Tag Archives: 12 Days of Christmas

3 Ways to Re-set New Year’s Goals

 

easy-does-it-porter-street
easy-does-it-porter-street

Here we are beginning the month of February and what do you know? Not all our goals and resolutions for the new year are on track.  It happens. There are so many things that can shift us off our intended path. . .the unexpected visitors or illness; the anticipated arrival or departure that surprise us by its emotional toll or the anxiety and upheaval from current events.

My last post was over a month ago when I announced I would soon post photos of the last quilt in my Twelve Quilts  of Christmas series. That quilt turned out beautifully and also on time for its intended recipient – my second grandchild.

 

Second Grandbaby Baby Quilt
Second Grandbaby Baby Quilt

I traveled to stay with my daughter and son-in-law, helped maintain the household and held that baby as often as I could. I dreamt about babies once I returned home, even waking one day to find all the pillows lined up against the far side of the bed where I had built a protective barrier so the baby wouldn’t fall off!  Ha!  I laughed out loud, realizing I moved all those pillows in my sleep.

Baby Fingers-Porter-Street
Baby Fingers-Porter-Street
Grandma holding second grandson
Grandma holding second grandson

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I struggled to get back into my routine, my anxiety mounted as January slipped away. Back home and back at work, the negative voices berated me and then I recited to myself justifications at the end of long days, too tired to take my walk or finish a  project.

I found my footing again close to home while editing baby pictures to share. In the early stages of labor, my daughter jokingly added “have baby” to the To Do list on the large chalkboard in the dining room of her home.  Two days later she just as happily crossed it off the list!!  I snapped a photo of it as a keepsake. Looking at it now I remembered the joy on her face as she replaced the chalk in the tray and how the next thing we did was figure out how to use the baby wrap and take a walk.

"Have baby" crossed off chalk board list
“Have baby” crossed off chalk board list
Mama gazing at baby in her arms
Mama gazing at baby in her arms

 

That memory is what helped me get back on track by doing these three things. Perhaps it will help you, too!

  1. Check Your List
  2. Do One Thing
  3. Move
Check Your List
If you don’t have one, make one. If you do have one, post it on your fridge or inside the closet door – somewhere you will see it frequently. You may think to yourself, “oh, I know what’s on my list” but actually, just seeing it there written everyday will be an incentive to do something or work towards something because we all love to cross something off the list. Also, when you come home tired or get distracted by the news you listen to on the way home, seeing your list will pull you back to what is important to you this day this year.
Do One Thing
Pick something from your list you can do quickly or easily or is almost done. The satisfaction might just energize you to do another item. It might also just allow you to relax when you sit down to watch a movie.
Move
Thats right!  Make a conscious effort to move.  You could take yourself to the gym or just walk around the block. You could decide to park at the far end of the lot when going into a store just to have that conscious walk before you shop. You can set the alarm for 15 or 30 minutes early to play the Yoga podcast. Conscious body movement releases so many good hormones.

I’d love to hear what helps you get back on track!

And now a sneak peek of my new collection of baby bibs with heart shaped quilting in lovely colors like cranberry, coral, dusty pink and red and white!

Til next time, Linder

Twelve Quilts of Christmas – #9 & #10

Do you see what I see?

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Twin Two
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Alijack Baby Quilt – Twin One

If so, the you’re probably thinking you see double.

How about bundling up your twins in these two lively baby quilts Named Twin One and Twin Two!

These color-filled quilts were inspired by a king size quilt I made for my daughters’ wedding. (see the header image of my home page.  That header photo was taken by Stephanie Parsley, the wedding photographer. She did a wonderful job capturing an outdoor wedding just before sunset.)

The wedding quilt was inspired by a  photo found on Pinterest for the Kaleidoscope Patchwork Quilt by Urban Outfitters, which has been sold out for some time.  I created a pattern from the photo, changing the borders a bit.

