My 2021 Update

It looks like my posting here has become an annual event. Here is what I've done over the past year.

Just delivered this quilt to my youngest son. It is queen size and made of fabrics I had gathered up and put in a basket a long, long time ago because I like how they looked together. Another pattern was in my mind, but when I did some cleaning out in the quilt room last year new plans were made and a quilt was started. I used plastic templates I'm sure I bought over 20 years ago. That felt good! The curved piecing wasn't near as hard as I thought it would be. It helped to use a lot of pins. The quilt is completely machine stitched. Cindy King of King Quilting quilted it for me and also attached the binding by machine. I've always attached the binding to the front of the quilt by machine and then hand stitched it to the back. However, since Cindy offers this service I decided to let her do it and I'm so glad I did. So worth it when you have arthritis in your dominant hand. Maybe one of these days I'll try attaching a binding completely by machine. I can't figure how they get it lined up so well. Maybe youtube can teach me!

I've made 10 placemats using some scraps. I have enough fabric to make a couple more, but have set them aside to start this quilt:

My idea was to make a couple of lap size quilts (I like them to be about 70" x 50") to offer for sale at a local venue called Art for Gifts which is open from Thanksgiving to New Years. They offer a well juried mix of items for sale. However, I missed the deadline to enter. I just don't quilt as fast as I used to. My sights are on next year.

I won't wax poetic about the past year (not sure I'm even capable). Just want to say I hope you are staying safe and keeping strong. 💕

Corona Finish

I completed this top several years ago. I guess it just needed to cure a while!

The blocks are made of scraps left over from the making of other quilts.

The blue fabric I used for the setting triangles are hand dyed fabrics I won at an auction.

It feels good to have this quilt finished. It's a generous lap size which is my favorite size to make and own.

This is what I'm currently playing with.

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all

Emily Dickinson

Quilt for baby Lilliana

This quilt will soon be on it's way to Minnesota to sweet little Lilliana Katherine. Lilly (her Grandpa calls her Lilly Kate) is my niece's baby.

I figure I've made 18 baby quilts for the babies of my nieces and nephews over the past dozen years.

It is fun to make this size quilt. This one is 55" x 45".

I need to get my sewing machine serviced (just a good cleaning) and then I will decide what to do next.  It was around 90 degrees here in Virginia for the first three days of October which is crazy. Today is a beautiful 80 degrees and it looks like some nice quilting weather is coming our way. I have a couple of small quilts to finish hand quilting and some other projects that I could pull out and start playing with so we'll see what inspires me.💜💛💚💙

Scrappy, Wonky Log Cabin

This is my favorite kind of quilt to make. It was made for no reason, from scraps of fabric from other quilt projects.

Last fall I took a drawing class at our local art school. I have been hooked ever since. I'm drawn more to the imperfection of sketching with ink and watercolor. I took another class a couple months ago on keeping a perpetual nature journal. My entry for the week of April 23-29 is above. And through a set of coincidences I won't go into, I'm a founding member of a local group committed to sketching scenes of our little town on a regular basis. I'm continually amazed at the twists and turns life takes me.

Here is a one of my recent sketches-

Lots of Quilting!

I just finished up this lap size star quilt. I've had this pattern on my bucket list for many years. The star points are made by sewing squares onto all four corners of a rectangle and then clipping, flipping and pressing. If this process has a name, it's not coming to me. This quilt is going in a Journey Bag for Foster Care Ministry. They give bags/backpacks full of toiletries, books, pajamas, a blanket, etc. for children going into foster care. I asked them if they'd accept a quilt as a blanket and they were very enthusiastic.

Isn't this backpack I found at TJ Maxx adorable?!? I decided this was for a 4 year old girl. They gave me a list of things with which to fill it. I bought some of the stuff from TJ Maxx and then the rest from Target. As I was putting things in my cart at Target I became really concerned about everything fitting. I sat in my car in the parking lot filling it to the brim! I hope, though, that this little girl doesn't have to carry this thing. It is heavy!

I've basted this wonky log cabin and have started machine quilting it with wavy lines. I'm happy to finish up some variegated quilting threads that I've had for a while. A real scrap quilt.

I've also been in touch with a local group that represents children in the court systems. They were looking for volunteers but it was more of a time commitment than I felt I could do so I offered to make a quilt for their benefit auction. I went to my quilt book shelf and the first book I laid eyes on was Roberta Horton's Scrap Quilts The Art of Making Do. I pulled it out and opened it to Scrap Baskets and said "this is it"! If I could only own one quilt book it would be this one.

Christmas Tree Quilt

Wanting to finish a project, I picked up the 9-patches I made for this quilt several years ago. It is Bonnie Hunter 's Crabapple pattern. My husband renamed it the Christmas Tree quilt.

It was quilted by Sew Classic Fabrics in Harrisonburg.

I also recently finished this quilt for my sister-in-law. She and my step brother recently became grandparents. My tradition is to make a quilt for baby but this baby already has 3 quilts made by another family member.

Instructions for living a life.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.

by

Mary Oliver

Sept. 10, 1935-Jan. 17, 2019

Summer Finishes

I was on a roll in the sewing room this summer.

I find I really enjoy working with solid color fabrics.

This quilt is for my niece's baby.

Such a cute fabric. I love the water color look of the woodland scene.

This is a low volume quilt using mostly precut (by me) 2 1/2" strips and Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Trip pattern. This was pieced earlier this year so all I needed to do was quilt and bind it.

I made a second table runner with the charm pack I received as a gift. I had exactly the right number of fabric squares for the two table runners. I love when that happens.

I got this t-shirt quilt back from the long arm quilter just in time to get it bound and washed before a trip up to Maryland to deliver it. Below are some closeups.  It's made with Harley Davidson t-shirts for my sister-in-laws sister. Her husband passed away last year. We bartered - I made the quilt for her and she gave some workshop tools to my husband.

Here are her words of thanks-

Wow! So beautiful you did a fantastic job! I love it and can’t help but cry happy/sad tears! I really love the material we picked out too. Thank you so so much!

I forgot to take a photo of the quilt at home so I did it at my mom's. The best place was on a bed so I took it on the guest room bed that has a quilt I made for my parents quite a while ago. I still love it! I think the long arm quilter really did a great job quilting it. I'm always amazed how a quilt top improves when it becomes a quilt.

Just thought I'd share this first bloom from my asters. I took this a month ago. Many more have bloomed since but the unrelenting rain we've had has been hard on them.

The sun is out this morning and no rain is in the forecast for the next few days. We really need more like a month to dry out but we'll take what we can get.

I was recently reminded about Quilts for Compassion. They are based out of Ohio and collect quilts and knitted and crochets blankets for people who have lost everything in natural disasters. Look for them on Facebook. They are currently collecting quilts for the Carolinas. I sent them a full size pink and brown snowball 9-patch I made several years ago. You can see photos of it here.