Sweet Enough to Eat

I almost completely forgot about posting this. I've had some sinus headache business going on, and some shopping/sitting in traffic tiredness to sleep away, and then some cleaning up of the junk I tend to leave here and there throughout the week. But now I've laid out my Christmas quilt, and taken some horrible photographs for you. Sunlight, clouds, indoors - it doesn't matter. I'll never be able to consider a photography career.

So...onward! I ordered a few layer cakes (because each was only half size) of Riley Blake's 'Christmas Candy' (hard to find except for a few prints now), and then used the Cluck Cluck Sew Easy Bake pattern (with a few changes), and whipped up the yummiest Christmas quilt you can imagine (fabric-wise--my eyeballed stitching leaves something to be desired, and I tried a new binding technique that left me less than in love, but hey--if things were perfect then it wouldn't seem like Christmas, would it?

It's hugely busy and mish-moshy, but the pink and the lime green and the red, and the white, and the polka dots (!) are so very me and how I perceive Christmas.

The quilting was all straight-lined and easy peasy--about a half inch on each side of the seam (which in some sections is straight through the middle of a larger fabric square). It makes a really neat pattern on the back, and may be one of my favorite quilting patterns.

The backing is a green sheet (that isn't showing as green as it actually is). I like quilting with sheets. Quilt backing is expen$ive, and when I've finished piecing the quilt top I'm not really feeling like piecing the backing. A cotton sheet is a perfect solution for that.

This quilt screamed for red polka dot binding. I don't know of anything that would have been more perfect. I used some that I'm not using in my red and white quilt. I'm not a fan of the actual process of making bias tape, but I do love that perfect finishing touch that it gives as opposed to store bought.

Don't look too closely at the stitching of the binding. It might make you ill. I was too lazy to rip it out and start over (because I was finished at that point). But I will never bind a quilt this way again, that's for sure.

My usual method is to stitch the tape to the front, then flip it and pin and stitch it down in the back. I do the neater stitching on the top so anything icky won't really be seen. I saw a method where you stitch it onto the back, then down to the front that seemed easier. Easier isn't better, and I'm not fond of the outcome as the part that you see (on the top of the quilt) is the part that's wiggly in spots.

Overall, though, I adore it. I love walking by the living room and seeing it draped over the chair. I love the prints. I love the binding fabric. I love the quilting. I love that I can't actually eat it because I have a hard enough time avoiding sweets.

Now I must trot. I have to get ready for church (I love church during Advent) and then we're all heading out for a yummy family Christmas-time dinner.

See you soon, my lovelies!

Linking up here this week:

Skip to My Lou *** Sumo's Sweet Stuff *** Pinkapotamus *** Ask Anna *** Sew Can Do *** Craftomaniac *** Homemaker on a Dime *** C.R.A.F.T. *** Running With  Glitter *** Sarahndipities *** Sugar Bee Crafts *** All Thingz Related *** Creative Itch Boutique *** Funky Polkadot Giraffe *** Chef in Training *** Tip Junkie *** My Girlish Whims *** Sew Much Ado *** Blue Cricket Design *** Free Pretty Things for You *** Tea Rose Home *** Someday Crafts *** Somewhat Simple *** Fireflies and Jellybeans *** Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom *** Today's Creative Blog *** Between U and Me *** Creation Corner *** The Shabby Nest *** While He Was Napping *** Tatertots and Jello *** Be Different Act Normal *** To Sew With Love *** Sugar Pink Boutique