Thursday, December 1, 2011

Ho Ho Ho!



Santa Claus has come to town!  I found him at Goodwill, and just couldn't resist.  I think he likes the orphan blocks surrounding him.  Maybe I'll name this quilt, "Santa and the orphan blocks."   Some of these are from my beginning quilt class, six years ago.




Kim got to be the first to tell him about her Christmas list a few weeks ago.  She came all the way from Pokeytown, New York!

Did you ever wonder how large the REAL Santa is?  According to this "life size" rendition, he's about 44" tall and 13" wide.  So THAT'S how he gets down all those chimneys!

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who offered sweet comfort and great advice about hand pain.  I'm sorry to hear that so many suffer from the same thing, and glad to read there is help.  Quilt-makers really make a warm, helpful community!
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30 comments:

  1. TeodoDecember 1, 2011 at 11:53 PM

    I'm sorry to read about your hand and I hope that now is better.
    Your red quilting is perfect.
    And Santa is so nice and original with all the orphan blocks.
    ciao ciao linda

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  2. antique quilterDecember 2, 2011 at 12:33 AM

    ok what a great quilt and oh that Santa just brings back a flood of memories from my childhood.
    We had a Christmas picture like that on our TV at Christmas time, wow.
    your just so creative....love how you added to him to make this fabulous quilt....
    Kathie

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  3. Cathy @ CabbageQuiltsDecember 2, 2011 at 1:39 AM

    Love the Santa quilt! I hope your hand is feeling better, it is difficult when our aches and pains get in the way of our stitching, I have known that a lot this year. May it heal up fast! xo

    PS gorgeous hand stitching by the way! xo

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  4. Theodora quiltsDecember 2, 2011 at 1:44 AM

    i don't know how these last 3-4 post pat by me,but I must say I am so impressed with your decorating abilities the bathroom looks just awsome it is so you the fabric is super and do you keep that much fabric on hand for moments like this? wow ! and you gals look so excited coming out of the goodwill store and you should be what great loot you two got, you must of had a great time I love the coin quilt you made and you are good at making something work your fabric choice as a background very few would pick I think ,but you are confident and you know what works. I can't not mention that santa claus you got I can't believe someone would give him away he bacame a real nice quilt ,and last but not least I like your hand quilting and the thread choice when I have numbness in my fingers I lay of quilting for a couple of days because I use my hands plenty in my work I suffer from cts I get a numbness early in the morning for an hour or so then is goes away, last year it was worse and I have tried real hard to use my hands the least possible to presearve them for quilting,maybe you can not quilt for a couple of days and follow what the ladies advisedcledi I enjoyed all of your posts.theodora

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  5. Julie FukudaDecember 2, 2011 at 2:23 AM

    Santa will not get much rest with that wild border. From what I see on other blogs, this is the year of the orphan block. How true it is that quilting bloggers are full of help and advice and support, a real caring bunch!

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  6. MicheleDecember 2, 2011 at 3:39 AM

    Neato quilt! I love all the orphan blocks.

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  7. UnknownDecember 2, 2011 at 4:00 AM

    I just love your Santa!! It is perfect in every way! Great pic of Kim with Santa too. How fun that she was able to be there as well... a little green here. So sorry about the hand pain, hopefully it will go away quickly!

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  8. Lori R.December 2, 2011 at 5:06 AM

    Your Santa project is oh, so successful. As a quilt shop owner, I am always hearing from people who just don't know what to do with that cute panel they just bought. Add borders!!!!! I will show your picture to these people!!!

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  9. NancyDecember 2, 2011 at 6:32 AM

    Great Santa quilt! Isn't it good to find a home for orphan blocks?

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  10. Sujata ShahDecember 2, 2011 at 7:00 AM

    Beautiful quilt! Love those orphan blocks around him. He really looks as if he is making the big entry through a decorated doorway instead of a chimney.
    Leeann, you are so talented!
    Hope your hands are well rested now.

