Working on a set of placemats for a granddaughter to be. Hope to finish them tomorrow.
Theresa

I have a fabric box I want to complete and I hope to be able to get some more of Clue 3 made.

Didn't someone here show a picture of the fabric boxes they made? I couldn't find it, so maybe not.

SharonG/FL

I just completed the binding on one quilt - 2 more to get labels made and bound, and all 3 need threads knotted and buried. I am not going to panic until Tuesday, if I do not have them completed Monday. I need all of these quilts for Christmas Eve.
Next year......someone save me from this manic sewing and quilting!

Sharon, Jen made us cute woven fabric boxes at Retreat and showed us how to make them -- was that at the last Retreat you went to? The boxes were small with a lid and used stiffening.

I have a quilt top finished, except for adding the borders. Hopefully, it will make it to the longarm this weekend.

I am finishing up clue 3 and then will quilt a small quilt-let for a gift. I am so behind on normal Xmas chores. Haven't sent a single card and have to work on gifts before we head off for a week with family in Colorado.

I hope to work on clues 2 and 3 some this weekend. I am making homemade cookies and candies for each of my employees...( would have been easier just to buy them all lunch lol) so I don't know how much sewing I will get done.

Jackie

Probably no quilting for me this weekend. I have three cookie batches done and six to go, and I have to have them finished by the 18th at the latest. My Christmas choral concert is Sunday, and I have a medical test Monday morning. My DGD's birthday is the 17th and that means dinner at Marcaroni Grill.

Yikes! I thought I would have lots of time now that I'm retired, but having only six weeks of retirement during the holiday season before leaving for three months is stressing me out. I had to get Social Security, Medicare, Medicare supplement, and drug plan all set up. Get all our bills on auto-pay. Forward the mail. Update my home office equipment. And on and on. I don't mean to complain, because I'm so lucky to be able to spend three months in Hawaii, but this is a very stressful time and I will be really happy to kick back and relax in the sun. I've never left home for longer than three weeks in the past, and there are a lot of things to consider.

Marsha, you know Christmas Eve is still 10 days away, right? So maybe you don't have to panic until NEXT Wednesday? LOL (I often "lose" a week during the holiday season.)

Lois, I'm sorry the beginning of your retirement has been stressful! I'm sure everything will work out fine. :)

I started knitting a stocking hat for DH for Christmas. He's gone to his dad's for the day so I will spend as much time today knitting as I can. Also doing laundry and need to go to the grocery store.

Last weekend I got out a long-dormant cross stitch project and really enjoyed working on it, so that's probably what I'll do tomorrow.

Donna

Marsha, I don't remember Jen making boxes so maybe I wasn't there. Or, I could have been napping. :-) The boxes I'm making are lidless. I was trying to think of what to do instead of buttons to hold the points down. Maybe I'll just glue them down. LOL

Lois, Breathe, breathe, breathe......it'll be ok, hon.

Jackie, Have you seen the recipe for making coal treats? It's made like Rice Krispie squares but using crushed Oreo's instead.

We're going to DD's house on the 21st for the opening of gifts and then she has the big dinner on the 25th.

SharonG/FL

Here is a link that might be useful: Easy fabric boxes

Donna, I need the week to clean up the mess I've made everywhere!!!!! I'm having the big dinner on the 25th, including my new expanded in law family. One of the quilts is for them.

Sharon, instead of buttons, just tack the flap down by hand or by machine. Fast ! I like Connie's blog and try to follow it.

I just checked out that link and panicked. The date is Dec. 20. But I didn't notice the 2013. I thought I had missed a Son's birthday and lost a whole week besides. Whew! Glad I reread the date.
Theresa

Placemats finished.
Working with black on black is pretty hard on the eyes.
The pattern is called Take Four and has several variations. Because I did the pillowcase method, the hardest part for me was getting those corners square and also getting a sharp edge all round. Any hints on doing this. Even though I have been sewing for 60+ years, there is always something that is a challenge.
Now to start packing up the boxes for mailing.
Theresa

Nice place mats Theresa!
I'm sewing on clue 3. I have all the strip sets cut and am sewing the last seam for each block. We were supposed to go to Sami's birthday party today but she and her mommy are both sick. The party has been postponed to a later date. DS and family were coming to our house but not now since the party is off for today. I made a large casserole for lunch today but with the change of plans, I took some over to DD. DH and I will still be eating this all week! lol
Linda OH

Theresa, I like the place mats! To get the seam sharp on the edges, before you turn them RS out, press the seams open. I use a wooden point presser or tailor board. You stick the pointy end of the presser inside the opening where you will turn it, line the seam up on the presser , and press it open. Then when you turn it RS out that seam will be nice and flat and fold right on the seam line.

Linda, I'm sorry your DD & DGD are sick! Hope they feel better soon. Can you freeze some of your casserole?

I'm working on my cross stitch today. I got a lot of DH's stocking hat knitted yesterday. I finished the body and started the decrease pattern for the crown. One more good knitting session and it will be done. Now to find time when he's not here to work on it... :)

Donna

HaHaHa Theresa.......yep, 2013! That gave me a chuckle.....because I've done the same thing! lol I really like your placemats! Wish my family used them!

Thanks for the reminder to tack, Marsha. I did that today. I have 4 made (and I hadn't planned on any sewing projects for gifts) so tacking was a good thing! Especially since I took a 4 hour nap!

SharonG/FL

No sewing this weekend, Grandkids were here for the weekend. We try to have them one weekend a month, and traditionally they help to put up Christmas decorations the weekend they are here in Dec. Sadly, they are growing up and it's not the wide-eyed excitement with every box that's opened like it used to be, but that's the way it goes. I told DH this morning, they are getting to the age where staying with Grandpa and Grandma isn't the big deal that it used to be and that's the normal way of life. I warned him years ago there would be a time when they will start to grow up and move on with their busy lives and friends and activities and not to get upset about it when it does happen. But at least I was able to get the girl to help bake a bunch of cookies. And most important, this year everyone is in good health and we are back to normal.