Framed Squares Crib Quilts & TGIFF

Welcome to TGIFF! This my first time hosting and the experience is out of my 'normal' routine. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the link up.

I did manage to piece two simple crib quilts during my sabbatical. For the first quilt I used the fabric left from the Twinkle quilt. The background fabric looks yellow in the Twinkle picture but it's not. 

A close up of the blocks.

For the second quilt a Berenstein Bears layer cake was used. I did have to piece the strips around the squares and I did have to use some solid Kona fabrics. There wasn't enough fabric left to use for binding but I think I have some blue turquoise Kona that will work.

I think this fabric is really cute!

Here is a picture of the layer cake tag. I bought this layer cake from the resale table at the Jane Stickle retreat several years ago. 

I supposed there is a pattern out there somewhere for this baby quilt but I didn't use one. The individual blocks finish at 6", the quilts measure 48".

Now I  need to get them quilted, the babies are coming this fall. I also just found out, there's a 3rd baby coming but not until January. The fabrics and different pattern have been pulled but it will have to wait October to be pieced.

I also helped our 14 year old grandson make refrigerator dill pickles in July. 

This isn't quit right but please click the blue code and it will take you to the linkup.   https://fresh.inlinkz.com/p/90cb7804425c4a199a629718f816c38c

Sorry, I am so NOT computer literate! 😒 😖

I'm linking to Put Your Foot Down, I Quilted This!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Tree of Life & TGIFF Heads Up!

Today I'm going to share the next applique project which is just in the process of prep work.

While at the Jane Stickle retreat back in November 2022, I purchased a Tree of Life Applique kit off of the resale table. I remember my mother appliqueing a Tree of Life kit back in the late 60's, early 70's. The ladies at church quilted it during the monthly 'sewing' then it was donated and sold through the Michiana Mennonite Relief sale. I had to buy this kit when I saw it and now I'm finally ready to start prepping.

This is an old kit, the background fabric is 50% cotton/50% polyester and the applique fabrics are too.  There is some embroidery but not a lot. 

When I opened the package and removed the fabrics, I found this yellow calico had been placed next to a red fabric. The red fabric had bled onto the yellow. A friend said the kit must have been stored in a damp place. The kit fabrics are thin, I can easily see my hand on the backside. I want to use quality fabrics if I'm going to invest hundreds of hours appliqueing this quilt then hand quilting it.

Here is a link to this quilt that has been machine quilted by Judi Madsen. Isn't it beautiful? Obviously the fabrics in that kit didn't bleed.

I purchased new 100% cotton fabrics during my birthday shopping/browsing spree in July 2024.

The new fabrics aren't a perfect match for the previous fabrics but they'll be just fine.

Now I've the process of tracing the designs onto freezer paper, then marking the background fabric because yes, I purchased new 100% cotton background fabric. Because I have new background fabric, my quilt will be larger than the kit. The marking process is going to take a lot of time. My goal is to be able to start the applique on January 1, 2027. 

Tree of Life is definitely going to be a long term project but it will be a stay at home applique project, it's too big to take anywhere!

I'm going to try something new, I'm going to be hosting the TGIFF Linky Party starting at 6PM EST, Thursday August 13. We'll see if it actually happens and I get all the connections correct.

Okay, I've got a problem already, I don't know how to get rid of that box under the TGIFF sign! We'll see what happens!

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Sew & Tell, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Feathered Star Patchwork

Back in 2024 I pieced Radiant Blues which was a feathered star wall quilt. The feathered stars were foundation paperpieced using the free 16" pattern from Threaded Quilting Studio.

I only needed 9 stars for the wall quilt but 10 stars were pieced because I couldn't decide if I liked the dark star or not. I decided not to use that block so it has been hanging on a display wall ever since, guilting me to use it somehow.

I've finally come with an idea. I have a friend who is going to have a significant birthday in a couple of years. When I'm in between projects, I've been running 1.5" squares through the machine which eventually will be 2" finished 4-patches. I have made a lot of 4 patches, more than what are on this tray. 

The 4-patches will eventually be sewn into 16 patch blocks which will measure 4" finished. Yes, those are small blocks but I've got plenty of blue squares.

One inch finished borders have been added to the star which now measures 20.5", the patchwork will surround the star center. This is another of my not having a physical pattern, just a vision in my mind. This is not going to be a bed quilt but a nice throw size for my friend. She will be very surprised.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, I Quilted This!, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail

No hand work has been accomplished since I finished the quilting on Rhapsody in Blue but I did take pictures of quilt gardens.

The first garden is at Grandma's Pantry in Wakarusa, their design is called A Burst of Joy. If you click on the posted information sign, you can see which flowers were planted where.

The problem with the quilt gardens is they should be raised on more of slant so you can really see the design!

Here's a picture take at the side of the flowerbed.

Next we go to the 'downtown' Wakarusa quilt garden. 

Here's a picture of one corner of the garden.

The last time I posted about this quilt garden, I showed you a flowerbed under construction. They've made progress but it's not completed yet.

The area around the garden is rather torn up, you definitely have to watch your step! I don't have a picture of the information sign, there was a hole in front of it and I didn't feel like trying to straddle it.

