Friday, October 28, 2016

Baskets, OMG & Other Projects

I love my grands but I am ready to return home after a week away. Boy, it sure felt good to sleep in my own bed. Now onto quilty things.


I met my One Monthly Goal for October which was to sew another row for the Nearly Insane Quilt. I showed you 3 blocks before I left for Pennsylvania. Here are the last four blocks in the row.







I'm sewing the rows together as I go. I like to see the progress, it is slow progress, but progress none the less.

I can attach one more row then the partial flimsy will be too wide for the display wall.





I actually had two monthly goals. The second goal was to finish a block for the Pastor's Album Quilt. I posted about completing that goal on the October 9th post.
Not all the projects on my list of 12 are BIG projects. This week I've crossed 2 projects off the list of 12. 

The first project are these little baskets. I had started appliqueing these blocks, completing two of them, before I left. I finished the other two Sunday evening.


I turned them in at the guild meeting Monday evening. 

Every year our guild makes and donates a quilt to the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale. 

These blocks are for the 2018 Relief Sale quilt.

The pattern is Victoria's Garden from Blended Quilts by Marcia Makosky and Sharon Evans Yenter.
The quilt committee has put their own spin on the pattern.

I think she is going to be a lovely quilt, different than most of the quilts in the auction.

These blocks are maybe 6 1/2" now but will be trimmed smaller. I don't know the final size.

The background fabric is the same for all the applique blocks. There is an alternate pieced block between each basket block.

Some of the alternate blocks were turned in Monday evening also, this quilt is going to be so cute.


This block is my favorite of the four I appliqued. The soft green batik leaves add a touch of color.

I decided to take kits for the same block. Once I've made a block, the others work up fast.






The second project is this basket block. Every year each members of my guild make a quilt block for the past president. The past president selects the pattern and size of the block.

Marie came up with this scrappy pieced basket block. I'll let her trim it. I know it looks like a spot on the fabric at the bottom of the basket. There is no spot, the camera just added it to irritate me.

These two projects were on the pile of small projects to be made last summer. Neither one took very long but that pile was pretty big!


I've started working started working on block 11, Floral Vase Arrangement from the Pastor's Album Quilt for my evening handwork. I think this block is going to take longer than a week to complete. Two flower buds and the vase have an underlay for the reverse applique. A new technique to learn.

Linking to - One Monthly Goal, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Quilting is More Fun than Housework, Em's ScrapbagLove Laugh Quilt, Esther's Wednesday WOW!, Sew Fresh QuiltsMy Quilt Infatuation, A Quilting Reader's GardenCrazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Show Off Saturday

28 comments:

Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts said...

Great progress on all your blocks, soon they'll be completed quilt tops! I'd love to have you link up to Finished or Not Fridays each week!

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Ahh, progress. Love the basket blocks. What size are your Nearly Insane quilt? I found a book that was published in 2003. Is that the pattern? The Presidents basket block fabrics make that block really pop!

Going away is great, but coming home is better!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

your blocks are looking great all put together with the sashing.

Karen said...

Are you enjoying sewing the Nearly Insane blocks? I have had the book for a long time.....or did have it. May not be on the shelf any more. But I have not made any of the blocks.

Jo said...

Great to see your Nearly Insane quilt progress.
I need to get mine out again... Dear Jane blocks are stopping me

Gretchen Weaver said...

Yes, I can definitely say I am enjoying piecing these blocks. They're not for everyone and this certainly isn't a fast project but I sure feel a sense of accomplishment after I piece each block.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I don't think I would want to work on Nearly Insane and Dear Jane at the same time. I do think the Insane blocks are easier in that they are all pieced. No wonky shapes like Jane has but that is what makes Jane's quilt interesting.

Gretchen Weaver said...

The blocks finish at 6". I don't remember the size of the finished quilt. I'm not even close to being there.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I have to sew the rows together. I don't want to get done with the piecing then have to sew all the blocks together. So much easier to do a row at a time.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I'll catch you next week!

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

Those tone on tone whites are wonderful in the flowers!

Quilter Kathy said...

Beautiful baskets!
And your insane quilt is amazing too!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I think the quilt is going to be so pretty. You don't see applique quilts in tone on tone very often. I'll try to keep updates on my blog.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you, I enjoyed appliqueing the baskets, a nice change from my regular project. The Insane is fun too. She may work her way up the list and get worked on more.

Claire said...

I always consider sewing blocks together as i go, but I resist because I like to move them around too much before the final arrangement. Looking forward to seeing your whole top. Claire aka knitnkwilt

Carla A Few Of My Favorite Things said...

You have some wonderful accomplishments! Love the little flowers in the basket blocks on the striped fabric. Great progress!

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

I love those little baskets of white flowers. I think that quilt could be very elegant looking. Thanks for sharing all your lovely blocks with Oh Scrap!

CathieJ said...

I love those baskets. Your Nearly Insane Quilt is really pretty.

The Cozy Quilter said...

You have so many fun and interesting projects to work on! You will never be bored!

Gretchen Weaver said...

For me, it depends on the project. I'm sewing these blocks together in the order they come. Now my Pastor's Attic Quilt appliqued blocks are going to be moved around. I'm having fun rearranging the 16 blocks I've completed so far. It will be awhile before I have the whole top of Insane completed, unless I become consumed by her and decide not to work on anything else. Blessings!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I think too this quilt is going to be very elegant. There won't be any other quilts at the sale like her.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Most of the Insane quilts I have seen are made in civil war fabrics. I wanted my quilt to be different. I'm really drawn to 2 colors quilts but decided to add yellow to make it more perky.

Gretchen Weaver said...

That is for sure, it is a balancing act to keep on top of everything. I keep thinking I'm going to finish these quilts, then focus only on one project at a time, but that never happens!

em's scrapbag said...

I say any progress is good progress. Your blocks are great. I especially love the president's block.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you and I agree, slow progress is better than no progress.

Run 'n Stitch said...

Inch by inch it's a sinch. You're work is incredible!

Miaismine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Miaismine said...

Sorry, major typos! Here's my comment!
Your Nearly Insane quilt is stunning! I’m almost tempted to make it! How big is each block? How big will the quilt be?
Your basket blocks are so intriguing! I can look at basket blocks all day long – they’re so beautiful!
Great job! Thank you for sharing!