Last minute crafters unite

We're in the final countdown to Christmas week, or as we call it in the Helfter household "Cakefest (insert year)". With three birthday girls eight days apart and Christmas smack in the middle it's nothing if not a caloric extravaganza to strike horror in the hearts of personal trainers everywhere around here this time of year, so it's good that I am able to find little last minute projects to work on that allow me to unstrap the feed bag now and then. Impressive how I brought that back around, huh? There was a moment there where I didn't think I was going to be able to do it.

When I cleaned out and rearranged earlier this fall, I found several UFOs. I know. Can you even imagine not finishing every project you start? What would be the point? Horrors. Anyway, one thing I've done for years is to turn orphaned blocks into little quilts or even tree ornaments, and I've made a few this year. Wanna see?


Don't those trees look familiar? I only know how to grow one kind of tree, and it's the funky kind. These guys are all about 3" tall at the most and I just think they are so cute.


I'd make an amazingly consistent tree farmer, wouldn't I? Doesn't putting them on a red background make them all that much more stunning?


Imperfect snowflake, anyone? I should stick to tree farming and leave snowflake making to the water fairies. I do like the red/white contrast, though.


A close up of the beads in the middle confirms what we have all feared: I'm going to have to mention Jewel-it in a post again. Because I clearly was out of my head with fever or something when I made this one, I decided to (wait for it...you might want to be sitting down...) SEW these beads on. "Why?" you ask in horror. "Why would she ever do such a mad thing as thread a needle and sew on a bead when she is the president of the Jewel-It Fanatics Club?" Your questions are well justified and the answer is thus: I truly have absolutely no idea. I don't recall my thought process here and I would like to think that is because there was not an actual sane thought going on, as evidenced by the fact that I chose to use red thread with clear beads. Really? What kind of wacko am I?

One who needs to stick to gluing, that's what kind.

My final project for the season, which I'll have to show once they are done, is turning three wooden beds into retreats worthy of the American Girls. Eva wants "Julie's bed", the one with the hippy beads hanging down, and I'm pretty sure this is a job for Jewel-it. Paige and Greta want canopy beds for Emily and Marie-Grace, which means some sewing of curtains, and with any luck I'll be using thread to coordinate with the fabrics. But this being me, don't count on it.

If you've gotten this far, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading this blog this year and supporting me in all the ways that you have during 2011. I have so much fun writing it, and hope to be able to keep connecting with all of you on a regular basis in 2012. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and if I don't see you before then, I'll see you in 2012!

How did a loudmouth like me end up in charge of a Silent Auction?

It's almost here - the biannual Squanicook Colonial Quilt Guild "Autumn Festival of Quilts", where myself and my fellow Squanicookies put on a show we'd challenge any other guild to better. Okay, maybe that's a bit over the top, but really, we do put on a pretty darn good show and if you are in the area of Townsend MA next weekend, September 24 and 25, follow the awesome signage all around northern Middlesex county and get yourself to the gym of North Middlesex Regional High School and see what I mean.

One thing we do as part of our show is a Silent Auction of small quilted items donated by our members so that we can raise some money for our guild (let's be honest, this show is our one and only money maker and it only happens every two years, so we do all we can to make it successful). The Silent Auction was added to the show several years ago and has been a popular event, both with visitors who don't quilt themselves and want the chance to win something they couldn't make, and with quilters who for sure COULD make these items, but want to take the easy way out and buy them instead. Either way, it's fun and another cool way to showcase the cookie talent.

This year I am in charge of the Silent Auction, which is a bit of an oxymoron if you know me, but they let me do it anyway. Probably because no one else was volunteering. As part of my duties as SA chair, I got to collect some of the items up for auction at our last meeting and I want to share a few with you to see if I entice anyone to come make a bid.

First up is a cute embroidered and quilted Christmas wallhanging made by Shirley Harrison. Shirley is well known in our guild for her stunning craftsmanship, and this piece is no exception. I love the diagonal striped border, and at risk of Shirley hating me for all time, I have to admit that one reason I love it is because the stripes do not line up with like stripes at the corners. They DO line up perfectly with other stripes, as I would expect no less of Shirley, but I love that there are different patterns lining up as it adds some scrappy interest. Isn't the whole thing just too cute?


Here we have a dancing pinwheels doll quilt made and quilted by Cathie Shoemaker. Cathie is one of our very own premier, award winning long arm quilters, and you can bet the quilting on this is no exception. Some doll will be very lucky to sleep under this creation.


I apologize to the maker of this quilt, but I don't remember who gave it to me. If you let me know I can edit this post and give you credit! To make up for my lack of remembering, I will announce that this is my favorite of all the items I received. I love the colors and the simple pattern and the craftsmanship is lovely. Another lucky doll or little girl will love this.


Again, I forget who gave me this absolutely awesome wool candle mat. The saddest part of my forgetting is that I had like a 10 minute conversation with this person wherein I exclaimed over its beauty and she wondered if I was for real with my gushing. I am for real. I love this thing, and I can't even touch wool without cringing. This does not mean I don't love the look of wool stuff, and I truly love the look of this. Doesn't your Yankee candle deserve a mat like this? Oh, you bet it does.


Last up is a gorgeous bow-tucks bag donated by Marie Anderson. You can't see them, but Marie sewed some buttons to the bottom to give the bag some "feet", and therefore it won't get as dirty on the bottom as it might when the winner sticks it on the floor of the car or under the pew at church. Isn't Marie brilliant?

September 24 and 25, North Middlesex Regional High School in Townsend MA. Be there and bid!