Part 2--pics in 1st one

I continue to plug away getting applique blocks prepped for the Christmas quilt so at this point I don't have much to share with you as they are not done, just ready for the next step. BUT it has been a couple steps forward and a couple back lately.

I spent most of the morning yesterday making two ornaments for a block and then hated the result. The fabric, while quite lovely (what looked like Hoffman metallics--cut squares I had purchased at one point) just didn't work. One was too low in contrast on and too much contrast on the second and they were ultimately too big for the space I needed. Maybe I can use it somewhere else down the line but not here.

SO after messing with those ornament blocks and getting really glue-y fingers, it occured to me that I had some Quilter's Glu-tube that came with another patterns plus for a stained glass quilt wallhanging. It's still in the package sealed up but would it work after all this time? Only one way to find out, right? Pretty slick!! Worked great on the next thing I preppd. I guess they recommend their own product of QTI's Quilter's Iron On Poly Paper for the templates but hey this worked and the paper pulled right out.

I moved onto 3 little mitten blocks (glu-tube, thanks!) and a snowman block that I ended up fusing. I could show you the fused block but it has some cute embellishments that will really make the block. (See the card that inspired it in the preceeding post.)

Last evening Pam and I were tossing around ideas of what could fill the space about 9 x 7.5 finished since ornament idea was scrapped. She had some good suggestions but some had been used already. Then it occured to me that a Little Brown House Pattern I have owned called "JOY" --a reindeer that I could possibly use. I had bought this as pattern plus from Keepsake Quilting" and it was hanging on my pegboard above the cutting table. I just wasnt sure how big they were in the wallhanging versus a quilt block. Go for it, says Pam when she saw the picture I emailed her. Might be fine even without the string of lights tangled in their antlers.

I thought two faces might fit but it will be only one--the original pattern has three. He definitely gets a red nose for Rudolph! I've made some wrong turns on this one. Ruined the first little face when the ink ran trying to mark the eyes with a sharpie and freezer paper template. Okay, that didn't work so the 2nd one I used a pigma pen and colored in through drafting circle thing with all the holes in it. Also I had to make two tries at the red nose "perfect circle" AND I miscalculated--not once but twice the dimensions to cut it for the bias strips though I am using the 2nd go round. That actually was a happy accident as it is just the right width--my first choice would have been too wide. I'm stitching on this blocks as I write this so maybe by tomorrow I can post a pic of it.

I fused the antlers down on this as I do not want to needle turn this stuff but will edge finish by hand as the areas are so small. The whole thing was supposed to fused actually but this quilt is going to a family with two small (correction: thanks, Jane!) BOYS and a teenaged daughter so I am not sure how it will used--coach throw or wallhanging??

All things happen for a reason, don't they? Had I not just had some recent practice on that round robin using bias press bars, sunflower making that translated to poinsettia blocks and making perfect circles this would be a much, much bigger chore with much room for review of technique etc.

My inspiration for this quilt's block changes have come from various sources--see the following (or is it preceeding?) post.