Finally Progress

I made the time to sew! Here are four quilts that are in the works. All four are donation quilts that will be going to children in need. The orange and black is one of my 80 patches, although it is not exactally 80 since some of the squares are four patches or two patches. You know when you buy one of the fabric samples on cardboard
how you get a larger piece of focus fabric? Well, I have found that if I cut it into an 8.5" square it works well for a quilt like this one. I wanted to make a boy quilt so I choose blacks and orange fabrics.

Next is the pink 80 patch that I was cutting last week. I am very fortunate in that ladies in my quilting class give me scraps that they no longer want or want to deal with. This one was made all from fabrics that were given to me.



The orange stripe was an experiment for me. I purchased a charm pack of the orange fabrics from Keepsake Quilts. Now what to do with it? I saw a pattern on Oh, Fraisson! And followed the idea. I think I will like it more once it is washed and crinkled up.



Then finally, another 80 patch that I made from donated fabrics. This one was fun for me to make. I was given a bag of scraps and in the bag were a bunch of precut squares. There were not enough to make a top so I added a few from my drawer of squares. I found the perfect addition, a dancing fairy girl who is dressed in the colors of the donated squares.



The three 80 patches I quilted in a wavy line across the seams and the striped one I quilted with straight stitching close together. I just need to bind these four and they will be finished.

This last quilt is one that I just got the picture out of the camera. I made it with pastel strips that I had left over from another quilt. This one was donated to the UCSD altzheimer project. Subjects who undergo testing are given a quilt to comfort them. Since most of my quilts are for younger people making a quilt for an older person was a nice change.

So, my goals for next week are to finish the binding on the four quilts, and label them of course. I started cutting out fabrics to make a Bright Hopes quilt and I sewed together the half log cabin blocks I posted about earlier. I'll post a picture of that one as soon as I can sew the borders on.

Laundry Days

Life gets in the way of quilting. Since quilting is "just" my hobby it is something that I do in my available free time but gee, I would rather quilt than do the housework and laundry. On days like today when I am out and about running errands (and doing loads of laundry) I miss sewing.

Yesterday when I was out and about I did stop at the LQS Rosie's Calico Cupboard to get some fabric for sashing on my latest quilt. I have finished 42 monkey wrench blocks to make what Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville calls Little Monkey. I think mine will be called Little Monkey on My Back since making the blocks was so addicting. They finish up to be 5" square and this is the first time I ever made blocks that small. I got some light yellow fabric which I hope to cut today so I can lay it out and start sewing it together.

I am still trying to get the hang of blogging. I know that I read many blogs every day and my favorites are the ones with photos. So, I am trying to get my pictures in also. I know I will get better.

Today's picture is a quilt that I made for Project Linus. I call it my 80 patch pattern since it is a standard formula that I like to use on my charity quilts. Over the years it has evolved from 80 4.5" cut blocks to a mixture of blocks where some are pieced together such as 2.5" squares sewn together into a four patch and bricks of 2.5 x 4.5 sewn together. In the last bunch of 80 patch quilts I have substituted an 8.5" block or two for some of the squares. It sews together a bit faster and it is a good way to use focus fabrics and make a theme for the quilt. This one pictured above was made with scraps of fabrics that were given to me. I have two others that are in the works, one that is black and orange and I am cutting pink squares for a very pink quilt.

This is the latest quilt that I am working on, using my strings. I am unsure on the layout that I should use for it since the colors are not as bright and crazy as previous quilts I have made using this pattern. Should I go with the standard rows or should I mix it up?

When I say that it is the latest, I do mean one of many this week. I also have gotten a Little Monkey on my back. Yep, Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville has a new pattern available and I decided to try it. I do follow Bonnie's scrap saver method to a degree. I used 3.5 blocks to make the center strips insted of her use of 1.5 strips..I just don't go that small. One problem that I discovered is that most of my fabrics in the scrap bins are focus fabrics which do not work well when cut into small pieces.

Over a Year

Has it really been so long since I have been here? Have I matured enough to try again? Maybe..Hope so.