I also noticed on the other side of the large sign there are two more flowerbeds like this one with the brickwork completed around them. I also saw a partial brickwork sidewalk. This area used to be a parking lot, it's not anymore. The large sign behind the flowerbed says Quilt Garden Patio, this is definitely going to be much prettier than the parking lot.

Here is a link to the Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail website. I had planned to take pictures of other quilt gardens for this post but just didn't get it done. I drove past several of them on my way to here and there but didn't have the time to stop. July has been very busy!

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Sew & Tell, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Finished!!

Yesterday I sewed the binding onto the front of Rhapsody in Blue, Elaine will add a label then finish the binding with hand sewing.

Here is the quilt displayed on the carpet in the basement.

The left bottom side.

And the right bottom side.

Then I took some pictures of the quilt on our bed.

A side view.

A close up of the center. I tried to find a stencil showing this curvy triangle design. I couldn't find it on the Stencil Company website. I have this design in a couple sizes, the one stencil says #W1004W, Overall C.L. Design, 1996 Sten Source Intl. When I typed in the information, it took me to this website.  I have no idea where or when I bought the stencils, apparently before the turn of the century?

The quilting started on Rhapsody August 20, 2025 so quilting took a little less than 11 months. Slightly over 1000 yards of thread were using in the quilting. The finished size is 115" square. 

Elaine did all of the applique. The center applique is from the Lady Jane pattern which was designed by Nancy Rink, the applique border is a variation of the design. We did not buy any of the blue fabrics, we used what we had in our stashes, guess that makes Rhapsody a 'scrap' quilt. We did buy a whole bolt of the gray background fabric. There is background fabric left, I see a gray background quilt happening in my future.

The batting is a Hobbs Tuscany 100% wool batting which I probably bought at Connecting Thread during a batting sale. I don't use wool batting except when I hand quilt 'special' quilts. For quilting thread I use YLI hand quilting thread, it costs more but it's a quality thread. If you are going to go through the labor of hand quilting, don't use a cheap thread. Years ago I used Coats & Clark hand quilting thread but the thread they manufacture now isn't anything like it used to be. I've had trouble with it fraying and tearing.

The backing fabric is a white floral wide backing that I purchased at Calico Point. I like white on the backside of quilts, it shows the stitching.

I'll take another picture when Elaine has the binding finished but that won't be until fall. I'll keep the quilt here until October. This quilt will be donated to the 2027 Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale, it's finished a year ahead of time!

I'm taking a blogcation until August. July has been an extremely busy month and it's just going to get even busier, the blog has to take a backseat.

The only time I used my sewing machine last week was to attach the binding. I'm enjoying time with family, especially the grandchildren. I've been restocking the freezer and hopefully the black raspberries I picked in June will be finally be made into jelly. No black raspberry jam here, the farmer does not like seedy jam so jelly it is. I'm enjoying the flowers while they're blooming, I'll have plenty of time for sewing and handwork in the winter.

I'll be back in August, happy stitching everyone!

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday, July Favorite Finish

Carolina Lily

 I haven't posted about about my Carolina Lily quilt since April but they have't been out of mind. I had planned to make 100 lily blocks but then I thought perhaps I should decide how I want to arrange them before piecing more blocks.

Originally I had thought I would arrange them like Sue did in her From Small Things, episode 11 video. Many of you commented that the green stems overshadowed the red lilies in that arrangement. The more I looked at Sue's quilt, the more I agreed with you so that arrangement is not happening.

The blocks finish at 6", on point they measure 8.5" across. I'm going to use an on point arrangement. There will be sashing and yellow cornerstones between the blocks. With this arrangement I will need 80 blocks, 50 blocks have been completed.

I'm going to use yellow cornerstones because red or green would blend in with the blocks. An one inch yellow square will add some nice contrast but won't overwhelm.

In June, 30 more stems were pieced using 8 different green fabrics. In this picture the stems are sorted by the fabrics. On the side, beside the stems, are the triangles for the bottoms of the lily sections. There are three lily sections for each stem.  Beside the one stem I just put some small leftover pieces. 

The lily sections will probably be pieced in August, July is very busy.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, I Quilted This!, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts

Rhapsody in Blue

The quilting is finished on the applique border in the bottom half of Rhapsody in Blue. Don't you just love this texture?

Here is the applique border. I just connected a bottom square to the top square with a straight line. The lines are spaced 1.5" apart. This applique is a variation of the Lady Jane center.

Here is the center applique. This applique is the center applique of the Lady Jane quilt. We have permission from Nancy Rink to use her design in this quilt.

Here is a close up of a corner of the applique border. The lines are diagonal to the bottom line. That pin is there because I didn't notice that there was a loop in the thread. When I roll this side backup toward the center, I'll stop and remove that loop. I try to watch for those but I don't always catch them until I've knotted off.

I was at Grandma's Pantry last week but forgot to take a picture of the quilt garden. Sorry 😞, but I will share this cute picture with you. I've noticed something has been munching my hostas so I've been spraying deer/rabbit spray on them. Here are the culprits, who can be upset at these cuties?

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday