Challenge to Destash.......

Just kidding!

We all know there is no possible way to de-stash since the stash multiplies while we sleep no matter how much cutting you do during the day.  

But.....Sharon, my friend, texted a challenge for us to cut up all the scraps we had sitting on our sewing tables into 2 1/2" squares  with the intent of making scrappy 4-patches.  Well, that didn't sound so bad.  I didn't really have that many scraps on my table but it kept me from putting those scraps that were just a little too big to throw out back into my stash, yet really too small to be keeping.  

We decided we were going to make some twin-sized charity quilts to be given to foster kids who have  aged out of the system and leave with very little in the way of belongings.  

Of course to get the amount of 2 1/2" squares that I was going to need, I ended up going through the main stash along with what was on my sewing table and started cutting up anything that I knew I would never use again, ugly fabrics (although nothing is ugly since I bought it and when it is cut up small you can't call it ugly),  fabric pieces that were so small I wonder why I was even keeping it, charm packs that I know I am not going to use (5" squares cut up perfectly to four 2 12" squares), left over bindings, and so on and so on.  I probably have enough of these squares to make a couple more quilts.  

I pieced my 4-patches and then pressed them with the seams going in a spiral to get them as flat as I could.  

Then I bought a solid Kona fabric to alternate my 4-patches to make  the quilt cohesive.

I started sewing sets of  alternating blocks and laying them out. 

It grew ......

....and grew.

This quilt is 17 x 23 blocks (4" finished blocks)

To keep my rows in order, I used the Marilee's Numbered Q-pins

Since the pins only go up to 20, I used two pins 20+1; 20+2 and 20+3 to mark the last three rows.  

Then the blocks were sewn into rows.

Rows are done and presseed.

Heading for a finished top now by getting all those rows sewn together.  

Here is the finished top folded in half (it takes up so much room!)

Backing is pieced.

Binding is made; and now the quilt is on the to-be-quilted pile.  

So, today was the day to get this on my Millie.  I used the Jessie's Swirls Simplified pantograph.  Threads were Glide in Navy for the top and Filtec bobbins in navy. 

The binding is the same solid blue used in the alternating block, so I am going to post this blog so it doesn't sit in limbo for who knows how long before I get this binding stitched down  Soon I hope, but you don't need to wait for that picture. 

Pulling from charity stash

Being Charity Chairman for the guild, I have access to ALL the charity fabric stash.  I found a free pattern for this simple quilt and decided to pull some fabric that would work.  

The only thing I would have done different with this quilt is to not use fusible on the back of the whole heart.  I have problems with that gunking up my needle on my domestic machine and then found out that I had the same problem once  quilting it on the long arm.  

All-in-all this turned out to be a sweet quilt

The only solution I found for my needle was to wipe it down with alcohol; otherwise, my thread would keep breaking.  

I used the "Cupid" pantograph for this quilt.   You know....hearts.  

Cream Glide thread  on top and cream Filtec bobbins.  

This worked up pretty quick after the last couple quilts I have done, mostly because it was a small baby quilt. Another one off the "to-be-quilted" pile and onto the "needs binding" pile.  Thank goodness I am really good about cutting bindings when I cut out my quilts.  

When I get into the mood for putting bindings on, I will be spending a few evenings in a row doing my hand stitching.  

This  will be another charity quilt added to the pile since no one is accepting donations at this time.  Guess we will have to wait for things to settle down Covid-wise before I can deliver the numerous quilts that have accumulated from the guild members

My next few quilts are all custom, so they will take some time to complete and I have a commissioned quilt coming my way very soon. I'm trying to get as much done around here before that happens.  

Stay tuned.

 

Looking for something simple?

If you are in need of a simple quilt, try what I call color blocking.  I saw something like this one on Instagram (sorry I no longer have the picture or remember who posted it) and I thought the possibilities for this quilt were endless, so I just had to give it a try.  

The point of this quilt is that you are letting the colors and the quilting do all the talking. 

This one goes from pinks to oranges.

But like I said, the colors are endless.  

I can see this done up in a variety of blues......or how about some variation of grays?......or even crayola colors (rainbow colors).  Just pick a color you love or that compliments the room you would use it in.  

For this one I used a pantograph called "funky feathers petite".  I felt this simple quilt was conducive to a very dense quilting pattern.

With a solid backing, the quilting really shows up well.    Minky would work well here, too.  

 I have a panto that is zoo animals that I think would really look cute, too.  Oh, the possibilities; and the colors just make me smile.  

I can see more of these quilts in my future.  

 

Working as Charity Chairperson.....

