First, an early distant warning about Candlemas prep.
We who have survived the Christmas season which included a power outage in the middle of our 7th Day/New Year's Eve gathering, necessitating lighting not just some, but virtually all of our candles lest we stumble around in the pitch dark (and it was magical and lovely, actually, to sing our carols by candlelight only), are reduced to burning stubs of Advent candles on this late date of the 10th of January.
Time to order. (My usual sources have dried up in the votive department. I used to be able to keep well supplied with quality 10-hour votives at Marshall's. I think I will be ordering these.)
I finished the quilt!
I don't know if you can see that the quilting thread (pearl or perle cotton) is quite pink.
This quilt took on a life of its own and there's nothing I can say about the design choices — they just happened. Other than that Rosie suggested the flying geese (ish) design and I went with that.
It's now safely on Finnabee's bed!
Donna L. says
Hello, Auntie Leila and thank you for the Candlemas reminder!
Last year I hurriedly tucked our candles we had purchased to have blessed in a grocery bag–they were so heavy!
My husband brought them to Mass for us, and was embarrassed by all of the lovely and thoughtfully arranged candles that other parishioners brought as he compared it to my inelegant offering of paper and plastic!
I have a large basket this year and wish to arrange the candles more carefully! Do you also put matches or lighters in to be blessed?
A continued Happy New Year to you
Leila says
Donna, well, remember the time (I did post about it) that I took my already burned candles to be blessed?? Obviously that’s dumb. Better a paper bag… haha!
I don’t think the matches and lighters go in there, though. I’m sure you will have a lovely basket this year!
Donna L. says
Yes, I *did* remember that post! I think I accidentally tucked a few in that we had already lit, too….now I know better!
Thank you~
diane says
It is lovely! I always love your color choices; this particular one makes me happy just to look at it. Finnabee is one lucky grandkid!
Cami says
I love your quilt. My kids have store bought quilts but I hope someday I might learn to make them myself. We have no quilters in the family. I don’t suppose I’ll have the time to learn until my kids are grown.
Piper says
That is so lovely! I wish I had the color courage that you demonstrate! I always over think my quilts, and as a result, few get finished!
Please tell me about the hand quilting! Do you have it in a frame while you stitch? Do you spend hours basting the layers? It looks so lovely when finished!
Leila says
Piper, I don’t use a frame (I have used one and I just don’t bother anymore). I’ve basted all the ways, and now I am here to tell you that basting spray is the bomb (as our own Annie has told me and finally I listened). Just use your 50% Joann’s coupon or order it here:
http://amzn.to/2jsLWgM
I have many posts about quilting, and you will see that I have tried it all. This is the way to go! Get everything exactly as you want it. Then do the batting by rolling up the top two layers, spraying, and rolling them down, little by little. Then do the same with the top layer on the batting. Do 18″ or so at a time, rolling and smoothing as you go.
Thanks for the compliment! I am happy with it!
Sophie says
Ooh beautiful! Can I ask some quilting questions? Did you do the embroidery through all the layers? Is that the quilting that holds it all together? Trying to gather ideas of how to do a quilt by hand with no quilt frame.
Leila says
Sophie, yes, it’s (a sturdy version of) embroidery thread, but you are quilting with it. The basting holds everything together — I just start in the middle and go outwards, and all is well.
Lisa G. says
Yes, I noticed the pink. If you say it took on a life of its own, there’s no more to be said about it! 😀 Except it’s great. 🙂
Gill says
There is a link on Susan Branch’s blog to a monestry in New England that makes beeswax candles for sale. I only wish I were able to purchase from overseas but I am sure the postage would be too high. Apparently they are a very good quality and price.
Gill says
I checked now; it is The Holy Nativity Convent in Brookline Mass.
Rain says
I order my candles from them all the time. They’re so lovely and well priced!
Kimberlee says
Your quilt is beautiful! So pretty and cheery, and I always like the look of perle quilting. The ‘life of its own’ part only makes it better, of course.
