Set of 14 Gilded Ornaments

At a guild fabric sale a couple years ago I bought several panels of Christmas ornaments for 50¢ or so. These novelty panels are not as prevalent in the stores today as they used to be years ago when my kids were young. We used to make them as a family project... I sewed and turned and they helped stuff.  Making these ornaments, even though I have lots and lots and the kids are long since grown, is kind of nostalgic for me. I believe the panels can still be found on e-Bay although at many, many times the 50¢ price tag.

This particular panel consisted of fourteen ornaments in three colors (green, red, cream), in eight shapes: diamond(3), circle(3), heart(3), tree, angel, showman, star, and Santa. The green Christmas tree was the most difficult to turn and stuff but it is my favorite. I am also fond of the red joy diamond and the cream snowman. The gold gilding gives these ornaments an attractive sheen.

I have other panels and my goal is to work through my supply of them before Christmas 2024. They are a great filler project between other larger projects. They require very little working space so I can sew and stuff them without having to clean my sewing room first!

Added Patches for Adventure Guides Vests

With my son's family move to Colorado from California they will no longer be able to participate in YMCA Adventure Guides since the organization is California based only. They still wanted to preserve the memorable vests they have with the patches they've earned for the various activities. I was asked to add three more badges and some feathers to their vests.  On the front I added the blue bordered round badge with a fire truck and a black bordered badge shaped badge with  a special agent  reference to Dan's, Vivian's and Lillian's vests.

On the back I added the feathers which are for attending chapel; the colors have no real significance. Each vest also got a white bordered Polar Bear Club badge indicating participation in an early morning dip in frigid waters. Those with a repeat plunge earned an icicle to be hung from the badge.

If I needed practice on threading my sewing machine I certainly got it with this small project. On the left are the orange teal and yellow colors for the feathers. On the right are the black, royal blue, and white for the patches. These colors matched the badges for the closely spaced zigzag stitching about the perimeters. The brown was used in the bobbin thread for all.

Following are the images of the fronts and backs of the three vests for my son Dan, aka Delicate Flower, and his daughters Vivian aka BookWorm, and Lillian, aka Adventurous Dolphin. These photos are before the attachment of the additional feathers and patches. Larger photos and the creation of the vests themselves with their first round of badges is available in my post for 7/23/23.

Delta Quilters Show Favorites

Saturday, August 10th, Frank, my friend Kathie, and I went to the Delta Quilters Guild annual show in Brentwood, CA. This is favorite show of mine because the quilts, although exquisite and creative, are not so extreme as to be discouraging. They are inspirational. I take many pictures (this time over 70 photos) and then share them via drop box with my daughter who lives in Oklahoma. I did not photograph the entire show, which contained 153 quilts, but only those quilts that struck me and those I wanted to discuss with my daughter over the phone.

Show Quilts
The featured artist was Jean Wallace, herself a member of the Delta Quilters Guild. This dandelion was my favorite quilt of hers. I also loved her write up about dandelions. I never knew they were so versatile. I enjoyed blowing the seeds with my children and was a bit saddened when they were viewed as an annoying weed. The definition of a weed is "an unwanted plant", and I always thought those yellow flowers were pretty, not unwanted.

Several of the guild members had taken a class on making tuffets. I was impressed by the ones that were displayed at the show: one in red/white/black, one in jewel tones, and one with matching quilts and pillows out of Laurel Birch fabric.

I am very fond of Laurel Birch fabrics and so this set of tuffet, pillow, and quilts by Vika Cherkashyna drew my attention, the tuffet and pillows in particular.

The simplistically graphic animal heads in Colorful Safari were very striking and I was wowed by how effective the echo quilting was around the faces. The quilter had a pattern for the giraffe but she generated that elephant head on her own.

Midway through the show I went to check on my husband, Frank, who had found himself a comfy chair in which to read. He was in good company with three other men with the same idea. My husband is the closest guy in the foreground, holding the book. Normally Frank walks the show with me, but he only did part of it this time due to aching feet. He rejoined me toward the end. Hmm... these guys kind of look related, but they are not. Must be the characteristic appearance and stance of a quilter's husband. 

The paper piecing on Just Dandy was appealing and the colors were fresh and bright.

Along a back hallway were very large and very intricately pieced and quilted entries. I was in awe of Fire Hosta, a Judy Niemeyer Fire Island Hosta paper pieced pattern. I could admire it, but learning it was over two years in the making, I realized I would not be motivated enough to attempt something of that magnitude.

Aloha reminds me of a bundle if six Hawaiian fabrics in one yard cuts I have been saving for a Hawaiian shirt quilt. I liked the interspersed stars o f Aloha. I also like 9 patch blocks, so I might intersperse them as corners stones instead when I make my quilt. Then again, one yard is a large enough amount I could make the shirts bigger and fewer of them. Hmm... decisions, decisions.

Show Purchases
I went to this show pretty adamant I would buy NO KITS since I have so many waiting in my stash. My last kit audit was my 1/17/23 post and totaled about fifteen. I succeeded in buying NO KITS at this show, although I did look longingly at these three.

I bought only one yard of fabric, a bargain at $4, convincing myself my stash had little to no florals. A show guest giveaway, I got two free fat quarters from a color wheel spin.

I bought two patterns. The one on the left sucked me in because I have a weakness for checkerboards and stars. The one on the right I wanted to complement a wall hanging on canvas we own. I thought it might be fun to make it for this Christmas and hang it near the screen print shown in the following photo. 

Our stellar unique purchase was this table with the yardstick top.  A close-up of the top follows. This side table was one of the first items I spotted at the beginning of the show. I was instantly attracted to it and so was my husband. We agreed in unison right off to snap it up. The vendor held it for us til we were ready to leave and Frank carried it out to the car. After all, he is the CEO of DianeLoves2Quilt. He Carries Everything Out.

Star Wars Crochet

A few years ago I bought this Star Wars crochet kit from Costco. The instruction book contains directions for twelve projects, but the kit has yarn enough for only two. 

My grandson Isaiah is into Star Wars so I set out to make him the Yoda character. Following are images of the front and back of Yoda taken from the instruction book. I am a quilter and a knitter. Crocheting is not my strong skill so I struggled making Yoda. Indeed, the "Force" was not with me. Yet I forged ahead taking much more time than I think was estimated for the small amigurumi figure. I kept splitting the yarn with my hook and my tension was often too tight making forcing the hook under the stitches was difficult. When I loosened my tension, the stitches of Yoda's body were not close enough to prevent the white stuffing from peeking through.

I had previously crocheted an axolotl (1/22/24 post) from a Wooble kit for the same grandson. I initially thought the Woobles were over-priced, but the yarn quality and weight, combined with the excellent, truly excellent, instructions did make the Wooble kit worth the cost. My Yoda experience was nowhere near as pleasurable. But I persevered and completed Yoda for my grandson Isaiah. I whipstitched areas where the white stuffing peeked through the brown. I eked out Yoda's robe, finishing with only 2 inches of beige yarn left over. Following is my creation... complete with crooked grin, wonky ears, and peek-a-boo stuffing.

But these few imperfections did not phase Isaiah. He was happy with his Yoda. I am glad, since I am not about to make another figure from this kit.

I plan to pass on this instruction book to a more experience crocheter who can supply her own yarn, maybe in a different weight, and hopefully enjoy making an entire cast of Star Wars characters.