At last!

Yes, I can finally post a picture of the completed block that I've been struggling to get done.  It was a 'bear' and it took me 6 days.

 I struggled with the y-seam construction at the corners and sides of this block.

 I found that I had to undo the end of the sewn seams in order to make the insets lay flat after they were sewn.

 So, I used teeny, tiny pins on one side and regular pins on the other when I pinned.  It made it easier to sew around the pins.

Almost half done... and looking pretty good.













And the final result.  The greens are probably too similar in color to make this block show up to it's intricate advantage, but as I've said before...I have a real problem choosing fabrics that go together.







The holiday season seems to put me in the mood to try new methods of crafting so when my dd lent me a book to read about making japanese gift bags etc., I jumped right in.  Haven't completed anything because I picked a purse to make and it required more handwork than I could handle.  I still like the idea and I'll give it another whirl at some point - this year, I hope. lol

Here's the project I made a bit of progress on.










And the book - Omiyage - of really pretty patterns for anyone who likes itty-bitty stitching.











I'm going to start on this year-long project to make Just Takes 2 while continuing with my yellow quilt.
(Quote:  Just Takes 2™ is a mystery quilt.  It is divided into four main sections. It’s finished size without borders is 72 X 90 inches. Every three months, you will receive instructions for assembling one section of the quilt. By the end of the year, you will put all four sections together. The blocks are 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 inches. There are both pieced and appliqued blocks, although the majority of the quilt is pieced.)

I love redwork and can't wait to do some embroidery.  If you want to join in, the block patterns for Just Takes 2 will be posted once every three months; six are up now...just go to Sentimental Stitches and click on the red link at the bottom of the January 1st blog post.  The more, the merrier!  And it's a pretty quilt.

Hope 2012 will be a wonderful one for everyone...