No post this week...

 Don't know where or when or from whom, but I was given the Covid virus this week. Mostly like a severe cold (without a runny nose) combined with a massive dose of sleeping pills, so at this point, I am sleeping lots. My hubby is taking good care of me yet keeping distance and we are both hoping he stays well.

I have nothing sewn to show or tell except I had one lovely dream about designing patchwork. Also missed the trip to the coast to deliver my GD's quilt. We were both disappointed that this will now have to wait until a later time. 

Oh, I have about 36 scrappy blocks in light & medium blues, all 8.5 inches. Six more set out to sew and then need to figure out a layout. Have a nice yardage for sashing if I decide to use it. And that just about empties the blue scrap bin (other than the darks, but they are cut into squares, so next on the list.

 Yes, I have not been posting much, but finished four quilts last week, so that might explain it. On a whirl... use all that fabric before I die? something like that. Here are some pictures. All of them are going to charity or have already gone:

Purple Patches, a lap size leaving me with only a little bit of purple scraps. It is 50" x 50"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Count the Kittens, leftovers from Jessica's Heart (which is not finished yet. The top is done but not sandwiched etc.) This was fun to put together. I had lots of the little squares that did not fit in the bigger quilt and a few odd shapes. Added only the sashing and some of it also came from Jessica's quilt.

The smaller one is a close-up of the cats and it is a child's size. Lots of fun and no cat fabric left...none! But I do have more leftovers from that bigger quilt so will be making more this size from them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below is Purple Squares in Squares. I published it before but the color was awful. Someone else took this picture and it is much better. It is a twin-size. Hopefully, someone will like purple!

This is the back of the one above. I used almost all my scraps and this is lots more fun than piecing or using a wider fabric for the back.

This is called Busting the Blues. It is also a twin-size. I had enough blue left to make a lap quilt. I'll load it on the longarm this afternoon. The color is not really true in this picture. I need an outdoor space to take photos!

Speaking of outdoors, I planted 3 big planters with new flowers and added to the soil from the few others that survived over winter in our garage... and on the same day took my hubby to the local air museum to celebrate our anniversary (51). He is an airplane nut, and I am not, but it was our first-time there and we were both impressed. Very interesting history in our city. His gift to me was the week before -- to our city's new library -- also amazing!

Hubby is on a business trip so I am purging closets and other spaces. Feels good. We have a city recycle place that takes everything but books and electronics. People go there for craft stuff, etc. I just found out that they welcome batting bits and narrow strips etc. that we quilters often don't know what to do with. My big bag is already packed full for a trip there in a day or two.

Orphange is done...

Orphanage in Blue top is finished. I've not cut any binding yet. I have made four more large blocks and will add sashing from my stash to make a lap quilt. The rest of the leftover scraps are being cut into squares and strips, likely enough for two baby quilts, all this from a small box of scraps. I'm feeling a bit like the little boy who gave Jesus five loaves and two fish to feed several thousand people!

The leftovers will soon be in plastic bags labeled by size and back in the blue scrap box. I've other things to do and don't want the 'blues' to take over my mood!

Also, this picture is indoors, so again, the colors are not the greatest, at least on my screen.

Btw, I love piano key borders, especially on these scrap-busters!

Need a pep-talk? Try this!

Busting the Blues

Since my scrap bin marked BLUE began to overflow last week, I decided to tackle it and make as many different blocks in multiples of five (plus seam allowances) and in as many variations that came to mind. 

So far, I've this: one block on the left that is 25" and needs a bit more so it has a seam allowance that will fit with the rest. The block on the right is made up of an assortment of little pieces that were a temptation to toss in the garbage. I kept adding until it became 15.5" square. 

 

A couple more are sitting on a table. One is 15.5  x 5.5 a ready to add somewhere. The other is a strip of skinny pieces sewn on the diagonal that is 15.5 long and so far only 3" wide. They didn't make it to the wall yet. 

Yes, this is crazy, mindless and total fun. The bin is still bulging, but loosely and not pressed down. Who will get it? Not the foggiest idea. Nor do I know how big it will be. If it falls short of a good size, I'll dig out some of my blue fat quarters that otherwise have no future! I also have turquoise in this mix so that heart on the left will eventually have some company so it isn't so obviously different.

This may not be a final layout, but with improv, you have to start somewhere! 

