Today I was going to show you the quilt I finished out of Figgy Pudding.    

Was . .  . . . . 

But, somehow the week just flew by and I haven’t gotten it finished yet.  It’s pinned on the quilting machine and that’s as far as I’ve gotten, so I’ll just announce the winner of the Charmed and Dangerous book instead.

I’ve randomly selected a name from the list of people who left a comment, and the winner is:

 Heather, from www.quiltorstitch.blogspot.com, who commented on December 14, at 3:48. 

Heather, please email your shipping address to hmulder@wecnet.com and I will ship our your little Christmas gift right away!

As I was working at the computer yesterday, look what was just outside my window   (Hint: look above the top right corner of my computer screen.)

It’s this lovely little creature

and a few of her friends

I just wanted to squeeze that in, as I rarely see deer right up by the house.  Now, on to the next order of business.  I just heard that my Wildflowers fabric line has begun shipping!  That means it should be in stores any day now.  I’ve been busy making up quilts using my little stash of goods that I get ahead, so I want to show a couple of those today.  I also wanted to show you some of the original artwork that inspired the line. 

 I’m not very advanced, technologically speaking, so I paint everything on canvas and then send them off to Henry Glass fabrics in New York City.  They scan my artwork and do all the computer stuff that I can’t do!

The aqua and red are my two favorite colors in the line -

The quilt you saw peeking behind the artwork in that first picture is this one -

It’s called Modern Day Diamonds from my book Livin’ Large.  The blocks are very simple to make and show off these large-scale prints nicely.  The addition of the brown and yellow polka dot fabric makes for some very striking diamonds.

A fun bonus to this pattern is what you can make with the leftovers. 

If you save the leftover fabric that is cut out of the block to add the brown sashing, you can make this really fun runner -

I have been auditioning it all over my house.

The only problem is, I don’t get to keep it.  It’s actually my Mom’s, but I asked to borrow it so I could show you how cute the fabrics look in this runner.

I’d like to continue spreading a little Christmas cheer, so I’m going to give away a copy of the Livin’ Large book.  That way you can make your own Modern Day Diamonds quilt and table runner!  Just leave me a comment, if you want to be entered to win. 

A few weeks ago I used the Wildflower fabric to make some letters for my studio.  I wanted to share them today, in case you need a last-minute Christmas gift idea.  They are really quick and inexpensive to make. 

I bought the letters at JoAnns, spray painted the sides, and fused fabric to the front.   I don’t think just fusing the fabric to the letter will hold up long-term, so for added security, you could also decoupage the fabric to the letter. 

I think the letters would look good in this fabric

or this fabric,

or this fabric,

and this one.

You get the idea . . . .

Another week has flown by.   Can you believe Christmas is next week?  I’ve got almost all my Christmas shopping done…… now just have to finish wrapping.  I’ve also got some more projects finished, which will probably be the theme of most of my posts this month.  December is the month where I get a chance to be like any other quilter.  I don’t do any traveling and speaking.  I don’t have any book, pattern, or fabric deadlines this month.  I’m still really busy and working on a lots of things, but nothing is because I have a deadline.  I get to work on finishing up whatever I want.  If it weren’t for the cold and snow, I’d say I just love December!  So, here are just a few things I wrapped up this past week or so . . .

This pattern is the Cable Luxe Tunic from Lion Brand Yarns.  I used a different brand of yarn and did a few changes to the pattern.  I used one of my favorite yarns – Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo.  It blocks beautiful and has wonderful shine and drape.  The pattern is supposed to have long sleeves, but I really wanted to get done sooner, so I made it short-sleeved.  That way I can wear it in the summer too.

Can you tell I love cables?

I did run into a few problems though ………  see my neck?  I’ve redone it three times and it’s still not right.  It needs to be smaller and it really bothers me that you can see all my decreases.  I will need to take it off and redo it, but I need some advice first.

Does anyone know how to hide decreases in garter stitching?  Any other suggestions to make the neck look better?

Maybe I will just have to lay it on the bed and just look at it.  Not wear it.  Maybe pretend it’s a quilt and supposed to just lay there on the bed and look pretty.