It's not always easy working with someone else's stash, but when you are the charity chairperson for your quild, that is exactly what you have to do.  I am a year into it, so as you can imagine, I have used the more appealing fabrics first to make up quilt kits or even quilts that I have made myself from this stash for adding to the pile of quilts we donate.  

I am now pulling fabrics that aren't appealing to me.  Sorry, I am sure they are to some as they were for the woman who donated  (or the family that donated her stash to the guild once she passed), but when you don't know what they were going to do with a certain fabric.....well, you are just on your own.

So......my mission was to pull a fabric and decide I was going to make something desirable out of it.

Dolphins it is.

I found a simple, free pattern on Quilted Twins.

The pattern I chose was I Spy Simplicity.

I took one of my blocks to the quilt store and picked out a Kona solid called Turquoise that coordinated well.

This is pretty true to color since I took the picture outside.

Now I am on a roll getting the snowballs made and the vertical  sashings on.

Now to get the horizontal on.

Now I have a completed top. 

I did a little fudging on the pattern, but this really is a quick and easy quilt to make AND uses up a lot of fabric at once, too.  

I will use the rest of the dolphin fabric and some of the solid to piece a backing.  

That "to-be-quilted pile" is getting bigger all the time!

Some charity quilting.......

Back when the quarantine first started, you might remember that I spent a few days getting quite a few kits ready for my guild to make for charity.  Well, our meetings have been canceled month after month.  I am still waiting to hear what happens with the June meeting.

If June gets canceled (which is our last meeting), I may put out a notice to come and get a kit or two from my house just to get some of these kits done. 

I put together two quilts that I cut from the charity stash and got them quilted recently, too.  These will be ready to donate once the hospitals are accepting them again.  

Red Alphabet quilt

I did a dragon fly motif on this one.

Bound it in the alphabet fabric (there was lots of that fabric).

Then there is the aqua flannel quilt with fleece backing.

Big daisy in the solid corners

Daisy's galore panto for the rest of the quilt

Finished top

Coordinating fleece backing.

I was busy for a couple of evenings hand stitching some binding down.

Last charity quilt is done now, too.

Three more down....

From the "to-be-quilted" pile, I have just completed another three more quilts.

The first one is a toddler quilt (all these are from stash).

I used the Bauhaus panto for this one with a So Fine Rainbow colored thread.

The next two are, also, from stash.  I miscalculated when I was cutting these out and ended up with enough blocks for two quilts.  I could have just made one large one, but my goal was to make these for NICU quilts.

They are both quilted with the Tweet Tweet panto.  I thought it was so sweet and perfect for these little quilts.

I used a chartreuse colored So Fine thread top and bottom for each of these.  

I am not sure if you can see the green thread on this yellow back, but I just love using a little surprise element when quilting baby quilts.  Chartreuse and tangerine are my go-to colors when it comes to baby quilts.  

Well my machine is all prepped for the next "customer" quilt.  The panto is loaded; bobbins are filled and the machine is threaded.  I just need to load the quilt and I will be ready to go.  

Right now I am down to about four quilts with another customer quilt coming soon.  

It's so easy when there's time to devote, everything is running just right and everything is prepped and ready to go.  So, I can see me being caught up in no time at all.  

Stay tuned for the next quilt or two.  

Not going to bombard you.......

There is quite a pile of quilts of all sizes sitting next to the long arm, so I have put my knitting needles away for the time being; otherwise, I get kind of obsessed with knitting.

I am on a roll with getting these quilted, but I will show you only a couple at a time.

First I had this charity quilt that was made up of  leftover strips from three different quilts AND the the backing is from the stash.

I am trying to make a dent in the stash.

Anyways, I wanted to use this new-to-me panto on a customer quilt so I thought I would try it out on this charity quilt first.  It is called "Denise's Rosebuds".  I really like how it turned out. 

Here's the back.  This has been in the stash for a very long time.  Glad to get it used up.  If I recall, I have it in blue, too.  It worked well with the alphabet blocks on the front. 

Then it was on to the customer quilt.

I don't know the name of the block, but I love it.  

Making a blue quilt is on my "to-do list"; and this quilt makes me want to get to mine even sooner.  

I think the panto works really well with this quilt what with the occasional flower blocks; and the soft  lines of the rosebuds compliment the straight lines of the blocks.

Here's the complete top.

Don't you just love this backing?

 

This customer has great taste in fabrics and her backs are always interesting, too.  

Ok....I'll have more quilts to share in the next couple of days as I am really on a roll around here. So, stay tuned.