More Purple and a Panel

The previous post showed 6 improv blocks. Here they are with plain scraps the same size and more improv with the leftovers sewn into a 50" top, good for another charity give-away. The photo shows more contrast than the actual quilt top. Some colors do that. I've yet to cut batting and backing. There is enough leftover purple (no kidding) to do a major part of the backing. Don't know if the scraps will be all used, but it is the goal! 

This next one is a start. I was asked to make a black quilt. Couldn't do all black, and since she also wanted a nature theme, this panel seems perfect. It has a real dark green in it so cut off the sides and made dark green triangle windows for them to peek through. More green now all the way around it, but narrow. And the black pieces are sewn on, but no photo. Next time.

Need to keep going. Sometimes it is too easy to procrastinate on the important stuff and do fiddly projects.

Lots happening in our lives too. Some days I just want to sleep all afternoon!

Purple Heart - finished!

A bit of dismay that I've not posted for nearly a month. However, I have quilted nearly every day. Just slow.

This one is finished. I used up almost all the purple I had in a scrap bin plus a bit of yardage. As you can see, some of that went on the back. For those who don't like slab quilts, this one is nicer in person. I quilted it with a panto called "Featheration" seen in the lower picture.

It is 61 x 77" and will go to Quilts of Valour (the u means the Canadian version).

I've also made another from the scraps leftover from the larger pink one (see last post) that is not quilted yet. It is smaller, roughly log cabin/slab squares at 6" plus an odd layout. Instead of a binding, I'm facing it, so no photo yet. It is nearly finished. 

We had a heat wave here for a few days, 31C which broke records in our part of the world. So glad for AC! We also looked at show homes for the fun of it including a hospital lottery grand prize. Lovely. Every year there are several of them used as fund-raisers for local hospitals, one for sports. They each bring in about two million or more above all the prizes. This house is large and well-designed. This one has large rooms but it isn't as pretty on the outside as the first one. A few more have already had their draws. When we walk through, I'm always thinking, "Where would I put my longarm?" Winning would certainly make life complicated. They have restrictions on win/sell right away, and the taxes on these big houses is insane.

Back to the sewing machine...

Scrap Busting

My box of red scraps should be nearly empty but has a bunch of pink in it. This week it lured me from another baby quilt on the longarm to a cutting spree. I have enough 2 1/2" strips to make oodles of 6" nine-patch blocks, plus a few square cuts from the bigger pieces to add to the mix. I'll likely make a few four-patch and some fillers with single squares sewn in a row. About 10 more scraps to cut and I'll start sewing. A picture next time of all this pink stuff.

The box (12" x 12" x 15") is still 1/3 full. We should call scraps 'rabbits' or 'bunnies' because they seem to multiply like crazy. I've eleven of them and want them all to get used up!

It has been raining here and our city is starting to look jungle-like, so green with lots of blooming flowers and trees. The rain is wonderful even if some bellyache about it. We put out containers so have rain water for the pots that are protected by overhanging eves. They love it.

Btw, health is good. My cardiologist is happy. I have a few aches and try not to gripe since most of them are from exercise rather than anything that needs a doctor. So thankful!!

Dog's Breakfast?

I know -- it looks like a dog's breakfast. These are what I have so far from my scrap bin of mostly browns and oranges. There is enough for 80 blocks. They will be all the same (8" finished) and the only thing consistent is the horizontal rows have the largest piece all in the same value and nearly the same color. 

I will likely flip every other row so I don't have to worry about matching seams, and of course rearrange the blocks in the rows until they look better. I've also considered a narrow sashing but not sure what color to use???

I cut all those large patches and a bunch of the other sizes, so lots of assembly and stitching to do. At first, I was cutting pieces at random depending on the size of the scraps. However, cutting and putting the bigger pieces on the wall helped me know how many I needed and in what color. Anyway, it feels good to use up the bits and it will be a nice size to keep someone warm.

Hope everyone is doing okay with all the regulations to stay home, keep your distance, etc. We quilters should love the confinement as those UFOs need some extra hours anyway.

Stash busting

These pieces and the block are from my box of brown/orange scraps. The plan is to make the blocks until the scrap bin is empty, adding from stash if needed to make at least a twin-size. The block finishes at 8" so I will need at least 40 of them, likely more.

