Friday Finish

Today I'm going to show you the finish of the 3030 quilt which was a BOW from Sentimental Stitches. I started piecing the blocks the fall of 2020. Here is link with more information about my progress.

Lori Null long arm quilted the quilt with an overall feather design. This picture displays the quilting the best.

There wasn't much of a stained window effect with this backing fabric. I purchased this years ago and just decided to use it. The quilting doesn't show on the back at all.

The quilt finishes at 57.5" by 64".

Linking to Put Your Foot Down, Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, UFO Busting, Oh Scrap

Antique Star Variation

I've pulled an older project that hasn't seen the light of day since 2019. The original idea was to make Sue Garman's Antique Stars pattern. She designed a beautiful quilt, I love how varying the background fabrics make the blocks look framed in circles.

After I started piecing the 4.5" finished Ohio Stars used in this quilt, I changed my focus and decided to use these blocks in my own way. The stars were made in conjunction with the RSC in 2018 and 2019 but I guess I missed some months, I couldn't find any pink blocks. I need to piece 24 more Ohio star blocks, I'll make pink and black.

I wanted a center medallion so I pieced a feathered star in September 2020.

I placed the feathered star and the blocks on my display wall. I thought I knew how the alternate blocks was supposed to look like but this wasn't right! It was ok but not the look I was going for.

I decided to focus on the enlarging the medallion star to be compatible with the Ohio Star blocks. I knew I wanted a HST border but first I added background fabric borders finished at 1.5".

While I was sewing the HST border onto the star, I realized the alternate block I needed was an hourglass block! This looks much better.

Isn't it amazing what you can see in a picture that you don't see in real life? Time out while I get the seam ripper out and remove that bottom HST border.

OK, now the border is attached correctly.

Then I added another round of 1.5" background border then an 1.5" black border. This medallion center finishes at 27" which is the measurement of six 4.5" blocks. After typing this, I stopped and multiplied again, just to make sure 6 X 4.5 actually is 27. You never know, sometimes those numbers change!

I used the black fabric because it was used in the feathered star and because I think black brightens a quilt. The beige used in the alternate block is rather a blah shade. I have a good sized piece of yardage though and I'm using it.

This is where I'm at for now. I need to piece more of the alternate blocks and the rest of the Ohio star blocks.

I like how the hour glass blocks make a star.

I don't have an EQ program. Most of the people I know who do have EQ can't figure out how to use it anyway. I'll just stick with my calculator, pencil and paper.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday

Hands 2 Help 2021

It seems like I've been working on charity quilts all winter and spring. Thirteen quilt tops and finished crib quilts have been pieced for the Hands 2 Help 2021 Challenge. 

The 7 flimsies will be donated to the MCC Comforter Bash. They'll be knotted and bound by volunteers in November then sent to various locations where someone needs some comfort. They ask that the quilts be at least 60" by 80". It is ok if the quilt top is larger than that size but they don't want them any smaller.

Two String X tops have been pieced. String X is a free pattern from Bonnie Hunter's website.

The white blurry spots on the quilt are snowflakes.

This is a framed 4 patch.

Three flimsies were pieced from the extras box.

A fun quilt to make was this jumbo granny square flimsy which was a fun and easy quilt to make.

I also made five crib quilts which I quilted myself. They have been delivered to the daycare at my church.

A finished panel crib quilt was also donated to the daycare.

Sarah lists several agencies as donation sites for the H2H challenge. They are all good charities and need donations but I donate to charities around my home.

Linking to Hands 2 Help 2021.

Almost to the Top of the Center!

The left side block and borders of blue Stars Around the Garden have been quilted.

I rolled, look at the center, I can see the top of the center! Progress is being made. Sometimes it just seems like I am swimming in place and not going anywhere but I have been.

I rolled and quilted the right side border and block. Next will be finishing the quilting in the applique center!

Last week I was asked about the quilting design I'm quilting in the center background. Here are links to this design in two sizes, 1.75" triangle and the 3" triangle. I like this design for the background, it's a welcome change from crosshatching or diamonds.

I took our grandson to get a haircut. We went a little early so he could play at the playground. Where we live, we have many people who utilize horse and buggy as their way of transportation. Their children also like to play at the playground. I took this picture of our grandson standing next to the trash bin which is located next to the hitching rack. The shovel is even provided by the parks department. 

Linking to Link Your Stuff!, Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Red Jumbo Granny Square & 16 Squares Blocks

I already have 5 projects in progress for RSC so what did I do? I decided to add another one to the mix. I had fun making the jumbo granny square blocks so I decided to make one in reds. It only takes 12 blocks to make a quilt the size I want since these blocks finish at 18".

The pattern for jumbo granny squares is here.

I also pieced twelve 16 block squares but I only had room for 9 blocks on the display wall.

All of these blocks were pieced with 2.5" squares.

Linking to Scrap Happy Saturday.

Friday Finish

The scrappy blue puss in the corner flimsy I pieced in January has returned home from the long arm quilter. Lori Null did a lovely job with the quilting. Appropriately the quilting design is called cat paws.

I used 2.5" strips to make this quilt, the blocks finish at 8". Blue puss measures 78.5" by 87" finished and will be gifted to our oldest granddaughter the next time we visit.

A close up of the quilting on the front of the quilt. 

A stained glass view of the back side. The sashing and cornerstones make a 9 patch effect.

The backing fabric color is more of aqua colored than blue.

Last week my Friday finish was a panel I made into a crib quilt. Here is a link to the Prairie Moon panel challenge, you may view all the finished panel quilts and vote for your favorite. These are some beautiful quilts!

I write my posts ahead of time. Even though this post is publishing in May, most of it was written in April. Our younger grandson had fun running through the snow we received midmonth.

Linking to Put Your Foot Down, Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, Oh Scrap

Jumbo Granny Squares Flimsy

I only needed 12 jumbo granny square blocks to make a finished 63" by 81" flimsy for the comforter bash held in November.

Most of these fabrics were already cut into 2.5" squares but I did pull some fabrics from the solids box, it is time to get these fabrics used.

I started cleaning up the leftovers from piecing this flimsy then wondered what a four block crib quilt would look like. I certainly have plenty of fabrics for a crib quilt. But I've had enough crib quilt sewing lately, time to move onto a different project.

There are 2 blocks that had all the corners turned the wrong way. After I had the flimsy sewn together, I found another HST turned wrong. I'm not going to change them, finished is better than perfect.

Someone asked me in comments if you can strip piece these blocks. I don't see why you couldn't but since I was using squares already cut I didn't. Strip piecing would be perfect if your blocks were all going to be the same fabrics or if you have enough strips of the same values.

The pattern for jumbo granny squares is here.

I'm adding a bunch of flower pictures I took in April. Spring flowers are so special after a long gray winter with no color.

This picture shows you some Dutchman Breeches and flowering myrtle.

These are small daffodils that came from the farmer's grandmother's farm many years ago. The flowers are smaller than other daffodils.

Jack in the Pulpit

Yellow daffodils blooming on the north side of my house.

More daffodils, it's nice to have a variety of colors.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday