Two Finishes! Tomten's Quilt and BOM 2024

How come I've forgotten to take photos of these two finished beauties?! 

 I think the distraction of my faulty Bernina (in June) is to blame. 

Now, for about two weeks, I've been waiting for nicer weather to take photos, but 'of course' the weather went worse. Today (Jan 1, 2026), the sun is shining from blue sky.

Tomten's Quilt (Keep Believing), #14 on my UFO list 2024 / #16 UFO list 2025

6 blocks were done in 2024 and the remaining 24 in 2025. 

My intention was to make it into a flimsy at that point, which didn't happen. 

 I ran out of the red fabric (Moda Marbles Brick Red) and had to order more. When I got it, I decided to finish it.

There are 9 duplicate mini panels. I wanted to make the blocks all unique, but that meant buying a coordinating panel and that was no-no! As many of you know, I purchase fabric from abroad. International shipping has become extremely expensive. Sometimes the shipping cost comes to more than the item price! From this year (2025), I'm on SFD (Strict-Fabric-Diet)! That doesn't mean I'm not going to buy anything at all, it means only buying what I really need to finish a project. So far, so good! 

How to quilt it, is always my question. Depending on the design, it doesn't always fit the quilt to do FMQ. For me, that is meandering or loopy swirls design. I decided to custom quilt the blocks. It takes time of course, but is well worth it for the final result. 

Aren't these guys too cute?! 

First, I quilted in-the-ditch (in the seamline) around the star spikes, then the snowflakes background. The four cornerstones got an X and I did another seam half an inch inside the HSTs. 

I needed to do something with the small panels (star centers). I did in-the-ditch around the star center panels and from spikes to spikes. Quite a lot of quilting, AND wrestling (arm exercise!), for not to forget those not so nice words! LOL

The backing has small gnomes on dark blue. 

First blocks made: 2022 (or maybe 2021?)

Flimsy: April 2025

Thread basted and quilted: May 2025

Finished: May 17, 2025

Sherri McConnel's BOM 2024

I was not going to do any BOM! 

...and see what happened! 

I couldn't resist Sherri's BOM 2024. 

I had sew much fun making these blocks in RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) colors. 

I like how it turned out in RSC colors. 

You may notice there are two red blocks. I ran out of RSC colors and decided to make one more block in red.

Each block is custom quilted. 

The sashing has white dots on black and small corner stones in a variety of colors

The border is a batik I've had for years. You know the phrase; 'too beautiful to be cut'! lol 

I did a pieced backing for this quilt.

First block made: January 2024

Flimsy: Dec 2024

Finished: June 8, 2025

Over the River and Through the Woods - It's a FINISH!

 FINALLY! ...after 16 years...!!!!

Over the River and Through the Woods is completed! 

My goal was to finish it by the end of this year (2025), and here it is: 

It took me some time deciding how to quilt it. I had a look at several quilts on Pinterest and it looks like many of them are longarm quilted, which is not an option for me. 

I decided on crosshatch design on the stitcheries. I was worried I'd mess it up if I tried something else! (I did not press it before taking photos).

Did you notice? I did fix the sides of the stitcheries. You can see 'before' here. 

The sashing is quilted in straight lines one quarter inch from the seam

Star blocks are quilted in a star design. 

To avoid bulk, all seams in the blocks are pressed open. 

The Flying Geese border;

I have outlined the 'geese' and the background is free-motion-quilted

Pieced backing

I decided on browns. 

Happy to say most of these fabrics are used up.

I've had that faux floral border piece for years. An old lady in Norway (known through a friend) got a box with lots of goodies at a quilt shop. Sadly the shop had to close down and there were lots of bargains. Oh what fun to open that box! I didn't know what to do with that piece of floral border, I don't know how many times it has been in and out of the shelf! I think it was waiting to be used on this quilt! 

The block contains 'Flying geese' blocks I found too dark (not enough contrast) and one too red, for the border. Several other brown pieces are used up. 

