Donation Quilts

 I finished a new crop of quilts for donation.

Four Donation Quilts (3@ 60' x '72" and 1 @ 60" x 78")

 

I make these using 3.5" squares as Leaders and Enders. When I get a bunch (usually a couple of times each year), I put them together, and voila!--I have quilts that I sewed between the pieces of other projects.

Here are four I put together recently. As I assembled them, it was fun to see squares from scraps of fabric I used in other quilts in the past year. The squares are arranged randomly, and I used leftover binding pieces to make scrappy bindings. I apologize for the picture quality--I took them in dappled sunshine because that's what I had! 😎

This time, I had some fabrics given to me by friends or that I had in scrap boxes to put together for the backings. It was fun to combine these things into pieces large enough to back the quilts.

Donation Quilt (backing detail)

Donation Quilt (backing detail)

Donation Quilt (backing detail)

Donation Quilt (backing detail)

I had panels, pillow panels, borders, scrap fabric, cheater cloth, even a draught excluder panel from the UK (this was actually printed on the selvage--in the US, we sometimes call them door snakes). I love jigsaw puzzles, so I had fun deciding how to fit them together, and I think the unusual backings will be a nice surprise for the recipients.

 

I donate my quilts to Abilities First--an agency that assists individuals with developmental disabilities. You can find their website HERE.

A big thanks to the friends who gave me fabrics for backing these quilts. I tried to put them to good use.

Happy Quilting! 😸

A Couple of Recent Finishes

 December was a month when I got little done but, I'm trying to make up for it.

Here are two quilts I finished so far this month.

The first is Rolling Waves (82" x 82"). The pattern is from a free, downloadable ebook available HERE. I used only two fabrics for the top (a difficult thing for this scrappy quilter!). The back is a patchwork cheater's cloth.

Rolling Waves (82" x 82")

Rolling Waves (backing and binding detail)

The quilt is hanging straight down from the fence, but the use of different sizes and shapes of blocks gives it the illusion of rolling waves. It is an easy pattern--all nine patches. The effect is achieved by their arrangement.

The second quilt is Hourglass Wreath (58" x 72") from MSQC. The tutorial is available HERE.

I used a Kaffe Fassett layer cake to make this one. I rarely buy precuts (other than fat quarters), but KF is an exception for me. I like getting lots of his different prints without having to buy yardage.

KF Hourglass Wreath (58" x 72")

KF Hourglass Wreath (backing and binding detail)

This is another beautiful, but easy pattern to make.

I'm not thrilled with mine--I think the black I chose for the background does not have enough contrast with some of the KF fabrics. I'll pay closer attention to that next time. I used every inch of the black, so I went with a paisley black for the binding. 

Right now, I'm working on a log cabin quilt. I've never made one before, and I'm enjoying it very much. I'd like to explore the pattern and variations more this year. Maybe I'll think of 2023 as my Log Cabin Year.

I'm afraid I have stalled on the BH mystery quilt--as I said earlier, December was quite the month! I'll get back to it later. I have the first clue completed.

Happy Quilting! 😸

Summer Sunshine

Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Turn this very blue quilt YELLOW!

Summer Sunshine (AKA Winter Blues designed by Bonnie Hunter)--84" x 94"

Winter Blues designed by Bonnie Hunter

 Click the photo above to buy the pattern from Bonnie's store.

When I first saw this pattern, I somehow KNEW that I had to make it in yellows. Yellow isn't my favorite color (that would be red), but it seemed just right for this.

Yellow, yellow, yellow!

My version is less scrappy than Bonnie's--I used a white-on-white swiss dot, a white-on-yellow polka dot, and a pale yellow sunshine print for the alternate blocks, and I went scrappy for the 16-patches. The border is made of scrappy string blocks (my favorite!).

My friend, Leah, did the quilting for me (Thanks so much, Leah!).

Leah took this photo that shows the quilting pattern.

Summer Sunshine (border and binding detail)

Summer Sunshine (detail)

 

I chose a sunny yellow gingham for the back and a narrow yellow stripe for the binding of this very bright quilt.

As is usual for Bonnie Hunter's writing, this was a clear and strightforward pattern that went together smoothly. It was nice to work on this cheerful quilt during the dark winter days (and the rainy spring ones!).

Happy Quilting! 😎

Summer Sunshine--continued

 I'm still working on my Summer Sunshine (AKA Winter Blues, designed by Bonnie Hunter).

Got the 16-patches, the alternate blocks, and the setting blocks (except the 4 corners) done. I have a Swiss dot (white w/yellow dots) on order for the sashing.

 

Happy Quilting! 😻

Adventure Baby

 There's a new baby in the family, and you know what that means . . .

Adventure Baby  (48" x 56")

Adventure Baby (focus fabric detail)

Adventure Baby (back and binding detail)

I love flannel, and I also love finding the perfect project for fabrics from my stash.

