Last bits of sewing 2015 - Flying circle of geese wreath

Hello!

In an effort to dust off my sewing machine and get myself in the Christmas spirit early in Dec, I decided to try a circle of geese block from Piece by Number - something I've wanted to do for quite awhile!

This pattern was super easy to follow - even for a beginner like me and as a bonus, I was able to use up some Christmas charms from my stash.

I thought about some kind of table covering at first, but it seemed like such a cute little wreath, I went ahead and called it finished after adding some quilting and a printed ribbon.

This went to another friend (via a heated game of Dirty Santa) who has since moved back to America and I'm so glad she took a little something from me with her ;).

Incidentally, I found a really helpful tutorial for adding a hanging loop to a wall quilt. It's genius! Check it out at Winding Bobbins. It's perfect for using a lightweight ribbon to a small wall quilt.

FMT

Last bits of sewing 2015 - Radschlager gift pouch

Hello again! It's been quite awhile, as usual, but I've had some adventures over the past couple of months. In addition to an awesome trip to Turkey with great friends, my husband and I celebrated our 25th anniversary in the Maldives. What a trip! I can't say enough good things about that place, and I hope I get to return someday very soon. All that traveling has left me without a lot of time (or willpower) for quilting, but I managed to get a couple of things finished.

First up, as a going away gift for a girlfriend, I wanted something to commemorate her time in Dusseldorf. A few months ago, sweet Kristy from Quiet Play helped me with a paper pieced design for the Dusseldorf symbol - the Radschlager. This joyful, cartwheeling child image can be found all over the city, including manhole covers, street signs, in bakery windows and even in chocolate!

Cartwheeling children in Dusseldorf in 1900 

Manhole Cover - Dusseldorf

More pictures of this incredible city.

 I decided just to freestyle a pouch with no big plan in mind besides using hot pink (my friend's fave color.) In my first attempt, the image finished at 6" and the pouch is about 9" x 7".

The patchwork back

 I thought it was ok, but I wanted to try it slightly smaller, so I reduced the pattern to finish at 4" and switched the colors, so the background was hot pink and the Radschlager was silver.

I ultimately ended up going with this second one, but I forgot to take a picture of the finished pouch! Whoops! I used denim for the background and back  and in my "freestyling" ended up with an obnoxiously huge pouch. It may be big enough to carry a small dog. Still, I embroidered her name on it and wrapped that sucker up in time for her going away party. I'll have to remember to ask her for a picture of it! Miss you, Renee! Now I just hope she doesn't see this post and wish she'd gotten the first pouch lol.

FMT