That would be too bad, so I really hope someone has some suggestions for me!

The next project has been in the works since last January.  It has taken me that long to finish!  It’s the Apres Surf Hoodie from the Summer 2008 Interweave Knits magazine.

It is one of my first sweaters without cables!

I think the neck line is pretty, but I have to admit I made a mistake on it.  I was supposed to decrease along the neck edge and I forgot!  I had to do some creative blocking to make it wearable, but that is how I roll.  I wouldn’t want to break with my tradition of every knitting project having a mistake!  See, there  is a reason that I am a quilt pattern designer, not a knit wear designer.  I screw up a lot less when it comes to quilting!

Speaking of quilting, several of you asked about one of the quilts in my last post – the 4-Patch Fusion pattern.

It’s from my book Charmed and Dangerous. 

This is a better picture, showing the entire quilt.

The fabrics are from the line Roman Holiday from 3-Sisters (Moda).  The fabrics are a few years old right now, so they are a bit hard to find. The pattern is perfect for Charm squares or Layer Cakes.  Just add a background fabric and borders.

My mom made the quilt with our line Rebel Roses, and that turned out nice as well.

I’ve also made one out of my Serenity line, but did a planned scrappy color arrangement.

Over the weekend, I was at a retreat and almost made this pattern again out of Figgy Pudding.  I have been waiting for December to come around so I could dig into my delicious stash of Figgy Pudding.  Stop back in later in the week to see what I ended up making out of it . . .

But before you go, how about a chance to win a copy of the Charmed and Dangerous book?  I haven’t done a give-away in a little while, and I think it would be fun to spread some Christmas cheer.  Just leave me a comment saying what fabric you would use to make the 4-Patch Fusion quilt or just leave some knitting advice!

]]> http://ankastreasures.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/2077/feed/ 164 hmulder DSC_3419 DSC_3410 DSC_3364 DSC_3409 DSC_3362 DSC_3383-adj DSC_3389 DSC_3387 DSC_3081-adj charmed and dangerous cover (250 x 323) DSC_0051-4-patch-fusion-adj DSC_1142 adj 4-patch fusion out of Serenity fabrics http://ankastreasures.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/2052/ http://ankastreasures.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/2052/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:49:11 +0000 Heather Peterson http://ankastreasures.wordpress.com/?p=2052 ]]>

I’ve still been busy finishing up lots of projects this past week, but before I show you, I want to show you something different that I did this weekend.  I went hunting!  But I wasn’t hunting for pheasants like my husband and FIL, I was “hunting” for some good pictures of them working.  Joel has been asking for my to come with for years.  I always find an excuse not to go, but it turned out to be pretty fun.    

For those of you who don’t have high-speed internet, please forgive me for all the pictures.  In fact, if you came here for quilting pictures, this post doesn’t have any and I will understand if you want to skip it.  Although, like me, you might find it kind of fun!    

Here I am all bundled up and ready to head out.  I look more like I’m about to rob a bank than go hunting – but it’s cold in Minnesota right now!    

For those of you who haven’t been hunting before, here’s how it works.  Joel walked to my right.    

Joel’s Dad walked to my left.  Our dog Daisy runs ahead of them, going right, then left, then right again, over and over.    

Guns are carried, always point up with the safety on.  It’s unsettling to me to have the guns around, but to the guys in my family, it’s as natural to them as holding a needle is to me.    

The grasses in the Minnesota prairies are so pretty -    

I was also admiring this scenery.  As Posie gets Cozy says,  “Do marry a hottie.  If you can swing it.”   The sunset is pretty too.    

Once Daisy locates a bird, she locks up on point.  She is very focused and doesn’t move.  She holds the bird there until the hunters come within shooting range.    

Then the bird flushes.  That’s pheasant hunters talk for “tries to fly away”.  The bird is then shot down and the dog retrieves it.    

Daisy comes back with the prize and is praised for her good work.    

That’s one happy dog.    

I don’t have that many good pictures or Daisy, as she is always on the move and hard to capture    

Like this shot -    

and this shot -    

It’s so funny to just see her ears flopping and that big doggie smile on her face.    