Welcome, young man.  👶

Floral Trip Around the World

 I just love this pattern!

Floral Trip Around the World 90" x 100"

Floral Trip Around the World (back and binding detail)

I made this quilt once before with a travel theme. This time I used florals and a range of solid colors. It was another quilt that requires careful planning and organization, but it was fun to make!

I used a cheater fabric for the back to continue the floral idea, then I added a striped binding to finish. It is brighter than it looks in the photo--I took the photo on a cloudy day.

Happy Quilting!

Kaffe Fassett Nine-Patch

 I know someone who loves lavender!

Kaffe Fassett Nine-Patch 98" x 98"

Kaffe Fassett Nine-Patch (detail)

Kaffe Fassett Nine-Patch (back and binding detail)

I combined lavender and purple with a Kaffe Fassett jelly roll (and a little extra from a KF layer cake) to make this quilt. Setting the blocks on point with sashings and cornerstones gives it a look different than the standard nine-patch.

I had never used a jelly roll (2.5" x WoF) before. I liked the variety of fabrics; the roll was cut accurately (without pinking!); and the fabric was excellent quality and very soft. That being said, I didn't particularly like the jelly roll format and will likely not buy another one. In a quilt like this one, I think it would have been easier to piece if the fabrics had been starched a bit, and I was afraid that I would warp the precut strips by starching and pressing. Charm packs (5" squares), layer cakes (10" squares), and fat quarters (18" x 20") are fairly easy to starch when a firmer hand is needed.

I do like the way this turned out, though. I think the lavender and purple work well with the KF fabric which, typical for the designer, is wildly colored with big, bold prints! :)

Thanks for stopping by! 😸

Very Traditional

 This is a very traditional quilt.

Traditional QST on Point (64" x 72")

Traditional QST on Point (detail)

Traditional QST on Point (back and binding detail)

 

 

I had a bunch of scrap squares and decided to make QST (Quarter-square Triangles) blocks with them. I knew that somewhere down the road, I would find a home for them. This is one of two tops in which I used them (the other still needs to be basted and quilted). I set them on point and used alternate neutral QST squares to add depth.

Nothing fancy here--just a very traditional quilt.

Enjoy your Labor Day holiday! 😊

I'm doing Bonnie Hunter's Quilt Along entitled Unity. It is a medallion quilt with a new round added each week.

I have added round three this week. Tiny stars! 😺

This is a fun project, and I am really enjoying it. Thanks, Bonnie.

Unity Quilt Along

I'm doing Bonnie Hunter's Quilt Along entitled Unity. It is a medallion quilt with a new round added each week.

Here is my center block without sashing.

I used constant fabrics of each color for the block. My plan is to use different constant colors in each round. I think this will help calm the chaos, and I'll only need to pull out four fabrics each week, instead of everything!

Take care of yourselves and those around you.

Final Two Leaders and Ender Quilts

These are my last two Two-Rail Fence leader and ender quilts for my year-long project. I have enjoyed making and donating these. I've experimented with colors, fabrics, layouts, and quilting methods. And after making 11 of these, I'm done! 😅

 Easter Eggs (#10 for donation)--62" x 74"--all solids

 

Jimi Hendrix (#11 for donation)--64" x 68"--batiks and blenders

Next year's leader and ender project for me will be simple 3.5" square patchwork. I'll also check out Bonnie Hunter's L&E project (Here's the link to Jewel Box Stars, the new L&E project from Bonnie Hunter), but I have a large number of 3.5" squares in stash, and I'd like to use them. I plan to start with four-patches--we'll see what comes after that!

I'll be linking with Fiber Tuesday 163 at The Quilting Room with Mel, Jo's Country Junction, and Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Busybusy May

Long time, no post! May is usually consumed with finishing up the semester, and this year was no exception. Add to that a shift change from days to nights in the household, and May has felt a bit topsy-turvy.

I have been working on projects--it just seems that I haven't finished anything, so I'll have a bunch of finishes at once one of these days.

I have been continuing my two-rail fence leader and ender project. This one is number ten for the year. I call it my Easter egg quilt--not because any part of it is egg-shaped but because of the colors.

I quilted it in a stairstep pattern. I've done several of the rail fence donation quilts this way, and I have to admit, I'm a bit tired of sewing three inches, turning ninety degrees, sewing three inches, turning ninety degrees,... 

I've been looking ahead to what I will do with leaders and enders next year. Bonnie Hunter begins her challenge in July, but in looking at what I have that needs to be done, I have settled on 3.5" squares. I've cut many scraps to this size through the years, and I think it is time to use them. I'm planning to do four-patches--neutral and scrappy prints. Since many of my quilts are donated, this seems a good choice. When non-quilting people think of quilts, a simple patchwork of squares usually comes to mind. Sometimes, simple is best.

