Mary made another one

I think everyone call tell from this top that I DID NOT SEW IT.

My friend Mary M whipped up this beauty for a wedding gift for friends in El Salvador.

She asked me to machine quilt it because all her 'safety pins' were in use on another lovely quilt she is free motion quilting.

I offered to purchase more pins but just got a 'dirty' look for my humble effort to help.

Some friends we are- !

I am bragging a little but am so proud of the work Mary does on her quilts.

She has only been quilting a few years. Her work is wonderful,

I am a totally scrappy gal BUT can really appreciate the beautiful way these fabrics play together.

Mary designed the quilt around the floral focus fabric. I think most everything was pulled from her stash.

Now she needs to trim this quilt up and add the yellow binding. It will travel to the 'new' couple next week.

FYI- the SnowBall Block is a wonderful alt. block to use to show off a favorite fabric.- cw

quilt group: Children's I SPY challenge

For May the group was challenged to take a pack, of 48 misc. fabrics and make an "I SPY" donation quilt.

Participants were free to add their own materials to the mix.

We meet 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. The first meeting each month is a 'learning' class and the last meeting is show and tell and get caught up class.

Not everyone can make each class so there is a lot of catching up of past classes going on.

I did not take a packet b/c I am trying to get rid of my stash (the 12 packets that got handed out didn't make a dent in my children's prints)

Grand daughter, Karlee picked out prints she wanted in a donation quilt. She wanted to do one for a little girl. We didn't 'fussy' cut but did line up fabrics in sets of four. Sets that had a bigger focus fabric were used in the 'corners' and smaller prints were used on the sides and one print was used in all the middles. (We made 9-patches and then cut them doing the D-9 pattern)

Most likely a border will be added and then this little top will be done.

Marcy used many of the fabrics from the packet and add some from her stash.

Her quilt is made using the D-4 method. She sewed 4-patch sets and then sub-cut them into 9 pieces. She mixed it all up to create this beauty.


Mary M. worked hers similar to Marcy's but with a slightly larger starting sq. I think the outer border just makes this top "POP"

Jana is new to the group this year and was concerned that I would be disappointed that she went different route with her blocks-

Are you kidding!! I am thrilled to see that she used the fabric in a pattern that spoke to her. This is a beautiful top.

Some kid is going to be thrilled to call it their own.

Even though the gals were told that these are donation quilts, there was a twist to the night. The tops will be used for us each to practice our Free-Motion quilting (that class starts in a couple of months) and will then be up to the designer to gift as she chooses.

Fingers crossed we will see another dozen or so little I SPY beauties before the end of the year.- cw

Large scrappy stars is quilted!

Our anniversary is in July. This quilt top was made a couple of years ago for our bed. It finally made it to the top of the Get-it -Done list.

I have my fingers crossed that I can get the binding finished soon.

Our daughter and her hubby (the elopers) are having a vow ceremony July 3rd at Jolly Mill.

They have the park reserved for the whole day. We plan to enjoy every minute with family and friends.

The grand kids are trying out the quilt to see if it will work as a picnic quilt. I think it passed!

This was constructed with 30 blocks measuring 21 1/2" set 5 x 6. I love scrappy and this was pulled entirely from stash.

Special Thanks to my friend Linda for helping make sets of fabrics for the blocks. (She did a good bit of the ironing for me too)

Yard Sale find- hand appliqued

OK, one more from the yard sale stack. (When I find one I usually find several.)

These ladies were hand appliqued. I know I over paid a little but think I can get a nice quilt for my personal collection out of the better blocks.

The quilt was being offered at a sale a friend was doing for her daughter. I think the top was originally picked up at an auction.

The blocks were all hand done and extremely well constructed. I am guessing back in the '40's or '50's. The fabrics are fantastic. There is evidence that this was stored for quite awhile before the top was set together.

The setting seems to have been done more recently (within last 5 yrs or so) The blocks were set in horizontal rows and then sashed with a yellow strip. The back was a newer white sheet and the batting seems to be from a roll sold at local Wal-marts.

If I had to guess, the blocks were made and forgotten. Someone else tried to make the top and possibly a third person got their hands on this to attempt the quilting.

The back will be washed and added to my pile of backs for charity quilts. The batting will be aired out and re-used. The setting strips may get cut down and re-used to set these girls. I am not committed yet as to how I want to proceed. Another possibility is to work these blocks into several projects. I think there were about 30 altogether so I am sure I will find something just right To-DO with them.

Yard sale find for $35.

Another yard sale find- diamonds anyone?