I like the old barns scattered across the county.  My dad actually worked in this old barn when he was in high school.  Joel’s friend’s cousin owns it now.   That statement right there should tell you I don’t live in the city.  Joel’s family knows almost everyone around here.  They are related to many of them.    

At sunset, the hunt is over.    

This is probably my favorite shot of the day.  There is something about a father and son playing, talking, and smiling together.    

In case you are from the city and are wondering what a pheasant looks like, here’s John’s take for the day.  They really are beautiful birds, full of vibrant colors.    

Just like the sunset.    

I’m glad I relented and went with the guys that day.  It helped me understand why they love to go out and hunt – Being outside is refreshing, the exercise is invigorating, the scenery is beautiful, it’s fun to watch the dog work, it’s exciting when a bird flushes, and it’s fun to hang out and talk when the hunt is over.  The only thing it’s missing is chocolate.

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to post your finished CCCBH projects to our Flickr page.  We will be awarding a great prize for one lucky winner, so don’t forget to upload those pictures!!!

So how was your Thanksgiving weekend?  It seemed like a whirlwind.  It started with a birthday party for my niece on Wednesday night, then two Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday, shopping for new, bigger pants on Friday, a quilt day with cousins on Saturday, and My nephews baptism and buffet dinner on Sunday.  I’m just kidding about buying new pants.  In fact, I always avoid shopping on Black Friday.  First of all, I can’t handle getting up that early, or all the crowds and long lines.  I’d rather stay home and do this:

I got my Christmas tree set up in my studio, along with a few other decorations around the house.  I’m also working on finishing up lots of quilting projects.  First, a small runner from my book “On the Run”.

I’m also working on a few quilts out of my Wildflowers fabric.  I will show you better pictures when they are completely finished, but in the meantime, here is what I have finished (or almost finished!) so far  -

Modern Day Diamonds from my “Livin’ Large” book

Gettin’ Ziggy with It from my “Stop, Drop, and Roll” book

And lastly, the free pattern that will go with the fabric line.

I still have one more side to finish on the binding, but I’m almost there!

In the background you can see some blocks that I am playing with from my Sizzlin’ Sixties book.  The book is written for 2 1/2″ strips, but just for fun, I thought I would try 1 1/2″ strips instead.  The result is a harder block to make, but it makes up for that in cuteness.  Somehow, everything is cuter in miniature.

I love these prints by Deb Strain.  They are so bright, colorful and cheerful!

I’ve also been finishing up some knitting, but I’ll save that for another day.  I have had so many projects going, that I honestly have to say it begins to feel like a burden.  That’s when I know that I need to set aside some time and get some things finished.  It really feels great to get a bunch of things done, so by the end of the week, I hope to feel even better!  It seems like it’s been a long while since I had sat at the machine and worked on some projects.

What a great way to spend an afternoon . . . .

I bet you have been waiting for this post all day haven’t you? It took us a while to get all the logistics of finding winners together, but now we have names of 3 terrific blog hop participants that religiously commented on every blog. They were pooled out of the highest number of commenters that we have ever seen.  So Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for spending the last couple of weeks with us. It has been so rewarding for us to read all your comments about our stories, hear your own stories sparked by what we wrote, see your excitement about the projects and then actually see how many of you have gotten to work and finished many of the hop projects and loaded your photos on the Flickr site.

Here’s a sneak peek at the goods:

Can you believe all those prizes???!!!!!

It was supposed to be a $360 value, split up into 3 prizes.  Everyone was so generous, that we ended up with way more prizes than that!

So here they are…..the big winners:

1st grand prize goes to: Thea M  www.theamccurry.com

2nd grand prize goes to: Arlette from Costa Rica http://arlette0521.blogspot.com/

3rd grand prize goes to: What Comes Next   http://round22.blogspot.com/

Congratulations girls!! Please send Gudrun an e-mail (gudrun@gequiltdesigns.com) with your shipping address so she can send you those awesome prizes.

If you didn’t win any of those prizes, I have two more chances for you to win.

First – We have set up a Flickr page for you to post your completed projects from the CCCBH.  You will have until December 1st to upload a picture of the  project (or projects!) and then a winner will be chosen and announced on everyone’s blogs.

