Friday, November 14, 2014

Twas the Night Blog Hop - My day

Thanks to Mdm Samm and Marlene for such a fun twist to our normal blog hop routine...this one has us making and gifting and receiving...oh my!!

This is what I chose to make to suggest a quickie but thoughtful gift set to be made for a Christmas gift...
This is a coordinating set of a needlecase, twine dispenser and clover clip jar (or quilting pins jar)...

I believe the twine dispenser is self explanatory as I used a retro sugar canister like you'd find in a diner and added measuring tape fabric ribbon around the top and a button...
The clover clip jar is made the same way from a Ball 4 oz. jar...
The needle case is made using two fabric scraps 3 1/2" x 9" and canvas and batting cut to match...and some of that measuring tape ribbon...
You can see I quilted the text scrap (to be used as the outside) to the canvas for stability and then layered the inner fabric and batting to make a sandwich...lots of those clover clips to hold it together.  Then stitch around leaving a 2 inch open spot to turn it right side out...then top stitch all around for a finished look, and add the felt and ribbon, also top stitched down...

Then add a bit of hand embroidery to make your recipient feel the love...


And Voila!! Ready to gift...

Just as a side note, the project I am currently making for Christmas is a longer term project...also done with hand embroidery...

I am using my new toy, a Beam N Read LED 6.  Wow, I have to say, this is a very nice tool to give you wide LED light exactly where you need it.  I definitely benefit from the directed light as this is back stitched black-work done on a texty busy background.  Works great :)  Please excuse the belly shot...I wanted to show you how easy it is to stitch with no hoop as I like to do and still shine light right in the proper spot.  It hangs around your neck but isn't heavy at all and never gets warm...I am very pleased with it.

Our family has what I consider to be a large collection of musical instruments...I have picked 12 of them to put into this project beginning with a Mountain Dulcimer.

On the First Day of Christmas, my true love played for me a dulcimer in a Pear Tree...
We do have a dwarf pear tree but my true love will not be in it...he does play me the dulcimer often though, especially old hymns.  We have a bit of a family Hymn Sing every Christmas.



Stay tuned for further instruments as we get closer to Christmas!  You might be surprised as to some of the instruments included, lol!  Any guesses?

And now I get to reveal what I received in the swap that was organized as part of this hop.  I had the great fortune to be paired with my friend Patty from A Stitch in Time...she is so talented, and she was so generous with her time and thoughtfulness in this gift...wow!
 A Jewelry Travel Case which rolls into a convenient carry-all, a canvas zipper bag, and some wonderful fabric.  You can see that we share a love for Sweetwater fabrics and that she understands and shares my current fixation on Doctor Who.  Thanks Patty,I just feel so spoiled.  I admitted to her that I may have carried that zipper pouch about with me for a while crooning..."My Prescioussss..."  

Thanks for wading through my extra long post, please be sure to visit all the other wonderful people sharing this day with me!!  May your Christmas be Merry and Blessed!!

Friday, Nov. 14











64 comments:

Judy B said...

Love how you used the containers, sew clever! Your stitchery is going to be lovely and a great family treasure. Love my Beam n Read too. Thank you for sharing and Happy Holidays!!!

Anonymous said...

I also love to use different kinds and sizes of antique containers to fill them with threads and buttons, always looks nice :-) your presents are very nice

Nancy said...

Love your Gifts!! I also love to reuse Vintage Containers and Linens for different purposes. Have a Wonderful Holiday!!
Huggs, Nancy

Anita said...

Lovely projects! Thanks for sharing, and Happy Holidays!

Thearica said...

What a clever way to use the old sugar dispensers! The needle keeper is sweet... must make a few of those.

Your gifts from Patty are really nice. Love the organizer compartment piece. I bought some of the see through vinyl.. just need to make something with it.

Shari said...

Haha...love that sugar cannister idea! There are so many styles of pinkeeps to make, I'm not sure which I want. Do you think it would be extravagant to make one of each?! LOL I cannot believe the Dr Who season is already over...excitedly anticipating the Christmas special! Hmmm what could the next instruments be...do you play the harp?

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Great ideas. Love the little jar with the twill ribbons. Mine are in whatever container I can get my hands on. I think it is one of the ritz bitz plastic cup thingys with the plastic lid. :D Your stitchery is lovely. Have you seen the applique quilt made Baltimore style of musical instruments?

charlotte said...

Love your wonderful, useful gifts. And the things Patty sent you are awesome. I too have a great love of Sweetwater fabric. I wish they would reprint the Sunkissed line. I miss that as I have none left.

Elizabeth Coughlin said...

Your sewing set is fantastic. The in-progress musical instrument quilt sounds so interesting; I'm sure it'll be really special. And the gifts you received from Patty are practical and beautiful!

