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Project Discussions:  Christmas festivities  |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
2019 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
2019 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 12 2025 : 11:39:10 AM
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| I'm so excited! We're going to milk a little early and then drive over to Berne, Indiana to experience their Christmas market in the dark. It is not nearly as big as the one in Carmel where I met Ginny, but it should still be wonderful to see the lights at night. What Christmas fun are you all up to? Anyone baking cookies yet? Or wrapping gifts? Those are on my list for next week. |
~Heather
“I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.” — George Washington |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
10896 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
10896 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2025 : 12:10:24 PM
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| Gifts are all made/bought and wrapped. Only one left to post. I am making fudge and cookies next week. I have my treat bags made up for my kids on Wednesday night. Last one till after Christmas break. Cards are all done and sent and now I'm just relaxing getting things cleaned and enjoying the snow we got last night, watching movies and drinking hot things. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
538 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2025 : 06:26:05 AM
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Ya'll are so organized!
I am mostly focused on drinking hot things and shaking this cold. My scout troop is selling/shopping for small Christmas presents today at a parking lot pop-up, Fallon will do it all over again at her school on Wednesday and we might be furiously pouring candles and 3D printing more '6-7' Elf on a Shelf necklaces for the remainder of the weekend depending on what merchandise moves today.
What do folks do for fabric sourcing these days? Someone has sewing material persistently on her wishlist and I'm not sure where to go with Joann out of business... |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
10896 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
10896 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2025 : 06:30:50 AM
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| I mostly get mine at Hobby Lobby. On rare occasions I might buy at Walmart. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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treelady
True Blue Farmgirl
1304 Posts
Julie
medina
ND
USA
1304 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2025 : 3:32:36 PM
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| My gifts are all wrapped. Still need to finish my cards, but that is planned after church tomorrow. We have the grands church program to attend tomorrow. We will be spending the rest of the Christmas season quietly at home until Christmas Eve. Keith just had surgery on his leg so some healing is required. I order a lot of fabric online. I never really liked the quality of much of Joann’s fabric. Local quilt stores are always a good option. |
A little rain can straighten a flower stem. A little love can change a life.
Max Lucado |
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debbieklann
True Blue Farmgirl
3323 Posts
Debbie
Madras
OR
USA
3323 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2025 : 9:22:21 PM
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| Julie, do you have any favorites? I really like fatquartershop. |
Debbie Klann
Farmgirl Sister #770
2018 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
January 2020 FGOTM
"Well behaved women seldom make history"...
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
538 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2025 : 10:08:58 AM
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| These are all really good. I am so new, I might go to Hobby Lobby and look for a local quilt shop because they say it is important to touch/see fabric to learn more about it (do you all agree? Were you born knowing about the merits of different blends of fabrics or if not, what did you find was most instructive?) ...Then over to fatquartershop and whichever Julie suggests when the shops are closed and I have a better sense for what I'm doing. Thank you so much everyone! |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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debbieklann
True Blue Farmgirl
3323 Posts
Debbie
Madras
OR
USA
3323 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2025 : 12:57:57 PM
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I don’t want to sound like a fabric snob but you really can feel a difference between good quality cotton fabric and seconds. It will feel smooth and be tightly woven and have a nice weight to it. I’ve seen the “same” fabric in a quilt store and a store like Joann’s. The design printed on the fabric might look the same but the fabric quality is not. If you’re just learning or trying something out, maybe a less expensive fabric would work. But if you’re going to make something that you want to last, use the best that you can afford. Brad told me it’s always nice to work with “ good tools” :)
You can find yourself going down a rabbit hole shopping for fabric online…just a warning!! Have fun!!!! |
Debbie Klann
Farmgirl Sister #770
2018 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
January 2020 FGOTM
"Well behaved women seldom make history"...
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
538 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2025 : 05:41:55 AM
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| Great advice, Debbie. Brad reminds me of that quip about being "too broke to buy cheap things." But then the dilemma that kids and a newbie like me can be so prolific in their rough drafts that maybe museum quality isn't quite what we're after just yet. I'm looking forward to still be hopping through this rabbit hole come Easter, hehe! |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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debbieklann
True Blue Farmgirl
3323 Posts
Debbie
Madras
OR
USA
3323 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2025 : 06:58:14 AM
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I will use leftover fabric if I’m trying out an idea and getting the bugs worked out of it before I use my nice fabric. One year Silas was into making flags of different countries and the broadcloth from Joann’s was just perfect for that project! My grandma was a dressmaker and she would make something out of cheap muslin first to get the fit just right. Then she’d take that apart and use it for her pattern when she cut it out of the pretty fabric.
The online fabric store rabbit hole….wait until you discover the jelly rolls and layer cakes…;) |
Debbie Klann
Farmgirl Sister #770
2018 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
January 2020 FGOTM
"Well behaved women seldom make history"...
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
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LauraBell
True Blue Farmgirl
400 Posts
Laura
Corpus Christi
TX
USA
400 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2025 : 07:35:37 AM
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What a fun combination of threads (ha!)
First on Festivities - I am running behind but I'm okay with it. Just got home from a weekend in East Texas. My son graduated from UT Tyler Saturday so my daughter and her family drove down and we went to lunch. He didn't want to walk but I didn't want to lose his graduation in our Christmas festivities. We all chipped in and got him a KitchenAid mixer and he was totally surprised. He enjoys cooking (after he took a chemistry class on cooking) so he will enjoy using it I hope. We brought Caroline home until everyone joins us next week. We are going to meet Santa today - so excited as my daughter would not ever sit on Santa's lap for pictures and she wasn't interested in taking Caroline. So it will be a special LaLa and Aunt Jen moment!
I've got to finish shopping (just a bit more to do for the more difficult men - my dad and brother), wrapping, cards, and decorating! I'm just focusing on the moment and not letting myself stress.
