A couple more quilts I had the pleasure of quilting for Quilts for Survivors

Way back in Feb/2024, I was helping out Quilts for Survivors.  I had the pleasures of quilting these two donated tops.  This first one was a very detailed paper pieced turtle.  The centre block was approximately 20" tall and just a bit less wide.  I love how the background fabric picks up all the colours in the centre block.  Up close the turtle looks great!  I'm sorry that I forgot to get a close up.

Then there's this one.  Someone obviously had some sampler blocks and decided to make this top.  I'm going to say that they were more of a random assortment of blocks as the fabrics were different in each block, with only a few that were similar.  But I'd say it still works as there are some common colours in each block.

These were both sent out shortly after I quilted them and my mom helped to attach the binding.  Two more quilts providing some comfort to the recipients.  I've lost count how many I've quilted for Quilts for Survivors.  My hope is to help them out again soon, as I try to get thing here back in order.  

It's a good cause, so if you have any extra blocks sticking around that you don't want or a quilt top, think of them.  They will take them and finish them up.  They have been given the use of a warehouse to get together and assemble the tops and they have a longarm to do the quilting.  Various other longarmers across Canada also help out to get more done.

Take care everyone.

December's paper piece temperature wheel

Sunday, after finishing the March temperature wheel, I was still in the mood to continue.  Instead of moving on to April though, as I still want to follow the months with these blocks, I decided to go all the way to December and work backwards for any times that I can get more done.

This is December's temperature wheel completed.  What a contract to the March temperature wheel that I just finished earlier.  I put the March block below so that you could compare them.

December above, obviously has more colder days of purples, teals and dark blue.  Then we have March that still has some cold days, but the more colder days are heading into the warmer temperatures with an increase in the greens and heading into the pinks.  Pretty cool watching the change.

I really like seeing these wheels come together.  No moving things around to suit your taste.  This is mother nature doing her thing, every day and me recording it accordingly....lol....she is doing a fine job of it....lol....

Take care everyone.

March's paper piece temperature wheel

Yesturday, I spent some time in my sewing space relaxing.  I finished off ironing all the scraps that I washed and from mid-day on, I had some me time.  I have so many things I want to do that sometime when I get to do whatever I want, I just freeze for a bit.....lol.  I have to check in with myself to figure out what it is that I "most" want to do.

So, this time when I checked deep down, I decided that I wanted to make some progress on my 2024 temperature quilt.  I added this quilt to my list of required blocks and decided to try to do at least one a month.  I am following the months.  Being that we are March, I did March's block.  

Can you see how March is starting to show some of the softer colours?  Now we have some pink in there for the warmer temperatures.  Purple is the colder temperatures that move into the blues, then the greens and now the pinks.  

Since this picture was taken, I've taken off the paper and have placed the wheel on the background.  Later, I'll pin it down to the background so that I can appliqué it.  I still have a couple of weeks to meet this deadline, so no rush or worry.

Take care everyone.

A finished blue crumb quilt top

This post will be short and sweet.  I spoke about this little crumb quilt, that I was working on, all day Sunday.  The post was called, Small blue scraps.... from March 9th, so I won't go into too much details again here.

I'll just say that these strips are 2 1/2" wide with a 1/2" strip connecting them together to help avoid all the seams of all those crumb pieces.  I then cut 3" pieces for the borders.

It took some time to make these strips, but I really did enjoy the process.  With no rush or hurry.  Just sitting there with my machine, iron, a good pair of scissors and a backet full of very small crumbs.  Some mindless sewing.

And for those of you who are keeping tabs........yes........this is a newly started quilt.......lol.  But it's done!!!

This is a 25" square NICU quilt that will be going to Project Linus.

Take care everyone.

Yummy colours

I don't have much of my own to share with you at the moment.  Everything is in a partially completed stage.  I like working on many things, but that sometimes leads to longer periods of time before I actually finish something.

So today, I want to share with you this quilt made by a friend.  This was from 2025.  I call it the citrus quilt.  The colours of all the citrus fruits are in there, from lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, and even pink grapefruit!!  I just love the colours all together. and the block itself adds a bit of spunk too.  With no borders needed!

The backing fabric was perfect for this quilt too.  It's got all the colours of the fabrics in the top.  Little bursts of sunshine!

This is a one block quilt, where the block just keeps getting rotated.  I'm sure any of you could draw up the paper piece pattern for this.

As for me, I am almost done ironing all the little bitty pieces of scraps and sorting all the recently washed fabrics.  I also have all the strips sewn from the tiny blue crumbs, ready to be assembled into a small quilt.  Maybe later today I can get some sewing done.  

We'll see.  My daughter is here today and currently making dinner.  So maybe I should try to slip down there now.....lol.

Take care everyone.  Don't forget to take some time for yourself.

Small blue scraps....

This is the starting point of making a scrap quilt.  First off, I gather up some of my scraps.  In this case I chose to do blue.  I had two quilts in mind when I gathered these scraps up, but today I'll walk you through the making of one of them.  Keep your eyes on that black basket.

My pieces are pretty small.  I would classify this as a crumb quilt.  I am making strips that only measure 2 1/5" wide by about 10-11" long.  I just grab one and sew it to the first one and continue this process until the strip is the length I am shooting for.  

Now you have to realize that these pieces are my really small scraps/crumbs and that some of them don't even measure 2 1/2" wide.  When that happens, which is often, I grab a similar scrap and sew them together, as seen in the strip on the bottom right hand corner of this next picture.

I keep working like this throughout the construction of my strips.  Grab, sew, grab, sew, piece, piece again, grab, sew, grab, sew....processing a lot of very small pieces.  In the picture below I show you my set up.  The pieces in the middle are the ones that already measure at least 2 1/2" long and the pieces toward the bottom are not big enough.  They will need to find a partner to be sewn to.

Did you notice that black basket!!  It is empty!  I can actually say I am making a small dent in using up my crumbs.  I haven't yet opened that bag on the right hand side of the picture....lol.....but, progress none the less!  Once I have enough strips, I am using a blue solid 1" strip to set them together as you see in the picture below.

I have these four strips sewn together, which makes me feel great!  I'm obviously not done this quilt, but I really enjoyed some quiet, relaxing, fun just playing with fabric and making what other people consider to be garbage into something useful.  

These crumb quilts do take more time, but I am trying to see this as a form of meditation.  Focus on only the small pieces.....grab, sew, grab, sew, piece, piece again, grab, sew, grab, sew.  No rush, no worries, just sew one to another and keep going.  If you are going to try this, it would be much easier if you don't have an agenda.  Don't think of the end product, just keep plugging away to a calmer sole.

Take care everyone.

Basket Case borders are on

Last Saturday, I got the borders put on the Basket Case quilt.  It's still waiting to be quilted, but thought I would share it with you.  I've been pretty busy with non-quilting stuff and haven't had much time to sew.  

This is an interesting way to use up  scraps with a geometric block.  It doesn't matter what fabrics you use for this quilt, as it all tends to mess in well.  For a more coordinated look, can you imagine each horizontal line a specific colour (ie hot tones) weaving in and out of the vertical lines another specific colour (ie cool tones).  It would look fabulous!!

For me, I am always trying to find nice patterns to use up my scraps and the scraps that people give me.  This one is a good one!

Excerpt from a previous post:  This pattern is called Basket Case by Cluck Cluck Sew.  I modified my version to use up what I already had on hand.  The scrappy strips I started with are only 2" wide.

Take care everyone.