What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Over Thanksgiving we visited my parents in rural Colorado. Their house is full of quilts they have very kindly accepted over the course of my quilting career. I thought to share a few from the way-back machine.

This one is very early. Not labeled, but it has to be one of the first few I made, probably about 1999 (First quilt was 1998). Throw size. Tied. Rough binding. But, my mother loves it. She says it is her favorite of all I have ever given them.

This one is a little later. Sometime between 2000-2002. A friend did the handquilting ...

Just wanted to share some pieces I’ve had on the backburner. I almost forgot I had this blog. It’s been a crazy 2 years. Hopefully After the Holidays I’ll get back on it.

Many years ago I made this quilt as a block of the month. It is really a “chunk of the month quilt” as it is made with a 12″ block and small filler blocks. I still love the quilt, but the Thimbleberries fabrics, not so much (it’s not a good photo, but you get the idea!).

I think it would be fun to offer an updated version of this as a skill-builder chunk of the month quilt. Starting in January, I will offer a pattern that will make a chunk of this quilt. The quilt shown is throw-size, but ...

This one was a while coming, just because it is a lot of cutting. The good news is it is all scraps (not that you can tell by looking at the scrap bins).

It is based on THIS BLOCK, but uses rectangles cut at 2″x 3-1/2″. Eighteen of them per block.

There are 110 blocks in all and it finishes at about 90″ x 99″.

It doesn’t have a home yet, but I love just looking at it for now. So cheerful.

Quilting

Border idea for Square Deal 3 quilt

If you’ve been around here any time at alll you know I love scrap quilts.  When American Patchwork & Quilting started the Scrap Happy Quilt-Along, I was able to reisist for the first few weeks. But as more and more blocks and quilts were posted on the Facebook page, my resolve faded and I began making blocks. 

Three things convinced me to start this quilt:

1. I already owned the magazine with the pattern.
2. I have loads of scraps already cut to the unit size in the block.
3. The blocks are fast and easy to piece.

A fourth reason is that ...

In my never-ending effort to declutter my sewing room I came across this String Spiderweb UFO. This project was started at a Bonnie Hunter retreat in 2017. I have never been a fan of string piecing but had loads of scraps left over from the 100 Days 100 Blocks project, so started piecing blocks at the retreat and got this far.

In December 2020, I made several more blocks and abandoned the project again. It’s a very slow process and messy to tear the paper off the back. I love scrap quilts, but this block is not my favorite ...

I found the idea in a book and made a baby quilt version some time ago.

There were good intentions of doing a quilt along, but that just isn’t happening right now. Better to share the finish, than hope for change soon.

But, if you have a jelly roll laying around, this might just be the idea.

SO, here is a mini-tutorial: Each block finishes at 10″ square. The sashing is cut at 2-1/2″ and the outside border at 3-1/2″. It finishes at approximately 64″ square. It will be gifted to a teacher friend this week. Seems ...

This quilt started as inspiration based on a favorite sweater of mine.

There are a total of nine block styles and each finished at 6″.

Perhaps the unique idea was making the setting triangles from different colors of fabric.

I like the texture it gives.

The quilt finishes at 70″ square.

Quilting

Quilty365 blocks

Can four blocks, even fairly large ones (18″) make a quilt?

Well, they will need some help. In this case I used a simple 6″ block that could be repeated and serve as a sort of background and filler, while adding texture and interest. It uses 1 2-1/2″ square for the center and 2- 2-1/2″ squares and 2 2-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ strips to round it out. They go together really quickly.

Then a small stop border and a wider (3″ finished) outside border.

And, before you know it, you’ve got a quilt.

The minkee backing ...

Quilting

Sometimes it takes 110 blocks and 1980 pieces, but the top is complete.

Giant pumpkin contests are popular, but what I was looking for was a mini pumpkin.

I liked the look of THIS ONE, but wanted something smaller. So, I started with 2-1/2″ squares and ended up with a finished quilt 13″ square.

YAY! Mini pumpkins have their place, in this case, on a wall at the house of a friend.

Blocks were sorted and counted.

And laid out.

Still preliminary, but assembly started. Finally.

Strike A Chord  -  A wedding gift 

After being widowed in 2016, our sister found love again and was married earlier this year.  We are so happy for her ....  so to celebrate, I made a quilt from one of my latest patterns (Strike A Chord) for the newlyweds.

Contrary to the number of pieces, the quilt came together quickly with strip piecing.  The new couple like the deep warm colors of fall, especially brown.  Using my abundance of fall fabric, I approached the blocks with a scrappier theme.