Saturday, August 20, 2016

Nibble, Nibble, or How to Keep Busy While You Wait

I've been waiting for a stack of autumn fabrics to arrive so I can finish up the wall hanging I started last week, but twiddling my thumbs while I wait doesn't work at all. I get twitchy if I don't have something to do.


Since I didn't have another project ready to go, I sat down and began making a list of fall and winter quilting ideas. You know how it goes - one idea leads to another, leads to another, leads to another ... and, suddenly, bingo! Gingerbread houses led to Hansel and Gretel led to the wicked witch saying, "Nibble, nibble, little mouse..." And there they were -  three little mice nibbling on the harvest. These little guys demanded to made. Right now!

I don't know why I didn't name the pattern, "Nibble, Nibble", but by the time it dawned on me, I had the pattern on Craftsy and all ready to go.

I did have fun with these fellows. I must have drawn seven or eight little mice before I settled on these three. To tell the truth, though, I really, really like that corn cob.


It looked like nothing more than a big yellow blob before I started quilting. I was thrilled that my very imperfect free motion pebbles produced a pretty realistic cob filled with real kernels of corn. I'm not at all expert, but in spite of that, I love to play with F.M.Q.. For those who aren't in love with that technique, I sketched a plan for an alternate, straight stitch quilting or hand embroidery pattern. That design is on the pattern layout page.


Cute little mice need long whiskers, round black eyes, and little pink ears. I stitched those by hand with black and pink embroidery floss.


In case you wondered, this is what my holiday idea list looks like right now. I wonder how many I'll actually make.




Gingerbread House (mug rug)
Gingerbread Man
Harvest moon
Autumn Rain
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
Visions of Sugarplums
Candy Canes
Stocking
Packages
Reindeer
Little House in the Big Woods
North Pole
Star Table Topper
Christmas Sampler Quilt

 I hope you have a super wonderful week!

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