Other Misc. Donations to catch up on recent projects

I've received a lot of donation fabrics in the last year.  I've enjoyed taking the scraps and leftovers and making something pretty that someone will enjoy.  Some of these will be donated to nursing homes or dialysis centers.  Others will be donated to a local crisis pregnancy center.  Just because I like making up rules for myself, I have tried to make do with only the donated fabric.  Sometimes I will pull from my stash but typically only fabrics that are so old I can't remember where they came from.

These flannel scraps were so cute but there was just barely enough.  I pulled coordinating fabric from my stash and added some easy pieced borders.  They did turned out very cute.  I call the pattern spinning attic windows and have used it several times now.

Some more cute flannel left-overs found on the scrap table and a pattern to stretch it out to baby quilt size. 

 

And another spinning attic windows.  This one I was trying to use up some questionable yellow fabric with pink dots and several yards of Sunbonnet Sue.  

And the last of Sunbonnet Sue.  The pattern is just a 9-patch alternating with a snowball block.  I've some several variations of this and always enjoy seeing the secondary pattern.

This is another version of the Strips and Stripes pattern from Krista Moser.  I'm not sure but I think I've had that rainbow strip for about 20 years.  I had thought I would use it with novelties, but it always seemed too bright.  But it looks great in this layout. 

Still playing with Novelties

 Just so no one thinks I'm neglecting my novelty stash, I am still playing with novelties in between the other projects.  

This first quilt is a novelty version of Krista Moser's Ribbon Twist pattern. I think I like this one a bit better than the patriotic version.  I think just doing a 90 degree corner with the zigzag works just as well and is easier to cut with no waste.  But this was fun to try.

I got the idea for this next quilt from a FB post so I don't know the pattern name.  It was a fun one to do, though it did generate a large number of waste triangles (which seem to reproduce in my scrap bin).

Another great pattern by Kim Brackett, this one is called Off Course.  Great way to use 2.5" scraps.  I think I'll probably do a patriotic version of this one as it was lots of fun to stitch, and I love the broken effect when you put the blocks together.

This pattern is by Ledine Watson of Sugar Stitches.  So fun and easy, I loved being able to make the entire thing with novelties.

These next two are repeats from years ago.  But they are so fun to do and look so great.  I love picking out the tone-on-tone colors to coordinated with the novelties.

Quick and easy donation quilt.  I need to make about 300 more of these to use up all those precut strips!

I saw this pattern in a catalog in pastels and thought I'd try it in novelties.  The pattern gets lost a bit unless you stand back but it is sort of interesting.  Probably won't do it again tho.

Recent Patriotic donations - fun with Red White & Blue

I have gotten involved in a local quilt charity through one of the guilds I attend.  The program is called Roll Call, which supports local veterans.  Originally, I had volunteered to quilt the tops which other quilters had pieced.  But I love piecing so much I decided to try out some patterns I had found, but using red, white & blue fabrics.  I asked the coordinator if she had any scraps left over from backings, etc.  And she dropped off several bags, including some yardage and 2 bolts of backing fabric.  Whoa!  Now the pressure is on.

I went back to one of my favorite authors, Kim Brackett and chose some patterns from two of her books. This first one is called Blessings from the Wood.  Kind of a strange name but I do love the pattern and have made it before in red/black/white colors.

This next is called Fireworks.  Definitely appropriate for a patriotic quilt.

This last Kim Brackett pattern called Scrap Basket Blues is one of my favorites and I have made it several times, including with novelties.  So fun and easy.  Like many of her patterns, the block is deceptively simple, and the sashing is built into the block.  When you put the simple blocks together, you get all sorts of great secondary patterns.  In this particular quilt, I mistakenly cut the trimmed rectangles going one direction for the blue ones, and another for the red.  Hmmm.  Which means the stars spin in opposite directions.  But no one will ever notice, and I even ended up with an additional detail that the sashing lines up and makes a basket weave pattern.  I had so much fun, I'm going to make another novelty version.

Last year at one of the guilds I attend we had a program by Krista Moser.  If you aren't familiar with her, definitely check out her blog & patterns (the Quilted Life).  Her "thing" is large diamonds and hexagons but used in very modern ways.  These next two patterns were free on her website.  The first one called Strips and Stripes was ridiculously fast and the result is very dramatic.  I also made a rainbow version for a baby quilt that I'll include in a later post.

