Take the day off..

On the sixteenth day of December the advent calendar said: Take the day off, so I did. We cooked breakfast together as a family. It took no time to make and with three hungry people, it disappeared just as fast. The plan was to go to breakfast, except the wait time was almost an hour, so we figured it was quicker and much safer to do breakfast at home!

This is a better view of the Sugaridoo quilt,  it is now a work in progress. 

The secret Santa project is finished and it will be opened on Christmas day. 

This is for a puppy,  who was small in April. He made many friends and he was the same size as most of them. Since then he grew and then grew even more. His friends are scared of his size and he was confused why they are scared of him. So he worked out if he lies down on the ground and makes himself as flat as possible,  his friends will be not scared anymore. It worked he is still  a puppy,  albeit a very large one. He is a St.Bernard with the kindest heart, a gentle giant.  This will be his first Christmas.  He also loves minky fabric. This is his doggie Quilty!

Light up the lights.

On the fifteen day of December the advent calendar said: Turn on the lights. After the sun went down, we decided to go far a walk and enjoy the neighbourhood lights. Quite a number of young families with young children bundled up warmly and was doing the same. The excitement could be felt by all, as the bundles of energy could hardly contain themselves! To be so young again...

The gremlins is at it again. This is how far the first drum got too, today. The tree just needs a bit of backstitch.

The tray quilt/cloth is finished.  The front and the back.

Machine quilted this with the new walking foot. Good size to practice on.

Started to quilt the Sugaridoo quilt from the bottom up.

It is coming along, a little bit everyday.

Last errands...

Last night watching the news, a new breed or species of people have been discovered: Zone Hoppers! It was so funny to hear the news anchor tell us all about the people who leave their area, which is under a lockdown and they are suppose to not leave the zone in which they live. However for a long while now we have noticed this new breed invading our grocery store and doing their shopping in our area. What got the authorities attention, was when one mall decided to extend the shopping hours to accommodate this new breed of zone Hoppers! They sent out a memo to this effect.  So on day fourteen of December the advent calendar said: Finish all the errands which needs doing. Those got finished and we can now stay at home.

The binding is sewn on by machine, just have to trim off the excess batting and fabric. Then finish handstitching it down.

Have finished sewing two more rows on to the house quilt, with another one almost done.

I came to the conclusion that this top only have a few more rows to go, then it will be big enough for  a double bed size. It turns out there is enough to make two tops the same size. This is from the charm swop from 2006/7.

Last but not least,  something for our cat, she has a toy tunnel and we put her toys in there. She loves to go in there and choose a toy to play with.

Testing everything..

Every year at Christmas time parents has to be prepared for the extra bits required by train sets and remote controlled cars, those batteries needed to power these toys. Over the years we went a step beyond that and made sure to test that the toys worked with the batteries in them. Funny how that one thing popped up,  on one of them. On the thirteen day of December the advent calendar said: Test all gifts that needed those extra bits and bobs. It prevents the tears that follow when all is not as it should be.

This morning it  was time to  test all the three the interchangeable feet one the wailing foot for my sewing machine. This one is to quilt in the ditch.

It was it through its paces. Stitching on the edge, in the ditch and also to see what happens when the guide was not in the ditch. Used contrasting thread to see all these tests, easier to see.It was accurate to 1mm. 

Decided to use the closed toe attachment for this echo quarter inch quilting  on the blue tumblers.

Next came the tray cloth, for this one it was just in the ditch. This is the front.

The back which is flat and smooth, I just pinned the whole piece in a few places. It was very impressive to see this.

The two pieces on top of each other. Started the binding, will sew that on once it is finished. 

A quick bookmark with some interfacing and some fabric for the back. Trimmed it with a pair of pinking scissors. 

Festive foods...

On the twelfth day of December the advent calendar said: Ask everyone what they wanted for Christmas dinner? While we were growing up, it was always very much a family affair. Grandma would co-ordinate what will be on the menu, so all the favourites will be there, veggies and a selection of meat and chicken. Everyone helped to cook their contributions for the meal and it was the only time, she allowed anyone else in the kitchen to do any cooking. Her part was her trifle, laced with old brown sherry.  No wonder everyone was so relaxed after the Christmas lunch. 

In keeping with asking the family what they wanted this year, it was roast chicken with favourite vegetables.  For dessert it will be pioneer's pudding with ice cream.  Keeping it simple, we change it up every year just because it is a fun thing to do. Everyone has a choice and we include as much as we can. 

 Fruit cake was made every year and we would have a piece on Christmas eve. Now it had the icing on top, with fun fondant figures and trees on top of the cake. All the kids got to get one of these to eat and the cake was always the surprise we looked forward to, as it changed every year. The inside stayed the same, fruit cake inside. Decorations on top, the edible kind.

Part of the fun part is browsing through the cookery books and recipes. 

Hubby has this one from his mom's side of the family.  Well used over the years. What we all treasure and pass on to the next generation. 

The next project has been taken out to be machine quilted.  Tray cloth and a mini mat?

The secret Santa project is almost finished as well.

Build a snowman...

As you can see, by the 12th day of December the advent calendar said: Build a snowman,  except what you see here has all melted. So now to that? We have decided it will have to wait until a snowy day comes along... 

The moose bag got a lining and is ready for some chocolate balls. Something fun to hold the chocolate  before everyone discover where they are hiding away. 

Sometimes before buying yardage online, I get the mini charm squares and then I can see if the fabric will work for what one want to use it for.  This is two charm lines from American Jane fabrics.  

Played a bit with a scrappy layout and this was the end result. Started to sew them together.

What started as lets sew squares together,  a size started to emerge. It will be perfect for a pillow case for the Sugaridoo QAL quilt.

Filled with happy and bright colours. 

Celebrating all our loved ones...

This will be the year we all will remember for the loss of so many.  So to honor all those family and friends we lost to a virus this year, today is the day we reflect on their lives and the differences they made. Their departure leaves gaps in our lives, we miss them everyday.  In the first lockdown we lost two uncles, Mom's eldest and youngest brother's.  In the second lockdown my husband's youngest cousin. The shock was immense and we are still trying to come to terms with it, when he was so much younger than us. So on the 11th day of December the advent calendar said: Celebrate our loved ones that have passed on. We did, talking about all the quirky things they use to do, the funny, bad an good things they all like to do and say. The memories we have to remember them by and to treasure in our hearts.

They made our world a better place!