Here are two of the quilts I made for Christmas gifts.

The first is an I Spy quilt, squares in alphabetical order ... A is for Apple, B is for Button, C is for Crayon, etc.

The "N" is the first initial of her name, Natalia (although in hindsight I would have used HSTs to make it look more like an "N" instead of an oddly shaped "H" ... ah well). The back is flannel to make it soft and cuddly, as this was intended as a car quilt (they take a lot of road trips). It is for my 5 year old niece, Natalia. Quilted in white (using the machine, so it can be washed a lot), in the ditch around each square. I didn't want to go through the squares so that she could see the patterns on the fabrics better, and I hoped it would get a little poufy in each square as it was washed ...

Front:

{{!gwi}}

Back:

{{!gwi}}

This quilt caused me more trouble that I had thought it would ... I thought the alphabet idea was great, until I started looking for fabrics. There were some letters I just COULDN'T find, for years. I don't order fabric online and we have scant few options for quilt stores around here ... finally Sue/Polardream actually sent me some squares of some of the letters I just couldn't find anywhere and I would NEVER have been able to finish in time for Christmas without her help!!! I know she's away right now, but Sue, I hope you see this picture of the finished quilt ... Natalia LOVED it, and I really really appreciate your help!! Thank you :)

*****

The second is a tablecloth for my mother. She redid her kitchen several years ago in a grapes/vineyard theme. The walls are a lovely green, with grapes decor painted around the top. Her kitchen towels and stove burner covers are vineyard themes. She has a painting of grapes hanging on the wall. So I decided to make her a vineyard themed tablecloth. I found some really nice fabrics and figured that the best way to showcase them all would be the Trip Around the World pattern ... and perfect design for a rectangular table as well. Quilted in dark purple (using the machine, so it can be washed as much as needed), just a simple X through each square.

Front:

{{!gwi}}

Closup:

{{!gwi}}