Tag: BAMQG

Sew Day Velvet

Rosie Lee Tompkins 'Lines' quilt
Rosie Lee Tompkins ‘Lines’ quilt

A month or so ago Gerre asked me to help her think through the construction of a velvet quilt similar to one in the Rosie Lee Tompkins exhibit. We talked about foundation paper piecing the long strips that would make a quilt to look like the Rosie Lee Tompkins exhibit entry way quilt.

I don’t remember how this quilt was constructed, but I am pretty sure Ms. Tompkins didn’t use FPP. I could tell Gerre wasn’t 100% on board with the idea. At the time, I couldn’t think of anything else.

Gerre's velvet blocks
Gerre’s velvet blocks

Therefore I was pleased to see that she and Mary had come up with a plan to make the quilt in blocks using the quilt-as-you-go (QAYG) method. What a great idea! They are sewing strips of velvet on to batting, then will sew them together. This technique really helps keep the velvet under control as it is sewn.

At the beginning of the day they had a few blocks already done. I really like the blocks 2d from the right with the white squares. I also like that Gerre is not copying the Rosie Lee Tompkins quilt. I think it is great that she is making it her own.

Gerre's velvet blocks End of the day
Gerre’s velvet blocks End of the day

By the end of the day, they had most of the blocks made. The photo (left) may not show all of them. In this case I really like the black with the silver. I prefer the blocks that use the color as an accent. They are all really beautiful. The sheen of the velvet gives them an amazing lustre.

Sew Day Donation Projects

Sew Day was Saturday and it was great! There is a lot to tell you, but I’ll probably have to spread it over a few posts.

First up, community quilts.

Ends n.17 (Plaid) finished
Ends n.17 (Plaid) finished

Friend Julie finished the Ends n.17 (Plaid). She even did the binding! What a star!

I am so thrilled that this will soon go to a good home. I really hope that it will provide comfort and nice snuggles for someone who needs a hug.

 

Julie's community quilt
Julie’s community quilt

Julie worked on a second quilt, which I did not make. My first comment, upon seeing it was that it was a weird shape. I quickly realized that it will be a great crib quilt. It is just the right size and shape for a crib, or a toddler bed for a slightly older child.

August 2023 Donation Blocks

More donation blocks for August.

Yes, you can see that I am starting to work on a new color strip quilt for the community project.

 

Community Quilts Sew Day

BAM Log Cabin Community Quilt in process
BAM Log Cabin Community Quilt in process

Peggy was very kind about the Ends Quilts I handed in last Saturday instead of working on the log cabin project she planned for Community Sew Day.

She, Julie and LeeAnn worked on it at Sew Day. I know Anna made a few blocks in advance that were incorporated into the quilt. I don’t think it was a very popular project. Maria, who made the suggestion, was in Portugal!

August 2023 BAM Sew Day Log Cabin
August 2023 BAM Sew Day Log Cabin

Anyway, regardless of the popularity of the project, one complete top was finished plus the three I handed in makes 4 total quilts for the day. Not great, but not terrible either.

The log cabin quilt is pretty colorful and scrappy.

Accordion Pouches

Accordion Pouch
Accordion Pouch

Carrie, one of my students, has been sewing up a storm of bags. She is on the Door Prize team and has just blossomed into an amazing and very creative bag maker. She has also been finding random patterns that interest her for free on the web.

Accordion pouch closed
Accordion pouch closed

She made a few of these Accordion pouches and they came out really well. She said they were easy to make, but hard to make perfectly.

I think it looks like a very cute pouch. I can see using something like this in my handbag. I seem to have a lot of random items rolling around in it, which could be corralled in this little pouch.

 

Accordion pouch open
Accordion pouch open

It could certainly be used for sewing as well. I can see putting smaller items in it for travel to retreats or Sew Day, then putting it into the Kit Supply Tote. I might have to make one of these just to try it out, not that I don’t have 500 other projects on which to work.

Ends n.17 (Plaid) Finished

Ends n.17 (Plaid) Finished
Ends n.17 (Plaid) Finished

Ends n.17 (Plaid) is finished! Hooray!

I have used up that taupe fabric I used to separate the print strips. Hooray! That’s out of my life. 

