Tag: BAMQG

End Donation Quilt n.5

Ends Donation Quilt n.5 - half borders on
Ends Donation Quilt n.5 – half borders on

I kept looking at the latest donation quilt after posting about it last time and feeling like it wasn’t completely finished. I finally decided that it needed a border.

I was kind of surprised, because the Ends n.2 quilt really didn’t need a border. I guess each quilt has its own requirements.

I have put on two of the 4 borders. It has taken me forever it seems, as I haven’t had any time to sew since I returned from Sisters. I’ll get there.

I’ve done five of these quilts so far. You can see them all:

Ends Donation Quilt n.2 Finally

Ends Donation Quilt n.2
Ends Donation Quilt n.2

I saw Tim at the meeting and he had finally finished quilting the Ends Donation Quilt n.2. I wrote about this quilt top last in November. I thought the quilt was done a long time ago and Tim said I had taken several photos, but I can’t remember and can’t find any posts about it after the November post.

Tim did a great job and looks really good. While we are finding another place who will take quilts made by the group, we are saving these for the San Jose mayor’s gun buyback program. Those people who bring guns will also get a quilt.

Ends n.1 quilt

Ends n.3 quilt

Ends n.4 quilt

Ends n.5 quilt

June Donation Blocks

Yes, I am behind in reporting on June. Life is busy and I am heading to a week long quilt retreat with Friend Julie, so I am preparing to have a whole bunch of posts for you to peruse.

It is fun to see all the different blocks I make. I like remembering where the fabric came from and what I used it for.

Donation Blocks turned in at June meeting
Donation Blocks turned in at June meeting

The group of blocks are the blocks I turned in at the June meeting. I know you have seen all of these blocks before, but I thought it would be great to show all of them together.

My donation block production has slowed as my work schedule has ramped up. I am spending less time at the machine, which affects my production. Still, I have money, which is nice. Don’t worry, I am not giving up, but other guild members will have to step up and fill in the gaps.ell

Spiky 16 Patch n.2

Spiky 16 Patch n.2 Top
Spiky 16 Patch n.2 Top

I got up Sunday morning feeling a little sore and slightly disgruntled at my computer still being in the shop.

Fortunately, the Spiky 16 patch blocks were front and center on my design wall and wanted attention.

I found the formula for creating setting triangles and corner triangles and set about doing math and then cutting up squares. Large squares.

After not too long, and only a few cutting errors, the top was finished and I wasn’t as disgruntled. I like the way this turned out and hope someone will get it who really enjoys it.

My SILs said it was sweet.

I have more HRTs, so I will be making more of these blocks. I may more quilts with them, we will see.

Ends Donation Top n.5

In the course of putting away fabric and other supplies from the Stepping Stones n.2 project, I came across some rich looking prints that I didn’t think I would use in a quilt, but would make a great donation quilt. One was an Anna Griffin print from the Bailey line (or perhaps the name of the print was Bailey?). The other had a kind of scrollwork design on it. Both had kind of a blood red background.

Ends Donation Top n.5
Ends Donation Top n.5

I thought these prints would not only go well together, but also with the ends of the Triple Star. Happy to distract myself from tidying, I started in on a new Ends top. I finished the top last night and will make a back soon.

Color My Quilt – Ruth

Ruth's Color My Quilt
Ruth’s Color My Quilt

Ruth gave out her sheet of instructions for her Color My Quilt at the last meeting and I got right down to business. I was going for sparks of color on a dark-ish background.

I may not be quite done with the piece. I wanted all the color contained so I am contemplating that plum/burgundy strip. I have a few weeks to decide.

Again, all of these were from my scrap pile or bins.

Blue Cat Pet Bed

Blue Cat Pet Bed
Blue Cat Pet Bed

It has been awhile since I made a pet bed, but the schnibble bag was getting too full.

The fabric is one of the last I got from Amanda, *I think*. I had to trim the gusset a little as I thought it was too long and made a long tunnel in the opening, which makes getting the schnibbles into the pet bed, without much on the floor, difficult.

I thought I had a lot of schnibbles, but the bed isn’t even half full. Refer to my post on having less time to sew. 😉

Color My Quilt – Leeann

As I have probably mentioned 300 times, I was super behind on the Color My Quilt project. I worked through the 5 I had to do methodically.  I didn’t do anything crazy and was able to make some progress.

Leann's Color My Quilt Shard - June 2018
Leann’s Color My Quilt Shard – June 2018

Leeann had a landscape theme and I just copied the colors into a big chunk.

I am not sure if this is what she wanted, but it will work in some capacity. She can cut it up to fill in spaces, though I wonder if people actually feel ok about cutting up the shards?

