I've been a tad busy quilting the last few months...as most people are this time of year getting their crafty gifts ready for gift-giving! So if you didn't see much of me here on the blog, it was because I was burning some midnight oil on the sewing machine.
I first started making a quilt for Jonathan back in the summer when I saw an airplane pattern on Instagram called Aviator by Lella Boutique. Since he works at the airport and is all about airplanes, I thought this pattern was perfect for him.
He was very surprised and loved it! Maureen, at The Quiltery, quilted it with little propeller airplanes flying all over it...such a fun quilt! Here he is holding it up after receiving his new quilt on Christmas Day:
Next, I secretly started Hannah's quilt in August while she was away from home, busy helping out when our 5th grandson was born! It was the perfect time to work on it to surprise her.
This time I chose Lella Boutique's pattern Home Again in Little Tree fabrics making Christmas colored houses. It turned out quite lovely! Maureen again long-arm quilted this for me using a holly and berries quilting pattern.
Here's Hannah holding up her quilt:
Then in September and October I worked on a gift boxes quilt for Sarah using a Thimble Blossoms quilt pattern, Handmade with Love. I used novelty Christmas fabric which I had won years ago from Henry Glass fabrics called One Crazy Christmas Eve, by Beth Logan.
Maureen's long-arm machine at The Quiltery was getting yet another workout using a pattern with four different trucks quilted all over it, including a dump truck and loader truck.
This whole quilt was very unique, and I think Sarah's three boys will love curling up in it and pointing out all the trucks! I had told her to pick a pattern kids would love.
Here's Sarah holding her quilt:
Granny was visiting my sister in SC for the month of November...so I thought this was the perfect timing to get an improv quilt made for my sister so Granny wouldn't see it and know what I was doing.
I had never made an improv quilt before so I researched online and watched Youtube videos to learn how. Here's my first whimsical block in progress: 
I really had fun with this one using up tons of colorful scraps...lots of scraps weren't even from my own scrap fabric bin...they were from quilters all over the country, sent to me when I won their scrap giveaways! A special shout-out to Silly Mama Quilts...I think I won at least three of Brooke's giveaways...here, here, and here. I spot some fabrics in her posts which I used in my sister's quilt!
Since this was a smaller lap quilt, I straight-line quilted this one myself, and here it is all laid out before gifting. I called it Color Explosion because it was totally a riot of color, along with some wonky stars added in: 
Here's my sister checking out her new improv quilt after she opened it! I think she loved it!
Sooo, I wanted all four of the recipients to line up so I could take pictures of the quilts. Here's the result of that photo shoot...first, out back with the barn quilt in the background: 
And then out front with the Allegheny Mountains in the background:
And then Hannah suggested a wrap-around styled photo. Everyone was a good sport to participate: 
So once the holidays are over and the new year arrives, it's time to get back to work in the sewing room....I had so much fun making the improv quilt, I think I want to do another one. There are plenty of scraps left!
We had a wonderful Christmas here at Mountain Musings! Great Granny was with all 5 of her great-grandsons (and their families) this Christmas....what could be better? 
And here are Granny and Grampa with the grandsons...
And here's our whole crew...Micah, Hannah, Jonathan, and Sarah, home for Christmas!!....and 5 grandsons! Counting our Blessings for sure!: 
This has been one of my most favorite Christmases ever! Absolutely loved having everyone here!
Wishing you all a very happy and healthy New Year! Thanks for reading the blog all these many years. See you in 2020!
~Deb
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