Gift quilt and Odds and Ends

Have you ever lost things and think you are going crazy?  In the last six weeks I have lost my two favorite rotary cutters, a good pair of scissors, my 60 degree ruler and my jar of modge podge I bought to try the applique techniques in the book Crafted Applique.

I mention this because I was desperately looking for my 60 degree ruler to make a border print tablerunner.  My mom had asked for donations to the gift baskets they give at the Senior Center fundraiser.  I looked on youtube and managed to cut them out (with errors) using my regular ruler and the 60 degree line.  I had a couple issues, but managed to make a tablerunner and a topper.  After they were done I moved a pile and found the ruler.  I also found the modge podge, but not the other 3 missing things!

 A friend had these scraps leftover over and sewn this square background and gave it to me and said do something with it for the seniors.  It languished for a few months and then I decided to add applique.  Seriously it looked like it matched well when I was making it, but now it looks washed out.  I think I did my duty with donating 3 items.

 I finished the square dance quilt and mailed it off Friday to a friend who recently completed her master's degree while teaching and being a mother to three kids in school.  She did so much for us when my son passed away and I have always wanted to give her a quilt.  I thought a master's degree deserved one!  I originally met her through quilting.  She hasn't had time in recent years for it. 

 Wavy line quilting closeup.

I found the perfect backing online for a science teacher and the colors were a perfect match for the front!  I had a matching sort of stripe for the binding.

In October I took 4 quilt tops to a friend 3 hours away.  She has a longarm and was trying to get her business going again.  I have MANY quilt tops.  I was able to pick them up Saturday since I had other errands to do about an hour north of her.  Yep, it was a long day!

I got all 4 quilts trimmed and ready for binding.  This quilt top belonged to a friend who passed away and I inherited it.  It's not really me and I will be donating it after I bind it.  The blocks were all made by members of a quilt group we belonged to online.

 The same friend loved country fabrics and years ago Pat Sloan had a couple lines of fabric that Debi purchased.  I ended up with the fabric and it's not my favorite but I made this queen size 10 minute block quilt.  This is what I consider my ugly quilt, but I would like to make one out of batiks.  It's quick and easy and fun!  I know the top is as least 7 years old.  I will also donate it.

Another friend from South Carolina passed away and had wanted me to have her featherweight.  Her sister shipped it to me along with a bunch of unfinished projects.  We had been in this row robin together (my row is the 3rd up from the bottom).  It's pretty, but I didn't have extra fabrics and decided against borders and will just bind it with red.  I do like this quilt!

 This is the last Bonnie Hunter mystery I did.  Grand Illusion.  I dislike it intensely.  I LOVED my fabrics, but they didn't work well here.  I only used 5 fabrics and maybe that was my problem  I added pieces to the top and bottom to make it rectangluar.  It is quilted in an allover design.  I will probably donate it unless I find somebody who actually likes it!  It is queen size! I haven't done any mysteries since.

 Last, but not least, here is the pillow I received in the pillow swap on Instagram.  I love it!  I have never had a desire for an embroidery machine, but I do love the effects!  I have been busy photographing my Christmas decorations and Christmas quilts so that will be my next post!

August UFO #30

Today I did the dreaded house cleaning and got a queen size quilt pin basted and started quilting.  It's going well.  I wound 10 bobbins to start with, it will be interesting to see how many I actually use! 

Today's UFO is one I keep forgetting about.  It's a Block of the Month kit I inherited from my friend Vicki several years ago.  I forgot that I even had gotten three rows done!  I tried to take a picture of the pattern picture, but it's shiny paper.  This one isn't super high on my finish list, but hopefully next year!

August UFO #23

As I mentioned previously I got involved in swaps on the internet and made a lot of friends.  I became particularly close to two women who both passed away and whom I acquired things from.  Vicki from SC was heavily involved in the Pat Sloan internet group and Debi from WA was a fan as well.  I did make several of the Pat's designs and was involved in several swaps and she also designed several fabric lines.  Through Vicki and Deb I seemed to have acquired a lot of Pat's fabric.  Honestly some of it really wasn't my color choices but I had a HUGE bin of it so a few years ago there were postings on You Tube about the "10 minute block".  Next thing I knew I was cutting fabric and made a queen size top.  I don't find it super attractive and have no clue why I made it so the top sits in my cupboard!  Be careful, if you say you like it you will probably end up with it!

Quilt a day #30

I'm loving all the guesses for how many quilts I have in my closet! One person is pretty close but I'm not going to say who! I am waiting to see who wins to customize a squishie for them. I counted all the quilts currently on display or piled on beds in my house this morning and then promptly forgot!

I am completely fascinated by the eggs my friend Sharon "tie dyed" today. Check out her April 1st blog post.

This quilt is not one I intended to make, nor bought fabric for. My friends Deb and Vicki conspired to make this for me. However Vicki passed away before they did anything more than get the fabric. At the same time Deb wasn't doing much quilting and although she traced a couple of the blocks and had one fused, she ended up sending me everything so I made the quilt and quilted it myself! I absolutely love it, being purple is my favorite color! It's currently hanging at the top of my stairwell.

Quilt a day #24

My husband borrowed my laptop today and that was tough on me! LOL I was able to check my mail on his desktop, so I wasn't in total withdrawal!

I have to go to one conference in the morning and then I'm on vacation until April 5th! Quilting here I come!

This quilt is one I made a few years ago for a friend. She had wanted to make one when Pat Sloan did a swap on her list (my friend was a moderator on Pat's yahoo group) but Vicki was undergoing cancer treatment. I made this quilt and sent it to her and she was thrilled to pieces. Unfortunately Vicki lost her battle and I hope someone in her family is enjoying her quilt. Vicki did want me to have her Featherweight and her sister knew that and contacted me after her passing. I just had to pay shipping of $25 and I got it! Her sister threw in a bunch of projects and fabric of Vicki's also. I wish I had a closeup of this quilt!