year!

Its always followed by hot chocolate with marshmallows

and decorating the tree while listening to Christmas music…big SIGH here.

Wishing you a lovely Holiday Season!

Happy “hunting”,

Colette

Mum’s Quilt December 1, 2010

Good news:  I finished my Mum’s quilt in time for her to bring it home with her during our Thanksgiving visit.

Bad News:  It was really over cast, windy, and cloudy every day except our last day and we were to busy rushing around to give the quilt a proper photograph…large sigh.

Nonetheless, I did manage to take a couple of quick shots as it went into her suitcase.

In spite of bursting into tears after attempting to straight line quilt the first few rows

I remained calm and carried on

and it turned out beautifully (after I got the hang of dealing with the bulk of this 70″ x 70″ quilt).

One of the greatest things about NOT prewashing your fabrics

is that they shrink and pucker around your quilting

hiding all of those little imperfections!

But best of all…she TOTALLY loved it!!!

“I never imagined it would be this beautiful!”

I just love giving something so special to someone who truly loves and appreciates all of

the time, money, effort, and love that goes into making a quilt.

I can’t wait to start on my Nephew’s quilt next.

Happy quilting,

Colette