Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Getting Ready to Fold Up the Holiday Quilts

Christmas Stars is my first finish of the year! Yay! I had a couple other things to post about, but this needed to go on record before January was over and done with. Kinda late for a first finish {for me}, but what can I say? The binding work just didn't seem super exciting compared to some other options.

It looks so cozy!
After a little bit of back and forth about possible colors and shades for the binding, I finally settled on something of a medium green. It took several pieces of similar colors to make up the total length, but I have to say, this was spot on for being the perfect complement.

Christmas Stars is a true blue finish!
I am in LOVE with this quilt. It's one of those that I look at and say, 'Did I really make that? Me?' It just seems so unlike so much of what I do and yet.... it's all there. The simplicity of color repeats, the sawtooth stars in scrappy prints, the flying geese. I've done all of this before. It's really nothing new.

Love the touch of florals in this quilt
One of the things that I've always been so resistant to in Christmassy quilts is how precious the prints often are. I adore that this quilt actually has very minimal true Christmas themed prints. It's all in the colors and feel. It can be a holiday quilt or not.

Flying geese are always a good border idea
So very, very glad that this Basic Grey red fabric was sitting there in the stash waiting for the perfect project. How sad that it didn't work out as the original intent of being a backing fabric. Not! I'm pretty sure this is not something that I would have ever willingly chosen for the overall background fabric in a holiday quilt. Do you see how velvety it looks in the right light though? How could anything else have possibly worked better? Total serendipity to have this on hand when I was in the mood to play. 

Looking ready for serious use!
And the oldie moldy greens that found a good home in the flying geese units?*sigh  This quilt has a super special place in my heart and mind. It will be great fun pulling this one out year after year, I can assure you! And though I promised my younger daughter a Christmas quilt of her own {after her older sister talked me out of a previous one}, these will not be in the offing.

A successful use of all the boring fabrics
The backing ended up looking pretty good after all the quilting texture was added too. So scrappy and utilitarian. Really fills me with the glees to see all these off colored greens hop onto the back of a good quilt and finally be useful. It's about time! I think this is the second backing I've made just from the random green fabrics that seemed too awful to use in the front of a quilt. Why of why did I buy so many of these years and years ago?? Ughh.  The Tired Greens project is definitely helping get fabrics out of the stash totes, but, unfortunately there is more to do...

These are the keepers
And just for fun, I took a picture of these three Christmas quilts together. The primitive-look Festival of Trees finished up in 2010, the quarter log cabin quilt finished up last year and the new Christmas Stars. These three are mine forever, never to be given away. I have found that I quite relish getting out my holiday quilts every year and enjoying them for 6 weeks to 2 months--usually right up to the first of February. The Festival of Trees one has definitely gotten sun faded in that long strip of plaid fabric right in the center of the quilt. It happened in the first two years of use, in the very short window of time I leave it draped over the back of a chair during the holidays. So disappointing, but nothing else seems faded. And now I'm accustomed. Oh well. About time to fold them all up and put them in a darkish cupboard until next December!

26 comments:

  1. I do hope this one doesn't get put away just yet, there is after all another red holiday coming up! It's a wonderful finish and the best part is that it's definitely not a Christmas holiday only quilt. The cross hatch quilting is perfect, and gave it a soft warm look.

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  2. Your Christmas Stars quilt is just stunning! I love your use of color and the green binding is perfect!

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  3. I agree about the precious holiday prints. For the longest time I resisted all novelty type prints. Then slowly they began to creep into the stash, and the Christmas fabrics grew at the fastest rate. Now there are only scraps left and I avoid novelties aside fro the few purchased for Little Man’s pillowcases. Here’s to quilts that make us warm and happy !!

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  4. I think it is great that you are keeping these for you to use and love. I like all of them it will become a great tradition for you to use these for several months of the year to have the Christmas look in your house.

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  5. Christmas Stars is wonderful! It looks perfect for snuggling and enjoying the texture and color of the holidays! Thanks for sharing your inspiring group of Christmas quilts - I'm on a mission for more holiday quilts this year!

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  6. Making quilts that bring us joy is what it's all about. Christmas stars is lovely and you'll enjoy it every holiday season. What is it about greens? I have tons of those moldy greens. Maybe I should be as adventurous as you and do something with them. 🤢👽💚

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  7. Yes, your three Christmas quilts are beautiful and they look like they're friends too and get along very well. Excellent, lovely hand quilting.

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  8. Your Christmas quilt is so beautiful and will accumulate more beauty over the years as memories get attached to it. "Oldie moldy" green, lol - you did something good with them.

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  9. Love the last pic of all three quilts! And lovely that you are keeping them, to bring out yearly during the festive season, creating memories!

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  10. Your Christmas Stars quilt is gorgeous and the photo of the 3 Christmas quilts had me swooning😊!

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  11. It is a gorgeous Christmas quilt! I have to admit, when I fist saw it I said the same thing, "this doesn't look like and Audrey quilt. But seeing all those yummy fabrics and hearing how much you enjoyed the process, I see now that it is 100% Audrey. It will take its place of honor with your other "forever" quilts and be happy!

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  12. Wonderful finish! I can feel your enthusiasm for this quilt. It's kind of a gift to be able to feel that way about a quilt when you finish. It definitely doesn't happen for me every time. My last few quilts have been a bit of a disappointment when they were finished. I think that's why I'm putting so much effort into the hand quilting of the Cheddarback quilt I am currently working on. I have a few of those "never give away" quilts. I love getting them out, admiring the color combinations, petting the quilting, and just enjoying them all over again. I really like how the backing turned out. You give me so many ideas. I seem to always have an abundance of gold/dark tan fabrics. I need to use them in a back for a quilt. (Maybe the Linda Brannock one, that would seem appropriate.) Again, I loved your post. Quilting, for me, is such a joy and I love sharing and receiving that joy with my blog friends.

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  13. I'm in the process of cutting up and finally using my "precious" Christmas fabrics that have finally aged to Time To Make This Up Into Quilts time. Likely there will be close to a dozen to use up this fabric! HAHA. Sizes, yet unknown.

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  14. What a warm and "friend" feeling quilt! Is there a formula for making flying geese to exactly fit the borders?

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  15. Luv, luv, luv! It was gorgeous before it was quilted but now - well!!! SO happy that this one is staying with you. It will be such a beauty to bring out over the holidays, or whenever you just feel like enjoying a gorgeous quilt.

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  16. You make me realize I need a collection of Christmas quilts, too. And perhaps some other holidays.

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  17. what a gorgeous star quilt. I love that soft red color too.
    beautiful group of holiday quilts

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  18. Es preciosa la colcha de estrellas


    elajuardebeatriz

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  19. Pretty! The hols are just a distant memory already, aren't they.

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  20. Wow!! Christmas stars is gorgeous!!

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  21. We do make favorites and have those quilts that we just cannot part with no matter what. The back is a great place to use up ugly fabics, we all have them.

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  22. Christmas Stars, looks so beautiful ~ stars and fly geese, make for a great combo. I love your Festival of Trees, I am sure I have the pattern for that, must look for it and add it to my 'wish list of makes'

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  23. Oh Audrey, what a l wonderful quilt! I agree, what you say about Christmas fabrics. No need. Btw I love all those ugly greens in the back … but you knew I would, right?,Haha !

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  24. Your Christmas quilts are gorgeous, so perfect. Wonderful work.

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  25. I LOVE your first finish of the year. It looks like you could display it anytime, but I suppose a closer look says Christmas. I've always been a fan of that tree quilt.
    I just noticed a Santa quilt hanging on my landing! It's February!! LOL

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