Near Finishes!

Our guild is having 2 challenges next month, one a charm quilt and one a quilt that reminds one of a a song. While, of course, I should have focused on just one, I decided to make a quilt for each challenge. My charm quilt is 12-block version of Bonnie's Crayon Box pattern, and I was planning to give it to our comfort quilt program after the challenge. However, my daughter kept telling me all the fabrics in the quilt that she liked, so I said she could have it if she wanted. She beamed! I quilted it last week on my friend's gammill ... such a treat to have a friend with a long arm machine that I can use. Her home is a bit of a drive, so I try to work quickly and get 2 done when I go. I was really getting the hang of the wave/swirl design that I show above, it was really fun! I just have to finish sewing down the binding and I'll post a finished picture.

I got my "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" top put together and tried to quilt it on the gammill, but the tension got off and I didn't like how the design was going. So, after an evening on the sofa ripping out the stitches, I have a new plan with my Bernina. It's only 30 by 40 inches, so it should be easy enough to quilt on my machine. I don't really have time to hand quilt it, and I although I like it, I don't really like it enough to spend the time hand quilting it!

Fun Free Piecing

Our guild is having a February challenge to make a quilt that reminds you of the first line of a song. I've been thinking of doing something on and off since last spring when the challenge was announced, but kept having different ideas and never starting anything. My dh suggested a song and he was urging me to give it a try, and the other night I got inspired to try. Here are pictures of my "young girls", "young men" and "soldiers" ... any idea what the song is?




I need some flowers and gravestones. Any idea yet? It's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", and I really had fun with the girls, men and soldiers. The tiny American flag fabric I found for the soldier background is perfect and I think helps tell that those guys are supposed to be soldiers. It will be a wall-hanging size, and I should be able to get it done in time now that I've got a good start.

I saw the great free form star tutorial on Belinda's blog and thought I'd post a picture of some free form stars I made a while ago. Mine are a bit bigger than hers, about 7" or so. It's really fun to not worry about points matching just so.


However, I have been working on my purple FSQS-5 and I did want the points to match on that one. They are pretty close. Now I just need to decide on how I'm going to quilt it.

Quick Baby Quilt

I learned about a new baby boy of a family friend in a Christmas card I received. Although I don't know the mother and child, the new baby's grandmother has been a dear friend to my grandmother. My grandmother (who is 99!) is not really able to make gifts at this point, although she is a very talented seamstress, knitter and quilter who taught me when I was young. I made this bright quilt from (another) pattern I had bookmarked years ago and and never tried. I love how it turned out! I choose colors to match the rocket fabric on the back, and I finished it simply envelope-style and with ties. I was glad I could find just the right fabrics in my stash. I put my name, my mother's name and my grandmother's name on the label so they will know it comes from all of us with love. I'm tucking into the package a doll quilt my daughter made for the new baby's big sister.

Knocking some things off my list ...

I've been getting some stitching done in between our family activities with the kids home from school. I had several sets of novelty squares that I bordered and set together for Linus tops ... my mom found the embroidered squares at a thrift shop and they should cheer up some child at the hospital. They are slightly funky, and not fine embroidery, but they are fun.



My son spied an unfinished quilt top in my box that he would like on his bed - I'm always pleased when my kids wish for something. However, he would like a red and black checkerboard on the back side so he can play checkers or chess on his bed when the mood strikes. A cute idea. I think I'll make big 4" squares for the checkerboard, and then border it in something plain. That will make it easier to center on the back of the twin-sized quilt. My son initially suggested making the entire back 4" squares, but that seems a bit like overkill, or at least more than I cared to do.

I also finally tried a fuax log cabin pattern that I had bookmarked years ago (http://www.geocities.com/quiltfrenzy_archives/faux-logcabin.html). I had a set of mauve / maroon fq from a donation to our Linus chapter (very 1980's and not really my style), but they were perfect to try out the pattern and it worked up quite well. I may try this again with fabrics more to my taste. This will be another quilt for our Linus chapter.


Here's a picture of the Christmas jammies ... the rocket fleece was a hit. However, the fuzzy gown was made of the extra-plush fleece I found at JoAnn's. It was a bear to sew (with fuzz all over the room) and it seems to be irritating my daughter's skin, even after several washings. So, I'm afraid it won't be worn much. Such cute fabric, but I guess not great next to her skin.

Beautiful Quilt Received!

I found a wonderful SFRR quilt in my mailbox this morning - what a great Christmas eve gift! The back is just as fun as the front, and the workmanship is beautiful. Margaret hosted a wonderful swap and I really appreciate all her hard work, as well as the work of Susan, Valerie, Margaret and Jeanne who created my beautiful quilt. I have it on a small table right by my front door now, but it may be destined for my daughter's yellow room.


I've been working with my Gwen Marston - style borders and blocks to add to my center, and I decided these 16-patch blocks didn't add anything great. However, when I laid them out all by themselves, they look pretty good. I may now have a new center and work on 2 quilts at once. It seems one or the other or both might need a bright zig-zag border.



The Christmas jammies were finished in plenty of time ... photos of the completed project soon. I love the rocket on the front of my son's - I hope he does as well!

Instant Gratification

Even though I have some bigger projects in mind, I always come back to the instant gratification of comfort quilts. I was playing with my 2.5" strips and whipped up this Chinese coins top and a bordered box quilt. Fun colors that I hope will give a child something fun to look at.
















I recently purchased Gwen Marston's Collaborative Quilts book and am very inspired by her whimsical style. I pulled out a small friendship start quilt (30 x 40) that I had made from some leftover half square triangles. I started adding borders and lots of brights and black and whites ... I really like how it's coming along! However, I have some Christmas eve jammies I need to finish (a tradition in our house), so I'm putting it aside while I finish those.

SFRR completed

I am pleased to have finished the quilting and binding on my spring fling round robin. All the pieces I have received to work on have been beautifully crafted, and this was no exception. I'll only post a peek of a photo until it is received by its new owner. I was glad to find some fabric in my stash that was just the perfect color for the binding ... I knew buying that fabric on impulse would serve some good purpose!

I just saw that Margaret is hosting another of her wonderful swaps - four seasons quilt swap number 5. Now that this little quilt is checked off my list, I'm signing up for another fun swap!