Last, but not least, is the winner from the drawing on my project day.  That winner is Sandy, who commented on November 13 at 1:22 p.m.

Her blog is www.sandysinstitches.com. Sandy, please email me (hmulder@wecnet.com) your shipping address and I will ship out your books right away!

Sandy will be the recipient of the following books:

Thanks again to everyone for participating in the Blog Hop!

It’s the last day of the CCCBH today . . . It’s been a lot of fun to reminisce about past Christmases and get to know the blog hoppers.  I want to thank all those participating in the blog hop – especially those that have stopped here and have taken the time to leave me such nice comments.  My hope is that you will stop in and see me every week or so, as that is how often I usually blog.  I’m not used to blogging every day, so I may take a little break and catch up on a few other things around here!  I have to say that all this blogging has gotten me in the mood to get ready for Christmas.  I’ve started unpacking the Christmas decorations and have been loading some Christmas songs on my ipod.  I may even get the tree up before Thanksgiving!  How about you?  Did the blog hop put you in the mood for all thing Christmas?

Before you head off to the storage closet to start unpacking, be sure to stop by Linda Lum DeBono’s blog to see the fun project that she has in store for you.  Linda is a fellow designer with Henry Glass fabrics, so I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her at market.  She’s great fun and has so many talents.

 Our last topic of the blog hop is a Christmas craft you make every year or did as a child. 

I had two favorite crafts that I made as a kid, just probably not every Christmas.

#1 – Paper Chains.  I don’t know why I loved them – I just did!  They always seemed kind of addicting.  I just kept wanting to add more and more and see how long I could make my chain.

I found a more adult version of paper chains that I am tempted to make.  Look how cute these are:

Can you even stand it?  I just love them.

#2 – My other favorite Christmas craft was making paper snow flakes. 

I still love making snowflakes, I just don’t usually do it by myself.  I prefer to do it with my nieces, as it’s always more fun with them!  It’s nice to have an “excuse” to still act like a kid.  I still remember my Great Grandma Anka doing the same thing with me . . .she would fold up paper, make an assortment of cuts, and then open up this amazing row of little paper dolls.  Back then she used old newspaper.  Now when I do this with my nieces, we used colored paper.  I wish I had a picture of us doing this together, but I guess I must not have had my camera with last year when we did this!

Just to wrap up a few other things related to the blog hop -

You will have until Sunday night to comment on each designer’s featured post and have a chance at the grand prizes.  The winners will be announced on Tuesday, so you will want to stop back them.  I will also be announcing the winner of the contest on my blog (from my featured post) 

Dont’ forget to visit the other designers on the hop by clicking on the following links:  Gudrun from GE Designs,  Sandy from Pieces from my Heart,  Terry from Atkinson Designs,  Pat from Pat Sloan and Co,  Pam from Pam Kitty Morning,  Kari from New Leaf Stitches,  Terri from Whimsicals,  Sherri from This and That Pattern Co,   Carrie from Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co,  Roseann from Rosebud’s Cottage and  Linda Lum DeBono

It’s day 11 of the Cross Country Christmas Blog Hop – only one day left!

That means you only have one more day to make sure you comment on each designer’s blog, on the post that they were featured.  If you do, you will be eligible for some GREAT prizes!

Today our theme is a favorite Christmas quilt or how we use our quilts to decorate for Christmas.  I have lots of favorite Christmas quilts, but have narrowed it down to 4!

This is my most recently finished Christmas project:

I love toppers, because you can tuck them in anywhere.  You don’t need to have wall space to display them, and I have a shortage of wall space at my house!

Here is another of my favorite toppers:

This one is a little larger and can be used as a table-cloth.  You could also cut a hole in the center and use it as a tree skirt!  I love the touch of applique ~

(Please don’t be scared about binding around the inside points – I’ve got a tutorial for you on that)

I made a wool garland that I use as the center piece on my dinning room table.

It’s flexible and can be made into an oval or circle, depending on the size table you have.  I like the slightly dimensional look of the wool -

This quilt hangs in my front entry every year ~

Snails in the Sand from the book "Favorite Quilts from Anka's Treasures

This picture shows the quilting a little better.  I love the swirls and holly in the border.

