Thimbleanna

The Christmas Quilts

76 Comments / Holidays, Quilting / February 18, 2011

Wow — little cupcake bunny is sure feeling the love — Thank You!  I’m thinking maybe there will have to be a two-bunny giveaway.  Don’t forget, if you want a chance to win a bunny, leave a comment on my blogaversary post by tomorrow (Wednesday) night, midnight eastern standard time and I’ll throw your name in the hat.

I didn’t make very many Christmas gifts this year, but I did manage to make some Christmas quilts.

Christmas Quilts

I’d been thinking about making Christmas quilts for my family for several years, so last year, when CrazyMom posted her Christmas quilt for a friend, I knew it was just the ticket.  I filed that idea away and this fall, I shamelessly copied her.  I made four quilt tops: 1) MeMum and BigDaddy, 2) MyDadLovesMeBestSister and CrazyBIL, 3) TheFirstChild and SweetiePie, and 4) one for us.  I only got three of them quilted and bound, so I’ll finish the one for us soon.  (Ha!  I’m getting quite a stack of UFOs from when I make a gift and make one for me at the same time — somehow I never have time to finish mine LOL!)

Christmas Quilts

The pattern is the Happy Hour pattern from Atkinson Designs.  It’s a fairly quick pattern — especially if you’re only making one.  I’m kind of surprised that I like this pattern, as I’m a fairly traditional quilter.  But, I do love it — maybe my tastes are changing a little?

Christmas Quilts

I don’t know if my giftees have noticed yet, but I sloppily quilted “Merry Christmas 2008” into the quilting.  Have I ever told you that I really don’t like stippling?  Yeah, I really don’t like stippling.  Someday, maybe Santa will bring me a fancy longarm to put an end to my suffering.  In the meantime, I can’t really think of any quilting method that’s as quick as stippling when you need a bevy of gifts.

Christmas Quilts

I backed all the quilts in flannel ’cause I love the weight and comfy factor that flannel adds to a quilt.  SweetiePie got the polka dot background ’cause she’s a polkie girl.  The other two got flannel with Christmas wishes on them.  Our quilt will be a combo of the two backings, and since I’m short on both of them, I’ll probably have to take the flannel shirt off of TheManoftheHouse’s back and throw that in too, ala Fons and Porter.

Christmas Quilts

I would say, if you don’t know CrazyMom, you should run over and visit her.  But who am I kidding?  EVERYone knows CrazyMom!  She’s Crazy.  Her quilt output is A-MAZING!

And to you, dear CrazyMom (do you like how I talk about you as if you’re not in the room LOL?) — Thank you SO much for your daily inspiration!  You might have days when you wonder if all this quilting and blogging is worth it, but all you have to do is look around blogland and see your footprint.  Everybody loves you, CrazyMom…especially Me!

XOXO,
Anna

76 thoughts on “The Christmas Quilts”

  3. Anita

    I love those quilts! I’m impressed four quilts! I made two quilts for family this year. They were both 75″ square and I pretty much did ditch stitching. The quilting was a lot of work. I’m wondering if it might have been easier to stipple the quilts.

  4. Susan

    Lovely colors to those gorgeous quilts. I know you don’t like stippling but couldn’t you share your techinque with us, please?

  5. tattingchic

    Well, hate it or love it the stippled quilts look very nice. I’m sure they will be treasured until they are threadbare!
    Love,
    TattingChic (not TC) ;)

  6. Kimberly

    It’s all that fun happy fabric that makes these Christmas quilts extra stunning and the stippling makes them warm and cozy looking. What a special gift! I love giving quilts away when I can.

  8. Julie Isa

    Can I just say how much I love your blog. I wish I could meet you. I LOVE the quilts I actually made one very similiar last Christmas. I’ll have to take a picture and send it. I scalloped the borders and it turned out super cute. I can’t believe you quilted all those on your machine. You definetly need a long arm, I’d quilt for you if you were closer :). Thanks for the post about nanette I’ve tried several years to get my Christmas act together and have fallen short each year, maybe this will be the year…sigh…take care, go to sleep there’s much to be done tomorrow.

  10. Sharon

    Great quilts Miss Thimble. I really like that fabric. Lucky family members you’ve got there. Flannel backing……..perfect.

  11. molly

    Those quilts look so “merry and bright!” And I didn’t even get the Christmas place mats I wanted to make finished! You speedy quilter you! I started a comment on your last post, but it started getting unwieldy to the point that I thought “heck, if I have this much to blather on about, make it a post!” Coming soon—between hospital visits—yes, again!

  14. Blond Duck

    I love quilts! And I love yours. I think it’s so cute you sewed a Christmas message into them. When our comforter goes, Ben and I want to get a quilt. He knows a place in East Texas where these little ladies sew quilts all day long. They’re expensive, but handmade and gorgeous.

