Hello there –

I cannot believe it is already December 7th. I finished my Christmas tree skirt last night! (I am beginning to love hand sewing binding while we watch TV in the evenings. Relaxing!)

If you’re searching for a free, quilted Christmas tree skirt pattern, you can find the one I used here. It was a video tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Company. I give it an A+.

While I was binding, I had plenty of time to think.

I realized…

This is our first Christmas tree,

in our first home,

& it will be our first Christmas spent together!

(Marriage really is a blessing & all of the “firsts” are so wonderful.)

This Christmas season has been extra special for me because it is the first time John & I have ever been in the same state during Christmas. Wierd. Chalk it up to a long distance relationship. The closest John & I were to spending Christmas together was last year when he came to Missouri for my graduation on December 15th. I think we finally exchanged our gifts sometime near February. 

First Free Motion Quilting Project

Enough with the sentimental, but — one more “first.” I free motion quilted this tree skirt. All by my myself! Yippee! That means I get to cross of #5 on my Quilt Bucket List! 

I definitely haven’t mastered the process & it was SUPER stressful. I also cussed a few times. As a beginner, there is nothing freeing about free-motion quilting. In fact, it made my shoulders quite stiff!

I finally had the courage to “take the first step” of pinning & layering while Grandma Georgia was here for Thanksgiving. She does hand quilting, so she guided me through the pinning & prep process. It is basically the same for free-motion, long arm or hand quilting.

Ta-da! Scribbles.

My loops are very messy & of alternating sizes. But, I’ll get there. After all, it is a Christmas season of firsts!