I have one last picture to show you, and it’s not a Christmas quilt.  For those of you who are followers of this blog, you know I LOVE to show a quilt done up in several different color options.  I think it helps open people’s eyes to the possibilities that fabric and color can add to a quilt pattern.  The original pattern that the quilt above is based on,  looks so different that you won’t believe they are the same pattern.

Here it is:

See what I mean?  That is why I love color options!

Now, back to the blop hop – Our featured designer today is Roseann, the owner of Rosebud’s Cottage in White Bear Lake, MN.  She is also a contributor for American Patchwork and Quilting and you may have seen some of her lovely designs in their magazine.  Many of them are done with wool, so if you have a soft spot for wool, you might want to check them out!  Here’s the link for her blog ~

Dont’ forget to visit the other designers on the hop by clicking on the following links:  Gudrun from GE Designs,  Sandy from Pieces from my Heart,  Terry from Atkinson Designs,  Pat from Pat Sloan and Co,  Pam from Pam Kitty Morning,  Kari from New Leaf Stitches,  Terri from Whimsicals,  Sherri from This and That Pattern Co,   Carrie from Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co,  Roseann from Rosebud’s Cottage and  Linda Lum DeBono

Welcome to Day 10 of the Cross Country Christmas Blog Hop!

Our featured designer of the day is the talented and fun Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co.   I’m sure many of you are familiar with her pattern company and her popular Schnibbles series of pattern.  She has been busy working on a fun project for you, so hop on over to her blog to check it out!

I have to say that I am a little relived that I wasn’t the only designer yesterday who couldn’t think of a kid story to share!  Who would have thought that would be a challenge?   Today our topic is a favorite gift received from a child.  As I mentioned yesterday, the Moms in the group will probably have more to share on this topic.  I can’t think of any gifts that I have received from a kid, but I can think of two little girls that have brought me something better than a present.  I have two nieces that were born within days of Christmas.

They turned out to be the best gifts I could possibly be given for Christmas!  -  They are the best -  from the funny things they say, to their cute expressions, and their fun personalities.

This is my older niece Isabella

She likes to help me sew.  You can’t see this in the picture, but she is running the foot pedal and I’m just trying to keep my fingers out of the way!  (and this machine sews 1500 stitches per minute)  She likes arranging the blocks on my design wall too.

She also wants to learn to knit -

Helping Grandma Debbie garden and bake is another of her interest.  She is always such a good helper!

Speaking of helping, she helps out with the younger kids too.

This is my younger niece Addi

She loves to run and play.  Her favorite is when we leap, or in her words “Yeap”

She loves to be outside

To blow “smackers”

and eat sweets (tanny)

So, you see, these two are way better than a gift!

So, Carrie, don’t even get me started on my Thanksgiving, May Day, Easter, and (what happens in) August presents!

(Carrie, there’s a reason I didn’t post these pictures yesterday, I knew today was coming!)

Dont’ forget to visit the other designers on the hop by clicking on the following links:  Gudrun from GE Designs,  Sandy from Pieces from my Heart,  Terry from Atkinson Designs,  Pat from Pat Sloan and Co,  Pam from Pam Kitty Morning,  Kari from New Leaf Stitches,  Terri from Whimsicals,  Sherri from This and That Pattern Co,   Carrie from Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co,  Roseann from Rosebud’s Cottage and  Linda Lum DeBono

Today is day 9 of the Cross Country Christmas Blog Hop.  We have been zig-zagging across the country, bringing you projects and Christmas stories from all over!  Today is no exception.  Sherri from This and That Pattern Co is our featured designer of the day.  Be sure to visit her blog to see the project that she is sharing with all the hoppers.

