Christmas Celebration Ornament Row

An “Ornament Row” is the sixth row in my Christmas Celebration quilt from the Shabby Fabrics' Christmas Celebration Row Quilt series, pattern by Coach House Designs. There are five blocks to make in this sixth installment, each with three ornaments. The fabrics are from the Emmitt and Ivy Sweetwater line for Moda. The balls are made from five fabrics as shown with a tape measure for scale on the first photo. The strings for hanging the ornaments are either red, green, or blue as shown on the left side of the second photo. The ornament tops are striped fabric, shown on right of second photo.

I prefer to work with assigned piece letters rather than a piece description. To me it is easier to say use "A" rather than use a "2" x 3 ½ " piece of Fabric 1". I write the letter in on the pattern instructions and also add letters to any figures. Then I use my Alphabitties to label the pieces as I cut them out and stack them.

I chain pieced the white corners on all fifteen balls first, all the H/D subcomponents. I did these fifteen units assembly line style. Even when trimming the corners, I lined five up at a time and trimmed the corners with one fell swoop of the rotary cutter. 

Here are five balls in the representative colors, with all four corners of each trimmed and flipped. I considered not trimming them, since the triangle being removed is so small, but then I was concerned that untrimmed dark print might show through the white. Being a small triangle to snip off had another advantage. I felt no obligation whatsoever to make these into pinwheels as I often do with leftovers from the stitch and flip method.

Next I chain-pieced the side additions to all fifteen ornament tops (first and second photo), followed by the side additions to each ornament string (third photo).

Now the challenge was to create the correct combination of ball, top, and string for each ornament. To keep the fabric locations clear, I write each fabric number in the block diagram for each of the five ornament-trio block according to the chart of fabric locations chart in the instructions. Of course it helps to have the color designations handy to correspond to those numbers.

Here are the three ornaments A, B, C from Block 1 individually, and then joined as a trio. At this point I began to layout each three-ball block one at a time. Chain-piecing at this stage was limited, since I had to move carefully to match balls with tops with strings. 

As I made the other four blocks I added them to the right of the growing row. I pressed that center horizontal seam alternately up or down to reduce the bulk at the interface between blocks. 

Here is the row of five ornament blocks up on my design wall, added to the previous rows from this project. Oddly, I felt a bit of sadness when I completed the final block; I really enjoyed working on this quilt — the colors, the symbols, the mini-prints. I excitedly anticipate the 7th installment of borders and sashing. 

This final photo shows the tools of my trade that streamline the assembly and helped me be organized, all gathered on one of my melamine trays from the Fat Quarter Shop. At the top is a Clover thread cutting pendant, but I insert it upside down in an empty spool and use it to slice all the threads from chain piecing. To the left are my Wonder Clips and below are my pink Alphabitties.

September Log Cabin and Schoolhouse Completed

For the piecing and assembly of the Log Cabin and Schoolhouse banner for September from Shabby Fabrics see my previous post dated 7/14/26. This post is about the FMQ, labeling, binding, and completion of the September banner.

Log Cabin Blocks
Since these monthly banners are not very large (31" square) they are excellent candidates for practicing my FMQ on my HQ Sweet Sixteen. I try out different options with a white board marker on vinyl sheet protectors until I am content — or get bored and want to just get on with it. I wanted each round of the log cabin to be different. All but the circles were quilted free hand. The channel of circles was made using the 1" diameter circle option from my HQ Mini Circle Templates.

Schoolhouse Blocks

I was less adventurous with the FMQ on the Schoolhouse block. For the most part, I chose echo stitching to help the door and windows stand out. I got a little more flowery with one of my go-to FMQ patterns from Angela Walters' dot-to-dot method over the floral print of the roof. When it came to the sky I wanted the printing of the fabric to remain unobscured and readable so I tried a labyrinth approach. that lined up with the direction of the lettering. Angela Walters' ruler Slim was used for the straight lines.

