Santa Claus is coming...

Not that I would wish the festive season upon us this early but for once I've done something that could be considered almost organised! Although it could have quite easily ended up in the unfinished project too-hard-basket if I hadn't needed a small project to take to my machine quilting session a few weeks back. I have finished my Christmas Tree Skirt. You'll find the tutorial over here at Crazy Mom's. I'm very pleased with it. The red gives it a very rich warm feeling and even though the greens I've used are a little unorthidox and not Christmas prints, it's still quite festive.

After our WEA machine quilting sessions I've learnt to stipple a little smaller/denser (perfect for smaller sized quilts and projects) and I've even ventured into the area of 'picture' quilting by including some little stars within the log cabins. It was recommended that this sort of quilting be tackled with a darning foot and I couldn't get my head around that, so opted for my walking foot. But having done it now, I know why. The walking foot is too restrictive and you have to turn your quilt with every angle. So next time, I'll use the darning foot.

On the general quilting front I've really been restraining myself on starting something new which is quite at odds with my personality. I openly flaunt that it's perfectly OK to have more than one thing on at a time but the pile of sandwiched quilts and flimsies is building a little higher than it should be (but then again what's the measure on that? No more pins?). I've been dreaming of a couple of black and white projects and it's amazing what a little self control can do. It's doing my head in to be perfectly honest. I've changed my mind about six times already but I think I've finally decided on two designs for the two quilts I'd like to make. So having got through this week with a big tick on one completed project and we're about to embark on a week away with the family (without the machine), AND uni starts again for me next week, I reckon I can set myself a "Spring to Finish" challenge on the other projects and maybe squeeze in a bit of cutting on the two new projects in between packing. Good plan? Say, yes!