This will be a darkish quilt but some contrast and bright spots. I've only one block so not sure how the setting will go, but at least the scraps will go! Well, I might keep the largest of the leftovers, too small for 2.5" but large enough for a foundation paper-pieced project, etc.

Halo Medallion binding is nearly done. Need a name and a label. Since it is not the full pattern, it could be "Half a Halo" -- was thinking of subtitle: "the story of my life" but not sure I want to go public with that! 😀

Hope everyone is using February to finish those January projects...

Odds and Ends

I'm working on my daughter's king-size and don't want to post it yet... also working on a charity baby quilt from a panel. I'll post it when the elaborate border is done. Don't have room on my design wall for it yet so picture taking is a bit more challenging.

A woman in our guild says that she takes every bit of her leftovers from a project and makes blocks out of it, usually 4 inch 4-patches. Wish I'd heard that years ago! I make a twin quilt and had just small pieces left over and made these 6" blocks. I love them and will use them in something -- as long as I don't give in to the temptation and turn them into mug rugs. With sashing, they could be a small mat??

Here us another idea for a larger scrap. It is a small gift or jewelry bag. I left my hand in so you can see the size, about 5" x 7" and quick to make. The drawstring dresses it up.

 If anyone has more ideas for leftovers besides the usual scrappy quilt, I'd love to hear about them!

Quilts of Valour

Both Canada and the United States (and other countries) have organizations that specialize in making or collecting quilts to present to wounded soldiers and veterans. In Canada, it is Quilts of Valour. I've been involved with QoV for a few years, mostly in a minor way. One of those ways is helping to host a quilting bee where we make quilt tops.

We just finished a marathon two days with 28 quilters. Some stayed both days. Others came for one or the other. The work was fabulous and it was God-blessed all the way. 

On Saturday, a few had completed their tops from the kits and so on supplied by the QoV past president, Lezley Zwall. I'd brought the red top I'd made from red scraps. I'd roughly followed the idea of slabs that has been promoted by a quilter from Calgary, Cheryl Arkison. Lezley had bins of scraps leftover from other QoV bees and they were sorted by color, ironed by a volunteer who does not sew but came to help, and several of the quilters quickly discovered how addicting these 'slabs' become. 

I brought my bin of purples (with pinks and all sorts of related prints) and got a good start on a quilt that will be the right size for QoV. Here is the photo of a few of the blocks laying on the fabric that will become the sashing. Wanda at Exuberant Color often says that purple does not photograph well. She is right! But you get the idea. The sashing will be wider than it shows here, likely 3" or so. The blocks finish at 12" and are much more purple than they appear here.

It was a wonderful time. This is the second one we have had and they are already saying things like "next year . . ." However, right now all I can think is "how soon can I have a nap?" 

My fabric scraps are sorted to color and in boxes that are about 9" x 10" x 15" and most of them are nearly full. The red one was at about 3/4 and I just watched an episode on The Quilt Show on making 'slab' quilts. This technique has been perfected by a woman from Calgary, Alberta. Her name is  Cheryl Arkison and she has three books out. The video on TQS was fun to watch and making these improv blocks is so relaxing.

What amazes me is that with a few scraps, I already have 15 large blocks (12.5") and will have at least 15 more, just in the reds and reddish scraps from that bin! There are variations in prints, tonal values, etc. but all red and shades thereof. Here is a picture of the blocks so far. To the left is a pile of larger pieces that will finish up 15 more slabs that are already partly sewn.

Leftovers again

Several months ago I made a quilt from greenish strips of scraps and gave it to Quilts of Valour. The leftovers were fairly large so decided to make another 'leftover' quilt. This one went through several design tries before I settled on the last one... which is still not completely sewn together, just the bottom part. I didn't have much of the dark green (background is darker than the picture), but there is enough to add a few inches of border after these pieces are sewn together.

Okay, so I'm Scottish, and it feels good to use these leftovers. The cost of some background material and backing isn't too outrageous, so my penny-pinching tendencies are very happy.

Didn't like the hole in the middle

Okay, just turned it 90 degrees

Figuring out how to sew it together happened while I was taking a prayer walk and thinking about something else entirely. Funny how that happens. Hoping that the quilt design will be the same sort of 'gift' as right now, I've no clue how to quilt it.