Now - on to the fun fabric discussion - definitely recommend quality fabric for quilting and projects that you want to last. You can really tell the difference. I did shop at JoAnns for their licensed fabrics and their fleece. Locally we have a couple quilt shops but my sister and I tend to visit quilt stores when we travel to find the fabric lines and designers we like. We do order online sometimes - here are some of our go-to shops - Fat Quarter Shop, Missouri Star, Shabby Fabrics, Spoonflower (great for hard to find prints as it's usually artist created fabrics rather than big name designers). My sister's university celebrates Shark Week as they do a lot of research - and she bought shark fabric to make a shirt to wear that week. One of our quilty friends had a family member request a Christmas stocking made from dart board fabric and she found it there.
If you need more, just let me know. If you are on instagram or facebook - check out destash sales as a lot of folks often will sell fabric or kits at a good price. Because of course, we all buy more than we can possibly use!
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Laura
Happy to be Farmgirl #7286 |
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debbieklann
True Blue Farmgirl
3323 Posts
Debbie
Madras
OR
USA
3323 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2025 : 07:56:14 AM
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| Oh! I forgot about Spoonflower! You can get the design you want printed onto different fabrics…stretchy knit to sewing weight to a heavier weight. Our high school mascot is the White Buffalo and I found the perfect fabric there! I got fabric to make a shirt for our son in law who is the wrestling coach and then stretchy cotton to make the little girls leggings and skirts….so fun! |
Debbie Klann
Farmgirl Sister #770
2018 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
January 2020 FGOTM
"Well behaved women seldom make history"...
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
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Jokamartell
True Blue Farmgirl
1689 Posts
Karen
Kennewick
WA
USA
1689 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2025 : 7:49:45 PM
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I second all the companies that Laura suggested!! :) I also follow a small quilt store in Clanton, Alabama. It’s called Sew Charming. They ship too. They have a great you tube channel!
Chris, to find “practice” fabric, check out thrift stores. Not just for actual fabric but for large cotton dresses, sheets, table clothes, etc. You can usually get a good chunk of fabric for fairly inexpensive. This summer, my daughter turned a table cloth she thrifted into a skirt. Cutest thing ever!!
As for activities….running horribly behind, as always! I have my cards made but still need to write in them and mail…after I buy stamps. Presents have been purchased, just waiting for them to be delivered and then I will start wrapping. Made fudge last week….its already gone! Need to mail a few more things out as well. |
Karen :)
To quote one of my past preschoolers “Not one of those Karens, but a good Karen”! Haha |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
10896 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
10896 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2025 : 03:56:20 AM
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Made 6 1/2 dozen cookies yesterday morning. Sugar cookie cutouts. Annie and and Vi came to help decorate. Annie is very artistic so it took a long time to do 15 cookies. About an hour and a half and Vi did 6, so I spent most part of the day finishing the other 45 and getting dishes done and cleaning up as well as a few other things.
We are having our Christmas with family here on the 20th.
I have given a lot of my fabric away except for the stash I have set aside for certain projects. I am going to have to check out Spoonflower. I've never shopped at that one. I do like Missouri star and Fat Quarter shop. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
Edited by - levisgrammy on Dec 20 2025 02:41:28 AM |
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LauraBell
True Blue Farmgirl
400 Posts
Laura
Corpus Christi
TX
USA
400 Posts |
Posted - Dec 18 2025 : 07:27:46 AM
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Morning all - the days are just slipping by! Hope you all are doing well and finding some time for just enjoying the season.
Got my cards mailed last night - hoping they will arrive in a timely manner. Last year I think some of my cards were still arriving in January even though I posted them early in December.
Today Caroline and I are helping my dad host his swimming pool/exercise class party here at his house. Then tomorrow we will be hosting my sister's library work party at our house..... and then Saturday we'll be hosting our Sew Inspired quilting group Christmas get together at our house. A whirlwind to be sure and a bit more "exciting" with the addition of a 4 year old!
My daughter and son-in-law arrive Sunday night and we start baking on Monday. My son will come home and then we'll have a house full which makes me so happy!
We'll be at almost 80 degrees here at Christmas so I'll be enjoying reading about your snowy holiday for sure!
Sending holiday hugs to all the Wildflowers!
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Laura
Happy to be Farmgirl #7286 |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
538 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2025 : 09:17:17 AM
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ooh, tracking down muslin to prototype, now there's an idea! And seeing what I can find at a thrift shop-- I'm gifting her a seam ripper for Christmas.
I love reading about all the wonderful traditions that are keeping you all busy, thank you for starting this thread, Heather! (and sorry for the [very educational] sidetrack into fabric vendors). |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
2019 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
2019 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2025 : 5:35:44 PM
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| I absolutely love reading that Fallon is getting into sewing! I don't mind talking fabric and Christmas at the same time LOL! I use a lot of fabric for Christmas :) Right now though mine is more of the JoAnn's cheap stuff that I've accumulated. The cows eat up a lot of my budget (literally with all the hay we have to buy). I have not ordered any so I can't tell you anything about it, but Michaels is taking over JoAnn's fabric if you wanted to get some cheaper fabric for beginner projects. I think it's only online not in stores yet though. |
~Heather
“I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.” — George Washington |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
538 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2025 : 08:00:26 AM
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Strike that, *2* seam rippers (always good to have a spare). By the way, Fallon thanks you for the stocking stuffer, Karen!
Good tip on Michaels, Heather -- I walked through a Michaels store fabric section and felt like I had gotten very off track but you are right that they do have a lot of stuff listed online. Hobby Lobby was another story entirely; how did it take me so long to find that rabbit hole?! |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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Project Discussions: Christmas festivities |
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Christmas festivities