The two baby quilts were born of the leftovers from that quilt!  And it was quite a surprise to me when I realized I had enough left to make TWO baby quilts.

AJ-twins-002
Alijack Baby Quilt – Twin One and Twin Two

I used mostly Kona fabrics, which are soft, sturdy and with vibrant colors. The backing is a ticking “print” which means it is a much lighter weight and texture that actual woven ticking.  The binding on both quilts is hand sewn.

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Twi Two

Until next time, Linder

Muddling through somehow

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Alijack-Baby-Quilt-Wintertime

I hope you all had yourselves Merry Little Christmases!!!

The last four quilts of my Twelve Quilts of Christmas  sat quietly in my darkened sewing room in various stages of completion while I slept in and out of a fever the last few days.  I had dreams the quilts finished themselves and began to march around like the brooms that came to life in the Disney movie the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Now well enough to sew, photo and post, the laptop cord doesn’t want to play nice! But that is life, is it not?  In everything we do we are faced with a problem and must find the information and energy to solve the problem. Often times finding the information is more difficult than finding the energy.  And we do muddle through somehow.

So today I reveal what was to be quilt #12 of the series. I have named it Wintertime.  The Nordic-inspired reindeer print is a heavy cotton with a sturdy vintage cotton green check binding. The backing cotton flannel is just super soft and toasty warm.  This would make such a happy present for a Christmastime birth.  It is also sturdy enough to take to a cabin.

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Alijack-Baby-Quilt-Wintertime

 

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Wintertime

For some of the quilting I used a technique named Free Motion Quilting. This type of quilting requires me to “feed” or “steer” the material under the needle myself, rather than the machine doing it.  Free motion means that I am free to guide the material under the needle to make any type of curve or design I want.

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Alijack-Baby-Quilt-Wintertime

I am still learning the technique and do not consider myself a master yet, but I am able to do simple designs. Notice how the “ornament” shapes on this quilt are all made by the stitching?

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Alijack-Baby-Quilt-Wintertime

The other three quilts in this series I will post before New Year’s Eve, so come back and check them out.

Until next time, Linder

#8 – Twelve Quilts of Christmas

Happy Holidays to all the Happy Campers!

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Happy Camper

 

 

 

 

 

May your every wish come true stargazing with your baby on this sturdy baby quilt.  I have done a lot of camping with babies and children and I can tell you from experience that it is always helpful to have an extra blanket.  As with the other Alijack quilts, The Happy Camper Baby Quilt is reversible.  This quilt was made to be used.

The dark red check flannel side is soft but won’t easily get dirty. The wool blend binding is double thick and hand sewn.  The colorful striped side is made with a heavy cotton.  I actually got the colors ideas from some holiday wrapping paper!

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Happy Camper

 

 

 

 

 

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Happy Camper

 

 

 

 

 

And even I added a couple of decorative “patches” just for fun.

Until next time, Linder

#7 – Twelve Quilts of Christmas

Into the Woods

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Into The Woods

Christmas time is here. . .

Olden times and ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams to share. . .

is what you’ll think of snuggling up your baby is this all flannel quilt.

I named it Into the Woods and made it with a mix of new and vintage fabrics. The colorful dots on the backing fabric is new and the dark green print, yellow check and binding material is vintage fabric.  They were special leftovers from some other projects years ago, waiting to come together into this quilt reminiscent of simpler times.

The muted tones in this quilt will blend into a homespun, eclectic, DIY type of nursery decor and can blend well with a muted yellow theme, also.

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Into The Woods

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alijack Baby Quilts  are thirty-six inches square and made with 100% cotton batting and fabric.

Until next time, Linder

Joy to the World, the sun is shinning!

Porter-Street.com-greenery161201

Porter-Street.com-greenery161201

I am so pleased to see the sun today!  I just had to take a walk even though it was only 14 degrees.  After my walk, I fought with the wind to get some better photos of the previous quilts I posted (see below).

