Tu-Na Quilts: The Fourth and Final Stocking Stuffers Reveal–Does the Fun Have to End?

Does the fun have to end? That is a very good question. I’ve been giving that question some thought and decided that the answer is no, not here on Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats. Especially because of what I learned today. So read on and find out how you can be part of the ongoing fun. But first there’s some things still left in this stocking.

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Seriously, this stocking is packed. It’s kind of like the Tardis, for those of you who watch Dr. Who on TV; it’s small on the outside but big on the inside. Let’s empty it today.

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Every quilter needs a little jewelry and some candy in their stocking. This little stocking doesn’t disappoint in that department.

Now for a closer look at each goody:

Quilter’s Helper

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Since every Christmas stocking needs a bit of candy, why not pair it with some fun. Moda has a free printable template for a Quilter’s Emergency Kit (same idea with the candy) and can be downloaded here. Since my printer was not printing in color, I had to resort to plan B and used the wording as seen here at Quiltville. I think this would be really cute for the gals in your quilting guild.

Thimble Pincushion Necklace

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This is one tiny pincushion. It doubles nicely as a piece of jewelry. Wear this at your next guild meeting and all the gals will be eyeing it and want one for their own. It’s easy to make.

I snuck this one into the stocking after seeing Sarah’s post here that had a pic of one. I knew I wanted to make one to include. You can find the original tutorial on Sew Many Ways here. Since, I made it a bit differently, here’s a quick peek of my process so you can make one, too.

Materials Needed:

  • one 2.5″ square of fabric
  • one thimble
  • one very small wooden bead, pony bead, or small pieces of cardboard that fits all the way to the bottom of the thimble and extends about 1/3 of the way up (this offers support to the pincushion and gives you something to put glue on so that it will be secure.
  • one jewelry jump ring (I used a 1/2 inch, measured across inside edges, key ring that I had in my craft supplies) Check out your local craft store for jewelry making supplies or order online.
  • approx. 37″ leather lacing, a necklace chain, or ribbon
  • crushed walnut shells (see this post for further explanation of this item and to see how you can make a crushed walnut shell dispensing bottle)
  • a small bit of poly fiber fill or stuffing
  • heavy duty thread such as hand quilting or upholstery (while you can use other thread, I find these are the best when gathering by hand as they don’t break as easy)
  • hot glue

Directions:

Drill a small hole near the edge of the thimble.

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My husband, Tu-Na Helper, did this for me. I don’t do power tools.

Insert and then secure either the jewelry split ring or other jewelry finding. It’s that circle thing that connects the bauble with the chain or in my case the leather lacing.

Trace and cut out a 2″ circle from the fabric square. Hand sew a gathering stitch about 1/2″ from the circle’s edge. I find making a knot at the beginning helped when tightening but DO NOT KNOT the end as you want to be able to pull it tight to gather.

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Pull the threads, gathering the fabric into a little bowl and fill with crushed walnut shells. This bowl is small. Don’t overstuff this one.

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Top with some poly fiber fill, pull tight, knot, and sew the opening closed. Use your fingers to form and shape the cushion to fit the thimble. I needed to trim the extra fabric on the bottom so it would fit well.

Check the bead for size in the thimble. Add the cushion to see how it looks and if you need to adjust the cushion’s shape by molding it with your fingers. The alternative to using a bead is using lots of hot glue on the bottom.

Glue the wood bead into bottom of the thimble. Then add a dab of glue on top of the bead and a bit around the inside edges of the thimble. Insert the cushion and press, holding it for a few seconds.

String the leather lacing through the ring and tie a knot at the end.

Now take a selfie.

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I am not very good at taking selfies. Either my face was in the picture and the thimble was not or the thimble was in the picture and my face not. I opted to include this one.

 

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This wee one is so very pretty!!!

 

Supplies we don’t buy often enough for ourselves.

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Throughout the year, I use my 50% and 60% off coupons at JoAnn Fabrics (no affiliation). If I don’t need something for myself, I buy some extra little things for gifts. Here’s two quilting tools that always seem to need replacing but no one ever throws theirs away. Do you use seam rippers and pins when they are dull and bent? Your quilting friends will appreciate receiving packs of new ones. Thinking ahead and taking advantage of coupons and discounts at any of your favorite stores really can help the Christmas budget.

