Finished the baby rag quilt I started here. It was a quick sew, but the clipping took a while. I’d clip, rest, clip some more, do something else, then clip, clip, clip! The quilt has been washed and dried twice to get it fluffed up. Each washing & dry will make it more snuggly.
I secured the outside of the quilt with an extra strip doubled over instead of binding. It too is clipped. The stripe brightens the quilt and pulls it all together.
For the backing I used a bright directional print, but altered direction of the design. SNUGGLE is labeled and ready to gift!
And…my newest addition to my garden. Couldn’t resist this sign.
So happy to have completed two more quilts for Hospice. These will be the last of my finishes for a while as I will be concentrating on a few of my personal quilts.
The first is a quilt with triangle blocks that were cut on the Sizzix and sewn together by attendees at a retreat in 2019. Seems forever ago, especially since there weren’t any retreats in 2020. I’ve been going through my donation bin lately and pulled these out – put them together – quilted – sewed the binding and done!!
Next was a quilt that was donated quite some time ago. It was already backed and there was a little bit of quilting done. It really was a pretty quick finish to get this quilted – oh why, oh why did I wait so long?? I also love that it’s all blue. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a great pic – the colors are really much more vibrant in person.
I especially love that so many hands were involved in the completion of these quilts. A few more finished to add to the pile and they’ll be on their way to Hospice.
Last week I was so fortunate to be on top of a mountain with 55 other artisans. I’ve come back refreshed and ready to share the last two finishes which were completed just before I left.
In my donation bin (yes, I have a bin. Actually had two but now there is only one!) there was a pile of quarter square triangles made mostly of Kim Diehl fabrics. They were from a quilt I completed about 6 years ago. Amazingly, there were just enough to make a lap quilt perfect for Hospice. All needed to be squared. Sewn, backed, quilted, bound and done!
Next was a larger quilt with embroidered blocks. Not only was it all put together, it was backed with batting in the middle and pinned ready for quilting! This is another generous contribution from Laurie J. She has donated countless quilts over the years and I never tire of her excellent work and generosity. Here are two of the blocks:
And here is the quilt – sure to brighten someone’s day:
Last week I shared the flannel rag quilt kit I prepared for a week long retreat I’ll be attending. Of course one isn’t enough, so I now have two more ready to go!
First up is a string block kit. I pulled from some beloved batik greens and blues and one almost white and cut into varying strip widths. The plan is to sew them onto paper piecing paper doing a diamond design. I love to do string quilts! For me its both fun and therapeutic sewing. Sewing this quilt will also be perfect for a retreat as it doesn’t require much concentration. And again, I planned, made notes, and saved them in the kit box.
The second kit I prepared this week isn’t really planned out. When diving in a bin of blocks and miscellany, I came across these triangles cut from sewn very colorful strips. I barely remember these!
And then there were cuts randomly sewn into blocks. That was it! I’ll bring these to retreat , cut them randomly, sew and put together however the mood strikes at the moment. This will be fun play!
I am really so excited for this get away. I have a retreat checklist that I prepared years ago and having been going through it and putting everything in a guest room ready to pack. Good thing I’m traveling alone – it’s a lot!
Prepping for a week of quilting away, I designed a rag quilt for a soon to be neighbor baby boy. I do love flannel rag quilts. Mine is actually my favorite couch quilt – soft, warm. cuddly and so easy to wash. The quilt gets better after each washing!
So unlike me, I completely sketched out the design with measurements and placements. The older I get, the more difficult I find it to “wing it!” The seams will be 1/2 inch which will make this a nice sized baby quilt.
There are four layers to each block: The backing, top layer, then a double layer of a diamond, circle or square. The bottom full squares will get clipped, then the top double layer will get clipped. There is no need for batting as the four layers makes it a nice weight and all the clipping will make it super fluffy!
There are three different animals featured in the circle blocks: lion, elephant and giraff. I think they are SO cute!
And here is the whole layout. All the layers of each block are pinned together and numbered. I will now be able to pull each block out of the project box and sew. I’ll clip as I go because waiting ’till the end makes for a very sore hand with all that clipping!
This will be an easy, fairly mindless project to work on away from home. The only difficult part will be having to wait until I get home to wash and dry it to reveal its fluffiness!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all mothers and to all the children celebrating their mothers!
