Episode VI

Okay so if you've made it this far - yay! After making the Star Wars quilts for dad & my brother I knew I would want one for me! I wanted a Millennium Falcon on mine too, but had to make it a little different from J's. 

I hand stitched the Death Star laser, but kept the trend of quilting in stars and using the glow-in-the-dark thread for this quilt too. I used the rest of the Star Wars fabric for the back and mine is Episode VI - You Rebel Scum! I loved using movie quotes for the names of these quilts.

This was on my Finish Along list for Q4 as Codename: Forest and I'm happy it's finished now! Linking up the final finishes at OntheWindySide. I'll be putting it up on my wall shortly. Here's all three together, now that the other two are in their new homes. 

Getting all three quilted was my December goal for ALYOF and it was nice to finish the year strong with the final linkup at Fiber of All Sorts. Especially since Fiber of All Sorts & Sew are passing the torch on ALYOF. They've done a great job hosting the past few years and motivating so many people! I'm happy to see there are several bloggers willing to keep it going for next year.

Episode V

Now that Christmas is over, I can also share with you my completed secret quilts I made for gifts this year. It started with me taking a workshop with Laura Wasilowski on turning your own idea/inspiration into a quilt. So while making the Episode IV quilt for my dad, I realized my brother would probably want one too. 

This one is Episode V- It's a Trap! and includes a Millennium Falcon and a Death Star. It turned out really well and also includes quilted stars and glow-in-the-dark thread! I used Star Wars fabrics for the backing and wrote my label to look like the opening scroll text - just like the first one. This was a lot of fun to make - happy Christmas J!

This was on my Finish Along Q4 list as Codename: Icetime and am happy to say it's finished and gifted now. Wahoo! Linking up at OntheWindySide one last time.
 

Episode IV

Now that Christmas is over, I can also share with you my completed secret quilts I made for gifts this year. It started with me taking a workshop with Laura Wasilowski on turning your own idea/inspiration into a quilt.  Laura uses raw-edge fusing for her quilts and I had a brainwave that this was how I could make a Death Star quilt for my dad!

I printed out some images from online to get the right size/shape pulled fabrics from my stash (and momm's) and got started making my Death Star!  I love how it turned out -and so did the other participants in the class. I added some hand stitched laser bolts, quilted in some stars in the background and used my glow-in-the-dark thread to add a few stars and the x-wing jet trails.

I used Star Wars fabrics for the backing and wrote my label to look like the opening scroll text.  :) So I named this one Episode IV - That's No Moon! It's already hanging in dad's office - yay! This was on my Q4 list for the Finish Along as Codename: Slapquilt and I'm happy it's finished. Linked up to OntheWindySide for the finish!

Episode VII

Vacation started in the best way possible this year - I got to go see The Force Awakens. On opening day. For Free! TWICE!!  EEEEE!

So here's how it happened. :D One of my coworkers extended family members, rented out a whole theater opening day and invited friends & family. I was thrilled to be invited! Definitely fun to watch the new movie with a good group of fans. When the opening scroll started and all I could think was 'is this really happening?' It was awesome and it really felt like it had the soul of the original trilogy. You have to go see it if you haven't already - or even if you have!

Anyways, so we had a 4pm showing and got out around 6:30. As I was walking out I had a text from a friend who was going to see it at 7pm that she had a spare ticket, and would I like to see it in 3D.  hahaha So I pretty much turned around, walked into another theater and saw Episode VII again. In 3D! Awesome the 2nd time around too.  :)

Then I went a third time with my family when I got home for Christmas.  hehe.  It was still Awesome and I'll probably end up going again, because I can. There's even an ornament for my tree that's STAR WARS themed: I redeemed Disney Movie Rewards points for an episode VII logo pin!

trimming the tree

I put my ornaments up on the tree this weekend - starting of course with the newest additions from this year which include:

A small Gullah basket, Ft. Sumter pin & USS Yorktown pin from Charleston, a pin from the Sisters quilt show, a keychain bison from visiting the elk & bison prairie at LBL over the summer and a few DC pieces from Arlington Nat'l Cemetery and Fords Theater. 

 It's always fun to decorate the tree and remember where each one came from and the memories attached!

While it's been in the mid 50s this weekend and doesn't feel like December at. all., I woke up Saturday morning realizing I had 2 weeks to finish up some Christmas gift-quilts.  Eeep! Naturally, finishing these gifts were my first thought for my December goal at A Lovely Year of Finishes at Fiber of All Sorts so I'll leave you with this picture, from the last post, as there are some surprise elements at play here.

Luckily they aren't too big in size, so putting the finishing touches on them shouldn't be difficult. This elf better get to work! What sort of homemade gifts are you finishing this month?