Ring Pincushion

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I followed the tutorial found on You Can Call Me Gwen here except:

  • I started with a 3 inch circle. The construction of the cushion part is the same as the cushion for the Pincushion pail found here  and hand sewed the gathering stitch 1/4″ from the edge on the right side of the fabric.
  • I used E 6000 (found at Walmart, no affiliation) to glue a ring base onto the outside top of a soda pop bottle cap instead of using elastic as in Gwen’s tutorial. E 6000 is a strong, fast-drying glue and will set in about 10 minutes. Ring bases can be bought at a craft store and I recommend getting the adjustable adult ones. Several years ago, I  ordered a bunch of them online. They arrived a month later probably on a slow boat from overseas. Although they are adjustable and the gal on the phone assured me they were adult size, they still are quite small. However, it fits my pinky without adjusting and works very well as a Pinky Ring Pincushion. But I’ve seen them fit some women’s ring fingers. So it might fit yours. These could also be strung through a chain or ribbon and worn around the neck.
  • I filled the cushion with crushed walnut shells and a bit of fiber fil to hold in the shells.
  • I used hot glue on the inside bottom and around the interior sides of the cap to glue the cushion into the bottle cap.
  • I hot glued on a small silk flower.

I will put together a tutorial of making these ring pincushions using my methods. I just ran out of time for this hop. But Christmas time, whether it comes in July or December, is hectic and there’s never enough time to finish everything one starts.

12DCIJ2017

July 14-25, 2017. Hosted by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

The 12 Days of Christmas in July continues today with:

 Tuesday, July 25th, 2017

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!—Day 12 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop

Confessions of a Fabric Addict Sarah has a list of all the bloggers that are doing a final wrap-up of this season, too. She’s provided a linky so you can showcase your Santa’s Trip Around the World if you were sewing along. You don’t have to be finished, just show what you’ve done.

 Christina’s Handicrafts Christina has been dabbling in small pieces, too. She’s got a couple of super cute projects to show. You might like to try making them, too.

Abyquilts Stars are an important part of Christmas and Aby has one to show and share. Star quilts will soon be twinkling all over blogland thanks to Aby and her free pattern.

 Kathy’s Kwilts and More Kathy’s back with more to show and she’s even brought a guest. She’s helping her granddaughter sew a special gift for her doll. Kathy’s extending her love of sewing as well as her love of giving. That’s one lucky little girl.

Remember to leave comments on each of these 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop posts so you can qualify to win some fabric giveaways of Tula Pink’s new holiday line, Holiday Homies, generously donated by Free Spirit Fabrics!!! You have through July 26th to leave comments on all of the 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop posts. But don’t worry, blog posts will remain available for a long time if you need to come back to check the tutorials or read them again and again.

Please note: Sarah has notified us that she needs to delay the announcement of winners until August 4th due to a family emergency. Winners will be notified by email then. I will be posting a list, too, as soon as I see it.

Here’s an updated picture of the prizes you could be winning if you are commenting on each of the blog posts.

Homies

Holiday Homies by Tula Pink from Free Spirit Fabrics.

I posted my 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop post on Monday, July 14, 2017 where I showed how to make a mini quilted stocking and a wreath that kids can make. Click here if you are looking for it. It also contains links that will take you directly to each blogger’s specific 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop post to make it more convenient for you to comment or find that project long after the hop is over. 

My first stocking stuffer reveal (Pincushion in a Pail) happened here, the second stocking stuffer reveal (Strawberry Pincushion) happened here, and the third stocking stuffer reveal (Pretty Pillow Pincushion) happened here. Here’s a picture recap of what I’ve created for this hop:

What I Learned Today:

  1. This is my 111th post.
  2. I now have over 320 followers having added 25 more this week.
  3. Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats has had over 10,000 visitors since its first post April 22, 2016.
  4. My 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop post, Tu-Na Quilts: On the Fourth Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me…, published on Monday, July 17, 2017 and was my most viewed post to date. My blog has had over 23,000 views meaning that visitors are reading more posts than the first one they come to.
  5. I have had visitors from 56 countries.
  6. Readers have left 1,524 comments. I am having difficulty replying to them all.  It may take me some time yet. I have read and appreciated every one of them!
  7. I think those are all pretty good statistics for being only 15 months old! I am humbled and honored.
  8. So it’s time for a celebration and a great big thank you!

Giveaway Alert:

This giveaway is now closed.The Random Number generator picked #2. 

Random number generation / Random Numbers

Generate number between 1 and  110 = 2

This was verified by Tu-Na Helper that I did this correctly. Congratulations to Jean McKinstry.

Jean McKinstry July 25, 2017 at 3:03 am

I met you during the 12 days of Christmas Blog hop, and you are now on my blog list, I follow you with Blogger. 

I will be contacting you for your shipping info and mailing the stocking and all the goodies to you. Thank you to everyone who stopped and commented. This was so much fun I’ll have to do it again.

