Sunday, November 20, 2011

Everything you wanted to know about CHRISTMAS CLUB!!

Yesterday I taught two different classes at two DIFFERENT stores. And yes I was on time for both and even had a few minutes to spare. You know you are doing the right job when people say "that was the BEST" class I have ever taken. "You are the BEST teacher I have ever had". One needs to remember those comments on days when you think - why do I continue to do this?  OK - I don't ask myself that question often! But sometimes....

The day started out with our Christmas Club which takes place at  Cockadoodle Quilts. The project we are working on is called Welcome to the North Pole by Piece o Cake. Just to refresh your memory - here is the cover of the booklet................


Welcome to the North Pole


This is an older booklet (published in 1997) and I think it was one of the first quilting books I purchased. I never got around to making it and now we are doing it in Christmas Club.

Our final reveal is on December 17. I would like to INVITE anyone interested to come to the final reveal!!!!   It is going to be AMAZING!!!   If you are thinking of doing this project - you MUST come. You will get some amazing ideas on how to finish the blocks, how to embellish the blocks, how to change the blocks, Oh my - the girls have been VERY creative. And even if you are NOT going to work on this project - you should come anyway to get some ideas for your applique quilts. I am going to post pictures of their work, but the pictures do NOT do justice to the quilts and the workmanship of the class.

The time of the reveal is 11:00 AM on December 17. No need to call ahead, but come with your camera, notebook - whatever. You will also get a preview of what we are working on next year.

I was remiss in showing the work from October so you are going to get October AND November today......


Here we go...................................


All the Santa Delivers on Christmas Eve blocks

Beth who picked a PERFECT fabric for her block. See the houses - Santa is flying over a city!!!!

Marlene with fancy TWO reins - I love it!!!!

Yikes - this is a mystery sleigh. Even after looking at my list - I do NOT know whose this is??????    Oh  - it might be Kathy's. She wasn't at class, but may have left it there for show n tell. 

For that matter - I probably screwed up on a couple of the names anyway. OK - if I got them wrong - let me know and I will switch them!!!!!


Flo used fussy cut fabric - how convenient was that!!!!!

Judith used fussy cut reindeer and just the perfect scale!

Raili used buttons to enhance her Santa

Mary is making TWO of these quilts - her Santa has real fluffy beard and trim

Mary's second block

Nancy used a fussy cut face for her Santa

Kristen has Santa flying along nicely! Note the shiny reins!!!

Karen did NOT want her Santa to fly (perhaps something to do with blood alcohol levels or maybe those pregnant reindeer!!!) She did have a story and I have forgotten it!!!  So her Santa is GROUNDED at the North Pole with the polar bears


See what I mean - those blocks are gorgeous and LOTS and LOTS of very creative ideas. But the pictures do NOT do justice to them at all.

Now for the show n tell from yesterday.................................


Kristen changed the toy shop to a music shop. Her new baby is NOT going to be impressed when he realizes the toy shop at the North Pole has no toys!!!!!  

Raili - with a nice pink toy shop!

Marlene's toy shop. I think Kristen's baby is going to have to visit Marlene's North Pole!!!!   There is LOTS of toys here. 

Flo - with the MOST gorgeous fabric. I just love the zig zag. So cute!!!!!

Nancy - what the????   Oh - one of her neices? is helping her design some of the blocks and they substituted a chocolate shop for the toy shop. Well that is allowed - chocolate is IMPORTANT!!!!!   And depending on your age - chocolate is MORE important than toys. 

Linda with her beautifully coloured toy shop. Wait until you see the entire quilt and her colouring. You will be SURPRISED!!!!!!!!



And there you have it. Lots and lots of show n tell. And so creative - I wish I could take credit for their creativity - heck - I wish I had their creativity!!!!!    It is a FUN FUN FUN group.

Make sure you mark it on your calendar - December 17th at 11 AM. It's going to be wild!!!   Let's hope those pregnant reindeer do NOT go into labour and that Santa sobers up by then!!


This is the book that we did last year....................


Candy Cane Lane 

And NO you cannot click to see inside. I scooped this picture from Amazon web site. But those quilts were equally as creative as this bunch.


OK - I can't help myself - do you want to see what we are going to do in 2012???????   Look - not one, but TWO awesome projects.....................................



A Critter Christmas by Brandywine Design!


Can you believe how CUTE this pattern is!!!!!!  (hand or machine applique + piecing)


And on the way home from the retreat last week, we stopped at Country Concessions in Cookstown. I bought a meter of fabric because I thought it was cute. When I was out walking the dogs yesterday - I put two and two together and realized that this fabric (OK - so my brain works weird) was PERFECT for A Critter Christmas - the backgrounds. What do you think?????


A light blue with snow flakes on it. As soon as I showed it to the girls - someone suggested CRYSTALS on those snowballs. Hold yourself back Linda!!!!!!!



AND the second project is this.........................


O Tannebaum by Quakertown


I have wanted to make this quilt ever since I first saw it.


So if you have the kit, the pattern or nothing for either of these - get yourself signed up. It is going to a LOT of fun.

And don't forget the reveal where you will get all the details.


Speaking of Christmas - you can tell when Christmas is coming by the size (thickness) of the newspaper!!!!!
We no longer get the bigger newspapers - just the local one, but boy it comes stuffed with flyers!!!!

See what I mean???? - It is THICK!!!!!


If I want to have my Welcome to the North Pole finished by December 17 - I have a TON of work to do. I am a tad behind. HOWEVER, I am happy to report that I just might get Christmas Heart Light done for the upcoming reveal this coming weekend. I'll give you the details on that tomorrow.

But look...................................

I have a couple more blocks to applique (they are all prepared) and since I started by hand, I am finishing by hand. But finished one more audio book last night. 

See - here are all the components - the almost completed top, the backing fabric, the binding fabric and the last border in pieces. OH MY GOD - I might actually have it done for the reveal. That will be a first!!!!!!  



Well on that note - it is after 9 AM and I have to get a quilt done today. Go to the library, the bank and blah blah blah - you know how it is.


Have a GREAT day!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!


And Ruth - thanks so much for your word (energetic) - yes I think it was a perfect word to describe me cause that's how I feel today!!!!!!    Look out world!!!!!

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