Our theme for today is a kid story.  Each day the designers have been digging deep to come up with fun memories to share.  Every day I have been able to think of something, but today I am at a loss.  I think the main reason is that I don’t have kids of my own.  I’m sure the Mom’s on the blog hop will have plenty of fun stories to share!  In fact, they probably are having a hard time picking something.  We can also share a kid story from our childhood.  Again, I have been wracking my brain for something, and I can’t remember any kid/Christmas stories from my childhood.  (Have I mentioned that I have a bad memory?)    The only thing I do remember (that I haven’t already shared), is that I loved to decorate the Christmas tree.  Dad would bring the boxes up from the storage room in the basement and I would set up the tree, add the lights and arrange the ornaments.  I wonder how I did?  Sometimes kids put all the ornaments in one spot or only on the bottom.  I do remember hiding the ugly ones in the back of the tree.  I’ll have to ask Mom if she rearranged all the ornaments after I went to bed.  I remember it kept me happy and busy all day!    It’s a good memory, but certainly not an interesting story.  I’m just hoping the other gals on the hop can help bail me out with some interesting stories of their own!

You can visit the other designers by clicking on the following links:  Gudrun from GE Designs,  Sandy from Pieces from my Heart,  Terry from Atkinson Designs,  Pat from Pat Sloan and Co,  Pam from Pam Kitty Morning,  Kari from New Leaf Stitches,  Terri from Whimsicals,  Sherri from This and That Pattern Co,   Carrie from Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co,  Roseann from Rosebud’s Cottage and  Linda Lum DeBono

It’s day 8 of the blog hop and that means it’s Terri’s day to share a fun Christmas project with you.  Terri is the talented designer and owner behind the Whimsicals pattern company.  Be sure to stop by her blog, see the project she has created for you, and leave her a comment.  Remember, you have to comment on each designer’s blog to be eligible for the grand prizes!

Today’s topic is our first Christmas on our own.

Hmm . .

This is a hard one.  Hard because . . .  well . . . I have to admit, I don’t remember my first Christmas on my own.

My mind is  _______________blank.

Not a single recollection.

I do however, have a couple memories from my first Christmases with Joel.  Does that count?

Our first Christmas was only 3 months after we moved into this house:

Not exactly our dream house.

Remember my stories about this house?  If you have a minute . .  or 30 . . . you should read some of my posts about this house (here, here, and here).

We were working on a major remodel on this house and spend many nights and weekends fixing it up – including, you guessed it – Christmas Eve morning.  That’s the day that Joel decided to venture into the attic to work on moving the lights in our living room ceiling.  Have you ever been in an old attic full of cellulose insulation?   They are Gross.

Ours was double gross because it was full of mouse droppings (you will know why if you read those old blog posts about the house).  In fact, while Joel was up there, a mouse stuck it’s head out of the insulation to wish him a Merry Christmas.  I screamed one back.  I hate attics.  Our is now much better as we ended up sucking out all the old insulation and reblowing in nice, new clean insulation!

Our second Christmas together we went ice skating early on Christmas Eve morning.  This fixer-upper we bought is on a lake, which is the reason we got tempted into buying it.

That Christmas, the lake froze over on a calm day, so the ice was smooth and perfect for ice skating.  We decided to dig up our old ice skates and give it a try.  The ice was clear (as the ice thickens, it’s no longer see-through) and it was so fascinating to see everything on the bottom of the lake.

I have to admit I was freaked out the whole time, because the ice was also clear enough to see all the cracks and looked to be about 4-5 inches thick.  Joel assured me it was 8-9 inches thick and was perfectly safe.  He grew up ice fishing and is much more used to being on a frozen lake.  I was also fascinated to watch my husband gracefully skate all over the lake.  He normally has a reputation for being a bull in a china shop.  Not so on ice skates!  He went forwards, backwards and in circles without falling once.  I won’t tell you how many times I fell.  It was so much fun.  We haven’t had the lake freeze smooth enough to try it again.  The last few years there has been too much snow on the lake to even try it.  But, I still remember that morning and the sound the skates made as they scraped across the ice.  Do you know the sound that I’m talking about?  I really don’t think there is anything else like it.

Don’t forget to continue on the hop by visiting the other designers:  Gudrun from GE Designs,  Sandy from Pieces from my Heart,  Terry from Atkinson Designs,  Pat from Pat Sloan and Co,  Pam from Pam Kitty Morning,  Kari from New Leaf Stitches,  Terri from Whimsicals,  Sherri from This and That Pattern Co,   Carrie from Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co,  Roseann from Rosebud’s Cottage and  Linda Lum DeBono