Donation Quilt "Brown Angles and Squares"

This is the finished quilt from last post. It isn't very big but would go nicely on the lap of a person who gets around in a wheel chair. It is simply quilted and rather striking. The blocks were made by another EDQG member from a 2014 class by Heather Stewart in Ontario who has since retired from teaching. Her pattern is called "Angles and Squares."

I enjoyed finishing this and hope our guild can find a good home for it!

Finishing up a donation

The quilt guild in our city has a 'community' division where members can donate quilts to various organizations that help out people in need. We are not able to get together and sew because of the Covid regulations, but we do have contact through ZOOM etc. 

Last time I was at a 'Community Services'  meeting (seems ages), I took home a bunch of little blocks someone donated. She didn't want to finish them, even included the pattern. A few were sewn into bigger blocks, but most were about 4" square. It didn't take long to put them together as the quilt is not large, about 33" x 56" with the border (I supplied the fabric for it, and the backing and batting) 

First, I have to say doing this is risky. Not everyone matches points or has the same 1/4" seam allowances. I've never met the lady who donated these blocks, but hats off to her... what a delight to put these together without hardly any issues. They fit!

Now it is on my longarm. I'll post a picture of the finish. I'm quilting around the light areas and haven't yet figured out what to do with the darks. Any suggestions would be helpful!  😀

 

A Re-Do

Despite the hours spent in making a new nativity quilt sample and pattern, I was not happy with the outcome. My fabric choices were too busy and the tones were not working well together. A little voice kept telling me to make another one and do a better job. So I asked a bigger voice and my hubby told me to make another one and do a better job (love that guy).

Actually, it was a bonus because I tried something new for me... using fusible that can be put through the printer and it worked so well that I am re-doing all the pattern instructions to include that option for those who want to avoid tedious tracing. 

Here is the outcome. The color is a bit off, but I will use a better camera for the final 'portrait' for Etsy. It is small but can be made any size and with a vast assortment of fabrics, such as using an ombre for the whole sky instead of smaller pieces. Of course the background fabric can be light, dark, or whatever works with the fabrics chosen. The pattern will include coloring sheets and a few ideas to make it unique to whoever makes it!

Now to get the pattern ready and put it on my Etsy page. I've lots on my plate right now and am hoping to get this task finished soon.

Yellow DONE!

This yellow improv is finished. I still have a few yellow scraps left even though the entire quilt, border and binding (but not the backing) was made from a tiny scrap bin. Amazing. 

This is the quilting on it (see previous two posts for more pictures). I used a panto with butterflies and it went perfectly with the gal who will be receiving this. The binding was hand-done, mostly because I sit with hubby to watch hockey games and hand-sewing keeps me from wanting to be doing something more productive. 

The photo was taken in low daylight and is not very yellow. Here is an earlier one of the bits and pieces that were slapped on my design wall weeks ago. It shows the color better -- except the blue. The one above gets it almost perfectly. I should take a photography course and find out what makes cameras and colors so unpredictable!!

I've also nearly finished a top in all reds. It worried me, but I am excited at the way it turned out so far. The borders go on next and I will post a photo.

Also, not happy with the second nativity quilt so am making another sample. It will go on my Etsy page. Theory: If I don't like it, my customers probably won't either. Photos coming soon. In the meantime, happy quilting...

And a joyous EASTER! 

Found wide backing...

 After searching dozens on online stores and finding nothing or "Sold Out" on the wide backings that appealed to me for my yellow scrap quilt (previous post) I went to a local fabric discount store and found wide backing, well, 108" for one and 60" for another, and also a piece of batik that I would have used but enough piecing already!

Here are the three. The top one is already on my longarm hence the funny shadow. I had to turn my camera upsidedown and hold it underneath to get the photo. The yellow works with the top and the oranges work with accents in the top. The gal who is getting this wanted "nature" in it, so flowers and butterflies seem a good choice. Yeah!

The second one was too funky to pass up. It is 108" wide and there was 4 meters left on the bolt so I bought it all. It will work on several things in my think tank. The background is white, don't know why it looks pink in this photo.

The last one is only normal width.  I just love it and wanted to show it to you. I've no plans, but my yellow and orange yellow stash is still here (the yellow quilt used scraps only) so it may wind up in another project... cheerful after a long winter! Please excuse the shadow of my arm across the middle! Never noticed it until it was uploaded here.

There is one store in our province that specializes in wide backings (no yellows/florals though) and one store in North Carolina that sells backings only called Backside Fabrics, but they didn't have one that worked for this quilt either. I did buy one for another quilt but with postage and customs (fabric was over $30 so Canadian customs hit me this time), it was very expensive.  The quilt is for our much-loved grandson and his wife, so don't mind spending the money.

My first totally improv quilt

This top is finished. It will go on the longarm in a day or two. I just love this one. The entire quilt is made from scraps that were in my scrap bins, finding a few other colors to spice it up. I love the shots of blue (not as dark as the photo, more of a teal) and the bits of orange and green. I pulled out a few yellow fat quarters but didn't use any of them. Even the binding is already cut from scraps and will be mostly the darker pieces in the quilt. The backing will likely be one that I bought on sale, but I may go find something more 'golden' to have the same warmth as the front. I'll use a panto with swirls and hearts to finish it off. This will go to a young woman who asked for a yellow quilt.

It is starting to feel like spring. Our parking area for visitors is ice with water on top and the birds are flitting around the yard. The air smells fresh, like it just rained. And I am finally rid of that 'covid' haircut (or lack thereof) and feel like a new person!

Still at it...

 I'm still not finished the yellow improv scrap quilt . . . but getting there. 

Just have a new pic of those wonderful orchids that our son gave me. Now there are 18 blooms on it and all are perfect. Such a delight to watch them come out! 

We are getting warmer weather, much welcome after a week or so of -40 with wind. The melting makes walking from our door out of the complex quite dangerous though. I'd like to go but need cleats!