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  11. Cheryl WillisDecember 2, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    what a great way to take a pannel and make it personal. as always love your colors. jealous you got to spend time with Kim. cw

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  12. bethDecember 2, 2011 at 7:27 AM

    Oooh! What a FUN quilt!

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  13. Elaine MDecember 2, 2011 at 8:54 AM

    The quilt is wonderful. Hope your hands stay pain free. Happy holidays!

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  14. Miki WillaDecember 2, 2011 at 9:50 AM

    This is such a great quilt! The orphan blocks looks so fantastic together and really make this Santa a happy one. This quilt put me in a real holiday spirit when I saw it in person. Thanks for posting it here.

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  15. KarenDecember 2, 2011 at 10:45 AM

    I never would have put those together, but it soooo works!! Great job :).

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  16. SharonDecember 2, 2011 at 11:18 AM

    This is so fun! I love the blk/wht zig zag blocks, they look great!

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  17. Victoria Findlay WolfeDecember 2, 2011 at 2:05 PM

    I love your SANTA so much... Glad you and Kim had some sewing time! ;-) I just saw all the yoyo's you gave her! cool!

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  18. Maureen T.December 2, 2011 at 10:29 PM

    Wow! You made Santa look even MORE festive than he already does!! Your quilt is fantastic!!

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  19. MaritDecember 3, 2011 at 2:44 AM

    Love how you framed the Santa! Orphans and Santa is a genius combination!!!
    ; )

    Wish you are doing better with your hand. This one will be a fun one to quilt!

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  20. Tonya RicucciDecember 3, 2011 at 6:08 AM

    I LOVE it! fantastic how it all goes together. you did a wonderful job - congrats! Amazing you've only been quilting for 6 years and you've made so many great quilts already!

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  21. AliceDecember 3, 2011 at 9:36 AM

    I love it. My idea of Christmas:)

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  22. RachaeldaisyDecember 3, 2011 at 12:59 PM

    Look at Santa surrounded by all that glory!! This is such a super festive quilt. Those orphan blocks all look as though they were made for this quilt! It's absolutely wonderful!

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  23. smazoochieDecember 3, 2011 at 3:51 PM

    Your Santa is adorable. Makes even bah-hum-buggy me feel kind of Christmas-y.
    Thanks!

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  24. pat sloanDecember 4, 2011 at 7:59 AM

    Oh my this is the GREATEST!!!

    May I share the photo on my blog and link to you later this month? I have a fabulous childhood story this would be perfect to illustrate.. and of course we ALL want this panel now!

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  25. VictoriaDecember 5, 2011 at 3:04 PM

    Okay, I have been gone way too long! First off, such a lovely photo of Kim... nice to see her bigger then the tiny avatar picture of her that I am use to looking at!

    Secondly, I adore Santa, (but who doesn't?) and have a good sized collection oh the jolly old man. Your quilt is fun, fun, fun!

    Third, so sorry to read about your hand pain. I go through the same thing each time I embark on a lot of hand quilting. Rest and ibuprofen along with a bit of heat and lots of resting of the hand is what I do to help it feel better. Hope yours feels better soon.

    And last but not least, I am blown over by your bathroom redo - and for only $21!?! Amazing!!

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  26. marylouweidmanDecember 6, 2011 at 1:08 AM

    That quilt just blows me away-it reminds me so much of my childhood-the Santa and the blocks like the ones in the quilt I slept under...thanks so much for sharing! Your blog makes me happy

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  27. AnonymousDecember 7, 2011 at 11:53 PM

    Ho ho ho! Great Père Noël! How amazing to see how you make from an oldish picture a very contemporary quilt,it is definitely your handprint.
    J'adore!!!
    Katell

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  28. AnonymousDecember 11, 2011 at 8:25 PM

    testing

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  29. VesuviusmamaDecember 12, 2011 at 3:00 PM

    This Santa quilt is awesome!

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  30. JanetDecember 17, 2011 at 11:12 PM

    I love your Santa quilt an awful lot! He's just how I imagined him to look and what a great use of orphan blocks. Fantabulous as usual!

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