I think everyone in our quilt group looks forward to our annual Christmas meeting - some with a bit of trepidation maybe, over what to give as a gift...and I know I stress a bit over it but only because the gifts are so outrageously great! This year was probably one for the record books as there were FOUR quilts given away as gifts!!! Crazy! We started with a delicious brunch at Stephanie's Christmas-home-in-the-woods...it's just what you would expect a Christmas-home-in-the-woods to be and more! There was so much food and so many goodies, I know I waddled out the door! After eating, we drew numbers, went over the rules and off we went! I'm going to show you my gift, the one I came home with, first, because it IS amazing!!
Could you have guessed what it was if I only showed you the picture on the left? It's a giant ironing board and it fits right on top of a regular ironing board...genius, no? I LOVE it! Now when I iron a quilt top (because that's the ONLY time I do iron) or maybe a tablecloth, I can get almost the entire top across across the board, making it so much easier! Marsha brought this and she had it made and I just can't sing her praises enough - or this new gift - it really is great! IF you have room for one in your laundry room/work room, then you're going to want this! Marsha said Home Depot will cut the wood for you to size, so now you've got no excuses!
This is the first quilt that was "won"...I think it went to Neva and I'm sorry but I can't remember who made it and gave it away! That's probably a good thing that they remain anonymous because if you find out there's someone crazy enough to give away quilts you'll be after her for sure!
This got a lot of ooohs and aaahs...and it's much prettier in person!
Terry made this felted wool pillow - so adorable and it was fought over...but after three trades it's dead. You can barely see her stitches they are so small! So cute!
Jenny brought in this quilt as her gift to give and it went home with Denise...don't you just love that flying geese border? This is definitely a Northwest quilt...and I didn't even get a chance to steal it! No one wanted my ironing board...and I was happy about that but I might have given it up to steal a quilt!
Stephanie made this felted wool framed picture...and it was finished BEFORE our meeting! It is merry and happy, just like Stephanie...can't remember who went home with this but I hope they leave it up year round!
This is the 3rd quilt that was given as a gift! Amazing, no? It was pieced from several other projects...like those sock blocks on the bottom, those were from our Lost Socks group project - it was fun seeing those again! And that row of trees was from another quilt project - all made by Barbara. The Santa in the sleigh is a panel and it just sets off everything so nicely! How fun to take a Christmas quilt home at Christmas!
Denise made these framed pictures, one with paper quilling, and they are beautiful. I would have loved to have opened those! I have a small collection of framed art projects that I've been lucky enough to "win" at our exchanges over the years and I love seeing them altogether! Alas, I didn't get those...but I do have my ironing board!!!
Another adorable gift - hand-stitched and framed and a perfect Christmas message. The person who brought this gift said she bought it, so hand-stitched by someone in China maybe, but who cares?!? It's wonderful! Our rules for gifts are they have to be hand-made OR store bought! So as you can see there are no rules...oh, they do have to be quilt/sewing related...no problem there!
This is hard to see but look closely, it's a scissor keeper and a pin cushion...or a button bag? Oh dear, I can't remember, but whatever it is IT'S dang cute!
This is the last quilt that was given as a gift - it's small but sweet. This picture does not do it justice, the lighting was not the best and I should have taken the quilt to the other side of the room! But it is wonderful! Kareena made this and I don't know who took it home but leaving with a quilt of any size is a good thing!
Well that's it...oh, my gift? I should have taken a picture of it...I found a vintage, red-knitted Christmas stocking that I filled with goodies, including 3 spools of Aurafil Thread and a vintage Christmas hotpad and a box of "snow"...and something else but I can't remember! It was cute...nothing to write home about but I was desperate, out of time and that was the best I could come up with!
Happy 11th Day of Christmas!
