CHRISTMAS TREASURE SANTAS

COUNTRY SANTA - CHRISTMAS TREASURE SANTAS

In 1996, I took a class at the Quilt Foundry in Maumee Ohio.  The class was applique.    The instructor was Jeanne Carmichael.  The class went on for 6 weeks.  Each week we were given 2 patterns for a Santa. I was just starting to applique and this was very difficult for me.  I made my first Santa and then stopped, going on to other things.  I still have Jeanne's patterns.  I went to all of the classes and picked up all the information that I could. Now with time behind me and 17 years of experience working in applique, I plan to finish these blocks.  All by hand.  This is the first one I did in 1996. It is dimensional.  The coat opens and flaps.  The beard is made of cotton batting.  The mittens and the rim of the hat are knitted.  The photo may not show it, but I made my novice mistakes.  As I prepare my 2nd block with the perspective of time, it is a much simpler task for me.   

Jeanne Carmichael passed away some years ago. Jeanne was not a quilter.  She never made this quilt herself.  She was an artist.  Other people made her art into a quilt.  This is the type of applique I love.  Not decorative but telling a story.  Now it's my time to make this quilt.  And perhaps Jeanne will be sitting beside me cheering me on.

Yesterday's Stars

Paper Pieces Pattern "Yesterday's Stars"

 I picked up this pattern way back, can't remember when.  The back is dated 1999, but I think I got it about 6 years ago.  Who knows.  Time flies and far ago objects are father than you think.  The pattern is a Paper Pieces Pattern call "Yesterday's Stars".  It includes pre-cut shapes.  I started my journey into English Paper Piecing (EPP) with this pattern...and oh does it show.  I picked up this partially finished item and it needed some redoing.  In the end, I decided not to go exactly by the pattern.  I think I want to put some applique around...small items...maybe flowers.  I have lots of 30's repro fabric so why not.  So I made the white borders wider and added yellow corner blocks. In the mean time the top is kind of finished according to pattern...just a bit different.  I'll post progress now and then on this quilt.  In the mean time, I have more UFO's to work on.  Nice to have so many...I'll never get bored.