Christmas lights & PJs for all!

Our Christmas tradition has been

new pjs opened on Christmas eve.

This year will be a bit different

but there will still be pjs!

One of my boys found this 

amazing Chinese Lantern Festival

for us to go to last night.

The rain let up just in time

and the weather was perfect for

strolling whilst drinking spiked hot chocolate:)

We entered through the archway and then 

these moving and light changing 

butterflies met us!

My family Chinese horoscope animals

include Me as the Monkey, a sheep,

a snake and a dragon.

These renditions are very 

Hello Kitty.

This bird was placed over a pond

for the reflective affect and it was

so beautiful. The lights waved

down the length of it.

There was a panda tunnel and a 

Chinese Acrobat show. 

All ages were entertained!

We ended the evening with a new

cranberry drink my daughter found

and the opening of the pjs.

Yay for traditions, old and new!

~R 

Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com 

for more blogs to follow.

Hand Quilting

Have you ever tried it?  Do you know someone who hand quilts?  Do you go to shows and or museums and Oooh and Ahhhh

over all the little stitches? 

I Do, I Do, and I Do!!!

 

It is my passion and one of the most relaxing

things I know how to do.

As good as I am at it, I am no where near the quilters that I am in complete awe of and that is ok! Because whether we throw clay, knit, ski, paint, surf, or quilt, we need to have those just a bit better to look up to and to inspire us to do better!

#heritagearchitect:  To design, build, and complete

the heritage of a person or people!

Like my new high-falutin definition of what I do?  It tickles me but is very accurate.  I absolutely adore being given a quilt top that:  

1. has been started by someone who "decided that

quilting just isn't their thing"

2. (sadder) was started by someone who can't complete

 it due to health issues

3.  was found and their mother or grandmother or aunt made it

and they want to cherish it forever

4.  add reason here....

 

Here is Helen's story:

These lovelies come to me for many a reason and I have the honor of completing the heritage of that family. 

This is when labeling becomes SO important. 

Antique quilts get found all the time and humans are a

curious sort who want to know the

when, where, why, and who of these things. 

 

Every quilt has a story and when I get to stitch my story to another quilter in time, it warms my heart beyond explanation!

 

 

So if you are looking for a 2017 resolution, why not resolve to pick up a needle and learn a time honored tradition in America!  With a needle, I can teach you embroidery, applique, or quilting:)

 

If this isn't your thing but you have been hanging onto Mom or Grandma's tops, take a look at what I can do for you!

http://nestlingsbyrobin.com/services.html

 

 

 

 

In the meantime, pop over to see who else is blogging...

http://muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/the-2016-31-day-blog-writing-challenge/

 

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 7, BLOG HOP

Welcome back for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks,

Volume 7, Blog Hop!

You are so smart to get sneak peeks at what the designers are offering this time, as well as get yourself entered for fun prizes!

If this is your first time here, Welcome.  I'm Robin Koehler, a designer of fun, new quilts that range from whimsical applique to paper piecing.  I have been very busy preparing for Spring Quilt Market where I will unveil brand new Autumn designs.  So if Autumn is your season, check back in June so you will have plenty of time to get one done for snuggling.

Of course, I am again thrilled to be a part of this amazing ride!

VOLUME 7

For those of you that have been along for my ride since Vol. 2, you may remember that I am always in the 'foundation pieced' section.  This time you will find me in the 'mixed technique' section, block #635.  There is still paper piecing involved but I also mixed in some regular piecing.

Clown Go Round #635 by Robin Koehler of NESTLINGS by Robin

I went through a few color variations before deciding on this particular one.  Since 2008 I have been playing with this block while attempting art quilts.  Even when trying to make art, I could feel the pull of traditional quiltmaking on my work.  Here is what the very first one looked like....

I really love the contrast of the gold and the black, and that it is on point, but I will be disassembling this soon to remove it from the canvas and probably frame it instead.  If you notice, the 9 patch from above has been reversed, using the paper pieced blocks in the 4 directions layout vs. the corners.  Hopefully you can also see that I used the block template for my quilting lines in the corners.

Look at how much color can fool the eye...Same layout as above but because the center fabric matches the bottom corner of the

paper piece segment, you get a completely different feel.

Same fabrics from the layout in the magazine with different placements.  I truly love them all but chose the one that got into the magazine for being most photogenic and graphic in a thumbnail view.  As fun as the bottom one is, you lose the block detail with all the red.

 

Lastly, what about leaving out the 9 patch squares completely and just placing the paper piece blocks together.....

What a fun star block this makes.  This is how we see most paper piece designs but the next time you look at one, think about breaking it apart and adding in some solid squares instead:)

 

Thank you for stopping by and reading about the journey of one little block!

 

Now for the giveaways-

Giveaway #1

1. Visit my website.

2. Come back here and mention which of my patterns is your favorite in your blog comment for a chance to win it.

3.  On Friday, 8pm EST, I will draw a random number from the comments left on the blog so make sure I have a way of contacting you.

Giveaway #2

A lucky commentor will have a chance to win a copy of 100 Blocks Volume 7 by random number from all the blog comments.

Plus you will want to visit Quiltmaker's blog for a chance to win more fun prizes from them. You will also find a complete list of all the participating designers.



Hand-Painted Traditions

Sugar Plum Ornament ©2008

3" sq on point to 4 1/2"

The history of Christmas ornaments dates back to the 1800's and although I do not collect them myself, I am constantly drawn to them and find them fascinating. First of all, they are miniature and most of them are shiny and that is a double threat for me. I think females in general have those same 2 downfalls (most I know anyway). All that needs to be thrown in is a hidden compartment or box and the urge to possess said item is overwhelming.

My mother collects ornaments as do many of my friends. My children are forever scarred that I didn't save every single handmade "what is it?" that came home with them to hang on my tree. Before I get "how could you?" responses, I have saved specific items that touched my heart but being military, it just isn't practical to save it all. As a child I grew up with a Christmas tree full of the multi colored lights and ornaments full of memories. I am a very sentimental person but I had always been completely and utterly in love with the department store trees that were themed with just white lights. After 6-7 years of doing what I had grown up with, I decided that I could have my own tree and changed it to white lights and big and small poinsettia ornaments in deep reds....just what I had always dreamed of.

2006 Christmas Tree with "Las Flores de Amigas" © 2005 in the background

Last year I decided that even if I didn't collect ornaments, I could make them. My first ornament was the Sugar Plum ornament shown above. It is still my favorite but running a close second is the holly ornament shown below.
Both are hand-painted and finished by free motion stitching leaves in metallic thread across the surface. I enjoy the look of a traditional binding with beaded hang and tassles. They are a labor of love for what they cost and they are beautiful to me.

Holly Ornament ©2008 3" sq on point at 4 1/2"

This year I added lighthouses to the ever growing list of available ornaments. I started with Cape Lookout, NC since this was the 150th anniversary of it's lighting. I have added Bodie Island, NC and Cape Hatteras, NC. All are lighthouses on the Historic Outer Banks of NC. They are hand-inked, free motion stitched, and beaded.
To read more about the local lighthouse see my previous post here.

Cape Hatteras Ornament © 2009 3"sq on point to 4 1/2"
I sell these through a local gallery and also online. Today is the last day for orders to be delivered by Christmas. If you are not a collector, I bet you know one. These are miniature and shiny...sorry no hidden compartments. Maybe that should be my next ornament:)

Have a wonderful holiday season to my followers and online friends.