Swirls of Fabric

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Hands 2 Help 2021 Finishes

I put two quilts in the mail this week as part of the Hands 2 Help 2021 project.

This quilt went to Kat to support her Covered in Love project. The split 9-patch block was used in one of her 2019 block drives, and I thought it would be a perfect way to combine lots of fun fabrics from my 3.5" square box. My blocks finished at 9" square. I hope it gives some comfort to the recipient and their family living through a difficult situation. The finished quilt is 54" x 72".

I chose simple loops to meander across the quilt.

This little 42" x 42" quilt was sent to Little Lambs to support a child in foster care. I had some small pieces of cute novelty fabric and made some simple Ohio Star blocks to feature the fabrics.

A checked flannel backing gives the quilt a little extra coziness, and the 10th block found a home on the back side.

It is so wonderful to see all the beautiful quilts made as part of this project! Be sure to check out all the links on Sarah's blog, as well as the photos she posts from non-bloggers.

Saturday, March 13, 2021

Predominately Green

I was busy with client quilts most of the week, but I did squeeze in a little time with my green scraps.

I added some greens to my RickRack blocks (MSQ pattern). The pattern is designed for jelly rolls, but after I cut my background strips from yardage, it is easy to find enough in my scrap bin to make the blocks.

I found enough 2.5" pieces in my green scraps to make six scrappy trip-around-the-world blocks (Bonnie Hunter pattern). I already have 18 of these blocks made and since they are 12" finished, I may end up with several charity quilts when all the rainbow colors have been added.

I put together my yellow strings started in February, the yellow month. The string sections are trimmed to 6.5" x 9.5", then I added dark blue borders on two sides to make 9.5" blocks. The border fabric was a perfect find in a box of donated fabric. I was planning on a plain navy, but the navy with yellow suns might be my favorite part! Into the quilting queue it goes...

Linking up with RSC where there is always lots of wonderful inspiration.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Brights with Black and White

I love any excuse to make a baby quilt! This is for my husband's niece. I purchased the animal panel several years ago at our guild's quilt show. It has been patiently waiting in my stash for the perfect project. The Thicket Little Critter panel is by Gingiber for Moda Fabrics.

I pulled out my black and white prints and cut 3" squares for this quilt, with a few solids added here and there. I shopped my stash and found plenty of whimsical prints to add to the mix, and of course I have enough fabric to make five more quilts. The animals are surrounded with eight different solid colors and measure 9" x 12". The finished quilt is 45" x 54" so Alexis can use it as a toddler as well.

I often enjoy adding the baby's name with free-pieced letters, sometimes on the back and this time on the front. There were eight animals in the panel, so I decided positioning her name in the middle would be a nice layout.

I had fun quilting lines, loops and hearts. I used some of each solid color for a multi-colored binding.

I haven't started working on my green scraps yet, but there is some green in this quilt, so linking up with RSC and Oh Scrap!

Friday, February 26, 2021

Yellow Finish

My scrappy sort-of yellow churn dash quilt is finished and ready for donation. Each block has at least a little bit of yellow, the February RSC color. Our guild annually donates quilts to Hole in the Wall Gang camp which recently suffered a devastating fire. They hope to be able to rebuild and have modified camp sessions this year. With the camp closed last summer and now the fire, our guild is more motivated than ever to provide lots of fun quilts and pillow cases for the campers. I have several other quilts in the works, and I'm sure other guild members are inspired to work with their stash as well.

The finished quilt measures 45" x 54"

When quilting donation quilts, I've been using up some partial spools of Sulky thread that have been languishing in a box for years. This quilt received a stipple with the remainder of a yellow spool and some cream.

I happily cleared out some yellow, beige and tan fabrics for the backing.

Linking up with Sarah at Whoop Whoop and RSC.

Saturday, February 13, 2021

Yellow Strings and Scraps

I made surprisingly good progress with my yellow strings, scraps and crumbs this week.

I pulled strings that were at least 6.5" long and made these rectangles which finish at 6.5" x 9.5". I will add borders on two sides to make the blocks 9.5" square and alternate the orientation in the quilt. I'm thinking about bordering with a dark blue, but will audition some fabrics from my stash. I easily made 30 of these blocks without cutting into any larger yellow pieces.

I also made some yellow crumb blocks and I'm excited to see that my yellow scrap bin is much depleted.

Our guild had a virtual challenge: "Inspired by a Book Title". I decided to use wool applique to make this little wall hanging (19" x 20") inspired by The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, a YA book my daughter once read. It was fun to see all the creations during our virtual show-and-tell. Not quite as nice as admiring the pieces in person. but we happily had good participation. The wool applique house was inspired by designs in the book Wild Wool & Colorful Cotton Quilts by Erica Kaprow.

Linking up with RSC!

Friday, February 5, 2021

Digging Into Yellows

Yellow is such a happy color! However, when I started digging through my stash, I found many more golds and tans than bright yellows. I thew them into the mix for my scrappy trip around the world blocks.

The deep snowdrift on my back porch was a perfect background for the yellow.

I picked through my collection of scrappy churn dash blocks (made last spring) for any that contained some yellow. I then used some of my bigger yellow scraps to make some more blocks for a total of 20. They will combine for a nice donation quilt.

I also recently finished some donation quilts using bricks. Sometimes when I look at a pile of random fabrics I want to clear out, I find the 4" x 8" bricks are just the right size to use up strips from trimming the backs and other big-ish pieces. I have made this Free Brick Quilt Pattern a number of times.

This donation quilt finished at 40" x 56".

This collection of bricks featured sample fabrics from "Cats & Dogs" by Sarah Golden and Andover fabrics. The distribution of lights and darks did not seem suited to the staggered pattern, so I just alternated direction of two bricks sewn together.

A fun "Love the Earth" panel from Virginia Kraljevic and Windham Fabrics was perfect for the back. This donation quilt finished at 40" x 56".

Linking up with RSC at So Scrappy and Finish or Not Friday.

Sunday, January 31, 2021

Scrappy Batiks

Several recent finishes made good use of batik scraps and I am pleased that my batik box is no long overflowing.

This quilt used 3" x 6" bricks arranged into twelve 12" blocks. Nothing fancy, but I like the look of all the batik colors scattered across the quilt. I quilted it with a freehand feather swirl. This 47" x 58" quilt will be donated through my guild.

This "Diamond Magic" pattern (Willow Brook Quilts) has been on my list for awhile. I bought the pattern at a cute quilt shop several years ago while visiting my father. I pieced the top last April to keep busy when all my usual activities were canceled. The pattern is illustrated with ombre fabrics, which look fantastic, but I decided to use some Anthology Batik sample fabrics with a black background. I quilted and finished the binding during my push to finish-lots-of-tops in December and January.

The extra pieces make a nice accent for the back. This 50" square quilt will be donated through my guild.

Linking up with Oh Scrap where I always find lots of inspiration!