Starting with the Basics

A while back, my niece Karen asked for some advice about making her first quilt.

She lives in Chicago, I live in Syracuse, New York. (And she's a lobster fan, like her aunt!)

 There are about 1,000 miles between us. Might as well be a million, right?

After a few emails back and forth, we decided it might be fun to take this quilty journey together--online. Why not?

So, I put together a very basic quilted table topper pattern called First Timer Table Topper. Set up a button on the Hummingbird Highway website and on this blog, called Quilting 101 that links to a separate blog that will take Karen, and anyone else who would like to follow along, step-by-step though making a first quilt.

Each step will be introduced with lots of detail. Karen will blog about her experiences, also. And we'll comment back and forth. You are welcome to follow along, too!

It is not a race to the finish. No deadlines. Each step will take as long as it takes. A new post will appear when it appears. It's the beginning of the holiday season, after all. It's all about fun, learning a hobby, and chatting about it.

Check it out. . .

Speaking of 'the Basics' . . .

For the last several years, I have included a small hand-made Christmas tree ornament in our holiday greeting cards. About this time of the year, I start to stress over what to make.

Then once I decide what I'm going to make, I tally up how many 'whatevers' I need to make for all the cards on my list. And I start to stress again.

But then it all becomes fun as the plan emerges and production begins in earnest.

Well, I'm stressing, right on schedule.

But . . . I think I may feel a plan beginning to emerge.

It's going to involve some pieces of felted wool. The yummy kind, in bright fun colors.
 

And some embroidery thread. 12-weight, Valdani pearl cotton is my favorite, in fun colors! Maybe some 8-weight too!

And freezer paper I can throw in the printer. (Well, maybe not 'throw', but you get the idea.)
 

Some tools: nice sharp scissors to cut the wool, my favorite pair of thread snips, and That Purple Thang. Oh, and maybe some small batting scraps.

Now what?!

Stay tuned . . .

Happy Stitching!
Joan