This pattern called Ribbon Twist (also by Krista Moser and free on her website).  I discovered that I really have a mental block when the patches aren't symmetrical.  Krista's instructions are very clear, but you do have to read them carefully - and follow them exactly.  So, this one "grew" a bit when I cut a bunch of the blue strips backwards.  I also did this in novelties.

In the bag of scraps I was given, I found a stack of 10" precuts so I went looking for a fast pattern that used that size.  I found this one called Alter Ego on the Missouri Star website.  It was fast and fun to do, but it's a bit too scrappy for me.  Or maybe it's the muted colors and beige.  I'm not as happy with it as the others.  Maybe once it's quilted.

For special people - General quilts

Looking through the list of quilts left to document, the next category seems to be quilts made for specific people.  This one is a bit long, but I'll try to keep the stories short.

These two patterns by Silver Linings were for two co-workers from Pier 1.

When my dad owned a large home he had a many nativity scenes inside and outside each Christmas.  When he sold the house and moved to a retirement apartment, he gave away all of them to friends and family.  He had always loved decorating for Christmas and several years won the prize for his yard decorations.  He was sad that those days were over.  So for his birthday, I made him a nativity quilt and told him it didn't take up much space when he put it away after Christmas.  But he left it up all year and was very proud of the quilt.  I hang it now each year in my own home. 

Mystery quilt for Coleman.  I wanted to participate in a mystery quilt along with friend on About.com quilt forum, so my son picked out fabrics and this was the result.

A dear friend in my VOS quilt group was going through serious health issues so we decided to send her some small quilts to let her know we were thinking of her.

My niece asked for a bed quilt in black & white with red.  So I made her a Warm Wishes quilt with fleece backing - very cuddly.

My sister purchased a flannel quilt kit online and asked if I would help her make it on a visit.  I ended up doing all the sewing and cutting and she did the pressing.  While we talked and laughed.  

A work friend jokingly commented that she wouldn't ever get one of my quilts because she didn't have kids.  She however had several cats, so I made her this fun pattern.  Desiree's Psycho cats

Kathy's Bowties.  I wanted to try a scrappy pattern from a book by Bonnie Hunter.  This is the result.  I gave it to my freshman college roommate who is still a dear friend.

Rainbow Kitties.  I made two of these quilts and had six blocks left over to make a small one for me.  The pattern was brought to my attention on FB by a friend who "shows" Siamese cats and has even written a book called the Crazy Cat lady. I met this friend through another college roommate who loves cats but hasn't been able to have one for years.  So I decided to make them both a rainbow cat quilt and surprise them.  They had no idea I was sending them anything - I asked the other for the address and told them it was a secret.  The reactions when they each opened their quilts were so much fun. I love making quilts when they are loved and appreciated.

Vickie's shadow cats.  A friend at work knew I collected novelty fabrics and send me a link to a batik fabric with cats.  The fabric was lovely but not really something I could use in an I spy.  But it was such fun fabric I decided to purchase some and make my friend her own cat quilt. I used a very simple pattern to showcase the shadow cat fabric.

a close up of the fabric.  I also used a little bit of mice in the corners.

My daughter wanted to make a baby quilt for a  good college friend of hers.  I helped her with the cutting & pressing but she did much of the sewing.  She did not enjoy it and says never again.  Oh well, I tried.

Alex's pinwheels.  Alex is one of my daughters very best friends.  We often call her one of our second daughters.  In high school she asked me to make her a purple quilt.  This is the result.  The pattern was from a Kim Bracket book.  I had tons of purple & orange triangles left over that I used in a couple of mini quilts but I still had left overs.

Alex's Owls.  One of my quilting friends from About.com (Judy in Ohio) used to do very intricate cross stitch work.  In cleaning things out, she asked if anyone wanted these lovely owls.  Knowing Alex loved owls, I took the cross stitch and made it into a wall hanging for her.  She was thrilled and has it hanging in her home.

Marion's Llamas.  My daughter has been crazy about llamas ever since the movie Emperor's New Groove.  About the time it came out, we moved to a new home and there were llamas in the area, including a couple on our street.  The owner let my kids come feed them and ever since she has been collecting llamas.  When I saw this pattern by Elizabeth Hartman, I knew I had to make it for her.  Fortunately I like puzzles because it definitely was like putting a puzzle together with 1000 pieces.

