How Do You Solve A Sewing Problem Like Maria??

Maria came over to sew today and we had the best time. Maria doesn't have a lot of sewing experience, but she can run a sewing machine and isn't intimidated by it. She decided she wanted to make her mother some placemats for Christmas after seeing mine I made from "The New Handmade" by Cassie Barden. She wanted these placemats to be Christmas-y, but also be appropriate to use after Christmas was long gone. We choose a scenic winter print and a snowflake fabric for the front:

And we went with a red for the back: While this is technically a print of a poinsetta, the red and gold fabric can be used year round, and Maria's mother LOVES red. She can just flip the placemats over when winter is gone and use the red side. Maria did a great job and I believe her mother will love them.

Maria's mother is Italian. Really Italian. She is a fascinating woman. She was arrested at the age of 16 on the steps of her church, accused of assisting the French Resistance during WWII. She was guilty of exactly what she was accused of: she translated for the French Resistance since she spoke Italian, French, and German. She convinced the arresting authorities that she really didn't know German, so instead of being summarily shot, she was sent to a concentration labor camp in Germany for three years. She was liberated on Easter Sunday, 1945. She's well into her eighties now, and whenever Maria brings her mother to Mass, the Italian nuns from the nearby convent crowd her wheelchair like she is a rock star, all speaking rapid Italian, all joyful to see her.

Parting Shot: I think Maria liked her quilt!

It's A Placemat Christmas!

Since making placemats for Anne, I have been on a placemat making craze. Many friends are getting placemats for Christmas and in the end, I made fourteen in all, from Laurel Burch fabric. I really enjoyed making them, but it is time for a break. After the holidays, I think I will make myself some placemats, maybe from 30s reproduction fabrics.

I leave tomorrow for Cotton Creek, Alabama to spend Christmas with my family. My time will be spent decorating the tree, shopping and wrapping the gifts, and cooking (there is probably another batch of cookies on the way). Christmas vacation has begun, and it didn't come fast enough as far as work is concerned! I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, with much peace, love and joy.

Parting shot: Postcard from VickiW. I tried to capture how the tree glistens, but my camera just couldn't get it. I love it:

Happy Birthday, Anne!

It's Anne's birthday today and last weekend I made her four of these placemats:

The pattern came from "The New Handmade" by Cassie Barden.

I'm enormously pleased with these placemats, as there is a pocket for the napkin and silverware. I quilted them according to the directions with just diagonal straightline quilting.

The blue fabric has fishies on it and the white fabric has flip flops, which makes them perfect for her river house.

I may try more projects from Ms. Barden's book - the instructions are clear and her projects are easy, yet clever. It is full of things I would actually make.

I hope to get going on Tammy's Asian quilt this weekend. Until then, check out Audrey's new purple jacket - it looks like a shirt and jacket, but it is actually one garment. Also, Isabelle is back and I am great relieved. I have to say that Isabelle has the best cat in all of blog land. I read her blog not just for her creations, but also to see her gorgeous cat.

Parting shot: I made Christmas cookies!

Actual, from-scratch-roll-out-cookies. Gingerbread, to be exact. Which I have never done before. I got the receipe from my friend Sherri, who passed some around at Thanksgiving dinner. I loved them so much, I asked her for the receipe. I'm pretty pleased at how these turned out, although they don't seem to taste as good as Sherri's, but maybe I need more practice. Half of these are going to my sewing guild meeting on Saturday morning where we are exchanging cookies, and half of them will be given to friends!