Hearts & Wreaths, Blocks 1 & 2

Two blocks for my Hearts & Wreaths quilt are finished, I've decided I'm going to stick with the soft yellow background fabric. The fabric is not as pale as the picture shows but it's hard to photograph.

Block 1 - 

And block 2 - 

The yellow fabric shows more true in this post where I show the bolt of fabric.

Most of the fabrics in these blocks were from my 30's box. I've prepped 4 blocks and cut enough leaves for the first 4 blocks. There will not be fabric repeated in each individual block but there will be throughout the quilt.

Not all of my blocks are going to have 30's fabrics, the theme for my quilt is to use bright fabrics.

The directions called for brown embroidery thread to be used for the vine/circle. I've done the embroidery for the first 4 blocks but I used black embroidery thread. Also, I chain stitched these 2 blocks, the other 2 I used the outline stitch just for a little variety.

When I showed the cover of the Quiltmania magazine to a nonquilting friend, she asked me if I have enough different fabrics to make this quilt, she was serious! I said I don't think that will be a problem.

The pattern for Hearts & Wreaths is found in Quiltmania magazine #138.

Just a side note - Here's a link to the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale website.

Here's a link to the Quilt Auction. You will be able to view all the quilts in the auction so far. Be patient, it takes a little while for all the quilt photos to pull up, at least it does on my computer!

You will be able to bid online during the live auction this year. The sale is Saturday, September 25. This auction is where my Blue Stars Around the Garden is selling.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Handmade Monday, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Orange Scrappy Sprouts

I pieced 5 orange scrappy sprouts blocks. Orange isn't my favorite color but I pieced them anyway. I'm not sure about the top block, the light peach fabrics don't blend with the orange fabrics. I think they have a pinkish tint. That block just may not make it into my quilt.

Here is a link to the pattern for Scrappy Sprouts.

Linking to Scrap Happy Saturday, Oh Scrap

Easy Breezy Flimsys

I've managed to stay on track with piecing the monthly RSC blocks this year but I've had enough, I'm ready for some finishes!

Bonnie Hunter's Leader/Ender project for 2020 was the easy breezy block. She gave the directions for two sizes, 6" finished and a smaller one that I didn't pay attention to.

I adapted the pattern to use strips from the 2.5" box and made blocks that finish at 8". I've made these blocks for over a year and have enough blocks to make at least 3 flimsys. 

I'm tired of piecing these blocks so now I'm sewing quilt tops. All 3 of these flimsys have sashing and cornerstones.

Flimsy 1 - I pulled all the soft, pastel, light blocks. There were also some blocks made with older fabrics that didn't have a sheen, they were included in this bunch. 

I arranged those 48 dreary blocks then pulled brighter or darker strips from the box and cut the 8.5" rectangles I needed for sashing. Of course I added yellow squares for cornerstones. It's too busy for my taste but I'm sure someone will love it.

Flimsy 2 - I used leftover gray charcoal fabric for the rectangles. When I saw there wasn't enough, I pulled a dark blue batik. 

When it's in the  90's with a heat index factor of over 100, at grandma's you get to run around in your swimming suit so you're set for a quick dip in the little tub. He's showing you his muscles.

Flimsy 3 - I said in one of the above paragraphs that I had enough blocks sewn to make 3 flimsys. It turned out I was 8 blocks short so I sewed 8 more easy blocks. I used orange strips since orange hadn't been used this year, then it was the color chosen for September! There were plenty of orange strips in the box.

After these blocks were pieced, I arranged the last 48 block for another flimsy. This time I used a brighter blue batik. I had no plans for this fabric, time to be used! It's surprising how much fabric it takes for the sashing. I think this flimsy is my favorite  of the three. Those orange blocks and bright blue sashing certainly light up the quilt!

All of these flimsys measured 63" by 83".

The easy breezy blocks were a fun easy project to sew along with RSC. Now I have three more comforter tops for the comforter bash.

Our daughter is visiting now. We're keeping her busy doing odds and ends on the farm website and my blog. After she did some research, she decided Mail Chimp was right for my subscription link. It's at the top right hand side, you can sign up for post deliveries by email again!

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

Auction Quilts

For several years I've been donating quilt tops for the school auction my Pennsylvania grandchildren attend. They are hand quilted and sold in the quilt auction.

The last auction was held Saturday, August 28 and two of my log cabin quilt variations were sold. These two quilt tops were pieced in 2019. No auction was held in 2020.

The first quilt I called Scrappy Log Cabin. It measured 92" by 105" and sold for $900.

And a picture of the finished quilt, compliments of the Country Fest Catalog. The hand quilting was basic stitch in the ditch.

Quilt 2 - I called this quilt Log Cabin Star. After quilting it measured 97" by 107" and sold for $1000 in the auction.

And a picture of the finished quilt, compliments of the Country Fest catalog. I couldn't make the photo any larger than this. I think the quilting is more than stitch in the ditch but I can't tell for sure. Hopefully you'll be able to click and large the photo.

This 3rd quilt was pieced at the same time and sent west in 2020 to be quilted and donated to a family who lost their home to the wildfires. It's the same as quilt 1 but without the center star.

All three of these quilts were made with strips from the 1.5" box box. You can read about these quilts and others made in 2019 from the 1.5" box.

Here is a link to view other quilts sold in the quilt auction. They don't have all the quilts that were sold in the auction pictured, I don't know why.

Our daughter is visiting now. We're keeping her busy doing odds and ends on the farm website and my blog. After she did some research, she decided to go with Mail Chimp for the subscription link on my blog. It's at the top right hand side. You can sign up for post deliveries by email again!

