A quilt called Paint

Gratitude 

turns what we have into enough.

Last summer while we were in Fairfield Ohio, I bought some fabric that looks like it was painted. I thought I'd use it for backing but it wasn't continuous color; it was panels. With the 4 panels that I bought, I made 2 quilts. The first was Color, that I finished in February. The other is Paint that I've been working on for a few months. After the top was finished, it sat for a long time because I wasn't sure how to quilt it.

During the last break from making masks, I decided to free-motion a horizontal stipple with Aurifil Dove gray thread.

The paint brushes were fun to make. You can read how I did it here.

This donation quilt is 52" by 58" and the backing is orange and yellow.

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We just finished a large number of masks for our clinic and some for family. 

We are running very low on interfacing, again. I began looking for more and I can't believe the price gouging. The normal outlets are out and people on eBay are charging two or three or more times the price for something that was $2.75 or less per yard a couple of weeks ago. I'm hopeful that fabric stores will have more in stock soon. I do have leads on other interfacings so decisions will be made.

In the meantime, here in Illinois, we are still under a Stay-at-Home order so maybe it's time to quilt!

#StaySafe 
#WashYourHands 
#SocialDistance

Time-off is done; Dignity is finished

 Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. 

It's about learning how to dance in the rain.

-Vivian Greene

I really enjoyed our time-off from making masks for a few days. I was able to finish Dignity. This quilt gets its name from the Dignity Statue also known as Dignity of Earth and Sky. We saw the statue in Chamberlain, South Dakota last June. We also shopped at The Quilt Shop in Chamberlain and that is where I bought some fabrics for this quilt. I wrote about it here.

I used a pattern to make Dignity. It is quite unusual for me to buy a pattern and to use it. The pattern is Cascade by Canuck Quilter Designs. I have followed Joanne's blog for years and purchased the pattern some time ago. In February, I decided it might be a good design for my South Dakota fabric.

Dignity finished at 55" by 70", just like the pattern says. I wonder when the last time was that I used a pattern and then I wonder when the last time was that I didn't deviate from the pattern. It's been a long while!

I did LOTS of quilting on this using Aurifil #2810 turquoise thread. Most of the quilt is free motion quilted with just the design strip having straight stitching using a walking foot. 

I used the serpentine stitch on the black.

The white patterned strip has a lazy eight motif.

I quilted the river path motif in the orange strip.

The yellow strip has wavy lines.

This fabric has light and dark areas

The turquoise background has a small stipple stitch.

The back of the quilt is a red/brown fabric that seemed to go well with the other colors. Until a few minutes ago, when I was looking at the blog entry about The Quilt Shop, I had forgotten that I bought fabric for the back! When I looked at that fabric in my stash, I guess I just thought I'd use it in another quilt. And I will!

For the time being, we are keeping this quilt. Our living and dining rooms have lots of Native American artifacts and this quilt really fits in with that decor so we will enjoy it.

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During our time-off, I also finished the teal and white top. I really like it!

I began another quilt. I have the pieces cut and the center done; all are hanging on the design wall since I had to move things for mask making.

Our break is over and we are back in full production mode. Ray was at the doctor on Monday; he's been battling a lot of back pain. It appears that he has a pulled muscle. He noticed that our doctor was wearing a mask that she had marks on showing the number of days worn. We were talking after he got home and I message our clinic asking if masks were needed. The answer YES came back. Our inventory is very low so we are sewing. It's a way we can help... 

#pleasestaysafe #washyourhands #wearyourmask

What to do?

I decided to take a few days off of mask making. I have about 20 masks sitting here so I can handle any immediate requests and I could just use a few days of something else.

I finished quilting Dignity and am hand stitching the binding. I'll show you more when it is finished.

Paint is the only quilt waiting to be quilted.

I have two long term projects, some small log cabins (4.5" square)

and some little squares - 2" before seamed with the white.

Other than this, I have no works in progress! How can that be - I always have at least 8-10 or many more projects in progress? I guess that is always except in a pandemic. The question "What to do?" is now answered, I cut the pieces for a new quilt last night. This will be a very simple quilt - just what I'm looking for right now.

I pulled 26 teal fabrics from my stash and cut 2.5 by 6.5 rectangles. I did a little stitching this morning. This quilt will be simple but nice.

I probably should be doing some more deep cleaning or even regular cleaning but a few days off sounds good. 

Here are some of my recent masks. Some have t-shirt straps and some now have elastic (it hadn't arrived when I took the pictures.) The straps/elastic are interchangeable in these. The first pictures are masks for 3 of our grandsons.

The following are more masks for our hospital and clinic. Each mask is two pieces of fabric pleated with an opening to insert a filter and each has elastic per hospital guidelines.

I have a silent partner in the mask making business - a financial partner! Yesterday I received cash in the mail to help with my mask making expenses. My benefactor chose not to sign the note enclosed with the money so I don't know who the kind, generous soul is but I do appreciate their generosity. My masks are all donated and given freely to those that need/request them. Receiving the cash was a huge surprise.

I'll be back to mask making in another day or so. In the meantime I may even begin another quilt ...