Sashing and Outer Border
For the inner sashings I wanted something simple but thought a straight line down the center would be too plain. I spiced it up a bit with some evenly spaced asterisks. On the outer border, I repeated the dot-to-dot pattern like on the roofs. In retrospect, it was more effort that it merited since it barely shows up on the red plaid fabric. Oh, well. The FMQ looks good on the back. Note in this photo I have added the detail of a button door knob on the door of the schoolhouse.

Labels

I machine embroider my usual grosgrain ribbon labels on my Pfaff. They are attached diagonally on the two lower corners of the banner before binding. September refers to the theme of the banner and not the month I completed it.

Completed Banner
Here is my completed September banner, front and back, displayed on its designated location on t he wall next to my sewing room door. This location is temporary just for the photo. This spot is displaying the August banner this month.

Here are my completions thus far for this series from Shabby Fabrics.

• JAN    Snowmen and Snowflakes (2/10/26)
• MAR  Shamrocks and Irish Chains (4/6/26)
• APR   Bunnies and Carrots (3/6/26)
• MAY   Roses and Pansies (9/11/25)
• JUN    Strawberries (9/6/25)
• JUL    Flags and Pinwheels (6/24/26)
• AUG    Bees and Sunflowers (9/21/25)
• SEP      Log Cabins and Schoolhouses (this post 8/5/26)

Four more to go. I am really looking forward to the October and November banners!

Community Bow Ties

Cut-Ups is a small 12-member group within the Amador Valley Quilters guild. I belong to Cut-Ups. Each month a member proposes a block that everyone makes. All these blocks are pooled and the member who proposed the block assembles them into a quilt. This becomes a community quilt that is donated to a local charity. A recent month, I proposed this block for a Bow Ties quilt. The colors were donated from another member's scrap de-stashing effort and I supplied the whites cut in fourths from a layer cake I had.  Here are the directions for an 8.5" block.

These are some sample blocks prior to trimming, shown at the meeting where the instructions were distributed.

When the blocks were turned it at the next meeting, I had 50 of them. Here they are laid out randomly on my dining room table.

With that many blocks, I could have assembled a 7 x 7 configuration but decided that a 6 x 8 layout would be more useful. The finished quilt would measure 48" wide by 64" tall. I found the perfect checkered fabric for the backing, batting was provided by the guild, and the sandwich was quilted with a loopy star pattern by a daughter-in-law of one of the members.

As a final step, I affixed a label from our guild and took photos. We Cut-Ups hope that the recipient of this quilt will be pleased and that the person will feel loved.

Christmas Celebration Wreath Row

Say “Wreath Row” several times fast! No, it is not an airport in London. It is the fifth row in my Christmas Celebration quilt from the Shabby Fabrics Christmas Celebration Row Quilt series. There are six blocks to make in this fifth installment. Wreaths are made out of these six green fabrics and these two red fabrics from the Emmitt and Ivy Sweetwater line for Moda. It is always a nice surprise to see the new additions each month. This month the fabric not revealed before in previous rows was the cream background one with the mini Christmas trees, fifth from the left. I mistakenly made the red bow four times for a wreath out of this fabric. Details later.

 

I cut the six green fabrics three layers at a time, to assure cleaner cuts. I cut the two red fabrics at the same time and labeled my pieces with letters. The pattern does not assign the pieces letters, but this is a habit I use that helps me keep organized. I write my assigned letters on the pattern and then lay the corresponding Alphabitties on each stack. During assembly, a letter is easier to reference than the dimensions of a piece.

This is the first wreath I made. From the triangles I cut off each of the four corners, I made a pinwheel.

Then I made the inside of the other five wreaths all at the same time. These cut off corners were too small to make a pinwheel, even for pinwheel obsessed me. 

Next I decided to make all the bows at once. They are fussy and tiny and I was on a roll This is the bow for the wreath of mini Christmas trees. I made it once. I took it apart because I wanted the center knot fabric to face the same was as the loops of the bow. I reassembled it…wrong a second time. This next time I got it oriented the way I wanted. When I went through my stack of wreath centers to add the bow on top, I found, stacked between the layers, a bow I had already made…and correctly, too! Oh, well. Now I have an extra.