I’ve had way too much fun to just let it end. So as a thank you to my followers and visitors, I would like to do my own little giveaway for THIS STOCKING AND ALL OF ITS CONTENTS!!!

To enter:

  • Leave one comment on this post through August 1st.  This giveaway is now closed. One winner will be drawn and notified by email. Please make sure you leave your email in the comment form. I will update this post with the winner’s first name as well as write a separate post after connecting with them by email. International entries are welcome. 
  • My followers, new and old, can have an extra entry by leaving one more comment on this post letting me know how you follow me. If you are new here, just check my sidebar to follow me by Bloglovin, WordPress, or email and then let me know in a comment which way you chose.

Question: What gift did you receive or give that left the most memorable impression on you or the receiver? For me, not counting the Purple Thang story that I shared here, the most memorable gifts were the two quilts that my mom and I secretly worked on together and gifted last Christmas. I was not only able to spend lots of time with my mom but also produced two very beautiful quilts. I still need to write a blog post about them so I won’t say anything more.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

Linking to:

114 thoughts on “Tu-Na Quilts: The Fourth and Final Stocking Stuffers Reveal–Does the Fun Have to End?

  1. Jean McKinstry

    The gift I remember as being so special, was a Mother’s day gift, from my own Mum and Dad to me, and the special ones I have given, one bag, another bag, and a wall hanging, have all gone North to blog friends, each one as a total surprise, involving family or friends for addresses, And one more, also a surprise, with an owl on the pocket, will go next week to Utah. Giving is a gift we give ourselves, the joy of making, and the happiness of those who receive. Your gifts are a delight, every one.

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    1. Jean McKinstry

      To get an email this morning, to know I was picked by Random generator, with Mt Tu-Na as supervisor, and to see I wrote those words on my birthday, makes this extra special, Thank you so much Karen for the give-away, it will be an extra-special mail delivery down here in new Zealand when it arrives. I think I might print out the little poem I wrote for you and attach it to the itsy-tiny pin cushion. it so deserves a medal for tiniest wee treasure. Greetings from a cold morning down here.

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  2. smilesfromkate

    The most special gift ever for me is my wedding ring, bought by my husband and placed on my finger seventeen years ago.

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  3. smilesfromkate

    A lot has happened since I first met you on the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop 2016. I have followed you via Bloglovin ever since. It has been a pleasure to watch you grow and develop. I can only imaging how wonderful your blog will be in another year, you go from strength to strength.

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  4. Allison Evrard

    The gift that amazed me at the time (and still amazes me) was an artist’s easel from my father. While in high school I was doing some sketching (no lessons, just for myself) and had no idea that he noticed. He gave me the easel one Christmas and I still have it 50 years later.

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  5. Jan Snell

    I have met you through Sarah’s blog hop and have been following you as a favourite on Safari. Too many sentimental gifts to choose just one but I have loved receiving travel photo albums of shared travels with my adult children. I love having any occasion to give a quilt. Janice.snell@gmail.com

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  6. spierssusan

    Your thimble pin cushion necklace is so sweet! As for my special gift-not for Christmas-a quilt I made for my granddaughters graduation from high school & her entering college! I’ve had fun on this hop & will miss reading all the posts with gift ideas-Thank you, Susan spierssusan52@gmail.com

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  7. makingscraps

    Great little stocking stuffers! I gave a simple book on wine making and a several ornate glass bottles to a cousin who had just bought a house with lots of berry bushes. 30 years later, they were still making wines.

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  8. nancy lewis

    I love your thimble idea, but thought how cute with would be as a fob on a key chain or zipper pull. Great ideas and I have loved reading about your projects.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. Anita Jackson

    i treasure a couple of sea shell boxes my sons bought for me in their middle school years~ And a bracelet my son got on a boyscout adventure! they are such wonderful thoughtful sons!

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  10. The Joyful Quilter

    Thanks for the extra gift ideas! My most memorable gift was when my Dad gave me my quilting machine for my 40th birthday and followed it up with a top-of-the-line Babylock serger that I had been saving for.

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  11. Gretchen

    I don’t have a special gift I remember receiving for Christmas. To me, Christmas has always been about family getting together during the holidays. These family get togethers mean more each year as we are all aging and there are more and more grandchildren coming being born.

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  12. Gretchen

    I’ve been following you ever since you’ve start blogging. I’ll never forget the saga of you and your husband’s shop hop journey across Minnesota or was it Wisconsin? Anyway, it was a lovely to read.

    Like

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  13. Sharon Browne

    The most special gifts I received were from my grandmother. Every Christmas she would make me a pair of flannel pajamas to wear on Christmas eve. I knew I could look forward to that every year.