  17. Carolyn

    I only made one quilt for Christmas this year, and I’m putting the binding on today because I’ll see the recipient on Friday. I’m so impressed that you got so many made and quilted…without a longarm! What are you planning to make next?

  18. Jackie

    Anna, Those quilts are fantastic! What a fantastic idea, I am sure they will be well loved. By the way, your quilting is great and the Merry Christmas is a nice touch. Who knows, maybe that last quilt will be a winner in my giveaway and will be quilted on a longarm for real. Good luck in the giveaway!

  19. Diana

    Anna, your fam is so lucky to have you as a member! I’m so jealous! Your quilts look amazing as always.

    I like the way stippling looks, but I didn’t like trying to actually quilt it. The one time I tried it, everything was going good until I started running out of room on my tiny sewing machine to really move the fabric around and then an edge somehow got into the section I was quilting and I had to cut out all these stitches and…well, you get the point…it was kinda messy. I figured it was for a child, though, and they’d probably mess the quilt up anyways, so that was that. The kid loved it at least? :)

  20. Jewels

    Anna….I love the quilts! So colorful and it is so funny because I just bought that book at the quilt shop Saturday. You get so much done it amazes me. kisskiss jewels

  21. Lesley

    What beautiful quilts Anna!! I can’t believe you made four!!!!

    I love the look of stippling but have never managed to get to grips with it – maybe we all need longarm quilters!

    Those Christmas presents will be loved and cherished for ever :-)

    xxx

  25. Jen

    What great christmas gifts! You have a lucky family. They are beautiful. And I don’t know “Crazy Mom”. Looks like I have to pop over and read her blog for inspiration!

    Jen

  26. Jen

    Edit to my last post… I DO know Crazy Mom! She does beautiful work. I don’t know how she finds the time to get all the quilts done. Seems like she gets one done a week!

    Jen

  27. Ginger

    Those are great! I have a bunch of Christmas fabric that I need to use… I may have to steal your ideas. Alas, I have two other quilts to complete first… the girls need matching bed quilts!

  31. Lucy Locket-Pocket

    Oh Anna! Those quilts are absolutely fabulous! And I really like the design too, and the colours, and the quilting, and the backing and……………!

    Brilliant gifts! But I don’t think you can really say you didn’t make many Christmas gifts!

    Lucy xxx

  32. Jodi

    Anna ! O.K. totally coveting, drooling, jealous, anxiety, coveting, drooling. Oh, you probably get the picture. LOL. Those are FABULOUS !!! LoVe them. I love Crazy Mom too. Thanks for sharin! ooxx`jod

  34. happy zombie

    Anna. Anna. Anna. Anna. YOU TAUNT ME SO! I absolutely love the quilts, love the fabs, love why you made them. I too am drawn to Happy Hour. Not my style either, but there’s just something about it. I’ve seen it done in all kinds of fabrics – and love them all, but hands down I love yours the best. Love you, love Amanda. Between the two of you Inspiration Queens – I get nothing done because you both make me want to drop everything and do what you do!

  35. MichelleB

    Love, love the quilts, Anna! I just love that Happy Hour pattern, too. Love crazymom,too. You are all such inspirations. Do you use regular batting and then flannel for a backing? Just curious.

  37. Tammy

    OH Yes a TWO bunny give-away!!! Anna those quilts are so cute!! You were quite the busy quilter this Christmas weren’t you? I do the same thing when I make stuff for people…start one for me and put in the ufo pile. Either that or I keep the first one ’cause it didn’t quite turn out right…that happens a lot actually lol!!!

  38. finnyknits

    Well everything around here looks just super fance! I just caught up on your posts and it’s all so glam – I love that shawl, these quilts are lovely, those crescent roll deals look delish and a blogaversary?

    HAPPY BLOGAVERSARY! (or however you spell it)

  39. Annie

    Those quilts are amazing!!!! I love it how our tastes change and evolve as time goes by. This has happened to me too. I’m going to look up that pattern. I made one christmas quilt this year for my sister, and she was thrilled with it. Got to love the flannel.

  41. Dandelion Quilts

    Well, Miss Good Cheer…I love these. I love the bright Christmas colors, I love your stippling, and I love the thought you put into them for your family. Yup. Love.

  43. Shawn ; )

    Oh Anna, those quilts are beautiful. They are so happy and cheerful. Amandajean is an inspiration and so are you. I’ve just about finished my ragged squares inspired by crazymom.

  44. Wendy

    Your family must be really delighted to have gotten such happy Christmas quilts…I love them, the fabrics are wonderful.

  45. Teresa

    I hope Santa was very good to you as you were a very good girl in getting all those quilts done! A wonderful present that will be loved for amay years.