Size: Approximately 51.5 x 57.5 inches / 131 x 146 cm

Fabric used: Approximately 10 yards (all from my stash) 

Floss / thread used:

- Floss: ThreadWorx #10351 Rustic Brown Cherry (overdyed floss)

- MasterPiece 180, 136, 167, 153

- King Tut: 997, 900, 983

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Pattern bought: June 2009

Fabric purchased: 2010 (Norway)

Stitchery preparation: January 2023

Completed: December 14, 2025 

Over the River / Two Finishes / Pieced Backing

After long last, 'Over the River and Through the Woods' is ready for quilting! 

I ran into a little problem when I assembled the stitchery and blocks

The stitcheries should have matched the two rows of blocks to 36.5", but did not. It was about 1/2 - 3/4 inches shorter on each side (see photo above). I couldn't do anything about the row of blocks; they were the right size; 6.5" by 36.5". I had to extend each side of the stitcheries by stitching the trees to fit the exact size. 

Well, I can't draw, but at least I managed to stitch something that looks like trees! lol

I'm not sure how this happened. My hand stitch tension may have been too tight, or the backing fabric for the stitcheries made the top fabric shrink? The lady at the quilt store in Norway (where I bought the fabrics) recommended some sort of loose woven material with glue on one side, to be used as stabilizer. I've used Moda Marbles and that stabilizer was ironed on to it before stitching. I used a hoop too.

Oh well, not a big deal really. It was an easy fix. 

Pieced backing for this one too. 

The blocks were meant for the Flying Geese border, but the contrast between the 'geese' and background was too dark. Other fabrics from my stash.

Not easy to get the right colors, photographed on a cloudy day.

I'm pondering how to quilt it on my domestic machine. I've seen one (Pinterest, I think it was), the middle stitchery (verse) was quilted cross-hatched design. I really like it, I think I'll copy that design. I have an idea how to quilt the 'Flying Geese'. How to quilt the blocks between the stitcheries as well as the stitcheries at the top and bottom? 

Your ideas / suggestions are very much appreciated. 

I'd been wondering when I purchased the pattern, I found it here. It was a birthday gift to myself in 2009! Visiting Norway in 2010, I purchased fabrics for the quilt. Time to get it done! 

Earlier this year, I purchased this pattern from Coriander Quilts

When I first saw it, the reindeer put a smile on my face. I knew I had to make one! 

I've made two; one for us and one for my DF in Norway. 

'Rudolph' #1

This is my friend's quilt. His favorite color is green, hence the green border.

Pieced backing. The center rectangle shows cute red foxes and I also added two orphan bauble blocks. They were originally meant for my quilt, but I decided on red baubles instead. 

'Rudolph' #2. 

I've had this red, green and gold plaid fabric for some time. It has been in and out of the shelf I don't know how many times. When I purchased it, I had in mind to use it for a Santa's pants, but it didn't work out. I like how it turned out as border on this quilt. It was half a yard and after straightening it up it was just enough! 

It's not easy to see the quilted details on the photos. I chose to do outlined straight lines. I used gold metallic fabric for the stars and baubles, and these I quilted with gold metallic thread. The faces are free-motion-quilted, I used a variegated brown thread. For the rest I used an ecru colored cotton thread to match the background snowflakes fabric. 

Rudolph's face (both quilts) could have been a bit darker, maybe? 

Maybe not. These are winter reindeer, meaning their coat turns from brown (summer camouflage) to a greyer camouflage against the snow, makes them blend into the snowy landscape.

Pieced backing #2. Got to use up most of the Skaters fabric and other bits and pieces. 

Fabric requirement for 'Deerly Loved': 

Approximately 7 yards. And since I made two; approximately 14 yards fabric, all from my stash. 

I haven't done any sewing the last couple of weeks. I've been on slow motion after I caught a bad flu. It's still hanging, but I'll say I'm 95% OK. As if the flu is not enough; I stumbled in my own feet and fell head down on the street earlier this week. I hurt the right side of my head; cheek and a small cut (from the sunglasses) on the bone next to my eye. I'm fine now and I have a 'beautiful' green-yellowish eye and cheek! LOL  

I have finished a few cross stitching UFO's, but that will be for another post. 

Hope you all are doing well. Be careful on icy roads! 

Linking up with Angela and RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2025)