Two more small quilts have been completed. One is a compassion quilt and the other one will be a gift to a special person in my life.
Several years ago I pieced a Moda Love layer cake quilt. I purchased yardage and cut it into 10" squares then sewed the HST's. I did not read the instructions thoroughly because I thought I knew what I was doing, wrong! I ended up making way too many HST's and needed to buy more fabric to have enough yardage to finish the quilt.
After the quilt was pieced, I placed the leftover fabrics and extra HST's in a bag with the intent of someday making something with them. That happened last winter when I pieced the small quilts that both measure 44" by 52".
They were easy to make, the first one has large broken dishes blocks.
The backing is very scrappy. I had finished piecing the teal quilts for Joanna so I incorporated leftover blocks into the backing. This quilt is the compassion quilt.
There aren't as many HST's in the second quilt. I could have pieced 2 more HST's and made a square quilt but I just didn't want to piece another HST!
The backing isn't as scrappy as the first quilt but I thought the flowered fabric went well with the teal/purple fabric.
The next step was to stitch diagonally. Lines were marked 2" from the seam lines. I stitched diagonally to the marking then stitched around the square which brought me back to where I had been on the diagonal then finished sewing the diagonal stitch in the ditch sewing.
The border quilting was straight lines. I had planned to use the serpentine stitching in the borders but I couldn't find my machine book that has the different stitches. Oh well, straight line works.
It didn't take long to quilt these quilts. The light fabric was marked with a washable blue marker while the dark fabric was marked with a white Sewline marker.
Again this was simple quilting but no pleats or tucks on the back!
My Christmas cactus plants are on the south porch but back against the wall so they don't receive direct sunlight. This one is in full bloom! It was full of buds when it came in the house last fall and starting blooming in October. It had some flowers all winter long. I've never had one do this well. Several of the other cactus have flowers also but not like this one. This must be the perfect place for them in the summer.
Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Free Motion Mavericks, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts
21 comments:
Beautiful quilts, I just love that blue-purple fabric. I like your quilting too! Your Christmas cactus is amazing, I've never had one bloom more than once.
Two beautiful quilts, I do love those colours. I kept my Christmas cactus in the conservatory - no heat but frost free - over the winter as it had got too big for the house. It obviously liked the cooler atmosphere as it was smothered in flowers. xx
Such a tranquilt colorway. I understand about not wanting to piece another unit (too often that leads to a whole bunch more and then what to do with all of them?).
Nice to get more UFOs done, like the backing you put together from leftovers! Pretty cactus too.
I love the fabric. Lol, I know all about thinking you know what you are doing and cut too many or even cut wrong blocks. Thank you for linking up to Put your foot down.
Love that large broken dishes quilt.
I love your darling quilts from the leftover blocks. And I know you enjoyed finishing something leftover - it's a great feeling. I also like both backs, especially the teal in the pieced one.
Beautiful quilts. The back of the compassion quilt is gorgeous and makes it reversible. Your Christmas cactus is really showing off. Whatever you are doing, it is working.
jeanna @ slamminthescreendoor.blogspot.com
Great way to use up those HSTs! Love that scrappy back. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.
https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2025/06/11/wednesday-wait-loss-436
Sweet quilts, Gretchen, but that Christmas cactus WOW! I received one at Christmas from a student, and it has taken me awhile to get it to a happy spot. Yours is beautiful and gives me hope.
Lovely small quilts, and how satisfying to use up the extra HST! The backings are pretty, I love how the floral strip looks like we see it through the center of a blurry screen, a wonderful view over a field of flowers. And your real flowers are beautiful by the way ;) Thank you for sharing these two lovely quilts, and linking up.
What pretty quilts you made using leftovers. I have to put my Christmas Cactii outside. Sadly, they haven't bloomed in years.
Both quilts are just wonderful Gretchen. I have come home from Quilt Retreat with quilts going around in my head!! There are some clever people out there - I am still learning some of the quilt terminology.
Your christmas cactus looks so lovely in bloom - such a pretty shade of pink. Have a great weekend Gretchen. xx
Hooray for using the leftovers and creating two wonderful small quilts. Your Christmas cactus blooms are beautiful!
Beautiful quilts!! And the backings are great!! WOW to your Christmas Cactus blooming for such a long time!!! Thanks for linking to TGIFF!
Wow, two good-sized quilts from leftovers. That “error” was meant to be.
Love how you solved the problem of quilting a floating square in each block without ever cutting your thread.
Lovely quilts and wow, what a stunning Christmas cactus. I'm envious of it all!
Great way to use up those leftovers. Both quilts are beautiful and I love your backings. How incredible your Cactus just keeps blooming. Thank. You for sharing on To Do Tuesday. Good luck with your projects this week. 😁 Carol
those are great!! I really like the scrappy backs as well!
Hi Gretchen, what lovely quilts! Your compassion quilt back really looks great. Thanks so much for linking up to Free Motion Mavericks. Have a great week!
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