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  14. Barbara Kaup

    I always remember a rag doll and a teddy bear my sister and I received one year for Christmas–made by our mother who was a wonderful sewer and quilter!
    barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)

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  15. Tonia Conner

    One of the most memorable Christmas gift was last year. This was from a son who is big, burly and gruff most of the time. And appears not to be paying attention most of the time. He doesn’t show his heart often to others. I’ve been wanting a mid arm quilter for a long time, having to wait for finances. He quietly handed me an envelope with a large sum toward my machine. It wasn’t the money (maybe a little bit) but that he wanted me to have the machine. Obviously he pays more attention than I think.

    That stocking held quite a few lovely projects. What a thoughtful surprise on your part , Thank you

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  16. Loris Mills

    Congrats on a successful year of blogging! You have added a lot of inspiration! My most memorable quilt gift was probably the first. It was my first quilt to complete and I gave it to my nephew who was graduating from high school. He loved it. I also still get to enjoy it as I had take a picture of it with my beloved golden retriever who casually just posed underneath it. I have that picture framed to enjoy seeing her still.
    Thank you for the sweet giveaway. Those M&M’s are calling me. 🙂
    lorismills at charter dot net

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  17. Patty

    Thank you for a wonderful blog hop! I really enjoy your blog posts and your learnings at the end of each of them. My favorite gift is always time with my family. It seems we are all so busy these days, and extra family time fills my heart.

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  18. Jayne P

    Thirty five years ago my husband bought me my first sewing machine and it was a total surprise. I’ve still got and it works perfectly.

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  19. Laura

    A dear friend who has a very busy life due to care giving responsibilities made me a quilt for a special birthday. She quilted messages of love and encouragement into the quilt. I treasure my friend and this quilt and always will.

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  20. dezertsuz

    What a wonderful stocking for a stitcher! Thank you so much for sharing all your cute and simple-to-do ideas over several days. I have enjoyed myself reading all the posts.

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  21. Bonnie Browne

    My most memorable Christmas gift is a quilt my daughter-in-law made for me from my dad and mom’s clothes the Christmas after my mom passed away in August. there were tears. Thank you for all the wonderful stocking stuffers.

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  22. Chiska

    Most recently I made a little wall quilt for the lady who started the quilt club here where I live. She’s an amazing person and I wanted to say thanks. Anyway, when I gave it to her she said, “A quilt for me?! NO one has ever made ME a quilt!” It made me smile all the way inside.

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  23. rl2b2017

    Hi Karen,
    Well, I never expected one more cute little pin cushion of sorts to sneak inside that stocking. It is very in-keeping with the other treats you shared on this hop. I do use bent pins ~hanging my head~ and sometimes I end up throwing away Joann’s coupons, too. Geez. I have been using those cute little Clover clips more lately, though. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  24. Nicole Sender

    The best gift I ever gave was a quilt to my son and his wife. It was so appreciated! My son couldn’t believe I finished it on time! I have appreciated your blog posts throughout this blog hop!

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  25. Pat T.

    Karen, I am SO impressed with all the hard work and creativity that you have put into this!!
    **Thank you!*, for the wealth of ideas, projects, and tutorials you have shared!!
    (Your tutorials are so clear and well-written!)
    Now!… Where to begin??!
    Pat T.

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  26. Pat T.

    Oh!… I follow your blog by email!
    (I’m so glad that you were part of Sarah’s 12 Days of Christmas in July, so that I “discovered” your blog!)
    I’m looking forward to seeing what you create!
    *Thank you!*, for sharing and inspiring!
    Pat T.

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  27. Sarah Craig

    Such a fun stocking full of great and useful gifts! I give my grandchildren an “annual” quilt each year, and I try to make each one say something about their year – be made out of their favorite color, or feature some favorite item – I made one for my eldest granddaughter that had scooters, scarves, and puppies on it, three things she adored that year. The next year, she was rattling off a long list of things she wanted Papa to buy her for Christmas, and when I said, “Oh really?” she said, “I only want one thing from you, Nana – my quilt!” That makes it all worth it…

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  28. Heather

    My husband is great at surprise gifts. He’s given me several memorable ones over the last 25 years…I only wish I was as good at gift giving (and secret shopping)!

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  29. Sandi

    I enjoyed the Christmas Blog Hop so much! You are all very creative people. I loved what was in your stocking. Such wonderful ideas. The best gift that I made was a memory quilt for my mother-in-law. I had family send me pictures and used pansy fabric as that was my mil favorite flower. She cried when she received it and showed it off to everyone but wouldn’t use it.

