Terri Wilhelm Designs

I've mentioned my friend, Terri, a time or two. She designs and makes the most amazing totes, bags, zippered pouches, just to name a few things. I have an official collection of things that Terri has made. Seriously. Some people may collect Dolce & Gabbana or other designer labels. I collect Terri Wilhelm.


Not only does she make fabulous sewn items (and lots of great patterns, too), she has branched out to graphic design (she has cool fabric on Spoonflower). She has many items that would make wonderful holiday gifts. Notecards, field guides, calendars.  In fact, you can find a free download for the cutest gift tags here.

Terri is such a gifted artist and because she is a good friend, I really want to spread the word. Terri graciously agreed to give away one of her 2013 calendars to some lucky commenter. I seriously jokingly wondered if there was a way I could "fix" things so I would be the winner.

But don't worry. I'll leave the winning up to one of you. I hope you will stop by and say hi to Terri. Do some shopping while you are there.

I'd love to know if you are giving handmade items this Christmas.Leave a comment and I'll choose a winner on Wednesday, December 12.

Deck the Halls winner!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to check out my tutorial for the selvage Christmas tree. I hope you had a chance to check out all the tutorials because there are some really great ideas.Here is a picture to give you an idea of the fun projects that Jennifer helped put together. Although the giveaways are closed, it's not too late to start one of these creative projects for this holiday season.

11/26: S.O.T.A.K. Handmade

11/27: Live A Colorful Life

11/28: Petit Lyons

11/29: Little Bluebell

12/3: Between Quilts

12/4: Jednoiglec

12/5: Owen's Olivia

12/6: Stitchery Dickory Dock

12/7: Ellison Lane Quilts

The winner of the $20 gift certificate is No. 171, Barb, who said:

I love the traditional colors of red and green with splashes of white and royal blue all enhanced by bits of silver and gold.

Barb, I'll contact zip-it and get your contact information to them.

We did a little bit of vintage decking the halls ourselves--I had Mark get this Christmas card mailbox down from the rafters. It's something I painted in the 1970s and some of the painting has been scratched off over the years. It's been years since we've gotten it down and it's kind of nice to have around again.

Are you working on any holiday sewing/creating this weekend?

WIP Wednesday

It's Wednesday and I'm glad to finally have something to show, especially since my good friend, Elizabeth, is hosting, and all of what I have to show was completed at her house last weekend!

The most wonderful thing about blogging is the friends I have made. Elizabeth and I finally met last January at Road to California.We spent about two hours walking around, getting to know more about each other. Last Thursday I took Amtrak down to see her. First of all, I highly recommend Amtrak, although I wish the whole trip was on the train rather than just two hours on the train and four hours on an Amtrak bus. But never mind.

It was fabulous weekend. Around Halloween last year, she posted pictures of her quilting group which has gotten together nearly monthly for 16 years! The Halloween party looked like so much fun that I repeatedly begged politely asked if I could attend this year. It worked out for me to come to the Christmas party this year.

Thursday night after supper, Elizabeth and her husband, Dave, took me to a spectacular place pretty close to where they live. Oh the lights...

And the cupcake shop,

Okay, these moving figures/animals were slightly creepy, since they just moved around without singing, but the lights helped a lot.

 The next morning, we went to IKEA, where I purchased some fabric.  Good thing we are each honest quilters...

 When we went home, we got the house ready and started warming up the most delicious chili.

Her quilting friends were welcomed by this very festive door.

After supper, the tables were cleared off and we started sewing. Elizabeth has the nicest friends. I felt very comfortable with all of them.

There were nice little gifts for everyone, pincushions made from an antique quilt,

and the cutest zippered pouches, made by Elizabeth and her friend, Leisa.

The next day, Elizabeth and I spent the whole day sewing. I had brought along my Farmer's Wife blocks. I'm only putting 81 of them on the front of the quilt. The other 30 are going on the back. (Or maybe only 29--I counted and counted over and over, and can only find 29--I know I did all of them so some stray block must have attached itself to another quilt...).

Chain piecing...

The stack on the left looks kind of weird because there are sashing strips on two sides...

(I probably should mention that a couple of these pictures were "borrowed" from Elizabeth's blog...)

 

Anyway, 41 will have straight sashing, 40 will be set on point, alternating with each other in nine rows of nine blocks. These are the only two that are completed.

This is one of my favorites:

Elizabeth worked on pillow shams for a beautiful Christmas quilt:

I started this cross stitch on the train--another benefit of not doing the driving!

This was such a fabulous weekend. Sewing together, getting to be closer friends, both of which are works in progress. Thanks, Elizabeth!