My sewing table is a mess - and some finishes

I've been rather busy since my previous blog post. A dear friend in Norway is going to attend a Christmas Fair at the end of November and have asked me to make some items to sell. EEK! It took me some time to get going, but as you can see from the pic below; works in progress! I have made some potholders, coasters, mug rugs, egg cozies and cup cozies. If you look carefully at the pic below, you can spot some of the items. More photos to come. 

In between working on those small projects, I have finished a fall wall hanging.

When I bought those fabrics (some years ago), I found them too beautiful to be cut! LOL I have managed to use up almost all the fabrics and what was left I have cut into 2 and 2.5 inch squares.  

I love these fabrics and I think the stripe is so cute, featuring pumpkins and that darling little bird and birdhouse! :) 

The scarecrow...

...the pumpkins, sunflowers and birdhouse.

A matching table runner

Love the cornucopia and sunflowers :) 

Two cute penguins skiing! A pair of coasters

It's time for a cup of coffee and thereafter you will find me at the sewing table today! :) 

All that metallic! Christmas table runner - how to quilt it?

Over the last couple of days I have done something different; machine appliqué.

Perhaps I should start from the beginning! :) When I started quilting about 7 years ago, it was all about fabric! Fabric! Fabric! When we finally got Internet connection, a new world opened up and I went totally crazy and hoarded fabric like each day was the last one! LOL 

One web shop in the US had sale on all Christmas fabrics and I bought 4 yards cream and 1 yard red traditional Christmas Poinsettias! I love the design, but what I do not like is the metallic! OK, it looks beautiful, but to work with the fabric covered with this stuff is not so fun.... It's a bit stiff and difficult to iron. When I bought it, I wasn't aware of all that metallic stuff and as I can recall it was not well enough stated either.... Oh well.... :)  

I don't know how many times these fabrics have been out and in of the shelf, before I came up with a solution; 

a table runner!

I had a green metallic fat quarter too, some gold and came up with the idea to machine appliqué trees and stars to the centre piece. 

This is the first time I'm using the sewing machine for buttonhole appliqué. 

I had so much fun making it, so the plan is to make a square table topper too using the same pattern. It all depends on how much green metallic fabric I have left for the trees......

... and now to my question; how to quilt the table runner? 

The applique holds the top and batting, I have not appliquéd through all three layers.

Santa Claus Advent Calendar and Autumn Mini Wall Hanging

The Santa Claus Advent Calendar is finally done!

This is a Nancy Halvorsen panel that has been sitting here for a few years. Yes, years.............. I bought it because it looks gorgeous, but I never got around to make it!  

It looks like it is fast and easy to make, but there are lots of details.

There are 24 ornaments and each ornament is bonded with fusible web and black felt for durability. Each ornament had to be cut out nicely and pearl cotton had to be added to each for the hanging. 24 red buttons are added to the tree to add the ornaments for each day.

I have FMQ using matching quilting thread, details are outlined and stitch-in-the-ditch. 

I added one row with squares and 24 black buttons are added to this row. The ornaments can be hung here while waiting for them to be added to the Christmas tree.

The 24 ornaments neatly cut out

A fall mini wall hanging. It measures 14 inch square / 35.5 x 35.5 cm

Last week I pulled out more Debbie Mumm fabrics from the shelf! I have made four placemats, which is ready to be quilted. The plan was to do that today, but I ended up doing other things. :)