I don't know if this one is so much of a 'find' as a rescue. I didn't get a before picture.
There were not additional fabrics to finish this top in the direction I thought the maker was going.

I remember this shade of blue from a few years back but didn't have enough in my stash to do any good.

Short version is I had to 're-do' a couple of stars. I took one completely out (couldn't be saved) and moved another to square up the sides.

I considered cutting off the points to give me straight edges. Instead I appliqued white borders on to try keep a usable size.

Now that I have it this far, what do you want to bet I FIND a blue sheet that matches. Not even going to try look for one. This future utility quilt is getting a white back and hand tied. (Just a bit to wiggly to machine quilt)

Not bad for $5.00 and a couple of hours of fix up.

cw

Maple Leaf Blocks, yard sale find

Another Yard Sale Find makes it to the top of the TO-DO list.

These Twenty Four ( 12 1/2" )leaf blocks were discovered hiding in a pile of treasures not yet put away.

Normally I would at least iron and re-size before setting the blocks. (I am not into trying to wash them first, I take my chances with poss. running colors)

Because these were hand sewn, I didn't risk re-sizing them.

I sew by sight and these were fairly easy to get matched up. I made sets of four and then spent way to much time considering how I wanted to set them.

This pattern is not a particular favorite so I don't see myself taking the time to do my own. However for $5.00 the pre-sewn blocks looked appealing. Settings can be easy or hard and I ended up choosing easy.

I went with an inner border of 4 1/2" from a white sheet (I think I matched it pretty close) Then a narrow 2 1/2" w/black (again left over sheet) followed w/a wider 6" from white.

I like the simple look to the top. Lane and Karlee came over tonight and they both 'like' it too.

I had considered doing a pieced border using solids and decided against it.

I also considered doing something appliqued and passed.

So for today it is finished as is- a nice size utility quilt. Tomorrow however may be another day and another idea.

I am teaching a class in a couple of months on free style letters. I have been wanting to do something in solids, maybe some sort of ABC 123 or a winter/spring/summer/fall.

It is never done until the binding is on so this one may get one more session at the machine this summer.

Be good - cheryl

7 sisters from my Sister

My favorite youngest sister called me to let me know she was on her way up to visit. (she only lives an hour away so no extra credit points for the impromptu trip- ok maybe a few b/c she comes up to see me more then I drive down to see her)

She asked me if I like Double-Knit--

The answer is Of Course- it is the fabric that never dies!

She wouldn't tell me why she was asking.

I don't know "where" she found this beauty, but I am thrilled she thought of me! Theresa said it was a belated B-day gift, but I think it is b/c she loves me and knows I can always use another TO-DO!

Sometimes when one picks up a project-in-progress you are stuck with trying to 'figure out' what the original quilter had in mind.

In this case, I was blessed with not only a partial top BUT enough blocks to finish it to a usable size.

Not bragging (YES I AM) but there is also the enough of the yellow back ground (pre-cut) with yardage to spare.

My Double Knit collection is growing. One of these days I am going to have to start putting backs on the favorites. I love to use a sheet on the back and TIE this heavy cover using yarn. (I prefer NO batting)

If you have a top or two that are in the way, feel free to send them to me, they will be much loved.- be good cw

MyQuiltBlog is shutting down their site.

To:
ozarkcastle@yahoo.com
Hello, I wanted to give you advance notice that I will be closing MyQuiltBlog.com in 30 days (June 4, 2010). I hope this give you enough time to move your content to another blogging site. Thank you for understanding. Sincerely, Kim Noblin Owner/Administrator MyQuiltBlog.com


I recieved the message from KIM just a bit ago. I hate to see the site close. However I know it is expensive and time consuming to offer a 'free' place to host our blogs so we can post our quilt stuff.
I want to THANK Kim for keeping it going for as long as she has.

Most of us who started on MyQuiltBlog have a Blogger account too. I do the majority of my posts on the blogger site. If you are thinking about saving your material and moving it to Blogger, I would suggest you do so asap.
The start up is not difficult (even I figured it out). I would suggest instead of moving 'everything' over, select the posts that mean the most to you and start with them. You may find it interesting to re-read what you have been sharing this past year. (I know I did when I re-started after the last crash)
I learned TO-Blog from the MyQuiltBlog site. There were many quilters who mentored me from everything from signing in to posting photos. If there are any Newbies that need help feel free to give me a call.
Rhoda, I expect to see you and Bernie move over and when you do make sure I know where you are so I can follow.
You will not be disapointed with the number of old friends you will run into. (You will meet some new ones too)
Again, THANKS KIM for all you have done for this community! be good cw