More Quilting and Finishing - Two Donation Quilts

 #522 Scrappy Red Trips

Using up the drawerful of 2.5 strip with red accents.

I have one more in progress using blacks as the accent.

This one is 48 by 60 inches.

Also used up a muted red stripe for the binding.

Twirling at the Disco

One of my quilting goals this year is to empty/use up all the 2.5 inch squares and HST's that have taken up residence in a 14" square art bin. I could barely close the lid.

This is the first quilt I made with that in mind. 

Twirling at the Disco is a free pattern by Anorina Morris that I found on Samelia's Mum blog.

The big 16 inch blocks were  quick and easy to make and I used up 640 2.5" squares.

Had this very loud backing fabric for quite a while. 

The green stripe for the binding is one of my favorites that Joann's used to sell. 

 Wish I had more of it - I think it came in pink, yellow and blue also.

I used almost all of the remaining 2.5" squares to make these 4 patch units - I've used all the green ones already and contemplating what to do with the remaining  ones. I also made some four patch units. I'm at the place where the stragglers may go to the give away bag.

This month I have made several backings for smallish quilts  - nothing in the 90" area - so I'm happy that I am making some progress.

 I do need to sort out/clean up my sewing space a bit.  

Right  now I feel a little claustrophobic when I'm out there!

Another Donation Quilt and an Old QIP Finished

 

Hollow Friendship Star #524

I made these blocks to use up some leftover solid scraps.

I also made some stars with darker backgrounds. 

They aren't very attractive so I'm not sure if they will ever be a quilt.

Using some leftover blocks on the back along with this print I've had for several years.

45 by 54"

Scrap Sensation  #461

In 2013 I bought Augusta Cole's pattern for this quilt when I took a class from her in Goldsboro NC with friends C & S. I finished the blocks and sewed the top together in 2020.

 I quilted it last year and finally finished sewing the binding last month. 

 It is 81 by 92'

Family

 Howard & Al (John's brothers) and my SIL Pat.

We're having Al's favorite - Split Pea Soup.

Howard & Pat stopped for a few days on their way to Pawley's Island.

Daniel and Logan.

Mr. Snake had to taste test the White Lasagna Soup and the Cranberry Bread😀

Happy Quilting Day this week!

Fun Christmas Gifts!

Donation Quilts

it's a sunny morning so took quick pictures of these three donation quilts I will take to the Pine Tree Meeting for donation on Thursday. They were all made in 2023 and have just quilted and bound them.

Framed Squares  # 526

These blocks were from a swap at our Undercover Bee.

Used  a Thirties or Forties print for the backing.  50" square.

Scrappy Bargello #521

Used Bonnie Hunter instructions to make this simple quilt.

Used a gifted red print on the back. 48 by 66"

Patriotic Interlocking Blocks #516

Saw this pattern and just had to figure out how it was made.

Used a dark red swirl fabric on the back.  48 by 60"

All ready to go - hurray for getting something accomplished.

Working on a binding. Started this quilt in 2018.

 

June 2023 - Time with my Quilting Machine, Knitting, Sewing

 Quilted a few donation quilts this month. I usually take a picture just as I finish them so I can count that step done.  

Points & Peaks is a pattern from Kaye England.  I like her directions she is very concise. I also like to watch her You Tube Videos as she is so entertaining. I made this 60 by 60"

Free-form Stars Blue 54 by 63"

Free-Form Stars Red 54 by 63"

I made both star quilts above from a set of blocks that I had made in 2018/2019.

And I used gifted fabric from a friend on the back.

 Fifty Four Forty or Fight 2  -  64 by 68"

Sewed the blocks together last year and added the borders to enlarge it. 

The backing is a flannel print I got at Joanns a couple of years back. 

Potato Chip Quilt Brown - 46 by 56"

Dresden Chain 2 - 54 by 66"

The backing is pieced from a variety of pink fabrics.

Ready for Bindings - I will cut them at 2.5" wide and sew them by machine, otherwise it could be another year before they are finished.

I have sewed the Radient Star Blocks together.

I have a top that is 60 by 72" and I like how the colors look too.

Haven't decided on a backing fabric yet.