I should have mentioned earlier in the week a reminder about the parameters of Color My Quilt. This project started last year with Karen’s idea. It is a guild challenge where one person per month volunteers to receive shards. The selected person provides a sheet with an idea, colors, poetry, a quote – basically some kind of inspiration to willing participants. The participants make a shard. It can be a block or a chunk of scraps in the right colors or almost anything. I think it is interesting to see what the chunks look like together. So far only one quilt has been made. I am curious to see if others get made.

Color My Quilt – Helen’s Rainbow

Helen's Rainbow
Helen’s Rainbow

Yes, this is Color My Quilt week.

I wasn’t sure what to do with Helen’s prompt. I thought about it and considered different options for a long time. Finally, I gave up and decided not to do it.

I think that was what I needed to do, because, shortly thereafter, I thought about ROYGBIV. I decided that making a long strip in color order would be the thing to do. It would fulfill Helen’s wish and it would be consistent with my effort to provide a different shape for people to work with.

I just pulled pieces out of my scrap bin and that seemed to work well.

Color My Quilt: Michelle

Color My Quilt: Michelle- Fog
Color My Quilt: Michelle- Fog

I am still behind on the BAMaQG Color My Quilt project. I decided while I was sewing the Stepping Stones n.2 over Memorial Day that I would slide in the Color My Quilt pieces. I sewed on them in between the Spiky 16 Patches and the Stepping Stones n.2.

Michelle’s theme was fog. I am quite familiar with it, so I pulled greys out of my scrap drawer and put another long thin piece together.

It is simple and straightforward. I hope it works with the other pieces she got.

5 Spiky Blocks

5 Spiky Stars
5 Spiky Stars

I made the last Spiky 16 patch block and I am pleased with the way it looks.

I am liking the look of the the colors together. There are some purples and light, icky greens, but I think they add interest rather than disrupting the sea/calm look. What do you think?

Next step: on point triangles. I think I mentioned I found a new technique for creating these. I know I printed it out and now need to remember when I put it.

Spiky 16 Patch n.2 Layout and Thoughts

As mentioned, I finished the fourth Spiky 16 Patch Block I worked on over Memorial Day weekend. I found some interesting directions for cutting side triangles for an on point setting and wanted to try them. Yes, I have rulers galore that are supposed to deal with this problem, but I can’t seem to get them to work.

Spiky 16 Patch n.2 laid out
Spiky 16 Patch n.2 laid out

First, however, I needed to look at the piece laid out. I laid it out on my design wall and decided that that giant plain square in the middle would be a nuisance. If I were a master quilter, that would be a great square for a feathered wreath. Since this is a donation, I thought it would be a pain for whomever decided to quilt it and I should make another block to fit in that spot.

Spiky 16 Patch n.2 - new layout
Spiky 16 Patch n.2 – new layout

Even if I ultimately decide not to put the block in the center, it won’t be wasted. I can’t use it for another quilt. Pam suggested another block in the center, which is a good idea and would make a great variation. Not sure what it would be though. I’ll keep it in mind if the center block ends up not working out.

My goal is to have this done to turn in at the meeting. We’ll see.

More May Donation Blocks

As I mentioned the other day, I have been in a sewing drought and that affects all aspects of sewing, including my donation sewing. I took some time over the long weekend to sew as much as I could. Part of that included sewing some 16 patches.

I am trying to use similar fabrics so there are sets of blocks that people can use. My colors, especially the backgrounds can differ from what others use. I felt like making some blocks that would work for boys. It was fortunate I had some greys left over from the Triple Star. Not many, but some to add to my pile to donate when I go to the meeting in June. And this group does not include my work on the Spiky 16 patches.

Spiky 16 Patch n.4

Spiky 16 Patch n.2, block 4
Spiky 16 Patch n.2, block 4

I am back to working on the second Spiky 16 Patch donation quilt.

Over the long weekend, I got a chance to sew together some of the bias rectangles I had prepared. It turns out I made a lot of the ones I already had and very few of the ones I needed. Sigh.

I sewed the ones I had prepped together anyway and cut the 5 inch strips required for the rectangles. I was cutting for the Stepping Stones, as mentioned, and just used some of the same blues and greens I was using for the Stepping Stones to prep more.

There is something comforting and satisfying about making these Bias Rectangles. I really like the Split Recs ruler. I think it works really well. Yes, I trim, but I get really nice HRTs out of the process and they are a joy to sew. I am trying to think of different blocks to make from HRTs. I have units to make several more of these Spiky 16 patch blocks, except for the HRTs of which I am chronically short. 😉

Spiky 16 Patch n.4, quilt 2
Spiky 16 Patch n.4, quilt 2

I did finish this block and I am pleased with it. These are really nice blocks. I will lay out the piece on point when I get a chance.