Sparky said...

love the idea of 12 instruments...beautiful for sure..and your ideas along with that teeny weeny spool nice added touch...and your gifts no doubt treasures ...

Dorian said...

Great gifts, both received and made. Happy holidays.

Jeanie said...

Wonderful gifts from Patty! I'm sure you'll get lots of use and pleasure from them.

Calicojoan said...

What fun dispensers you have created. And that needle case that's just too cute. I love all your gifts from Patty, she spoilt you good! ;-)

Anonymous said...

Those little dispensers are so creative. I would have never thought to use those that way. :) Wonderful gifts!
-Brittany

Mary Ann said...

Great gifts. Love the jewelry holder and fabric. I think the dispensers are really cute. Never would of thought of a sugar dispenser for that. Love that idea. And together with the needle case it is a darling set. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy your holidays.

Scrapatches said...

I am so enjoying my wonderful box of treasures from you. Thanks you so much, Kris, for all your wonderful and thoughtful gifts!

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I almost made little pin jars for this hop. It was my first thought. I am so glad that my quilty muse went in a different direction in the end. Yours are sew much cuter than the ones I would have made, The tape measure ribbon really adds the perfect touch. I am so lucky that you sent me some. I love the twine dispenser. What a creative idea. I am going to be visiting the dollar stores in search of those sugar dispensers. What fun!

Thank you so much for sharing in this hop ... {{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}} :) Pat

StitchinByTheLake said...

I love that tape measure ribbon on your jars - what a wonderful idea! And that jewelry roll up - I need one! I bet my daughters would love that since they travel often for work. :) blessings, marlene

tink's mom said...

What a great gift selection you created. Love the use of the jars. That musical quilt will be stellar once completed. Your Hop gift is terrific. I have been binging on The Doctor of late. He is really eating into my quilting time.

Carol Swift said...

Great gift ideas with those jars...cute, cute, cute! The jewelry roll-up is beautiful and such a sweet gift!

sew.darn.quilt said...

Great way to up cycle an item! Your ideas are great for gift giving!

Joyce Carter said...

Wonderful ideas on using those jars. I like to save containers that I get stuff in and use them for holding the small items that I use in my sewing room. They are always handy. Love the gifts you received, too. Thank you for sharing.

Lori said...

what great gift ideas. love the twine holder

BarbCarol said...

What a great use of retro jars. I really love the tape on the inside of the needle case and the TINY spool. Your gifts from Patty are very nice. I am always attracted to bags and organizers of any kind.

Linda said...

What a clever idea!! Very cute!!

Mary said...

Your gifts that you received are just lovely. I also like the gifts that you made. Great idea. Your musical instrument stitching is wonderful.

Quilting Tangent said...

Cute projects, great use for the jars.

Lana said...

What a darling post!!! Your gifts are VERY creative and Useful!!!! Great job!!! I love SW fabrics too...so I know you loved those ...and oh my...your little hand stitching on her needle case was PERFECTION!!!!

Mary said...

Love the gifts you received. Can never have enough zipper pouches. What a neat idea for the jars. Had not thought of using the sugar jar for holding thread or string. Happy Holidays.

Lovelli Quilts said...

The gifts you received were well worth the title--"My precious." I really like your jars. What a creative idea.

Jennifer said...

Your gifts are wonderful! I esp. love your dulcimer, what a special gift just for your family! Merry Christmas, Kris!

ChitterChatterDesigns said...

Love your embroidery... and love my light too. Your post made me giggle...my preciousss! I would probably do the same with that bag... would be great to store my embroidery floss for an on the go project. Lucky Girl! Have a Merry Christmas! ~Cori

Katherine said...

Clever gift set idea and sew pretty! I love ideas like these. Wow. You're embroidery is lovely and will make a wonderful 12 days of Christmas. Thanks for sharing your inspiring gift ideas with us!

Lovely gifts from Patti! Enjoy.

Bobbie said...

I am glad you don't have to throw your "preccciousss" into the fires of Mordor! it is too sweet!
I love your projects and *that* ribbon!

Jane's Quilting said...

What neat containers. They are so neat, showing off your quilting supplies. Yet they keep them together neatly. Your embroidery work is perfect. I like how you are making the instruments,

Marcy said...

I'm lovin your needle book. Will be a great project for some of my sewing friends. Your embroidery work is gorgeous... but then I love embroidery. Yours is tops. BTW, I'm making your Halloween quilt from the last hop since I won lots of Halloween fabric. I'm using a black background and it's not as pretty as yours.

JuliaP said...

Your post had me laughing at the end. I'm a huge fan of Sweetwater fabric and a bigger fan of Dr Who! Nice to know that there are others out there. Thanks for sharing.

Corrie said...

