Fini!

I've been working on a few quilting projects lately and they are done!  Hooray!

This is a holiday blanket.  I bought a "cake stack" which is a stack of matching fabric in 9.5'' x 9.5'' squares.

I love the hot chocolate squares the best.  I wanted to make a second quilt with hot chocolate squares in a checker board pattern with "peppermint" in between.  I was thinking I could use the white with red stripes fabric (four up from the bottom and two to the left) to make peppermints.  I could quarter the fabric and rotate the squares.  Claire Adele thought I could cut the large square into triangle shaped eighths.  Right.  I have the sewing skills of a 5th grader.  That was not going to happen.  I was kind of excited that I figured out a design for a quilt all by myself.  I was kind of bummed when I found out the fabric is discontinued.

"But wait!" I hear you say.  "Google it!  I am sure someone somewhere on the internet is selling remnants!"  I tried.  I was really excited when I found a few yards, until I went to order it and discovered the seller was in Australia.  I wasn't sure I wanted to get the fabric in February.  Oh well.

Here is the back of the quilt.  It has a fancy border because I bought the only red flannel at Pacific Fabrics.  I should have known red flannel would be hard to come by in December.  Anyhow,  I came up short for the back, so I used the leftover squares.

And here is a patchwork pillow I made, finished on the same day I finished the blanket.

I used a charm pack here, which is like a layer cake except the pieces are 2.5'' x 2.5."  An artist creates and then assembles a series of fabrics, and I used them all in the same piece.  I thought about giving it to my Aunt Pat, but I have two more charm packs that I think she might like better.  I am slightly hesitant to give her a pillow, more for my own sake.  I image the conversation when someone visits her home.

"Interesting pillow," says the guest (assuming they notice it.)

"Thanks," my Aunt might reply.  "My niece made it."

"Wow.  How old is she?  Twelve?  Fifteen?"

"Forty-five."

Silence.

Part of me thinks if I have time to crank out little quilts, it means I should probably start looking for a day job.

Oh well.