What Did It for You?

The pictures below show my favorite skirt purchased 30 years ago in Palm Springs, CA.  My husband was on a week long business retreat and I tagged along. I golfed (cough, cough) one of the courses the Bob Hope tournament was held. While shopping, however, looking for the best deal on California dates I came across a store selling all appliqued clothing.  The applique is simple, has not frayed one bit and has endured many family holiday gatherings.  Last year it even attended my friend Robin family's ugly sweater party.  Yes, we're still friends.  Looking ahead to my family genes, I purchased an XL so it would always fit.  It's a wrap skirt, so when I was smaller it wrapped well, and still kind of does....what the heck - it's just  one or two days a year!  Can you hear my daughters groaning just thinking about wearing it this year?

                                                      The star is a small pocket
A rag  doll starts off the toys, leads to the tree, train and toys.....
The following Christmas all the family members received my first of many to come appliqued aprons.  The tradition lapsed as I thought I had conquered applique and we all know what can happen...

Holiday sewing has always been a hobby I enjoy.  My mother and I made ornaments - oh my gosh!  Fabric stores would sell really nice panels that when completed the ornaments looked really nice.  Now my children get inundated with place mats and aprons.

 The Scotties were my first fusible applique project once  sucked into this quilting thing.  Lesson learned:  read package and cogitate on how large or small project is.  The ornaments have pictures of my family and our first dog, Freckles.  My list of things to do has add an ornament for son-in-law Justin and these two dogs:

Each mornign after scouting the squirrels in my yard they cuddle in Meg's kennel, the red one on left.  Bernie, on the right, is my dog.  While Jeny has her own apartment Meg has to stay with me....someday........

This small applique is my get back into fusible applique and machine quilting.  I can truthfully say I prefer hand sewn applique and hand quilting.  I believe that this project is one of Edyta Sitar's Laundry Basket creations collection with fusing and cut pieces ready to go!  While I didn't see this pattern  on her website, I'm quite sure this pattern is hers.  While visiting the website for this blog I grew attached to several more.....don't want to do fusible, repeat 100 times......

Ellison Lane Modern Quilting and Design is participating is a holiday mug rug quilt along.....they are really cute and simple.  Each day a designer displays and explains how to make their mug rug.  Might challenge my prejudices and make a couple.