BAKING BOAS

Have you seen the trendy BAKING BOAS?

I received this one for Christmas last year

from my partner in crimes of fabric, yarn, travel and wine. 

Kathy Guenther! 

She also knows I am a Christmas Baking fool.

I just love it!  

She found this one at Lehman’s in Oho Amish Country.

Many specialty / botique type stores carry these in many themes. 

Calahans in Calabash, NC had these Nautical BOAs

The store BOAs are made of the thinner, flatter cotton towels and 

it looks like they have 2 towels per BOA.

Retail costs between $20-$25 

I knew I could make these as gifts!

After Christmas last year 

I bought lots of Christmas kitchen towel sets on the CHEAP! 

So each set of 2 towels, made 2 BOAs!

I only used one towel per BOA.

My supplies were less than $5 per BOA!

I made a mock up…sew easy! 

My towels were the thicker fluffy towels.

TIP! Buy towels with images on the ends in opposite direction)

I used one kitchen towel cut in half at the center.

These two pieces become the ends of the BOA.

Cut BOA neck piece, 9” x WOF. 

Press 1/2 “ on each end WST, on the RS secure the hem by sewing on ric rack.

Fold neck piece RST sew 1/4” seam to create a tube, turn right side out, press.

Fold the towel ends into a couple pleats to fit inside the tube.

Sew across the top of the pleats 1/4” before tucking into tube.

Tuck into tube about 1/2,  sew across ric rack to secure in place.

This part will be thick..use a jeans needle and adjust the pressure foot, 

if your machine has that option. 

You can add a top stitch around the BOA neck piece, if you like. 

That’s it. 

Turned out sew cute. 

And if you don’t  like aprons…it’s perfect for kitchen tasks!

Towels at your finger tips as needed!

I had lots of Christmas fabrics but needed a bit more.

Sale fabric at a local big box store is fine.

I also bought all the ric rack in sale for $1 each

I added ric rack to the bottom of the towel an extra pop. 

See finished BOAs

I made 14 BAKING BOAs.  One has been gifted already.

The rest will be gifts during the holiday season. 

They will go with some kind of baked goods. 

I love Christmas in July sewing!

How about you!  

 

SANTA NEVER LOOKED SEW GOOD

I really love this vintage Santa...its SWELL.

2020 didn't give me much to be happy about...

Sew I have collected the fabrics and the very large applique

and this will be on my radar for 2021.

Many of my quilty friends gave me fabrics and

I ordered some.

I am leaning toward this quilt.

I have the pattern.

But isn't this log cabin amazing?

I like the Scrappy Trip Around the World

but that's a LOT of seams!

But if you know me, you KNOW I love a Churn Dash.

I have some time to consider my options.

But the HO HO HO may be the one for me and my Claus.

Hey, what's that I hear on the roof?

A SPECAIL THANK YOU...just CLAUS

This might seem like old news...

BUT it needs a post because its sew full of

what giving means to me. 

This is my 81 yo Sister, Arbutus Swackhammer.

Yep that's her name...you can't make that up.

She had had a rough life...much by choice...much by

incidents that should never happen to anyone.

But this is a happy post. 

About her Adult Protective Services Caseworker, Brandon,

 and how he helped Arbutus find a new and happy life in 2020.

Brandon has 2 little boys, I had lots of novelty fabrics.

I decided a quilt for each boy was a perfect way to say 

'thank you' for all his help.

I had all these prints in my stash to choose from.

Perfect Ten, by Swirly Girl Designs is my 'go to' pattern for kids.

Makes a great size quilt to enjoy for years.

 Caleb, age 3, animals and bright colors.

Caleb 6, Robots and Helicopters

You see, Brandon works in Licking County

and he found her housing in Marion County

That was a 1 1/2 hour drive each way.

He made that trip once or twice a month

to ensure she would be ok.

My sister had NOTHING to setup housekeeping.

Brandon worked to get her an apartment she could afford.

to set up all the senior services available to her.

Many people donated household goods and delivered to me.

Brandon, would pick them up and take them to her.

You see, COVID was spreading fast and we were asked to stay at home.

 

I decided then my thank you gift would touch his little boys lives.

It wasn't long until I had two quilts made.

Backs

My Bernina 740 has a text function.

So each quilt was labeled, on the front of the quilt, after quilting.

Made by: Mrs. Clause 2020

I rolled them up and tied them with fabric.

Bagged them for Daddy to pick up on my porch.

He would place the bags under their tree for Christmas morning.

After all, they are from Mrs. Claus.

Christmas Day, Brandon sent me this picture.

THIS is why I love playing Mrs. Claus.

THIS is what the holiday season means to me.

THIS is a Merry Christmas.

I am already working of my giving for 2021.

I will find a Mrs. Claus recipient.

You can count on that!

HOLIDAY SEW IN!

I like to plan...I like to make events, well eventful!

As a member of Columbus Modern Quilters

I decided to organize a Holiday Sew In

at a local library for as many sewing elves as possible.

Attendees had to SIGN UP via a Google Doc

and sign up for committees, etc. 

24 sign up and 22 attended...

There were 'homemade' sweet treats made by many attendees!

I collected SWAG for the attendees that included

shopping discounts on quilting designer websites, to rulers 

and Coldwell Banker Real Estate (thanks Katy Jones)

put together a book of 10 Christmas patterns

I gathered from free on-line sources.

I made a small pincushion and thread catcher for each attendee
using my Christmas Scraps stash.
And the gift tags...cause I dabble in paper crafts too!

I lined up several demos showing holiday gifts.

Like this folded fabric ornament by Michelle Cours

A coffee mug cozy by guest quilter,  Kate Schwartz

A key chain using a snap press demo by Leigh Morgan
And we took those key chains home!

A  group in making needle minders led by Katy.
Valerie Rake Jeannie Foreman, Katy Jones, 
Angilee Beery and Ellen Carter

 A origami fabric folded tissue holder by Valerie Rake

Many participated in a quilt book/pattern swap
 for the holiday gift exchange.

There was an UGLY SWEATER contest 
with lots of very CUTE participants.
The library patrons enjoyed our fun event as much as us!

and there were a few Grinches who just enjoyed the show
and placed their votes!

The winners were...

Maggie Mandmann won the cutest sweater
...Llama Love right here!

Catina King, from Indiana, won the "most original"  sweater!

Leigh Morgan claimed the UGLIEST sweater award.

She stopped customers as she picked up our
 catered lunches from Panera!

It all wrapped up with wonderful friends old and new
and a lot of smiles!

Angilee Beery from Indiana

Cynthia Hayes, Columbus Modern

Maggie Marconi, Columbus Modern
Ellen Carter, Columbus Modern

Katy Jones, Columbus Modern

 Janet Robinson and Colleen Rains, Plaza Quilters

Barb Schofield, Columbus Modern

Valerie Rake, Columbus Modern

Ginny Lightfoot and Barb Ballard, Columbus Modern

Jeanne Foreman, Plaza Quilters

Bonnie Bizzaro and Leslie Woods, Plaza Quilters

And the best gift of the day...to me...WINE!

Thank you Leigh!

And with that, I went home, drank that wine and collapsed!

It was a LOT of work but its SEW worth it when

no one expects a non-typical sew-in!

That's just what Mrs. Claus likes!

Merry Christmas!