Another one?

You will ask "What is it with her and Advent calendars?"

Ha-ha, yes, I really like them. No wonder when I saw one at Kate"s blog I fell in love. Kate was very nice and answered my question where she had found the pattern. The Advent calendar seems to be a family affair. She has more mini quilts then her 25 places (original pattern). The family decides each day together which mini should be used to fill that day's place.

It's a design by Denise McKenna of Meadow Lily Bridge.

I was so excited and ordered the pattern on Dec 24 but it didn't and didn't arrive. Here is why:

Hi Christa,

I am very sorry to hear that your pattern has not arrived yet.  If I can, I try to send patterns from Niagara Falls, NY, but I live about an hour from the border in Canada.  I received your order on the Dec. 24th and unfortunately, I couldn't get away.  As a result,  the pattern was sent by Canada Post.  Their hours are very limited over the Holiday Season.  They were closed Dec. 25, 26, 27, 28, as well as Jan. 1st and 2nd.

Did you know that the Canadian postmen (and postwomen) are so lucky?

Well, the pattern had arrived while I was gone and I could start "playing" when we came back. I had not paid attention that all the mini quilts were paper-pieced (sigh) but I kind of have other ideas anyway.

And here is what I have so far. I really changed the pattern a lot. Being German the 24 numbers had to be somewhere. I made myself a page with 24 outlined stars and put the numbers in them. Then I printed that on a "Fabric Sheet for Ink Jet Printers". Ironed on Pellon 805 Wonder-Under, cut out, ironed onto the 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch squares and machine stitched around.

The wallhanging is done and I have to decide how I want to go from here.

It is roughly 31 1/2 by 21 1/2 inches.






















I have made three "test minis" and working on a third.

This one is a "regular quilt" with regular batting. It doesn't want to go very nicely into the square. May be if I did "regular quilt binding"?

These two I did with Pellon Flex-Foam 1-sided fusible stabilizer. I think this is the way to go. After experimenting some more I will report back to you! The size has to be very accurate though. The stitched angel (which I happen to have laying around waiting to be worked with) was a little (1/8 inch?) too large first.

The next one to try out.

And now ... sadly ... I have to probably lay it aside for a while because other projects are waiting.