Fireworks, Free Projects & Other Dreams

My dream is to someday be in Paris for New Year's and see the fireworks going off above the Eiffel Tower, while I view it all from a boat. But in the mean time... I am sending you fireworks from Bass Lake and wishing you a new year filled with hopes, dreams, wonderful surprises

and all those things that you hold dear to your heart- that keep you happy!

If you happen to be looking for some new and fun projects:

here are a few that you can download from Lecien Fabrics website. The one above is called Mann Creek by Jennifer Davis. She has a great blog called Sweet Liberty. I really like this pattern!

This one is also a free pattern at Lecien by Joe Wood. He is an amazingly talented guy... with an amazing wife & a quilt shop called Timble Creek!

This is a great store where you will find many

talented designers who make it their home:

Anne Sutton/Bunny Hill, Joanna of Fig Tree & Co., Sandy Klop (American Jane), the adorable Laura Nownes and her partner Diana McClun who do the Asilomar Retreats

and from Me To You patterns;

Denise Sheenan of a Graceful Stitch and Verna Mosquera, A Vintage Spool.

Oh, and Elizabeth of Late Bloomer Quilts and Pam Kitty Morning

also teach there... AND alsohave free patterns on the Lecien site!

Another pattern you will find at Lecien is this one by Brenda Riddle of Acorn Quilt Co.

It features Brenda's cute new fabric line Celebration.

I had a couple of pictures to share today of a tuffet/door hanger with matching Friendship Bag

and another pincushion, "Abbey Bag". But my computer is not "recognizing my camera". *g*

Patience... that's something I will put on my list to work on in 2010!

(is using the word "computer" and "patience" together one of those oxymoron kind of things???)

Happy New Year!

See you tomorrow for the Year of Schnibbles Parade!

It's Been A Good Year

I had a wonderful Christmas! I enjoyed everything this year so much and what made it all better was that everyone was home, everyone was healthy and everyone is doing well!

I hope your holiday was festive and filled with those you love also!

I thought I would take a moment to look back at 2009. A year filled with friends, old and new. a year of inspiration, quilting and an opportunity to share my quilting obsession with others also.

So here are a few pictures of those things.

The quilt above is by Paulette. I am in awe of her work and hope to learn from her expertise in machine quilting sometime!
Some friends who keep me laughing and who inspire me also!

Some of the things I made this year that are patterns and fabric by Fig Tree & Co. and a great source of inspiration for me!

A quilt that finally came off of my "to do" list!

I had the opportunity to make some shop samples which is always an honor and a privilege!

And yet another Fig Tree inspiration. This is a quilt that was done for the Fig Tree Club which I get to host for Cottage Quilts in Fresno, CA.

This year I fell madly in love with Dresden Plates! This is one of the projects started

and there are several more in the works!

Okay, I am even surprising myself now with more Fig Tree projects:

This one I was actually doing for Joanna for a Fresh Vintage issue.

This was a sweet little project that still needs to get quilted. Maybe I can slip it in along with one of my Schnibble quilts. I think I will save my Schnibble quilts for another post!

It's been a good year!

I hope yours has been good too!

I'm Rearin' to Go!

The race is on!

A week from today we will all be able to breathe again!

Isn't that exciting!*?@*!*

I am actually looking forward to the shopping frenzy over the weekend.

But unlike in the past, this year I will be armed with lists and a plan of attack!

Then after that I will be able to sneak into my sewing room...

which has been very neglected lately. I have a few new patterns that are begging for some attention! I have already started making yoyo's for Yoyoville. I have an entire week off from work (whoot whoot!) and just hopefully, fingers crossed, I will be able to tear into a new project or two! Of course there are projects already started that need to be attended to also...

Like this one! A little baby quilt, I just need to do some blanket stitching and then quilt it. I had a friend make a little Scottie dog (Anne Sutton's pattern) to coordinate with the blanket. It's stuffed and has a little sachet of lavender in it! I will take a picture of it when it's all ready to be mailed off.

Of course there is the new Schnibbles to quilt (you are going to love it) , and while I'm at it and the red and white snowball challenge quilt. I wonder how everyone else is doing with that??? Hmmm.

Dear Santa Claus, from Sinta Claus

I haven't seen this guy in quite some time...

but I know at this time of year, he is always near!

Word has it that he is hanging out a bit with those sweet little elves at the Fat Quarter Shop!

I think he is even reading the Jolly Jabber Blog!!!

So just in case he might head my way,

there is something I would like to say:

Dearest Santa,

I have a few things on my list this year.

These are the things that can keep me happy and out of trouble.

Pink and Chocolate!

I love pink and I love, love love chocolate!

You just can't go wrong with that combination. It even comes in two different sizes!

I know one of them will fit.

This is a new pattern that I have been wanting to try out.
A Graceful Baltimore Album. It's by A Graceful Stitch.
I know I will be a better quilter if I can make this. And I know it will fit!
(...and wouldn't it look good in Pink and Chocolate?)

This is a kit that I have been really, really lusting after. For a long, long time. Frosted Windowpanes by that wonderful designer Brenda Riddle. I know she would want me to have it

and I'm sure it will fit!

I have one last thing on my list: this is Authentic. I'm authentic, the fabric is authentic.

It's perfect- I'm sure it will fit!

Thank you Santa.

Warmest Wishes to you and everyone there at the North Pole.

love, Sinta Claus

Making Christmas Memories -Old and New

This is my one and only Raggedy Ann, Clairabell Jingles.

Even though she is in a Christmas outfit she stays out all year. Don't you like to leave one or two Christmas things out?

Last week I showed the photo of this tree getting put up in the main intersection of our town.

The kids from all the elementary schools in the area came and decorated the little trees surrounding it. Last Saturday was the annual tree lighting. It's a big event and lots of fun seeing people, singing, hot chocolate, etc.

I was bringing out this quilt for the guest bedroom for part of my seasonal decorating

so I thought I would show it to you. It's a

holiday quilt that I did as a "brown bag" project.

My sewing group, the Material Girls, passed a project around and everybody did a block for each persons bag.

This one was my choice of pattern. I added the background, black and white fabrics in the bag and each of my friends did a block using my fabric selection and some of their scraps for the block. It makes a nice memory quilt of my group! Then (as I don't plan in advance) I had this border fabric, from years ago, that I thought would look good on the quilt... but I was about a foot and a half short! Don't ya hate that!?!

Fortunately my friend Donna had the same fabric in her stash and bailed me out!
How lucky was that!

On Thursday evening a couple of my friends came over. We have been working on Winter Wonderland

by Crabapple Hill for several months...

no that's not the wrong picture... I put the binding on this quilt instead. It's also an older quilt that needed to get finished. But I am truly in a love hate relationship with that redwork in Winter Wonderland. I can't wait to get to sewing the blocks! Anyway, this one got finished.

It's flannel and made from a fold art panel that came out a few years ago.

I have a whole houseful of people coming today at noon for a mini Christmas gathering of my siblings. Mini meaning about 14, including 2 little ones ages 3 & 5!

Woohoo! Little kids for Christmas!

We got to go shopping for them last night. Boy, was I lost in the toy section of Target! I am a tad (okay a lot) claustrophobic and those tall isles with lots of people in them just about sent me over the edge! But I did it... and I'm happy with our gifts for them.

But seriously, there was a lot of learning in a short amount of time there. I should have asked for advise on what is "in" before we went!

So, I have a whole lot of cooking and cleaning to get started on!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Christmas Lists

Tis the season for many lists...

the list for the weekend included:

make holiday candy... check

purchase a tree... check

put up Christmas Quilts... check

put lights on tree... checkdecorate the house... check

let's see, what am I forgetting...

SNOW

That arrived today!

Isn't it magical?

What's on your list this week?

But Wait... That's Not All!

Hold on to your hats! We have more winners!

Have you seen this fabric group yet?

It's from Westminister Fabrics and it's

called Snow Flower.

Are you putting two and two together here?

That's right! But this is when 2+2=3

We have three more winners courtesy of Missouri Quilt Company!

Each of the 3 will get one of these sweet charm packs!

Plenty enough to make into Tuffets or something else equally adorable!

Lisa from Candle Lite Quilter blog and also

Rita (no blog) from Sherri's blog.

And from my blog, An Encourager will also receive a Snow Flower charm pack!
Don't you just love a parade?

and surprises too!

Here They Are!

Who says you can't have a picnic in November?

Not us Schnibblers!!!

I hope everyone enjoyed the Year of Schnibbles parade this month!

I have to thank all of you who participated again this month! You guys are so amazing and creative... and extremely inspirational!

We have our winners picked... randomly, both the old fashion way (that's me) and computer generated! (that's Sherri)

I have chosen, once again from Sherri's blog, A Quilting Life,

and Sherri has chosen from here.

Then there is Miss Carrie who has chosen a prize winner... one from each of our blogs!

We have wonderful donated prizes this month from our featured quilt shops including a new one to our group. Quilter's Paradise is hosting one of the prizes this month. They not only have a wonderful walk in store and on-line store but they just began distributing their patterns... everywhere, including the Fat Quarter Shop.

The Quilt Shoppe is back with us again this month along with Cottage Quilts and the delicious Quilt Taffy shop- oh, and of course, the Fat Quarter Shop!

the Quilt Shoppe is offering a Tuffet pattern along with your choice of charm pack.

Quilt Taffy has mini Tuffet kits made up for our winner to pick from.

Quilters' Paradise is giving a winner a wonderful gift certificate of $25.

Cottage Quilts also is giving one of our winners a $25 gift certificate, aka mini shopping spree!

and the Fat Quarter Shop has a $25 gift certificate ready for one of our winners! What could be easier than that... you get to pick what you would like! All sizes fit!

and saving the best for last...

Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. and designer extraordinaire is picking two winners, each will receive a Tuffet pattern, a Sweet Liberty pattern and layer cake!

Which reminds me... Carrie told me that Sweet Liberty will be going out in the mail next Monday. Lake Havasu Quilts (one of our featured shops) and the Fat Quarter Shop are two of the shops that will be having patterns shipped to them!

Okay enough of all my babbling...let's get to the winners.

Carrie's winners are:

Simone de Klerk Stitchery and Quilting and Jo from Jo's Country Junction.

Sinta's winners are:

Trisha at TLC Stitching will receive the Fat Quarter Shop gift certificate.

Sandy M of The Textile House. Sandy will receive the gift certificate from Cottage Quilts.

Sherri's winners are:

Kelly of Charming Chatter who will receive the prize from Quilt Taffy.

Heather Quilt or Stitch blog, who gets the gift from the Quilt Shoppe,

and Cindy from Hyacinth Quilt Designs, who will be receiving the gift certificate from Quilters Paradise.

Now, I have one more important announcement: I need to pick one more winner from last month's parade.

One of our winners declined, because she had her Winter White entered, so her gift certificate will go to.............

Thelma from the Cupcakes and Daisies blog.

Congratulations everybody and thank you for participating in A Year of Schnibbles!!!

A Tiskit, A Tuffet & Lots of Picnic Baskets!

Today is the day that we have been waiting for... no, not because of the President's speech, & not because it's a full moon

It's time again for the Schnibble Parade of Quilts!!!

But even as exciting as all of the above is...

today is also the day we reveal the next Schnibbles project!

I think you are going to like it!

Sherri at A Quilting Life and I wanted to give you a present for yourself

so we are taking it easy on you this month

by choosing Tuffets as the

Schnibbles project for December!

Here are my Tuffets!

(you know that one is just not enough)!

Here is your other option...

more Tuffets...


(picture above and below are from Carrie Nelson)
Soon, very soon, to be released is the
Sweet Liberty Tuffets
so, you can make these sweet pincushions or
go with the pattern that is avaiable right now...

or do what I am planning on and do them all!
This tuffet below is one of Carrie's Tuffets...

with really adorable pins!

Here is a "stack o' tuffets I did using my project leftovers...
including the selvege edge!
So there you are... your next mission is
Tuffets or Tuffets!

So without further adu, let's get this parade started!
The Schnibbles Parade of quilts...

November's choice was Picnic:

I love the baskets but I am sure everyone will agree that it was "no picnic" at times!

More than a few of us had to do some reverse sewing... if you know what I mean!

But the results are gorgeous...

We are starting off with Ariane's Picnic quilt... just adorable!

Jump on over to her blog to see more photos!

Here we have a guest Schnibbler: Julie from Jaybird Quilts

Jewel, Jewels Arm Candy. Jewel did a sweet

version of Picnic with a nice floral border.

Next we have from Charming Chatter: Kelly's quilt, she used a beautiful group of fabrics that are just being released. Go to her blog for more details on that!



Here is a beautiful spin off of Picnic by Judith from the

wonderful blog: Quilt or Dye.

The amazing Carol L. from Carols Crafty Creations

made her version with a wonderful polka dot border!

Julie S. her blog is: Red Key Quilting did a clean, crisp version of Picnic... and

do you see how the star in the center just pops out?

Judith, Smokey from the Netherlands

is another one who added a nice floral border. I love this fabric group!

Joceln of Happy Cottage Quilter made this happy looking

Picnic quilt.

Jo from Jo's Country Junction made up her Picnic is a nice

fall looking group and had her own twist to the basket setting!

New to our group of Schnibblers is Cindy, Sew Cindy blog

made her version of Picnic and also added a twist to the setting and

used a darker background! It looks great that way!

This Picnic quilt is stunning in the black and yellow! It's done by

An Encourager, just awesome!

Diane from the Quilting is Blissful blog made this Picnic... I love the colors!

Karen K (no blog) made her version, it's just beautiful!

I just love the way the star pops out!

Cindy from the Hyacinth Quilt Designs blog gave us this version in nice fall colors! I like the lighter sashing on it.

Heather of Quilt or Stitch made a fun version of Picnic here! Love it!

and Cara at Cara Quilts did a beautiful job on her Picnic quilt!

Bea from France, used a beautiful and bright group of fabrics but see how she just used the yellow, orange and red in the piano key border?

and this is from Angela.. the Modern Diary, another bright and fun

Picnic quilt! It's really sweet!

Allyson from the Fat Cat Quilts blog

made her Picnic in bright colors also. Very cute!

and this one is from Kari at Fresh Cut Quilts... hot off the press, so to speak!

I like her twist to Picnic

by omitting the corner basket blocks!

and here is Picnic by Annette over at Sun shine Yellow blog! I like all the green in the baskets and the center sashing!

Now, if you haven't been there already... hop, skip or run on over to A Quilting Life and see the rest of the Schnibbles Parade! There is lots more to see and each one of them are gorgeous!