Scrappy Batik Jelly Roll Race

When I was cleaning a few weeks ago, I found LOTS of orphan fabric strips. There were many batiks and I chose about 45 - 48 strips that I though went together. At a recent retreat, I made Scrappy Batik Jelly Roll Race, a donation quilt. The purple/red squares between each of the strips is also Batik fabric from my stash.

Oops, I had this folded after laundering.

The quilt has Dream Cotton batting and is about 62" by 65". I machine quilted this with a walking foot and a wavy zigzag, stitch #4 on my Bernina, with a stitch length of 2. The thread was 50-wt Aurifil #2735 royal blue.

I used a few more Batik strips on the back for interest.

I still have LOTS of fabric strips - I've been thinking of quilt ideas to use more of them. In the meantime, this happened: 

Good thing it's not sewn together - can you spot the turned block? 

I really didn't need to begin another quilt; I have many in various stages that need to be finished. But I decided to use up a few strings. It's about half done... 

Double Cut Layer Cake I and a Surprise

I had a Me and My Sister Design layer cake called Rainy Day by Moda. First I decided to make a quilt with the Double Cut Layer Cake pattern. Then I decided that I could add
borders and make two quilts. Well the whole story is that I decided to use 20 squares for each quilt and to use different patterns. Somehow I began with 19 instead of 20 squares when I did the double cuts/sewing so I didn't have enough for the first quilt. It's not like I could just add a square so I did the same double cuts/sewing for the other 22 squares. (There are 42 squares in most layer cakes.) Both quilts are very similar but will have different borders.

This is the first quilt - Double Cut Layer Cake I.

This donation quilt is 43" by 53". I love the bright colors. The batting is Warm and Natural  - I really think that batting is gone now!

I free motion quilted a dense loop-de-loop motif with rather large loops. In the past when I've done this motif, I didn't really care for it. Then I saw a quilt somewhere - the loops were large and the quilting was rather dense. A light bulb turned on in my head - my way was too skimpy. I tried larger loops and more loops and it turned out great! I used 50-weight orange #1133 Aurifil thread.

Lots of texture!

The back contains one of the leftover blocks that was separated into two pieces.

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We stopped to get our mail yesterday. We have a PO Box and pick up our mail 2-3 times per week because we don't get that much regular mail or because we are lazy! I had a very nice surprise! A high school friend sent me this gorgeous little friendship bag.

She included a darling little note inside it.

Now I get to decide how to use it - will it be for quilting things or knitting things or maybe makeup or ???

I love it and will think of my friend whenever I see it.

Child's Pinwheel Quilt is done

This small donation quilt is 39" by 48". This is the second quilt from the Baby Jungle layer cake by Makeower, UK. The first quilt had clipped corners so I used the pieces that I cutoff to make pinwheels. 

The batting is Warm and Natural. I think I have now used up that batting. Using Aurifil #1133 orange thread, I quilted this in wedges using rulers. I'm taking a free motion quilting class online with Angela Walters and last week we did wedges. I decided this was a good place to practice. I think you can see the quilting in the following picture.

The extra pieces of the layer cake were used on the bright back. The back actually matches some of the colors on the front and was just lurking in my stash.

My finished donation quilt pile was severely depleted. I had set a goal of 10 finished quilts by summer and I've reached 13 and there are a few more finished quilt tops! Since our winter weather won't leave, I'll just keep sewing.

Child's Clipped Corner is finished!

I just finished the Child's Clipped Corner Quilt. This little donation quilt is 39" by 48". I used a layer cake - Baby Jungle by Makeower, UK. I actually made two quilts from this layer cake - you'll see the other one soon.

The fabrics are cute; maybe you can see better in the next couple of photos.

I used Warm and Natural batting and machine quilted this with a walking foot and off-white #2000 Aurifil thread. I just quilted on the diagonal in the same direction as the clipped off corners.

Some of the leftover pieces of the layer cake were used on the back. You can see the quilting better in this photo.

The clipped off corners are used in the the other quilt I made with the same layer cake. 

What is black and white and red all over?

Black and White and Red All Over is finished. 

A number of years ago I began making black and white strings for a king-sized quilt. I never finished the quilt although I have all of the strings made. I decided that if I ever do make this quilt, my strings will be black and white with no grays. So... I have a lot of black and white strings with some gray - enough for an oversized king-sized quilt! I found the strips when I was cleaning the studio.

I decided to sew some of the strings together to make this 50" square donation quilt. I added red flanges for some interest. The machine quilting, using a walking foot, is straight vertical lines using white Aurifil thread. The batting is Warm and Natural. The backing fabric is the fabric I bought for the backing on the king-sized quilt - I have lots! 

