Another FINISH--Turquoise Peels !

Unquilted finished top, for full view

Totally finished and IN USE  !

This one has been in the making for about 4 years, I'd say.  I remember sitting in front of the t.v., evenings, with hubby, the last year before he passed, (and that has been 3 years now, unbelievably), me working on it nightly.

For the little blocks, I think that I chose a size and then drew the peels myself, using a plate or something for the curve.  The background squares were cut at 5 1/4 inches, and then after hand/needle-turn appliqueing the peels, the little blocks were trimmed to 5 inches, causing each block to finish at 4 1/2 inches square.

In this photo, I realized that the stencil that I used for the white area turned out to make the lower peels look like the leaves to a flower..........I LOVE THAT !  And this is the first quilt that I have made IN YEARS that was actually FULLY big enough for my bed......it would even work on a full-size, I think.

The finished quilt measures approximately 74 x 96,, and hasn't been washed yet.  I put it straight onto my bed and have been sleeping under it every night since !

I am really pleased with this wave-design stencil that I ordered and purchased from Stencil House.  I bought it in 3 different sizes, and I believe that this is the 5 inch size.  Quick and easy to quilt, and so pretty for the movement it gives the borders.

Facebook memory minders tells me that I took exactly one year to hand-quilt it, inbetween many other projects.

I used a batting that I bought from Connecting Threads, Hobbs Heirloom Bleached 100% Cotton.

This batting is recommended for light-colored quilts, and I really like it.  It has a beautiful drape to it.  It is not really warm, and would make a great summer-time quilt, which this color of quilt lends me to anyway.

Frankenquilt........FINISHED...

...and GONE !

I finished the Frankenquilt on Thursday, washed and dried it, and photographed it a bit.  

 Today, I took it to show to the lady for whom I pick up lunch.  She carried on over it, and wanted to know if I ever sold my quilts, and for how much.  

I gave it to her. 

 

I made the binding finish at 3/4 inches wide.......because I wanted to !

I couldn't help it !   She just loved it, and is always so sweetly complimenting all of my work.  And, I couldn't price it !   After all, it was made from bits and pieces, here and there, all found here in my tubs and bundles !  

So, there........Frankenquilt has found a happy home.

Enjoy, Sister Faye ! 

Details.....Finished measurements before washing--56" x 64".

                Machine-quilted in ditch horizontally, vertically, 
                and diagonally , except for border rows of squares.
                Borders were hand-quilted free-hand without 
                hoop, using big needle.  

                Batting was Fairfield 80% cotton/20% polyester 
                remnants.  Thread for quilting was variegated 
                spool sent from JoAnn Gilley.
 

Basting the Frankenquilt

I have spent the last week putting together a back for a top that I made last year. 

 I took orphan blocks and arranged them on my design wall until I was satisfied with the look.
At that point, I started to add pieces from this green print fabric that I had found in a box of scrap fabric that I purchased from a second-hand store.

The pink will be removed after the quilting is done. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I just had enough to make the back big enough for the front, having to sew on a pink strip all around, just to have enough overage to be able to pin it into my basting frame.

 I'm finding that I like this back better than the front......of course, it doesn't matter, since it promises to be truly reversible.  I think that I will machine-quilt it from the front, since it gives me more of a 'grid' to follow when quilting.

This was the only block that I had to do any applique on........I added the hexagon block to the center of this very plain large block, to spice it up a bit.
Even the batting for this quilt is a Frankenbatt !   I pieced it together with many leftover cuts from making other quilts !

We are all still sheltering in place or "safer at home", as they like to say, because of the Covid 19 virus pandemic.   Our county has only had two diagnosed cases.  I stay home mostly, except to run meals to a friend, and of course, do my shopping.  I DID have a short visit from my brother Jeff today.........a most wonderful chance for a much missed hug !  It was so nice to visit with someone in person !

Finished Quilt--Air Mail 'Round the World

Searching my mind and my 'play room' for my next project, I opened a box that had been sent to me by JodieAnn, probably a year before she passed away.  I would have almost NO NEW FABRIC if it weren't for that sweet gal !  Anyway, there were 2 charm packs and 3 half-yard pieces of coordinates.  So I started playing around to see what I could make work with just that fabric.

This is what I came up with.  The fabrics are nice, but the red and white printed background fabric tends to give the quilt a pinkish tinge that I don't care for.
 I got it pieced within a couple of days' time, and grabbed some leftover polyester batting from quilting the embroidered quilt blocks commission.  I seamed some pieces together and basted this one up.

Marley Jo sized

Good ol' Singer 15-91 came through again for the machine-quilting........just straight-line quilting in all of the ditches (seams).

Definitely doesn't crinkle up like it would with a cotton batting.

 Note to self, I have not found a solution for any machine that I use making tucks when I machine-quilt (except during free-motion quilting).   So, now, I use straight pins on whatever seam I am quilting, and place them about an inch apart for 6 or so inches.  After quilting over them, (yes, I quilt over pins), I move them to the next 6-inch section ahead of the needle.  No more tucks.  I am very satisfied with the outcome, if not the extra work.   It's worth it to get something quilted up more quickly than I could quilt by hand.

UPDATE on Spot in the Middle quilt.
 Washed and dried finally........I loved the flat look of this one, and for once I didn't want crinkly.  Well, crinkly is just what I got, of course, with a cotton batting.

Nothing wrong with the quilt..........this is usually what I'm waiting for the whole time I'm making it..........all that lovely 'real quilt' wrinkliness.  Just NOT this time.

Also, for the blog record.....COVID 19 Pandemic has us still staying at home, "sheltering in place", but I do go out for groceries and meal deliveries.  Schools and Church services still postponed for now.

Tiny quilt finish

All sizes of quilts make me HAPPY !

 I was experimenting with some strip-piecing when I put these blocks together a while back.  It was just the right size for some evening hand-quilting over the past week.  I chose different colored quilting threads to match the colorway of each block.

When it came time to bind, I went back to the 'strings' tub, and I chose colors to match all but the brown center block.

Now, it sits on my coffee table, bringing me a smile each time it catches my eye.

I LOVE QUILTING !

And I LOVE having a stash to draw from on a moment's whim !  Thank you, Father in Heaven, for this gift of being able to create things, big or small, to add beauty to MY life, and, hopefully, the lives of OTHERS as well.