Your candlelit New Year’s sounds lovely. Have you ever made candles with your own beeswax? The smell is heavenly.
Leila says
Kimberlee, I have made a few candles, but the wicks I got were not that great. I need to figure things out, because yes! they smell so wonderful. I have quite a bit of wax at the moment. I guess this is the time! What do you use?
Kimberlee says
We first made pillars using juice concentrate cans, but they did not burn well at all (we probably had the wrong size wick as part of the problem). We eventually re-melted them and made tapers. They are lovely and we burn them on our home altar for rosary time or on the table for special occasions. We have the taper mold from Jas. Townsend http://jas-townsend.com/candle-making-c-69_30.html It’s pricey but my husband bought it for a Christmas gift, and it works really well. You can see our candles here http://ponderedinmyheart.typepad.com/pondered_in_my_heart/2015/02/candlemas-.html There is also a link in the comments for a video on candlemaking with the molds. We have never tried to make votives, but that would be good to learn. We have used wick from Jas. or the craft store and it’s all worked fine. The stuff in the craft store will usually have a chart for what size wick for what size candle.
Incidentally Townsend has lots of fun historical repro stuff which is great for gifts, and their you tube channel has many interesting/educational living history videos.
Stephanie in Germany says
Do you have a special place at home for the blessed candles? and really only reserve them for Feast days or for the prayer table? My husband (german) told me his grandfather had a pair of blessed candles per year only for dire circumstances: terrible storm, impending death… so really only for extreme situations. I, on the other hand, also bring a full basket to church on Candlemas. and sometimes grab them for the Sunday dinner table or forget I have them for Feast days…;-( How do you manage/use your blessed candles?
Are the ELFA candles you mentioned in your old Candlemas post possibly the same candles we have here called EIKA? I use these also!
Leila says
Stephanie, I have all my candles blessed. I just use them. I don’t have a profane use for candles — just at the dinner table or at my little oratory or on my windowsill, so I don’t make a distinction. I have my tall votives for emergencies when the power goes out or for outdoors when we are eating on the deck.
I’ve read up on it and I think this is valid. The home is a blessed place.
I long ago decided that I would NOT be able to keep blessed and unblessed candles separate, and I would just go with using what I have.
As the year goes on, I often run out and buy and use other candles that then are not blessed, and oh well, that is how it is.
I looked up the EIKA candles — thank you! I wish that Marshall’s still got them — they were the best tapers I’ve ever had. I see the ones for the Christmas ornaments online, and will restock.
Emily says
This may be a silly question, but where do you find pearl thread? Is it at craft stores like Joann’s? Thank you!
Leila says
Yes, Emily, they have it at Joann’s, above the regular embroidery thread.
Here is a post with some links on how I do it:
http://www.likemotherlikedaughter.org/2013/07/maximum-quilt-cuteness-with-minimum-work/
You need a sharp needle with a large-ish eye, a metal thimble, and a rubber thimble for your index “pulling” finger. It’s a little hard on your hand!
I have a tutorial for how to spare your muscles here: http://www.likemotherlikedaughter.org/2010/05/little-tutorial-to-relieve-stress-from/
Susan (DE) says
I really like the blue, and the design. (I’m not an orange person, especially, but I see that it makes it nice and spunky. *smile*)
Question: Did you ever finish -slash – post about Sukie’s wedding quilt? Or Deirdre’s? I just like to see them. But I may have missed them.
Thanks!!
Leila says
Well, Susan, no, I did not finish OR post about those quilts, because I have not STARTED said quilts or even really planned them.
But thanks for bringing up my quilt tardiness. 😉
Susan (DE) says
NO, NO! Do NOT FEEL BADLY!! NOT my point! I am not even promising quilts to people (aside from one apiece to my children — down to the last two…) — I am buried under quilt projects! I just wanted to be sure I hadn’t MISSED anything. 🙂
Leila says
Haha, I’m only teasing. And poking fun at my behindness. You haven’t missed anything, and I know you wouldn’t nudge me 🙂 Real crafters know how it goes…