Number Ten

After writing last night, I went to bed and slept for ten hours or so, although I kept waking up all night long, and when it was FINALLY time to get up in the morning, I was running a bit of a fever. So I called in sick and curled up on the couch and read most of the morning. In the afternoon, the fever subsided, and I felt a little better, so I headed into the Sweat Shop to watch some TV and finish this project:

I'm counting this one as my 10th of 11 quilts in 2011. Why? Well, I started it ten years ago. I got as far as adding the embroidered ivy stems when I decided I didn't like one of the borders I had used. I set it aside.

A couple years later, I took it out again and removed the offending border. But I couldn't decide on anything else, so I set it aside again.

I've gotten it back out a time or two, but didn't do anything more until this year--finally! With my stitchery group on Saturday, I finished the embroidered ivy stem, and that night, I added a border and pinned it for quilting. On Sunday, I cut all the wool ivy leaves and started sewing them down while quilting the rest. Today I finished quilting the outside border and added the binding. After all these years, it really feels like a pretty big accomplishment to know it's done now.

Tonight I finished another little project I'd begun last year and set aside:

The snowman just needed borders, quilting, and binding--he only took a couple hours to finish. Sometimes I wonder why I don't finish things when I have them out to begin with--after all, it's not like these two projects took a whole lot of time! Crazy, isn't it? But it's good to have them done now.

I have another Christmas quilt top--wallhanging size--that I'm thinking I need to pull out and take a look at to see what remains to be done. Maybe I could finish that one too!

In the meantime, I have another giveaway--the pattern for the English Ivy Santa. But first, I should announce the winner of the frog pattern, yes?

To change things up a little, tonight I asked the Wild Child to select the winning number and the winner was Belinda, who said:

"2nd Try at leaving a comment :-) I would love the opportunity to make this quilt for my daughter. She loves frogs and has forever! What says love more then a big frog to keep you warm. Plus - Everytime I quilt, it is not complete unless I do a great deal of "FROG STITCHING" rip it....rip it.....rip it..... Thanks for your blog, I have enjoyed it for a long time."

Belinda, email me your mailing address, and I'll mail "Frog Cabin" (that's the name of the pattern--I forgot to mention that last night!) out to you.

Now, here's tonight's giveaway pattern:

If you're interested in winning, please let me know you want to be added to the drawing. I'll pick a winner tomorrow night. By the way, this pattern can also be used as a stitchery pattern, rather than an appliqued quilt. And I'm willing to mail this one to the US or Canada. Good luck!