I have plenty of strings left so there will be more black and white quilts in the future.

What could be better?

What could be better than spending National Quilting Day at a quilt retreat?

Well, a retreat without unexpected happenings would be good! We went on retreat on Friday and had lunch on the way. Shortly after arriving, a member of our group went to her room to rest because she had extreme stomach pains. Food poisoning? Maybe. Gall bladder problems? Possibly. She didn't want dinner and we thought she was doing better by nightfall. She is the daughter of the mother/daughter team in our group. Early Saturday morning she texted her mom and asked to be taken to the hospital. Before anyone could get out the door, she requested an ambulance. 

It took until about noon to diagnose appendicitis. Surgery began before 4 pm and it's a good thing - the appendix had 3 leaks; it was rupturing. 

We added lots of praying to our usual sewing and visiting and eating. All went well with the surgery and she was dismissed from the hospital Sunday. Another member of our group couldn't join us because of illness - thankfully she was feeling better Sunday. And another member who hasn't been able to join us for a couple of years due to illness was in the hospital. Thankfully she was dismissed this weekend. Yes, there was lots of praying and many prayers were answered.

A few things were finished while others were started.

A finished table topper

A Christmas stocking

A large work in progress

A finish!

A start

Another beginning

And one more beginning

I had a number of finishes because I took 7 projects that were very close to being done.

A disappearing 9-patch

A scrappy rail fence

Flowers and stripes

A double cut layer cake that still needs a border

A jelly roll race for a baby girl

A baby boy quilt

A quilt that I began years ago ended up as a table runner!

And the one project I totally made at the retreat:

A jelly roll race made with leftover batik 2 1/2" strips

It was a great retreat but a greater weekend because our friends are on the mend.

We are looking forward to our next gathering and hope it is uneventful!

Hermione's Everyday Socks

My Hermione's Everyday Socks are done. The pattern is by Erica Lueder. I used Knit Circus Opulence yarn, a Merino-Nylon-Cashmere blend. The yarn, in the color way Pigeon, goes from light blue to a medium blue. 

They have an interesting pattern that is very easy to memorize and knit.

I'm pretty happy with my new socks - maybe I'll wear them at my quilting retreat this weekend.

Little Bows

Little Bows is a donation quilt that I think a girl might like. I saw the free pattern, called Baby Bows, and the block layout looked intriguing to me with the offset triangles. I never did read the pattern - I just wanted to see the measurements for a block. It is really quite simple and would be a great quilt for a beginning quilter to make. It would also make a great signature quilt.

The colors in this 51" square quilt were inspired by some scraps of Kaffe Fassett fabrics that I had. I used Warm and Natural batting because I was out of Dream Cotton and it is what I could get. It's 87.5% cotton and 12.5% polypropylene. It's a good second choice but I prefer Dream Cotton which is 100% cotton, a little thinner, and a little softer.

I used Violet #2520 Aurifil 40-weight thread to quilt this. I free-motion quilted a meandering design with hearts over the entire quilt.

I couldn't find anything in my stash for the backing so I went shopping. I think the piece I found is perfect.

I seem to be pushing to get donation quilts done. I'd like to have at least 15 finished by summer. That way if I don't get much done during the summer, I'll still, hopefully, have a pile to donate at Christmas time. 

I have two quilts waiting for the bindings to be hand-sewn. There are quite a few with pieces cut that I've started piecing. Time to get sewing!

Emerald Isle is finished!

I began this quilt a while ago and finally sandwiched and quilted it. Emerald Isle is a free pattern from Missouri Star Quilt Company. I decided to use up some small pieces of batik along with some white cotton and I think it worked out well.

We had beautiful sun coming in the window.

The back uses the left over pieces from the front.

This donation quilt is about 61" square. I used Dream Cotton batting. I used a light pearl gray (Dove) #2600 Aurifil thread for the quilting. I began with 50 weight thread but my replacement spool was 40 weight. How did that happen??? It worked okay for quilting but my Bernina likes the 50 weight better. I think this is the only 40 weight thread in the house. The higher the thread weight, the thinner the thread. I have washed and dried the quilt and all is well.

I free-motioned feathers in the white areas

and used rulers on the batiks including the borders.

I always need more practice with the rulers! Of course free-motion quilting in general requires constant practice.

The feathers at the ends are different than the rest of the quilt.

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I have lots more quilting going on. I'm trying to kit a few projects for a retreat coming up. Of course, as soon as I decide on something, I just have to do some sewing on it. I'm also quilting Baby Bows. The quilt is hanging on a rack in  front of a window while I'm quilting it. With the sunlight, you can see the backing through the white areas - interesting! 

I hope to show you this as a finished quilt before long.