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  30. Kathy h

    My mother in law wanted a cross stitch wall hanging of flowers and I made it for her. I enjoyed making it for her and was so happy that she wanted me to make it for her.

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  31. Susan

    My most memorable Christmas gift is the album of my life my mom made me from her pictures and mementos. This was the last Christmas gift she gave me as she died from cancer a month later.

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  32. Kathy E.

    When I was about 8years old, my mom had fallen on the ice and broke her ankle just before the holidays. She was laid up in bed, but knew her kids (8 of us) needed present for Christmas! While we were in school, she hand-sewed pajamas for each of us! She had a neighbor lady cut the pattern out of “material”, then she got to work to make jammies. I treasured those jammies and wore them ragged! duchick at gmail dot com

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  33. Thunder

    Best gifts I have received, are my children and grandchildren. After that, my sewing machines, all of them have been great surprises, the first was from my husband’s grandmother, the rest from my wonderful husband

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  34. Ashley

    Thanks for sharing so many ideas! It’s been fun watching you unpack the stocking this past week! My best gift ever is my daughter! I found out I had been granted permission to adopt her around the holidays and finalized her adoption a year later right before Christmas!

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  35. Delissa Crellin

    A gift that I gave to my mother for Christmas many years ago will always stay in my mind because of her reaction was my wedding and engagement ring after I divorced. I had them cleaned up to look brand new, she was overcome with emotion and it was so lovely to see tht they would be enjoyed by someone else. delissac@hotmail.com

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  36. Linda Williamson

    My memoriable gifts are one of my first quilts I gave to my mom and my most recent quilt I gifted to my son and his new wife for their wedding. So much love wet into both. Thanks for sharing your wonderful projects and congrats. grinnie1961 at gmail dot com

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  37. inquiringquilter

    Oh I was hoping you’d link this up to Wednesday Wait Loss! Thank you. I have enjoyed seeing all the wonderful gifts in your stocking!

    Like

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  38. Pingback: Tu-Na Quilts: The Day After Christmas in July | Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

  39. Betty K

    I moved here to be near my daughter (besides getting away from snow). Every Sunday we go to her place and enjoy a great meal and conversations. That is my greatest gift in my older age.

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  40. Rosa

    The gift that amazed me was the engaged ringn.I couldn”t stop.crying and also I make a.skirt to one of my sisters and she gifted me kisses and hugs.She was so excited .

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  41. Rosa

    I do follow your blog.Thanks you for the fun.

    I couldn’t follow all the hop but the onesnI read were fantastic.There are great gift ideas and tutorials.Thanks you all for sharing.

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  42. Susan G

    My most memorable gift was from my husband. We had just been married and he gave me a wheelbarrow!! Really? He thought it would be helpful as I wanted to build a stone wall. I got jewelry for many years after that awful gift!

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  43. thedarlingdogwood

    I love that wearable thimble pin cushion! I even have a metal thimble I don’t use; I’ll have to see if Husband can drill a hole in it for me.

    This year for Valentine’s Day, my husband made me a wooden picture frame with a picture of us and our son in it. That’s one of my all-time favorite presents. I make things as gifts a lot (don’t all of us quilters?!) but he does not, so that adds to it being special.

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  44. Susan

    At my age, I have received lots of gifts. I think the one that meant the most was a hand stitched and hand quilted quilt made by my mother before she died. I knew how precious it was that I didn’t put it on my queen bed. It was stolen from my home. I was heartbroken and worse at the way I was treated by the huge robbery by the police and the DA. That was not the only thing stolen. Most all of the material things that I inherited from my parents were stolen.

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  45. Pingback: Tu-Na Travels: ♪Over Hill. Over Dale. We Will Hit the Dusty Trail. As the Quilt Hop Goes Rolling Along….♪ | Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

  46. Nanc

    Best gift ever? My Husband!
    I follow you by email, look forward to each post, enjoy your touches of humor and your Things I Learned Today. Thank you for the instructions to make the sock and wonderful filler ideas. My 3 quilting buddies will each be getting one this year.

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  47. Barb Mader

    This past summer I did some deep cleaning and found the teddy bear my aunt/godmother gave me when I was 8 years old, which makes the bear 50 years old. My Aunt Roselyn passed away 2 years ago and before she died I quilted a birdhouse wallhanging for her with fabric I purchased at a quilter’s estate sale. The pattern was found at a thrift store. She was a thrift store volunteer and avid garage saler so it was perfect for her. Her family even hung it up at her wake. I miss her so!

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  48. Susan

    I enjoyed reading about your Quilt MN shop hop experience last year, and am looking forward to this year’s also! Thank you!!

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