Knitting

Over the past three months I have finished three stockings.  I took a little break and started the fourth.

Having a little difficulty with the top and how I want it to look so have quite a bit of ripping out and redoing - A bit like sewing at times,  Need to get back into it.  Funny but I haven't figured out ho  to read and knit at the same time.

 

Back sides

May 2023 - Sewing, Quilting and Family Life

My Holly and Berries quilt is back from the quilter - now for the trimming and finding fabric for the binding. I'm very pleased with the quilting.

I quilted this donation quilt. Again it needs trimming and binding too.

I had a drawer completely full of 2.5" strips of varying lengths.  I sorted through them and cut all that were long enough into 16" segments. I made the bargello one first. # 521 Scrappy Bargello 48 x 66

I had so many segments leftover that I started this one too. 

I finished the top and it is ready for quilting now.

#522 Scrappy Trips 48 x60

Had a fun trip to the beach with this little guy.  The pool and ocean were much too cool for swimming but we had lots to do each day.

 

He loves to go to this playground and I can see why. This was super nice.  If you are in Emerald Isle, NC.  It's named the Jean Preston Memorial Playground (she was a State Senator from Emerald Isle who died from an accident in 2013).  It's adjacent to a public boating access and there is also a board walk that goes out  onto the sound.

Mother's Day Weekend

The girls and I enjoyed a night out at a paint party on Friday Night.

Sunday afternoon was Girl Fun and Games at Shelly's.

Early Spring & Easter 2023

I really like this block - I don't remember the name but it was our Block of the Month for March at the Pine Tree Quilter's Meeting.  I made my four components but alas I did not win the blocks.  I am making more so I can have my version! The blocks are not hard to make but I find it hard to arrange the HST's the way I want them to look.  I have a feeling this will not be a very large quilt. I'm calling it Radient Squares.

I made this version of the Potato Chip Block Quilt.  I am trying to concentrate on "manly" colors for more of my donation quilts this year. This will be a good size for a wheel chair quilt.

Easter

We celebrated Easter Service at Edenton Street Methodist with Logan's Baptism.

The weather was beautiful and later we gathered at my house for a late dinner and family time.

New Projects

This has been occupying much of my time lately. I had decided right after Christmas - because I waited to long to get them done last year to catch up on making Christmas Stockings for the 6 new family members.

  I haven't knitted anything in a long while. And I no longer had any yarn.  I think I left the yarn and needles at the lake house.  I have also misplaced my notebook of Christmas Stocking Patterns.

So I bought some patterns from Etsy and a Book of Patterns from Amazon; started gathering up yarns and then the needles, bobbins etc.

This is my first practice project - it's looking okay so this may be stocking #1.  Guess I'd better wait until I get to the heel before I get over confident.

By the way, in May I found the Pattern Notebook.

Winter - Early 2023

 I finished sewing the Logs and Bricks quilt top that I started in June of 2022. The blocks are 10".  I made 80 blocks and then designed a little border that extended 3" each direction.  So the top is 86 by 106" which  seems like an odd size to me but it will be okay for a queen size mattress.

I couldn't get the entire top in a photo  but I tried to get the edges where I added the border.

Will have to look for fabric for the backing as I don't think I have any 6 yard pieces left.

In early 2019,  I decided to sort out all the green fabrics and give away of the ones I didn't like etc.

 I had lots of odds and ends left and decided to make a green quilt.  I found and easy pattern on the Quilter's Cache website called the Dandy Quilt.

I made a block from each fabric. Then a few more to make 56 blocks.

In January, I sewed them together and the top is 84 by 96".

i made an attempt to sort them out before I set them out on the carpet to sew together but never could get them the way I liked them.  In the end I just picked them all up sorted them into lighter and darker and randomly sewed them into rows. I actually like it better than the effect I was trying to achieve.

Now I still need to find a back for this one also. 

Janet and I in 2016

My older sister, Janet, passed away on the 18th of January.  She has been in a care home for several years following medical issues.  She had been failing some time but we were unprepared for her passing.

She was my first playmate, my hero and my room mate for the first 19 years of my life. We shared so many wonderful times together and although I will miss her, I know she has gained her angel wings and is resting peacefully now.