Using Scraps

I am not good about using scraps.

In fact, I am horrible at using them.

When cutting quilts,

I throw the scraps into a big garbage bag and there they sit.

One day last week I decided I needed to either start using them

or get rid of them.

Out came my Go! Cutter, a pile of scraps and the 2 1/2" square die.

I cut a PILE of 2 1/2" squares and started to come up with a plan.

16 patch blocks were made,

along with the "inbetween" blocks.

 

The photo of the pile of 2 1/2" squares in the first picture was taken

 AFTER I'd made all of these other blocks.

There are many more blocks that can be made from these scraps.

I will see where the quilting mojo takes me.

Happy Quilting!

Flower Power

My latest Disappearing Four Patch is finished

and I'm calling it

"Flower Power".

I really enjoy making the D4P and have made

several quilts with it.

It looks so difficult to make,

but is so easy.

 

"Flower Power" sure is bright and fun!

 

 

Another baby quilt is finished and waiting.

I have no idea if the babies that are on their way are

boys or girls, but I have several girl quilts ready.

Some boy quilts need to be made!

It is so hot and humid here this week....

making it  a good week to stay inside and sew.

 

Onto the next quilt.

:)

Happy Quilting!!

Amish with a Twist II is finished!

This quilt has been a long time coming.

I joined the BOM several years ago and 

just let the kits sit in my cabinet all this time.

A few months ago the quilt said it is time to be made.

I wasn't thrilled at first,

but once the top was pieced 

and now that it's quilted and bound...

I love it!

I've got to find a good way to photograph these big quilts.

It's too big for the deck railing.

 

The design of this quilt amazes me...

how all of the blocks work together to make the

overall design.

And then using the light and dark solid fabrics to make it

even more interesting.

 

The feather quilting adds some different movement to the design.

 

The only thing I wish was different was the thread color of the quilting.

I wish the LAQ had used a more medium gray instead of this gold.

It works, but I think the gray might have blended in a bit more with the dark fabrics.

This quilt is BIG! (105"x105")

And I'm not sure of where I am going to put it. 

 My husband says I can't give this one away,

so maybe it will be a winter quilt on our bed.

It feels really, really good to have this one done!

Happy Quilting!

Sea Glass is Finished

After several days of quilting feathers,

the binding was sewn on today

and

Sea Glass if finished!

These colors are my favorites...

colors of the sea.

 

I have a loooonnnggg way to go with the feather quilting,

but it's better.

I need to really work on keeping the fronds even, 

both in width and length.

This quilt is going to hang in my house for a while

and then may find a home as a baby quilt.

 

I need to go to the beach and find some real sea glass!

It's one thing I have not had luck with.. finding sea glass....

 

but I have quilted sea glass instead.

:)

Happy Quilting!

Lazy Daisy Finish

Babies Babies Everywhere!

I'm trying to keep up with the need for baby quilts,

but it's becoming a challenge.

 I recently found out my niece is expecting her second child

and we couldn't be happier. 

She will find out what she is having soon

and....

I hope she is having a girl.

Lazy Daisy is finished!!

I quilted this with straight lines along the triangles and then

meandered in the border.

 

This is the first time I have used Minky on the back.

It wasn't as bad as I had anticipated,

but I pinned the heck out of it when I basted it.

 

It did have a lot more drag when quilting though.

I just love the texture it gives to the back of the quilt.

When using Minky as the backing,

do you still add batting?

I use very thin batting,

but this little quilt is rather heavy....

 

..... and oh so cuddly!

Happy Quilting!

When the husband is away...

there is A LOT more time to sew!

And sew I did!!

(Plus it was too hot and humid to do much outside.)

I bought this kit last year from

Glorious Color and actually forgot about it!

It's a Kaffe pattern made from his striped fabrics and shown in his

Quilts in Morocco book.

There is something about his stripes that I just love.

(But then I am a HUGE Kaffe fan!)

The colors are deeper and richer than the photos show here.

This top went together rather quickly.

I organized each row,

pinned the blocks together all at once and then sewed them.

I didn't need my seam ripper once!

 Woohoo!!

Now to quilt it.

The book has the quilt quilted with simple wavy lines.

I can do that!

Hopefully this will be finished soon

since I have a home in mind already.

Please visit Patchwork Times to see what others are creating.

Happy Quilting!

Quilt Club!

A few weeks ago I began teaching three friends to quilt.

None of them have quilted before,

but they all had experience with sewing.

One of them calls our sessions

"Quilt Club."

We are all having so much fun and it's so

neat to see how excited they are about their quilting projects.

I came up with a basic nine patch pattern for them to make

and the fun began.

Fabric shopping, rotary cutter safety measures,

cutting tips, 1/4" seam accuracy and nesting seams have all been covered.

Yesterday two of the ladies finished the inside section of their quilts.

Aren't they doing a great job?

The third friend wasn't able to join us yesterday, but

has been sewing her blocks together at home.

She is making a larger quilt and is making great progress.

We had a great time shopping for the fabric

and it was so interesting to see how totally different each of their

quilts looks. Their personalities really come through in the

fabrics they chose, but that is usually the case, right?

Next week we will add the borders and the tops will be finished!

While they were working on their blocks and tops yesterday

I was able to sew the blocks together on my latest

Disappearing Four Patch.

Borders come next!

 

Happy Quilting!

There Is Knitting Today!

It has been quite a while since I have had a knitting post.

We were away over the Fourth of July weekend,

so I was knitting while we were traveling along in the car.

My sister is a crocheter and not a knitter.

A couple of weeks ago she sent me this pattern and asked

if I would make it for her with some yarn she had purchased on a trip.

This cowl went together in no time at all and was so easy to make!

The yarn had shimmer and sparkle in it.

 

The pattern is made with knit and yarn over stitches and that's it.

Very quick... very easy.

 

The yarn used for this cowl is below. It was fun to use something sparkly and shiny!

 

I also worked on a pair of socks that have been in the works for far too long.

Hopefully these socks will be finished soon.

The Fabel yarns are so lovely to work with and are inexpensive.

 

Happy Friday!

Another Disappearing Four Patch

I love the Disappearing Four Patch block.

I'm not sure how many quilts I've made with this block,

but it's been a few.

The block goes together so quickly,

but looks so interesting to me.

A couple charm packs had jumped into my basket at

the retreat center I visited last fall

and I decided it was time for them to get used.

I had never heard of this line of fabric before...Prairie Grass Fabrics...

but it is so soft!

Some of the blocks have been moved and rearranged since this photo was taken.

 

These colors are so vibrant and bright.

It might be too much for a baby quilt,

but we shall see once it's finished.

 

The prints are so fun!

I love the geometric and floral designs together.

 

 

A possible border fabric with a thin white stop border in between?

We shall see!

Happy Quilting!