Redwork and Roadie Bags

My husband grumbles that I never met a piece of embroidery that I didn't love.  It's true; I even created a program to focus on this passion entitled, "A Perfect Match: Embroidery and Quilting."

I also love to make embroidered quilts and thought I would share a holiday piece I completed a few years ago:

I've been blessed to have an extensive collection of old transfers; most I inherited from my grandmothers and others were given to me by elderly women who had given up sewing.  These blocks came originated from transfers offered in The Workbasket magazine:  

People often ask me how I manage to accomplish the completion of so many blocks.  The answer is easy: always have a roadie bag ready.  A roadie bag is usually some kind of tote that I store by the front door. 

I started using roadie bags because in my family, I tend to be the main caregiver to well--everyone.  I've gotten phone calls in the middle of the night and rushed out to get Mom or a relative to the hospital.  A bag by the front door means that there is something I can do in a waiting room besides get anxious.  My friend Carol addressed this succinctly:  "I am never as calm as I am when I have a needle in my hand."
Inside the roadie bag I keep a project and supplies:

If you are interested in making a retro inspired Christmas quilt and don't have vintage transfers, you can check out one of my favorite blogs, Q is for Quilter, and find some of these patterns here.