A friend from church asked me to make his wife a Texas flag quilt for Christmas.  She is suffering from dementia but still loves the Texas flag.  It was fun collecting the various fabrics to put this together using 2" squares.

Rebecca's Braid.  A young woman who was our church pianist and sang in a ladies group with me decided to devote herself full time to her piano career and so resigned.  We had a going away party and I decided to make her a quilt which included music themed fabric (the borders).  I had wanted to try making a braid quilt.  She cried!

Tricia's Moose.  A dear friend suffered for many years with brain cancer.  She loved everything Moose.  When I saw this pattern, I decided to try fused applique and make it for her.  It was a fun process and she loved the quilt.

Loraine's homespun.  After making the Texas Sampler for my father in law, I had a bunch of homespun scraps left over.  His sister in law had visited him frequently when he was living with us during his struggle with cancer.  She was always bringing treats.  After he died, I decided to make her a quilt as a thank you for how much she had helped all of us.

Mrs. Pendley's quilt.  As a class project for my son's second grade teacher, the kids each drew a picture which I then transferred to fabric and made into this quilt.  We presented it to her at the end of the year.  And she cried.  You know it's a loved quilt when they cry. 😀

Some Lessons Learned - General quilts

This post is a group of quilts where I learned something significant.  It's all a journey.

Texas sampler, pattern by Veda Whilhite.  I love applique, who knew?  This quilt was made for my dear father in law who loved his Texas home.  I fell in love with the pattern at a local quilt shop but was worried about the applique.  But I tried it and discovered I really enjoyed it.  This quilt got me started.

Batik stars or how not to press flying geese.  And setting blocks on point and adding sashing makes it bigger very fast when you are tired of making the blocks.  There are sixteen flying geese in every block,  I used the four at a time method so they went pretty fast but they never came out the right size.  I was so frustrated until a quilting friend pointed out I was stretching them as I pressed.  Wish I had known about making oversized and trimming.  

Bears in Berties Cabin, pattern by Ricki Tims.  I've made this a couple of times but on this first one I learned  Watch out for twisted blocks BEFORE it's quilted.  And yes I fixed it anyway, I couldn't stand it being wrong.

Stack & Whack tree skirt - contrast is important.  There was a lot of fabric killed in the making of this tree skirt.  I kept the scraps for years but finally tossed them last year.  On the floor under the Christmas tree it really doesn't look as interesting as it does in the photo.  The pattern needed to have more background, bigger figures to really be effective.  

Fractiles or why I don't like pineapples.  This was originally going to be at least a throw sized quilt, but after sixteen blocks I decided I was done.  I do love the wall hanging though it kind of makes your eyes twitch.

Two colored New Mexico Star - after doing lots of scrappy quilts, two fabric quilts are so FUN and FAST.  Also "modern" quilting isn't as easy as it looked in the sample.

Christmas table topper.  Contrast!  Stand back and look before you cut.  The focus fabric is so busy you can hardly see the piecing.  But it made a good tree skirt for my daughter later.

Betty's Fracture Jewel - pressing direction is important.  And those darn flying geese again.  And my quilting was awful, but my aunt loved it anyway.  And how fun are secondary patterns.  And Tri Rec rulers aren't as easy to use as they seem.  This is such a fun pattern, I really should try it again.  Bet I can figure out those Tri Recs now.

Hearts of Fire  made for my red loving daughter.  A simple pattern can still be very fun and dramatic.  And even if the colors aren't my favorite, using up left overs from Aunt Betty's quilt made for a great quilt.  I also tried to be interesting with fabric placement.

Circles in Batik - sewing curves really needs pins regardless of what the pattern says.  Despite not a single point matching, this quilt gets more comments than any other.  It's fun to just stand and watch it move (or appear to).  Laying out the fabrics took week, but it was worth it.  Just wish the points were better.

Twisted Daughter - paper piecing using freezer paper is much more fun than tearing off the paper.  My daughter and I both love bright colors with black.  I thought this quilt was for me, but she took it for her room.

Bible Stories quilt - be careful of fusible, especially with batiks.  You get it too hot and the glue solidifies and doesn't hold.  Raw edge applique is a lot like paper dolls, but don't volunteer to make two.  I worked on these at football games one season while waiting for my daughter to march at half time.  Lots of interesting looks and comments. I need to try another fusible project, the paper dolls was pretty fun.

Well another group of older quilts down.  I'm having fun going down memory lane.  I hope others will find it interesting too.