Saturday, May 22, 2021

Quilt Shot 133~ Laura's "Good Girl" Quilt

Our friend Laura had to move out of state.
So my friends Donna, Sheryl and Melissa and I got together and made blocks 
to make Laura a quilt.
The blocks were the "Wonky Log Cabin." 
Turns out 2 of the group enjoy this impromtu no measuring technique, 
and 2 wanted specific measurements.
I was fortunate to piece the blocks together to make the top
 and add the borders.

Then I passed the top onto Sheryl and her daughter, Melissa
who quilted it on the long arm.
Sheryl came up with the name for the quilt.

 
The backing was actually from the stash of fabrics Laura had given to me.
The border was from Sheryl and Melissa's Stash and they hand binded the quilt.
Yours truly made the label.
Sheryl had several leftover piano keys already made for me to put together for the second border..
We do pat ourselves on the back for being a great team that can suddenly put a quilt together.
This quilt went together in about 2 weeks.
We'll miss having Laura around here.
 
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Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Tuesday Tutorial ~ Improv Cutting Table Storage Bag

 

For years now, my scissors and cutter haven't found a happy place on my cutting table.

My cutting table is a piece of 1/2 inch plywood laying on top of 3 cabinets which turns out to be just the right height. Then there is a piece of formica from way back when they made sheets for bathroom walls, with a 6x5 foot cutting mat on top of that bought back in the 90s when I bought my serger I'm still using.

The plywood was a part of a table that could be dismantled.  The legs were removed and the plywood cut down a bit to go on the cabinets. Wished I'd kept the original size, because now it doesn't fit since I've moved things around. 

The edge of the plywood is not finished and was wearing on my clothes when I worked against it.  So I stuck a piece of fabric under the laminate and let the weight hold it there.  Then "LIGHT BULB!"

 
 


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Tuesday Tutorial
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No measurements. No pattern. 
Just grabbed fabrics from the scrap pile.
Using my rotary cutter and ruler,
cut as long as thought needed.
 Or, I sewed pieces together to make the size I needed.
Notice where the print was sewn to extend length.
 
Right sides together. 
Sewed around. 
Left an opening for turning inside out.

Trimmed.
Turned inside out.
Measured amount to turn up by placing scissors and cutter.
Pinned while holding scissors inside.
Sewed around pocket.
Done!
Placed the long top up under the Formica.
The weight of the Formica and cutting mat holds it in place just fine.

I have a lip edge cutting ruler I bought at the same time I got the cutting mat.
It works fine along the edge of the mat, while the pocket interferes in no way.
I've been using this pocket for about a month now.
It works great!  Hasn't slipped one inch.
The scissors and cutter stay off the table out of the way, yet right there handy to reach.
Its also more at the end of the table where I hardly ever stand, so not in my way.

This quick improv moment was fantastic!
 

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Thoughtful Thursday 173 ~ Doggie Birthday Card

 

I do still try to mail birthday cards, especially to my daughters and grand children, because I can't be with them on their special day.

One of my daughters, LOVES dogs. She's even hospice fostered a dog during her final days to make sure her last days were comfortable. 

So I usually send her a doggie card.  

I found this pattern online but can't find the direct link, or I would share. Just research for a "Dog Pattern." I use Duck Duck Go.  Pinterest makes it really hard to find the original link nowadays so you can pass on credit. 
 
I was able to print the pattern to fit this card made from half sheet of card stock.  The pattern was downsized to print on one quarter of the sheet to fit the front of the half sheet fold.

Check out her last card HERE.

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Quilt Shot 132 ~ Harper's Baby Quilt

 

A baby quilt made for a little one named Harper.
Her cousin asked me to make this quilt from 
Harper's past Great Grand mother's fabrics.

I usually free hand my letters, 
but for these I downloaded the letter shapes to follow from
and I printed 2 to a page to downsize.
Or, you can download the KG Redhands font,
and install it on your computer,
and make whatever size outlined letters you desire.


Remember the block called Abundant that I posted recently?

This quilt was designed by yours truly.  
Strip sets were made of five 2½ inch strips.
Then that strip set was cut across in 2½ inch strips,
 and sewn end to end to make one long strip.
Then the strip was folded in half and sewn like
 the "Real Scrappy" Quilt to make the random pattern.


A strip set of 4.5 inch strips was made as well.


Still using the Dream Frame and Innovis machine with stitch regulator to quilt most quilts.
 



Happy life little Harper.

Posting at:

 


Saturday, May 1, 2021

Quilt Shot 131~ Lenita's Friendship Star Group Quilt

 

A group of us "Sisters" at church got together and made some Friendship Star blocks for a quilt for our dear "Sister" that has and still is fighting a long battle against COVID.  
Thus the name of this quilt:

"You're Our Star" 

The red fabric on the back originally belonged to her grandmother.
Lenita had donated a lot of her past grandmother's fabric
 for me to make all those masks I made last year.
I still had this large piece leftover.
The Friendship Star blocks were made from everyone's scraps.
Like people used to do in the old days when they needed/wanted to make a quilt
for someone.
 

 

Everyone did an excellent job making their blocks.
I sewed the blocks together,
and added borders.

 

The dark red border was also Lenita's Grandmother's fabric.
I also made the tag to recognize who made which block,
and other work.

 Now noticing the question mark.
Don't know why?
Then I passed the top & tag onto Sam and Melissa who along with
8 year old Elcie
quilted it on their long arm.
 The tag was ironed onto the back before quilting.
When I got the quilt back, I did some more blind hand stitching on the label
to secure it more.


Melissa's binding was perfect.
We presented it to Lenita last Sunday night,
wrapping her in comfort and praying for a speedy recovery,
because she wants to learn how to sew and make quilts soon.

 
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Small Quilts and Doll Quilts