  46. Cara

    Oh what wonderful Christmas gifts! Your work is just beautiful! And yes, crazy mom is an awesome inspiration ! Thanks for sharing!

  47. amandajean

    oh, you are so sweet!!!!!!!!! thanks for the shout out. and you made 4 christmas quilts??? you are amazing. i love love love love them! and i’m sure that the recipients did, too. make sure to finish yours up-because after all that hard work, you should be able to enjoy one for yourself. i’m SO impressed!!!

  48. The Vintage Rose

    Hey did you start in January 2008 to do your quilts or are you an experienced whizz who whipped them up quickly towards the end of the year? I just love your names for family in thimleanna land. Hope bunny is still on offer as I not sure how to calculate world time. If too late, I’m glad I found your blog anyway!

  49. brigita

    your christmas quilts are gorgeous. will you marry me? i’m going to be a quilting lunatic like amandajean when i grow up. it’s great that you stitched christmas 2008 into the stippling. i’m not a huge stippling fan either, but then again, there are some pretty “all-over” long arm stitches that make me wanna hurl as well…. your family is so lucky that you spend so much time making them these lovely gifts!!!
    :applauds you fervently
    i’m going to make that quilt when i grow up.

  51. Louise

    They are absolutely gorgeous and such good Christmas fabric too. I’m very much the traditionalist with my Christmas colours – red and green all the way. I am very, very impressed!!!!

  52. Junie Moon

    Your Christmas quilts are gorgeous and a wonderful idea that I, in turn, am going to shamelessly copy to make, too. I admit I don’t know CrazyMom but I’m going to pop over and learn about her. Thanks!

  54. Judy

    WOW!!!! If only I could quilt like that….those are beautiful. I did check out CrazyMom’s blog and another WOW! You ladies sure do inspire me.

  55. Vallen

    I love this quilt, too and have had it on my list to make. Your all came out beautifully. It gives me hope! I’ve never quilted before but I think I can wrangle the crafty daughter into helping.

  56. Vallen

    I love this quilt, too and have had it on my list to make. Yours all came out beautifully. It gives me hope! I’ve never quilted before but I think I can wrangle the crafty daughter into helping.

  57. D Spack

    I really really love your Christmas Quilts! Thanks for showing. I’ve been collecting fabrics to make ME one. I love Amandajean also, she is great!

  58. Jody

    I really like this quilt pattern. It’s simple and yet could leave room for more creativity….a little embroidery here or there perhaps.

    I like your stippling –it’s not fussy and I’m not fussy so……

    Jody

  59. Elaine

    Just found your blog ~ love your quilts! I am also getting ready to copy CrazyMom’s Christmas quilt (an now yours!) except I’m calling mine a winter quilt!

  62. Karen

    LOVE LOVE LOVE ok one more LOVE these quilts. Boy I wouldn’t say that you didn’t get many gifties made – WOW I bet the family loved these quilts and will think of you every time they snuggle underneath it. You know it’s one thing to think about make something, it’s another thing to remember it for next year LOL, you rock sister friend.

    Hugs – Karen

  63. raina

    Uh, wow, I feel like in awe…I know how much pain I went through to finish one quilt. Did you quilt these by hand? The quilting is kind of free form, I love that. I am not giving up on quilting even though I almost lot my finger to my rotary cutter – I thought I would need stitches but managed to not need any. I really enjoyed piecing my quilt together.

  65. Vanessa

    I love your Christmas quilts, what a great, quick pattern idea. Your quilting is gorgeous too, especially the cute Christmas message!

  68. Rowan

    I love your Christmas quilts, I’ll bet that the people who received them did too. And lucky you getting that beautiful shawl, it really is exquisite.

  70. petits détails

    Your quilts are gorgeous! I love your choice of fabrics and colors, not to mention your photos. Finishing three of them is quite an accomplishment. You definitely deserve a finished fourth one.

  72. Jade

    Those quilts are so fab! I backed my zigzag quilt in flannel, too. Glad to know I’m not a freak in doing so. I thought the kiddo might like to cuddle up to it in winter.

  73. Tracey Craig

    Anna, I love your Christmas quilts. I love the quilting, what is stippling? How do you do it. with your regular sewing maching? I really like it.Beautiful quilts. Hugs, Tracey

  75. Nan

    Your quilts are beautiful – your family is lucky to have you, but I know they realize that. I am still hoping to get adopted by you, or maybe I’ll adopt you! I didn’t care for that quilt when I first saw it, but I love what you and CrazyMom did with that pattern. I’m going to have to make a few of my own – what a lovely idea, Anna! I am probably one of the few bloggers who doesn’t know CrazyMom, but I visited her blog, and she is AMAZING! Thank you for the introduction to such a talented lady.

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