Gratitude Quilt

Posted on December 31, 2006 by Norma Hanson

These are 8 of the 12 crumb blocks that I am making for my Gratitude quilt. When Judy L. showed us how to make Jeanne’s Gratitude Quilt as an hour-a-day project in November, I was just too busy to follow along with each day’s hourly task. I have wanted to make this quilt since I saw Jeanne post her version in September.

While cleaning up my studio after the rush of finishing projects for Christmas I decided rather than just put the scraps in to the scrap bin, I would do something with them. All of the scraps were Christmas fabrics. I cut the larger pieces into strips and 5″ nickel squares. I sewed the bits together into 8″ crumb blocks. (There is a member of my quilt guild that says she regularly sews her leftovers to used dryer sheets so that she has blocks ready for quilts when she wants them–and the bonus is that she has no scrap leftovers!)

When I was looking for ideas to set the blocks together, I came across a picture of Jeanne’s quilt that I had pasted into my idea journal. The Gratitude quilt was the perfect setting for my crumb blocks! So, I am making the quilt that I have wanted to make and I tidied up my studio at the same time! I am not sure if it is progress if you add to your UFOs while busting stash or not but I am sure having fun!

Projects Finished in 2006

Posted on December 31, 2006 by Norma Hanson

I see by the posts made by other members in the blogging world that quilters are adding up their finished projects for the year. Measuring your progress for the past year seems like a good idea before setting goals for the new year, so here goes…..

I keep track of my UFOs, flimsies, completed projects, on a spreadsheet. When I went back and added things up, I see that I finished 26 projects in 2006.

10 small gifts (1 Christmas stocking and 9 pin cushions)

3 bed size quilts (green crumb quilt, rail fence around the world, fall snowball and nine patch)

1 charity quilt

1 pillow (summer paint chip challenge)

6 table toppers (1 table runner, 5 hexagon / octagon table toppers)

5 wall hangings (quilt show challenge, Christmas scrap/black nine patch, 3 JOY’s)

I am pretty pleased with this progress given that 20 of these projects were given away as gifts.

The Crumb Quilt is Finished and Has a New Home

Posted on December 29, 2006 by Norma Hanson

Remember the crumb quilt flimsy that I showed back in February? I managed to quilt this top between customer quilts this fall. The last stitches went into the binding in November and I just presented the finished quilt to my parents as part of their Christmas present tonight.

This year, my parents spent Christmas with my brother and his family and they were not around for the exchanging of presents on Christmas morning. They came back from the interior of the province today and we are glad to have them home!

We had quite the lively discussion about using quilts tonight. I consider this quilt not to be an heirloom quilt. This quilt is a scrap utility quilt–made to be used. My mother treasures my quilts to the point of being afraid to use them for fear something might happen to them.

When my parents left tonight, they had strict instructions that this quilt was not to be treated as an heirloom quilt, but rather to be used as a utility quilt to be slept under on a nightly basis, not removed from the bed at night only to be replaced as a decoration for the bed during the day. I assured my mother that the construction of this quilt would withstand machine washing and drying if necessary. …………..My husband added that if she didn’t use her quilts, the quilter might stop making them. After all, if you don’t use the quilts made so far, you must not need any more.
I did not put a label on this quilt yet. I was not sure what to put on the label until tonight. Mom, I will be over to add this poem to the back of your quilt at a later date:

This quilt is made of cloth and thread

To place upon your little bed.

It’s not an heirloom-just to keep,

But to lay upon as you count sheep.

So use it up and wear it out-I promise I won’t yell or pout.

Just tell me when its days are through,

And I’ll make another, just for you.

Holiday Train

Posted on December 29, 2006 by Norma Hanson

These are pictures of this year’s CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) Holiday Train. We live in a very small community, but each year CPR makes our community one of its stops for its Holiday Train. (CPR may be making up for the fact that we must tolerate the trains as they whistle right through the middle of town several times a day!) This year, the Holiday Train passed through our community on December 19.

The Holiday Train brings with it a free show–this year’s entertainers were Wide Mouth Mason (which appealed to my kids and not myself or my parents) and Lisa Brokop. The evening was cold and you had to dress in layers, but it was well worth it. The arrival of this train has become part of our family traditions surrounding the Christmas season.

At each stop along the route, people donate money and nonperishable food items to the local food banks and CPR presents a check that goes directly to the local food bank.

If you get a chance, visit the CPR site and read about the CPR Holiday Train and their contributions to local communities.

http://www8.cpr.ca/cms/English/General+Public/Holiday+Train/default.htm

Thank you CPR!

Christmas Day

Posted on December 29, 2006 by Norma Hanson

We spent Christmas Day at my mother in law’s and most of my husband’s family was in attendance. There were a total of 32 people in that small house. After opening gifts we settled down to a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

As you can see from the pictures, places to sit were at a premium! There definitely was not room to sit everyone all at the same table. Chairs were borrowed from neighbours and every table was put into service.