I have been informed by several followers that they continued to receive their posts by email all along. One person said they received my posts in their email through Google. Another person commented that feedburner was Google. Whatever, however, if you're already receiving the posts by email, don't sign up again, you don't need double delivery. If you want to subscribe, then sign up.

I wonder what the next blogging challenge is going to be?

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

Welsh Beauty

The quilting has started on Welsh Beauty. I actually started the quilting in August but I took my time. My goal was to get the bottom crosshatching quilted up to the swag and feathers.

The quilting from the left to the right

There is slight puckering at the top of the cross hatching. That will quilt out when I quilt the feathers and swag. 

There are 6 or 7 swags on the bottom of the quilt, I'm showing you one section since they all look the same!

I know last week I said I was going to use a thread called parchment for the swag, feathers and flowers but I changed my mind. I looked at the thread and looked at the quilt . . . it just needed more color so I'm using the same variegated blue #12 Sulky thread that I quilted the cable and feathers on Blue Stars. The thread isn't overly bright but will add some variety. Since the marking on the quilt is blue, the colored thread doesn't show well right now. You'll have to wait until the quilt is completely finished and washed to see hot it looks.

This picture shows the quilting before I roll the edge under.

Blogger is messing with me, for some reason it won't let me eliminate that space above the side photo!

The edge of the quilt is rolled. You can see the blue quilting design on the whole cloth. The swag and feathers should quilt faster than the cross hatching, at least I think it will.

I'm not going to report on the quilting every week, I plan to alternate between Welsh Beauty and Hearts & Wreaths.

Just a side note - Here's a link to the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale website.

Here's a link to the Quilt Auction. You will be able to view all the quilts in the auction so far. You will be able to bid online during the live auction this year. The sale is Saturday, September 25.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching,  Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Handmade Monday, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Quilting Welsh Beauty, a Whole Cloth Quilt

Several years ago I purchased a queen sized whole cloth flimsy called Welsh Beauty  from  Chris who had purchased it  from a shop. 

I took the quilt top out of the bag at the end of June and laid it on a bed upstairs to relax the creases. You don't press these whole cloth quilts ahead of time or you'll set the blue marking!

Here is a link to the Welsh Beauty available from the Stencil Company. And here is the link to the page with all the available queen sized whole cloth quilts if you're interested. Whole cloth quilt tops are also available at some fabric stores too. 

I've thought about quilting this quilt for several years but after watching Kathi Clower quilting her Garden Bouquet  and Kathy Reeves quilting her Welsh Beauty as a wedding present for her daughter, I decided it was finally time for me to get started.

Decisions, decisions, do I want to quilt the traditional way, all in one color thread like Kathy Reeves? Or if I want to quilt utilizing some colored thread like Kathi Clower?

My final decision, I'm going with two threads but the 2nd thread is a neutral too. For the main body, I'm using natural YLI hand quilting thread. For the feathers and flowers, I'm going to use a variegated #12 Sulky cream/beige thread called Parchment. The heavier thread will give a different texture than the regular thread, at least I hope it does. 

This may not be as flashy as Kathi Clower's quilt but I just couldn't decide what colored threads to use. I laid different colored threads on top and just shook my head. In the end, I decided to go with my original plan. 

I'm using Hobbs Tuscany Collection 100% wool batting which is available from Connecting Threads. The batt was also opened ahead of time so the creases could relax.

Muslin is the only fabric I can find in the 120" length anymore. But I remembered several years ago, when Calico Point was having sale on quilt backing fabric, I purchased a 120" length of 108" wide backing. This feathery paisley fabric will be perfect for this quilt.

I didn't want to use muslin backing since the front is muslin and will show the quilting perfectly fine. I wanted the back side to be a different fabric from the front. A friend asked me what fabric I'll use for binding, ah . . . I don't know, I'll decide that later!

Here is more information about whole cloth quilts from Carolyn Gibbs Quilts. There are a lot of links to read.

I've enjoyed my quilting break since Blue Stars Around the Garden but Welsh Beauty is in the quilting frame ready for quilting.

I'm going to take a blogging break for the rest of the week. I'll be back next Sunday to show you how much quilting has been accomplished!

Just a side note - Here's a link to the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale website.

Here's a link to the Quilt Auction. You will be able to view all the quilts in the auction so far. You will be able to bid online during the live auction. The sale is Saturday, September 25.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching,  Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Handmade Monday, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Circles of Squares Finish

I decided last month that I'm ready to start finishing some of the projects I've been piecing for RSC. The first finish to show you is a circle of squares finish.

There are 24 blocks in this flimsy which finishes at 59" by 86.5". I wasn't sure what fabric to use for sashing since the backgrounds of the blocks were so varied. I checked my solids box and I had 3 difference fabrics of turquoise that were similar, so that is what I used. I did have to do some piecing of smaller pieces to have enough sashing but it worked!

I used orange cornerstones since I hadn't made any orange circle of square blocks.

This flimsy will be used as a comforter top. It will be knotted and donated to charity.

Every month I had written on my list exactly how many blocks I had made until I reached the 24 block quota. I must have missed one month because when I displayed the blocks on the floor, I had 4 blocks too many. 

I pulled 4 blocks that had the same background fabric and set them aside until the larger flimsy was finished. Then I took those 4 blocks and used them in a crib quilt. 

I'll machine quilt the crib quilt with my sewing machine later this winter. Right now it measures 40.5" square but I'm sure it will shrink after quilting.

Click here for the circle of squares pattern.

Linking to Scrap Happy Saturday, Oh Scrap.