I want to find one of those sugar containers, but I have to find my twine first! I know it's here somewhere. What great gifts. Your needle book is darling, love the tape measure.

Cindy said...

Oh how clever to use the sugar container to store twine....so have to remember that! Nice projects. And lovely gifties you received. :)

Deonn said...

Darling repurposed gift set, Kris! - so clever with the sugar container! And your needlekeep has that special touch with the little embroidery, I love it. Your embroidered dulcimer is lovely, can't wait to see the rest of the collection. A mandolin? fiddle? Looks great on the music score fabric! Sweet gifts from Patty - and is that a fabric label for the Tardis?! Time to make your own Tardis quilt, right?

Farm Quilter said...

You better hang on to that Precioussssss, Gollum, cuz it just might disappear!!! Love all the gifts you made and received - so much joy spread around this hop!!!

Carla said...

Kris, I love the repurposed retro feel of your gifts. What a great set that would be. Patty really did tune in on you and created a very nice gift for you.

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures said...

Great projects. Seems like a lot of thr Blogger's in this hop are recoMmending the lite. Might have to check it out.

Soma @ inkTorrents.com said...

Patty sent you some lovely gifts. I love your quick gift ideas, Kris! So pretty! Making a note to myself - must make a needlebook. Can't wait to see more musical instruments. You have a dulcimer and he plays it for you? That is amazing :)

-Soma

CeLynn said...

Just love the quick little gifts you made up,and have added them to my list! Those are very pretty gifts you received from Patty.

Leah said...

Such clever ideas! That tiny spool of thread you embroidered is too cute! I love it!

Gmama Jane said...

Kris, you made some very unique gifts that will be used all year long! But I am in love with your mountain dulcimer and instrument quilt....what a legacy for your family!! I have been on a mission of late to bring back the old hymns!! Even my grown children love and miss them. With all the current Praise & Worship songs, we've lost some of my musical heritage. Even when we do sing a hymn, it's redone in a way to "modernize" it and I'm not a big fan. I just would like to see more balance in the song service time. So I REALLY love what your family does and it has inspired me to do something on Christmas Eve when our entire family gets together. None of us play an instrument but I do sing pretty well as do some other family members. I plan to have a song sheet with the words and when we are sitting around after the meal I'm going to lead in some singing. Most everyone will love it but a few won't just because they don't like anything...party poopers. The children will Love it!! My 11 yr. grandson is taking guitar lessons and he was planning on strumming a little tune. Thank you for inspiring me to move forward with my idea for a Hymn/Christmas Song Service on the Hillis Farm!!
With Love
Gmama Jane

Doris Rice, The Quilting Queen said...

What a neat idea. I love vintage, retro type things. Perfect.! The jewelry pouch is great too. Very handy for travel. Can't wait to see the rest of your musical embroidery. What a treasure!

sandra said...

This has been such a lovely hop and the gifts you made were very unique and lovely.

apple blossom said...

I have had my eye on those clover clips nice gift and the jars are adorable.

Mary Ann said...

Fun idea. I need a better solution for my small set of clover clips

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

All so cute and useful! You are so creative!

barbara woods said...

love these Christmas blogs

Mary Pat Callihan said...

Hi Kris! Super post and such original ideas! I loved them all!! That fabric measuring tape is wonderful. I have never seen that before. Thank you so much, I really appreciate your creativity. Terrific post!

Leanne Parsons said...

Wow! That instrument embroidery project looks amazing. I love the little needlebook too. I may need to make myself one someday soon. I keep seeing so many cute ones!

evelyn said...

I love the fabric measuring tape you used on your projects. So creative. Love my beam and read too. Merry Christmas

Brandy said...

The gift set idea is really neat, that would make a great prize at guild, thank you for the inspiration!
~Brandy

LJ said...

I have a couple of those sugar dispensers and they work perfectly. I never thought of decorating them; what a cleaver idea and the dispenser and the jar look so cute. Love the gifts you received - so thoughtful and useful, too.

Michelle said...

Great gifts you made and received!

Michele said...

Very nice and great ideas.

Bente-I like to QuiltBlog said...

Great gift you recived and those you made are gorgeous too.

Lixie said...

I love what you made and received!

Amy said...

Love all your handy storage gift ideas. The sugar container is my favorite, just too cute! You also received some pretty little gifts. Have a joyous Holiday season, Kris!

Patty said...

Been traveling so pardon my delay on commenting. I am so glad you like the gifts - you put that Doctor Who Panel to good use!! I love your musical instrument stitchery - it will be fun to watch you build this out for more instruments.

Quilt n Queen said...

Kris... how clever to use a retro sugar container for a twine dispenser...I love the vintage look..love the use of the measuring tape! A sweet sewing set...a perfect gift. Thanks for sharing!! Happy Holidays!!