Christmas 2012

 

Silas and Yoki

Olivia and her purple dragon costume

Mike and his quilt

I haven't been able to post about Mike's Christmas quilt, but here it is. I made it while he was away at the ESA meeting in Knoxville. One day when Mike was still home, I was browsing a quilt pattern book that my co-worker lent me, and when I was on this pattern, he looked over and said, "Wow, that's a really nice quilt." So without even knowing it, he picked out his own quilt pattern. I ended up making it reversible, which was not in the pattern or part of my original plan, but I thought the light tan  fabric I bought for the backing was super boring, so I decided to make a chevron strip across the back.

Olivia's Christmas Wish

After making Silas' fat dragon I was concerned that Olivia might be jealous and want one as well. So one day when I was skyping with Tasha and Olivia, Tasha asked Olivia if she wanted a dragon for Christmas. Olivia said, "I want a purple dragon costume." Now every time Tasha asks Olivia what she wants from Aunt Katie for Christmas, she says, "A dragon costume." So that is what she is getting.

I made the pattern up on my own using an old sheet and I used a 3T hooded jacket to get the sizing about right (I made it big so she can wear it for multiple years). I used dark purple minky fabric for the outer layer, lavender minky for the spines, belly and inner part of the ears and then lined it with regular cotton fabric. The hardest part was figuring out how to get it turned right side out after I sewed the two layers together. In order to get it turned right side out, I ended up having to take the lining hood off and sew it back on by hand. I am still convinced it can be done some other way, but my brain couldn't figure it out (neither could Mike's). The ears were hard too, and they ended up a bit floppy, but they'll do. I sewed a strip of sequin around the edge, hood and belly to add a little interest. I think it is going to be too long in the arms so I am going to attach some elastic bands that Olivia can put around her wrists that way she can flap the wings.

I had a hard time getting good pictures, but here are a couple to give you an idea of how it turned out.

Yoki the Fat Dragon

I purchased a pattern for this little cutie -- Yoki the Fat Dragon -- to make as Silas' Christmas present. I made a practice Yoki with scrap fabric a few weekends back and then made the real deal last weekend. I am glad I practiced first because the final Yoki is much improved. I sure hope Silas really loves this guy because it was a serious labor of love! But then, I would do anything for my godson!

Kids with Quilts

Megan, Drew, Anna and Ethan with their warm and cozy Christmas quilts.

Quilting Bonanza

The boys' quilts are finished. I was able to get the quilting on the zig zag quilt done during the week and bound it Saturday before we went to the beer festival in Buellton. Today I did all of the quilting and binding on the argyle quilt. Not too shabby of a sewing weekend!

The quilting bonanza has come to an end!

Zig Zag Quilt

Here is the last of the four quilt tops. I have started in on quilting it and am nearly done. I should be able to finish it this week and then I'll work on quilting the argyle quilt next weekend. I think I'll meet my goal of having these all done by Thanksgiving!

Preppy Argyle Quilt

This is the first time I have used all solid fabrics in a quilt, I really never even considered it, but I think this is one of the coolest quilts I've made. I cut all the diamonds last night, laid them out and started in on piecing it together first thing this morning. It took longer than I expected because I ended up having to do a lot of pinning to get the points matched up. It was tricky business, and if you look closely at the real thing, almost none of the points are perfectly matched, but you can't tell from far away! I think I will go ahead and make the 4th quilt top (hopefully this week) and then get to quilting them next weekend. My new goal is to get them finished by Thanksgiving for our visit to Atlanta.

Oh, I should mention that this  is hanging from a rope, so the white diamonds at the top are whole and there is another line of alternating blue and red diamonds and the top ends in half navy diamonds. I'll get the whole thing pictured once it's quilted.