'Twas the Day Before Christmas ...

... and all 'round the studio ...

Last-minute projects are finished!!!

Three of the Queen Mother's caregivers have received Christmas table runners.

Triangle Frenzy

The tops were finished last year, but I didn't get them quilted in time for Christmas.  Almost didn't get them done this year, either!  The pattern is Triangle Frenzy, designed for border prints cut with a 60-degree triangle.  I did some simple stitch-in-the-ditch quilting and added a couple of straight lines along the S-curve/figure 8.  After my experience with the travel iron totes earlier this month, I was confident enough to do the bindings on the machine.

Machine binding

I cut the binding at 2-1/4" (I usually cut 2") and applied from the back side.  I gave it a good pressing out from the back and when I turned it to the front I stitched 1/8" from the folded  edge.  The foot on my Baby Lock has 1/4" on the right side and 1/8" on the left side which is perfect for this application.  The bobbin stitching on the back side was pretty much in the ditch, or at least parallel to the ditch, all around.

The fourth caregiver is receiving this table runner tomorrow.

QAYG Braid Table Runner

The other three had received runners made from this pattern several years ago.  I attempted machine binding at the retreat earlier this month but I had not cut it with the added quarter inch so it was less than successful.  I will be spending the next few minutes trying to resurrect it before we have to leave for a family Christmas celebration across the county.  (Of course, a shower and salad construction have to fit in that time slot, as well -- and I could sure use a nap since DH and I were up at 4 this morning in order to get to church in time to feed breakfast to the homeless ...)

Most of my day has been spent on this last project which I'm quite proud of.

Deconstructed Flying Geese

Grandson-2's girlfriend has come to meet the family -- bless her heart.  She had a modern pillow on her Amazon Wishlist and, of course, my first thought was "I can make something like that."  Never mind that I've never made a pillow cover.  The one she wanted was 18 inches so that is what I made.

I used a linen-look background fabric and cut some flying geese in grays and blacks.  My strips and geese were cut at 2-1/2".  Originally I had planned an orderly progression of geese across the pillow top, but in the end I decided spacing them out would give a more modern look.

I used a pretty Cotton + Steel print on the back and opted for an envelope overlap closure since I was pushing the deadline.

Well, that's it for Christmas preparation.  I did manage to make a few of dark purple tri-recs units for Bonnie's mystery (that I'm not doing), but just could not find time to work on the latest clue, half-square triangles.

Off to spend time with family. Best wishes to one and all for a very Merry Christmas!!