Scrappy 4-Patches

A while back I picked up a shoe box full of 4-patches from a friend's yard sale. I am sure she had purchased them in a similar fashion years ago.

Fabrics look to be from someones stash over several decades. The 4-patches were hand sewn using 3" sqs. and a bit to wonky to trim up.

What to do?

I started by sewing in sets of four. The new blocks measured between 10 1/2 and 12 ". I pressed them and re-sized to 10 1/2" (I tend to re-size to whatever size sq I have on hand)

I had a rather large gold sheet set back to use as backing on a scrappy project. I just couldn't help myself and cut it up to make the setting triangles and strips to frame the alt. blocks.
Because the 4-patches were not all the 'same' size I bordered them first and then trimmed to 10 1/2".

My hope is that in the future when someone tries to copy this top they will drive themselves nuts cutting strange size pieces of fabric. (Just kidding)

I have a bunch of 4-patches left, I may take them apart to two's and make a chain to border the top. I can't imagine trying to sew this all by hand, it would have been a wiggly mess. My guess is the original maker had the same feeling about the blocks and that is why they were in the yardsale.

I will look at this for a day or two and decided on borders. I can see doing 3" of black and then 6 1/2" of a sky blue print (calico?)

Second choice would be take the other patches apart and do a checkerboard framed with more yellow.

two tops ready to quilt, How was your FNSI?

A lot of the cyber quilters are doing self-imposed Sew-Ins on Friday Nights.

I like the idea of knowing that others are busy working on their projects at the same time I am working on mine.

It is kinda like having friends over and not having to clean up the house!!

Here is what I have gotten done this week.

It is anybody's guess as to when I will get them quilted.

Scrappy BLUES is destined to be one of my favorites. It is 72 x 72 so I may consider borders.

What do you suggest? The blocks are 6 1/2"

A 4 1/2" or 6 1/2" blue print perhaps?

Maybe 2 1/2 yellow and 4 1/2 blue.

Wedding Video- you have to see this- enjoy

Thought I would share the video of our Daughters wedding.


(Don't worry it is just the entrance, not the whole ceremony!)

ps. I made the 'flowers'- cw

Friday Night Sew-In --

No sewing on the official Friday Night Sew-In but I did get the next border sewn together on Saturday Night.

(Does that count?)

Grand kids are spending the night and we are having way too much fun!

Lane has been keeping me moving by cutting the sets as I strip.

Karlee thinks my Red/White/Blue quilt looks like HOP SCOTCH.

She cracks me up!!

I sewed 48 blocks this evening.

Next I need 36 sets of the checkerboard blocks and this top will be done!- cw

Scrappy BLUE's work in progress

Scrappy Blues's is all cut out, sitting in a pile and not sewing its self together (where are those little elves when you need them)

I am making 6 1/2" blocks. They go together pretty quick. I can see doing this in a larger block with novelty or kids prints.


My distraction is the Red, White and BLUES top that I also have cut out.
For some reason, this one is getting a little attention from me.
I am liking the way the blocks go together.

No promises that either will get finished but both are at least to the UFO stage.


I am using red/pinks and cream/tans with misc blues. to make an 8 1/2" block

I haven't decided if I will do a border.
Originally I was going to make the top using the block that has red outside edges.
I miss cut and did a couple of the checkerboard blocks and really like how they turned out.

I wonder which one I will get finished first?

RED or BLUE?

Fabric Flowers- Sarah's wedding

The wedding was beautiful!

The bride was beautiful (She's my daughter so I can brag)

The attendants all held up well in the heat.

This was a fun get together of family and friends to celebrate Nick and Sarah exchanging vows.

August, 14th, 2010, Joplin MO

Mary's show and tell

Quilt group meet last night and we had a little show and tell. Mary M was inspired by the last strip/string class and made this beautiful Christmas prints top.

I just love how she did the borders. This quilt is a Holiday Beauty!

A couple of months ago we used a series of Children's Prints to make donation quilts. One pattern the group tried was the Cut-Up-4-Patch.

Several of the gals have gone on to make additional personal quilts from the pattern.

Here is one that Mary made and Free Motion Quilted.

Another beautiful work of Love.

A little more sewing on the borders and she can start on the binding. Mary is not by nature a scrappy girl but she is enjoying mixing it up a bit. (I am starting to wear her down) I just think her eye for color and precising in assembly just produce the most lovely pieces of work.

I am thrilled to get to share the photos. As friends and quilters we never know when we are going to motivate someone. Mary is definitely motivating me to add both of these to my future TO-DO list!