I have also made backs for all three Ends tops. I couldn’t not do it. I have another day, so I might make another one of these quilts to hand in on Saturday.

July 2023 Donation Blocks

After seeing what Peggy did with a few of my coordinated donation blocks from last month, I decided to create some more for her to work with. Of course, that means going through my box and choosing the same colors. It doesn’t really matter to me which fabrics I use. It just matters that I use up the squares crammed in my little donation squares box. Black and grey blocks will be good for a boy.

I am also starting to work on more color strip blocks in black and grey. First, I’ll make some for the rainbow version I am planning and then for a grey version alone. I have a lot to do on those quilts.

Starting Ends n.17 top

Ends n.17 (Plaid) - start
Ends n.17 (Plaid) – start

Trying to assuage my guilt at not wanting to make log cabin blocks, I started another Ends quilt top for the guild.

The plaids are from the Plaid Block Party quilt I finished in 2020. I am enjoying using these fabrics again.

I wonder if three quilts is enough to make up for my reluctance to make the log cabin blocks?

Ends n.16 Top

Ends n.16
Ends n.16

Ends n.16 went together very quickly. I actually worked on it at lunchtime the other day, then after work yesterday and I was done. Of course, I had everything out and available, which made the process go faster. Now it is ready for Sew Day next week.

Yes, I used that crazy turkey fabric from the pillowcases I made last fall. LOL!

Ends n.15 Top

Ends n.15top finished (not quilted)
Ends n.15 (not quilted)

I quickly made another donation top  using some of the edges of the good quilts I have made in the past.

I wanted to use up some yardage (the taupe) that I won’t use for other quilts.I still have a lot of strips from the edges of various quilts to use up as well.

Also, there is a community quilt day next month where we will be making log cabin quilts. I don’t enjoy making log cabin blocks, so I decided to make as many quilt tops as I could to donate between now and then.

I didn’t make a back and thought I wouldn’t, but now I think I will.

Some Sew Day Photos

July 2023 Meeting Setup
July 2023 Meeting Setup

Part of Super Sew Day was the meeting. We couldn’t meet at our regular location so we met at the church where we have Sew Day and combined it with an extra Friday to make a Super Sew Day.

We used one of the design walls as a screen, which made me smile.

Orphan block community quilt
Orphan block community quilt

Claire showed off some Community quilts she made using random assortments of orphan blocks. She was trying to get people to take some of the packets of orphan blocks she had put together.

She chose well for the blue and gold quilt!

Orphan block community quilt
Orphan block community quilt

A couple of my 16 patch donation blocks were in this predominantly orange quilt.

Claire used other leftovers to put the quilt together.

I thought the whole presentation was a good idea and the examples were well done.

Peggy the Miracle Quilt Top Maker

Peggy's Sawtooth Star
Peggy’s Sawtooth Star

The other day I showed some red and dot donation blocks. I brought them to hand in at sew day and Peggy immediately grabbed them. Very quickly, she came up with a block with my donation blocks at the center.

This is such a cheerful block. I love the way she used HSTs instead of Flying Geese to vary the color of the rays of the star.  I would say the block is probably 16″ in this form, but I didn’t measure.

Sawtooth Star donation top
Sawtooth Star donation top

As the day wore on, Peggy continued to work. Midafternoon, she came up and showed me the quilt top made with my block at the center.

I know I say this all the time. I love this about the guild community quilt program. I can hand in something half finished and Peggy or someone will take it and make something fabulous.

I wonder if the Spiky 16 Patch #5 inspired her?

This is such a cheerful quilt top and was very quickly finished. It will also be good for a boy or a girl.

Finished: Blue Strip #3 Donation Top

Blue Strip #3 Donation Top
Blue Strip #3 Donation Top

I finished the Blue Strip #3 donation top and back in the nick of time to take to Sew Day on Saturday.

As I mentioned, it was a weird shape, so I made an effort to widen it by making the side border strips larger than the top and bottom border strips.

It is still very much more rectangular than square, but more of a bed shape than a weird shape.

I’ll have to work on a blue color improv quilt like the others as I still have quite a few blue scraps. They seem to multiply when I am not looking. LOL!

Peggy, as usual, was very complimentary and happy to receive it. I plan to make another one using greys or blacks or both. The scrap drawer with greys, blacks and browns is very full.