I'm also working on a new string design. I'm still refining it--this one has taken some experimentation.

I began completely scrappy,

but I felt like the red stars were lost in the busyness. I'm trying neutral strings now,

but, this one feels kind of blah. I may try adding a few neutral prints for interest, but I have to be careful not to get too busy again. My quilts are normally about as calm as a riot, so I'll have to rein in my natural inclination! :)

So my busybusy May is nearly over--I'm hoping for a calmer June.

I'm linking with Whatever Wednesday at Jo's Country Junction.

Stringing Beads--An Original Design

I love making string quilts. When I came up with this design, I decided to combine it with the April Multicolor Rainbow Scrap Challenge from soscrappy.


You can find previous posts about this quilt HERE (Part 1) and HERE (Part 2).



Without further ado, here is Stringing Beads:

Stringing Beads 68" x 75"

Stringing Beads (detail)

Stringing Beads (quilting detail)

Stringing Beads (backing detail)

I have no idea why the color went wonky in the last photo!


This is the most densely quilted piece I have ever made, but I like the effect. I am glad to have this one done. The quilting took a long time, (I'm not usually one who uses quilting for effect--it is my least favorite part of the process, and it is the one I am the least confident about.) but I'm glad I did it.


It is nice to see an idea become reality! Thanks, soscrappy, for spurring me to create.

For basic instructions on how I made this quilt, look HERE, or click the link on the right sidebar of the blog labeled "Stringing Beads Instructions."

I'm linking with Fiber Tuesday 116 at The Quilting Room with Mel and Jo's Country Junction UFO Progress.

A Blue and White Quilt For My Niece

We've had several events in our family recently--showers, weddings, etc. One of my nieces is the "go to" person for organizing things like this--planner/helper extraordinaire! To say "Thank You," I made this quilt, and now that it is in its new home, I can show it. She once mentioned that she likes blue and white quilts, so I hope she will like this one.

(The pictures are less than wonderful, sorry, but you can get the general idea.)

Disappearing Nine-Patch Pattern

D9P (detail)

D9P (binding and backing detail)

I used yardage for the dark blue squares, the white background, the backing and the binding. The print squares were from a fabric line by Windham--Annabelle for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.


Happy sewing.

I'm linking with Jo's Country Junction UFO Progress.
.

Pfeffernüsse is Pfinished!

I've made several Bonnie Hunter quilts this year: Allietare, Jamestown Landing, Carolina Chain (haven't shown that one yet; it's a secret!), Old Tobacco Road, and I've just finished Pfeffernüsse. Can you tell I'm clearing the decks for this year's mystery En Provence?

My first post about Pfeffernüsse is HERE.

This was a fun quilt to make--I love string blocks; I love pinwheels; I love multi-pattern neutrals; I love red. (Okay, I don't love making QSTs so much, but they were worth it in this case!)  This pattern can be found in Bonnie Hunter's book, String Fling.

The quilt is nearly 90" x 90"--and backed with flannel, so it was a bit of a bear to quilt on my DSM, but perseverance pays off! 

The photos aren't great--it was a VERY sunny day!

Pfeffernüsse

Pfeffernüsse (border and binding detail)

Pfeffernüsse (detail)

Pfeffernüsse (backing detail)

Pfeffernüsse (fun bread print in the bottom corner of the brown triangle!)

I'm looking forward to this year's mystery quilt to begin the day after Thanksgiving. Will I work on it exclusively? Actually, I've already started HSTs for Twirl Around from Bonnie's new book, Addicted to Scraps. *grin*  Yes, I am a quilt addict (and PROUD of it!).

I'm linking with Jo's Country Junction UFO Progress and Fiber Tuesday 87 at The Quilting Room with Mel.

 

Old Tobacco Road--Completed

I finished my version of Bonnie Hunter's Old Tobacco Road, and I love it!


I wrote about beginning this quilt HERE, and I posted a progress report HERE.


I made a few changes to the design--using some constant fabrics, changing the border, etc.--but it is very much like the one I fell in love with on Bonnie's blog.

Old Tobacco Road

Old Tobacco Road (border detail)

Backed with flannel

You may remember this photograph of a tobacco field from my earlier post. Bonnie had posted it with these quilt instructions, and I tried to pay close attention to it when choosing colors for my four-patch blocks.

Tobacco field photo for color inspiration

Old Tobacco Road (detail)

Thanks to Bonnie Hunter for the free pattern. It can be found here: Old Tobacco Road. (Scroll all the way to the bottom of the list--it was a mystery quilt.)


This was a fun project--I had a great time making it.


I will be linking to Jo's Country Junction for her UFO Challenge and Fiber Tuesday 64 at The Quilting Room with Mel .