Scraps have a way of sucking me in. When I finished the Can Can quilt, there was a pile of one inch Kaffe strips. Just like many other not so sane quilters, I cut them to smaller lengths – one to 3 inch strips. I’m piecing end to end, then onto paper. Why on paper? I find it helps to keep the rows from being wonky. There are 15 blocks done and the total will be determined by how long the strips last!
The last few weeks, however, I haven’t sewn much. The weather here has been amazingly beautiful, and the garden has been calling me. And that’s okay – it’s my happy place.
I’ve once again redone my Works in Progress. I’ve taken off projects that haven’t seen the light of day in forever. Will they ever get done? I have no idea. Right now, there is no desire. I am also keeping track of my quilting related purchases. I’m really trying to work from my stash only, but sometimes there is no choice. I purchased two yards of a black batik for a project that is not yet cut. I purchased the die to cut half rectangles from my bin of five inch strips for future Hospice quilts.
I need to make my next priority to quilt some of the Hospice quilt tops that are hanging. I’m beginning to feel a strong urge to sew again, and I think I’ll begin with one of those flimsies. Maybe my May progress report will have a more impressive number of completed projects!
A while back I received a box absolutely packed full with quilt tops from Trish in Connecticut. There is so much work in these along with all the fabric and threads used. One of the larger quilt tops I passed on to a friend who is heading up an effort to donate ten quilt tops to the local Hospice House being built a couple of miles down the road from me. These quilts will stay at the Hospice House. The quilts I have been passing on to Hospice go directly to the patients. Both are great causes.
Feast your eyes on these – just amazing! (Please pardon – they are not pressed. That will be done prior to quilting)
The last two will need a border added to make them just a bit bigger which is an easy task. They will all be backed with fleece and quilted. When? Good question! It’s no secret that my quilting skills are not the best, but eventually it will all get done. Thank you Trish – from the bottom of my heart!
On Friday, the volunteer coordinator for the local Hospice came to my home to pick up nine quilts. It was a wonderful bonus to have her visit me and talk about donated quilts. It was especially awesome to hear about the comfort and joy they give to Hospice patients. And here there all are:
This quilt was put together with blocks a reader sent to me about a year and a half ago. Oh the colors – so happy! I had been so enthused about this quilt once put together, it was quickly quilted and bound.
The quilt below was made by me about fifteen years ago. The children had flown the nest and I had run out of things to sew. I took a log cabin class at the local quilt shop. I knew nothing about quilting the quilt, so I tied it. It has gone from cupboard to closet ever since. It will be so much better off as a donation quilt. So glad it will finally have a home and some use!
This log cabin quilt also serves to remind me how my quilting life has developed over the years. Such a joyful hobby!
It’s been a couple of weeks. Spring has really sprung here and I’ve been outside enjoying all the color and amazing nature. Uhhh, the pollen not so much! In absolute contrast, last week we went up to the Blue Ridge Mountains for a couple of days to celebrate my birthday and it snowed! It didn’t stick, was pretty to watch – the best kind.
And now for a fabulous delivery made to my home last week. Thank you to Dolores for three amazing quilts she has donated for Hospice. She is an excellent and long time quilter and her generosity is greatly appreciated.
All three were made from her scraps and are just so cheerful. The different designs and use of the pieces are so smart and I’ll be sure to be copying at least one very soon. I am partial to the one below – the arrows are so clever.
All the colors in the next quilt are so fun – this is sure to be a cheerful welcome!
The third pops with color like crazy! I’ll be checking my scraps to see if I can put together one similar – wow!
It is always so thrilling to experience the amazing generosity of quilters. Not only do they use their own fabrics, there is much time invested in each of these quilts. Thank you!
Oh how moved I am when I receive donations for Hospice quilts. Recently Julie donated this pretty lap quilt – pieced, quilted and bound! There’s no doubt this will bring joy to someone in care.
Such a fun collection of prints. The center block of squares with circles quilted around each quilt is just perfect.
There was no avoiding shadows the day I took this pick. The backing is as cheerful as the quilt top and the black and white binding is perfect!
Just think of the comfort and joy this will bring someone. A handful of donations will be making their way to Hospice very soon!