Here are the six wreaths all joined in a row. Above them is their corresponding bonus pinwheel. I now have an extra bow for the wreath second from the left. The row measures 8½“ high by 50½“ wide. I am excitedly awaiting the shipment of the sixth row near the end of July,

September Log Cabin and Schoolhouse

The theme for the  Pieceful Patchwork banner for September from Shabby Fabrics is a home and school focus. There are two Log Cabin blocks and two Schoolhouse blocks. The color scheme is made up of deep reds and autumnal oranges for the log cabin blocks. The central cream of the log cabin block has typeface on it, which is a favorite feature of mine. The school house blocks are navy, teal, and deep brown, with a calico like floral pattern in some that makes me think of Little House on the Prairie. As usual, I cut out the fabrics and organized the pieces in my tray with Alphabitties. I used blue Alphabitties for the warm tones of the log cabin and black Alphabitties for cool tones of the schoolhouses.

I made two log cabin blocks at a time. They seemed straightforward enough that the risk of me messing up twice was small. I am usually more cautious. September’s kit seemed simpler than other months.

I then moved on to the schoolhouse components. I also made both of these blocks at the same time. The roof and part of the front wall are shown in the next photo.

Next are two side walls with two gold windows and two completed front walls with a teal door each. When I assembled the schoolhouse parts, I also made a pinwheel from the corners cut off at the roof.

All blocks are ready to be assembled with green sashing, brown inner border, and red plaid outer border.

I have sandwiched the top with bamboo batting and cream colored backing. I usually procrastinate on this step, so I am proud I did not delay for September’s banner. My binding and hanging sleeve are ready to go. So now I am prepped for free motion quilting. This is when I need to stare at it for at least a day or two to decide the motifs to stitch. No. This delay is not undesirable procrastination. It is my normal, justified thinking time.

Zombie Wooble

My grandson is hooked on Woobles. I'm crocheting another for him for his 11th birthday. It is a Zombie and Zombie baby from the Minecraft video game. A Zombie in this game is the most common mob and it is hostile. In Minecraft, a mob (short for "mobile entity") is any living, moving creature or non-player character in the game. Zombies spawn in dark areas and attack by slowly approaching the player and punching them. These monsters will aggressively hunt and attack you if you get too close. Defeating them often yields valuable loot or experience points. Granted, I do not understand how they spawn or how they treat their young if they are that hostile... Curious about how zombies spawn? Check out this article and scroll down to the spawning section.

My goal is to make a Daddy Zombie and a baby zombie. Whoops, perhaps they are a Mommy and baby Zombie...? When I looked this up, according to AI:

Zombies in Minecraft do not have a specific gender. While their appearance resembles the default male player character, ... the game's original creator designed almost all mobs in the game to be genderless.

Making the main body progresses really quickly for me. The following photo shows the top half of the zombie's body. He is crocheted from the top down - dark green top toward dark blue bottom. I can finish the main part, complete with eyes and stuffing in very little time. Adding the tiny appendages and the detail embroidery are what slows me down, even though the instruction are very clear and specific on placement.

I followed the instructions carefully to attach the big Zombie's plastic safety eyes and to embroider his mouth and nose. In retrospect I  should have stitched his nose and moth in a color other than the dark green, perhaps black, to have it show up better on the variegated green. But I was faithful to the directions and perhaps this color palette is more true to that of the characters in the game. When I researched the "correct" color palette for a Minecraft Zombie, all the images do show a rather subdued nose and mouth.

I moved on to make the baby zombie. His face has embroidered eyes rather than plastic ones and he has no nose or mouth. Simple as it was, I messed up the first time with the eyes and had to unstitch and embroider them farther up. I think it really does make a difference, otherwise I would not have bothered.

Here are my completed Zombie and Baby Zombie. These are my sixth (and seventh?) Woobles. After the photo are references and links to my previous five.

• 1/22/24 Strawberry the Axolotl Wooble
• 10/15/25 Creeper Wooble
• 2/6/26 VAN the Guardian Robot Wooble
• 3/20/26 Chilly the Frog Wooble
• 4/30/26  Scooter the Wooble Raccoon