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Alijack Baby Quilts – CandyLand
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Alijack Baby Quilts – Snowball

Whenever I get a chill, making soup or bread comes to mind.  Kneading bread dough not only gets my upper body circulation going but  it is a great

Porter-Street.com-20150223-whole-wheat-seeded-bread
Porter-Street.com-20150223-whole-wheat-seeded-bread

Mindfulness time.  Now I wait for my whole wheat seeded bread to get done so I can take a loaf to my son and daughter-in-law when I go visit my new grandson.

Six quilts down and six more to go before Christmas.  I keep thinking, oh, I can’t wait to show you this one or I’m so excited to get that one finished, but really, each one turns into my favorite.  I hope you’ve been enjoying the posts and photos, color ideas and alternate uses for your quilt.

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Pinwheel-Dots
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Alijack Baby Quilt – Pinwheel-Dots

Since there just isn’t enough time in a day to make all the quilts I create in my mind, next year I will share more posts with color ideas. My Twelve Quilts of Christmas is meant as a sampler to introduce you to different styles of baby quilts. Next year I have three specific color themes I will introduce.

Enjoy your Sunday,  Linder

 

 

#6 – Twelve Quilts of Christmas

It’s lovely weather to . . . take any kind of a ride or snuggle up under a warm quilt with a good book.  Today’s quilt is named Navy.

Simple. Clean. Calming. If your style is minimalist, this might be a great quilt for your baby’s nursery.  This 100% cotton striped fabric is silky smooth!  The reverse side is solid white with a simple grey and white stripe border and I am thinking this is the perfect background mat for your baby’s photos!

White as snow background with a grey and white edge will give you an excellent background when you want to take a photo of your little one in the outfit Grandma made or to take that monthly picture to show how much your baby is growing.

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Navy

Visit my Etsy store for more photos!

Alijack Baby Quilts  are thirty-six inches square and made with 100% cotton batting and fabric.

Til next time, Linder

 

#5 – Twelve Quilts of Christmas

I didn’t think I would get this one posted today! It was one of those days that we all have and hope won’t occur on the Saturday before Christmas.  My sewing machine balked at every needle I owned and then on my way to get more needles, the windshield wipers quit working during a drizzling rain.  I make it back home just as the temperature is dropping and the rain is turning to ice.  I got the machine going again but when the quilt was done it was already dark so that meant not very great photos to share.

Still, I want you to see this lovely quilt. The cotton print had so many lovely colors I used a natural muslin to showcase it.  This quilt will complement many colors schemes. Plus, this giant pinwheel pattern is so fun, you may just want to hang it on the wall as art!

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Large Dotted Pinwheel, folded
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Alijack Baby Quilt – Large Dotted Pinwheel, front

Did you notice I did not mention the name of this quilt?  With so much going on I just didn’t come up with one.  Would you like to help me give it a name?  I’d love to hear your suggestions!  Let’s make it a contest, shall we?  I’ll pick a name from your suggestions and give the person that suggested that name a coupon for $20 off one of my Alijack Quilts!

Until next time, Linder

#4 – Twelve Quilts of Christmas

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You’ll frolic and play, the Eskimo, Penguin or Polar Bear way with this absolutely adorable and snuggly baby quilt!  Named Snowball, this flannel quilt will probably turn into someone’s “Linus” blanket, carried around everywhere. Really!!  Aren’t these Polar Bears and Penguins the cutest!!?!!  The print seems perfect for the holiday season but just think. . . it will still be fun even in the middle of summer.

It was too overcast today to get a good photo, but I will post more photos to Facebook as soon as I can get enough good light, hopefully tomorrow.  If you didn’t know, I have a Facebook page, so click on over there and Like my Page easily share my posts.

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Alijack Baby Quilt – Snowball

 

Alijack Baby Quilts  are thirty-six inches square and made with 100% cotton batting and fabric. The Snowball quilt has a grey cotton flannel backing.

Til next time!  Linder