Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
The QST 16 Patch donation quilt is coming along pretty well.
I used some random blocks I had been making for the guild, as I mentioned, but I also added a few more to make the quilt just a little larger.
I used some of that striped black fabric I bought a lot of twice( !!!) by accident. I think I have enough of that stripe to make another one of these quilts. Of course, I should finish this one first. 😉
The other day, I talked a little about my design process. I also inferred that I wasn’t going to waste time designing when I could be sewing, so I went and started this quilt for the BAM Community Quilts project.
I did start sewing and I made a good start with some of the blocks I showed a few days ago. I thought I might as well use them, after all.
I was pleased with the black and white stripped fabric. I think it looks unexpectedly good.
So far, I am having fun with this design.
I was super pleased to see a quilt show up made from blocks I had donated. I made a number of these blocks this year, so they didn’t hang around very long, which is nice.
LeeAnn finished this quilt and showed it at last month’s meeting. The corner fabrics she chose make the quilt look like a night sky quilt.
I love seeing what other people are inspired to make from my blocks.
I spent a lot of sewing time making gift bags with fabric I unearthed from my fabric closet. I finished about 10 bags and was able to get back to using donation squares as leaders and enders.
Some of these blocks are from last year – as in a few weeks ago.
I haven’t been spending time on donation blocks lately, but I have made a couple lately. Mostly, I haven’t been piecing, which means I haven’t been making blocks.
I found my box of squares destined to be donation blocks, which had been buried. When I have needed a leader and ender lately, I have been able to grab a couple of them. Suddenly I have two blocks. It’s not a lot, but every little bit helps.
I forgot how much I enjoy seeing different fabrics put together. Aren’t the blue and pink Philip Jacobs flowers a great combo?
As I mentioned, a dozen quilts were handed in at Sew Day which will go to the community organizations that the guild supports. Many were tops I had sewn in the past. I am glad they are making their way to Peggy and the Community Quilt team.
One was the St. Patrick’s Day donation quilt Mary and I made really quickly during the last Sew Day before the pandemic shelter-in-place order.
I am not sure who quilted it, but Mary C bound it.
Yes, I wrote the title correctly. I have just one block to show you.
I worked to make many, many donation blocks last year. This year I feel like I am sewing a lot and not getting anything done. Am I not finishing things or what? I don’t know.
As I said, I have started some new color improv strip blocks, but I haven’t made any guild donation blocks.
I have been using other projects for leaders and enders. Do I need to get on the ball or can I take a break?
I finished all of the 16 patches I need for the 30 Something* quilt.
This isn’t all 42 of the 16 Patches – just a sample, but I am pleased with the way they came out. The next step is to make a bunch (30??) Churn Dash blocks. I am working my way through the various units that make up that block.
I have tons of the various patches leftover. I cut way too many, but will be using them for something, possibly donation blocks.
I haven’t decided if I am working on this as my main project or if it is still a leaders and enders project.
*I’d really like to link to this quilt so you could make it as well, but it doesn’t show up on the AllPeopleQuilt site. 🙁
I made more donation blocks before I started working on the Charming Donation Top.
I am pretty pleased with the colors. I decided that I would try to use the donation blocks in a quilt top. The guild is still keeping up with making quilts, but moving them between people is harder and giving out packages of blocks isn’t working very well. It is easier for the Community Giving team to provide a quilt to be quilted. We’ll see how this works.
While I began sewing FOTY 2019, I used some 2.5 inch squares as leaders and enders.
I realized as I was making them, that there is no rhyme or reason to the color scheme. I don’t have enough of one color to really do anything with the blocks.
The problem is also that making blocks when people can’t get a set at the meeting doesn’t help Peggy with Community Giving.
Looking at them now, I could make another 16 Patch Plus quilt top like I made for Peggy last weekend. I could use the black blocks for the outer legs of the Plus and a red one for the center block. The 16 Patch Plus tops turn out so small, though, and I really prefer making larger quilts.
I am teaching a Sampler Quilt Class/Skillbuilder via Zoom. One of the things I asked my students to do was check their quarter inch seam, then practice sewing and getting the seams to match.
SueG did a GREAT job and made a donation quilt for the guild as practice.
She picked great colors (we had an earlier lesson on color and choosing fabrics) and her seams match up very well. As a bonus, some child will get a wonderful looking quilt!
I am thrilled!
I talked about Sew Day the other day. The blocks I made are below. I didn’t take photos of all of the blocks, unfortunately, but I got 12 of them.
Last month I only made two donation blocks, but I did better this month. I went over my 2019 monthly goal of 30 this month. Since I only made two last month, however, I probably should have made 60 this month.
I know you have seen most of the scrappy community quilt blocks, but I also made some of the regular 16 patch blocks and have started on a new color for a Color Strip quilt top in blue. I am not where I want to be but I am making progress and that is all that anyone can hope for.
Since I started making the Color Strip and Improv donation quilts, I have not been making very many of the regular 16 patch donation blocks the guild collects.
However, they are really great for leaders and enders when I am not at home and don’t have my scrap bin handy. I forgot to bring them last Saturday to the mini-Retreat, but brought the bin Sunday and was able to churn out two blocks in between putting the new Running with Scissors Tote together.
I brought my bin to the Charity Sew Day yesterday and started some more, so there will be a few more for you to see later.
I needed something for leaders and enders at the Retreat. While there, I made donation blocks for the Community Giving Project at BAM.
I didn’t have it in me to gather up and bring the pieces I needed for my new strips donation blocks, so I grabbed my bin of 2.5 inch squares and used those. Peggy always appreciates more blocks and I have been wanting to make more for her. Since I have been focusing on my strip quilts and improv quilts for the community giving project I haven’t made as many of the postage stamp donation blocks.
I had a slow start, but eventually ended up with 6. I made these while I worked on the Running with Scissors tote.