My adventures with Henry Glass - Desire to Inspire & a Giveaway!

My all-time favorite Christmas album is A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi Trio, the original soundtrack of the TV Special.
I listened to it quite a few times over the past few weeks!


Etch A Sketch art work by  Alli Katz  - check out more of her various artistic creations at lookhowhappyiam.com.

This was my way of truly embracing the challenge when I received some happy mail - a large bundle of Christmas fabric! This is a bit understated, but I have to tell you I was so excited to find out I was selected by Henry Glass as the May Challenger for Desire to Inspire! What a surprise when I received Shelly Comiskey's Kringle Krossing fabrics! I hope you will take a moment to check out my interview for the Desire to Inspire Challenge at Henry Glass ! Oh, and leave a comment so they know you love the program -- because it is awesome! If you want to participate in their challenge you will find info there too!

I don't know how many designs I drew out and tinkered with before I made my final decision for the main quilt! I wanted to showcase and use all Shelly's fabric. The only fabric I added from my own stash is the solid black and the dark green. And the backing of course, but we will get to that..

Kringle Krossing 65" x 75"

The plan for this quilt originally was to frame the main panel, shown below.
Once it was on the design wall however, I got the idea to make a postage stamp border for the panel. Great, except it would not fit with the blocks the size they already were. My next 'big' idea was to make the entire back of the quilt a big postcard, with the panel stamp in the corner, etc..

In the end, I pulled it. I really wanted to have a go at FMQ'ing that big beard, and a huge floor pillow would be a perfect mate for this quilt! I played with drunkard's patches to make the stamp border - a lot of trial and error to get the right size and I did get a plan set. Hopefully I took good notes, because it became pretty clear: No time-no time-no time!

Disappointed that the panel would not be a part of my submission, I made the decision anyway - I want that floor pillow!  

 

That aside, I re-focused and got busy:-)

 

The backing is Tidings of Great Joy Quilting Treasures - an awesome eBay score (6yards $30 shipped).

Machine stitched binding. Did I mention no time?

Once the quilt was finished and photographed, I had a few days left to play without any pressure. I used scraps to surround my favorite print in the line, the sweet reindeer, using Jacquelynne Steve's recent quilted potholder tutorial. Mine is more of a trivet though, since I left out the strap that I had made for a hanger. oops..

I still had one print that I had not used in the quilt, and I fussy cut Santa there, 'Makin his list'.

Playing with the block, I thought of the Chalk Cloth fabric I have never gotten around to using. I looked online and found a lot of rolled up portable chalkboards. I guess you could say this is improv project; I cut the cloth the same width as the block, added borders, some ric-rac, straps and a hanger so it can be displayed on the wall.

30" long - 16" wide

What a fun way to make a wish list! Or the holiday menu, or a nice note to Santa with the cookies...
I put a patch of the chalk cloth on the back as well, thinking how cute when it is rolled up.

I know this is getting long, but I will mention one thing I found out about chalk cloth. It really wants to roll up the other direction. See the wavy bumps in the full view? If it is stored as a roll, it really needs a strong tube for support to keep from creasing. If purchased online, it is likely to become creased in shipment. Creases are pretty permanent and from what I read online, ironing is not recommended. I tried it anyway of course. I even spritzed water on and ironed from the back. It helps a lot, but in the end, I cut in a way that avoided the big creases.

Try as I might, I was not able to use all the beautiful fabric provided for this challenge! I look forward to finishing the big floor pillow and I will share that here, but it is likely to be December since I tend to push deadlines when I can:-)

For someone who is not real big on holiday hoopla, I sure have been doing a lot of it lately!
Ty just rolls his eyes, and I laugh and tell him to be staunch - there is more to come!

 

Now, are you ready for the little giveaway?

This is a one yard bundle. Fat eights are cut from six prints from Shelly Comiskey's Kringle Krossing, + one 1/8 of the black backing fabric, and 1/8 of Happy Town (lime green) by Jacquelynne Steve's.

Enter by leaving a comment on this post before Sunday, June 7th at midnight PST. Followers may leave a second comment for another entry, please tell me how you follow! Winner will be drawn at random, (and re-drawn, and re-drawn until a winner is drawn that is not a no-reply blogger with no email address!),

 

I try to respond to all comments, but please forgive me if I fall behind for the giveaway! This will be posted with Friday Finish linkups & I have a busy weekend ahead! I love hearing from reader's! I try to visit each blog in return, and often end up following as well:-)

 

Thank you for reading, and remember, there are only 205 days left til Christmas!