After I did some Pre-Sew Day work, we were able to put together a total of two quilt tops in addition to the larger top that the rest of the group put together. I am much better at working on my own. I was pleased that Sue and Lee Ann joined me without me having to say anything.
Lee Ann was kind enough to take the blocks for this one home and put the quilt together.
Sew Day donation top
The blocks I made also became a quilt top very quickly, thanks to Lee Ann. The blocks are 8 inches by 8 inches, so the quilt ended up being about 40 in. x 40 inches, which is about the size I like to hand in.
I finished the Pacifica Quilter’s Club Lucky Blocks last week. It took me longer than I thought, but I am pleased to be contributing to another good cause.
I made a few blocks for Peggy and the Community Quilts team, but decided I need to focus on the blocks I am collecting for various donation tops that I plan to make here at home.
I worked on continuing to collect black and red donation blocks to make another Quarter Square donation top for the guild donation project similar to QST 16 Patch #4 Blue. I need more black and red squares, which means more scrap processing. I may do that at Sew Day on Saturday.
I have more green squares after a couple of sessions of scrap processing. I want to make another Sidewalk quilt, but I don’t have enough of the half blocks to make a green one yet. I only need about 9 more green half blocks to be able to make that Sidewalk quilt. Perhaps my Sew Day scrap processing session will get me the greens I need.
Greenish Sidewalk donation block
Greenish Sidewalk donation block
Greenish Sidewalk donation block
Greenish Sidewalk donation block
Green Sidewalk donation block
Dark green Sidewalk donation block
Green Sidewalk donation block
Green Sidewalk donation block
Lavender donation block
Pink Lines donation block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Black & some white donation block
Pink donation block
Sushi donation block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
Diagonal 16 Patch block
White Strip donation block #104
White Strip donation block #105
White Strip donation block #106
White Strip donation block #107
White Strip donation block #108
Lucky Block #1
Lucky Block #2
Lucky Block #3
Lucky Block #4
Grey dot half 16 Patch
White Strip donation block #10
White Strip donation block #110
White Strip donation block #111
It doesn’t always happen, but I surpassed my goal of 30 donation blocks this month.
Quilts
I have more ends/edges I can use to make another Ends quilt to hand in at Sew Day. We’ll see.
The Pacifica Quilter’s Club also has a donation block program called “Lucky blocks”. I missed the first round, but picked up the instructions at the last meeting. I have slowly been starting these blocks and over the weekend made some good progress.
I have to trim all the HSTs, so the work takes longer PLUS I am working on about 12 projects at a time.
Lucky Blocks waiting to assemble
I accidentally cut 4 blocks. Either I didn’t read the instructions carefully or I skipped reading them. I made a bunch of HSTs and there were enough for 4 blocks. I’ll sew them together in time for the April meeting. If I can’t make it, I’ll drop them off with the coordinator.
I was able to use some 5″ squares I had cut from scraps for this project, which made me very happy. That scrap processing effort isn’t wasted!
This piece is a little different from #1 and #2, because of the red. I have been feeling like I have a lot of red fabric I am not using. I decided just to put some red sashing on this quilt and see what happened. It is not a favorite of the series, but it isn’t ugly either. Next time, I’ll stick with the monochromatic look.
I like making these strip quilts, as I have said, as they use up scrap and make great leaders and enders. The problem with the white is that I have A LOT of white scraps and I can’t seem to use them up quickly enough. I am pleased that I didn’t use any white background fabric in Lupine. It loaded up my black scrap drawer, but stayed away from the white.
A week ago was the Community Sew Day at the Guild. After doing some pre-sewing, I also sewed another quilt using the same pattern at Sew Day. SueG sat next to me and followed my lead on sewing blocks my way.
Sue used her own materials, which was a lot better for precision. We sewed quite a few blocks, but Lee Ann took them all to sew together before I could take a picture.
I tried to keep the packs I chose in the same color family as Sue’s blocks, but I was really distracted and am not sure I succeeded. when I get a photo from Lee Ann, I’ll share it.
My preference at Community Sew Days is to bring a top (+back, etc) ready to be quilted and work on my own projects. Since I am now guild president, I decided I needed to be a good citizen and work on the project with everyone else. Still, I worked ahead to make some blocks.
I used 3 mini-charm packs and what’s left of my white fabric to make the blocks for the quilt top. I thought they would be incorporated with everyone else’s blocks, but I made the wrong pattern, so Sue and I put the rest of the blocks needed for a quilt together using this pattern.
I worked with the Community Quilts Team’s materials to start a second quilt and wasn’t as happy. I prefer my own cutting, so I know what problems I might encounter with cutting mistakes. I’ll go back to my original plan if there is another Community Sew Day.
I have had the fleece for a Pet Bed sitting around for a long time. I finally sewed it together last week in order to bring it to Sew Day.
One of the things that spurred me on was the bits of batting I had laying around from the various quilts that I have mostly finished recently. The guild is not using schnibbles for pet beds any more as they don’t make for soft and comfy beds. Also, they are hard to wash. This is sad as I still have a lot of schnibbles. We are working out a plan for their use in another way.
This wasn’t my fabric so I don’t get any credit on my Fabric Used spreadsheet.
I wanted to make a second donation top for the year and going through a stack of fabric helped. I found the neutral background and that cemented my resolve.
I used the edges that Colleen cut off of Gelato #2 to start this donation quilt. That back was quite large, so I had long pieces from which to choose.
I shoot for about 40×40 for these quilts so a yard of fabric total works. The neutral I found was a half yard.
Ends n.23 back
Except for the back, I didn’t need to dig into my bins of fabric. I chose some light oranges for the back, then dutifully measured and put together some batting scraps for the batting.
I have decided to combine donation blocks and quilts into one monthly post. We’ll see how that works this year.
I didn’t make any donation blocks or quilts in January, so here we are in February.
Blocks
Red and stripe donation block
Red donation block
Red with batik donation block
Black dot donation block
Red, white and black donation block
Small diamond donation block
Large diamond+ donation block
Large diamond+ #2 donation block
Sidewalk green solid donation block
Sidewalk green solid #2 donation block
I am collecting black and red donation blocks to make another Quarter Square donation top for the guild donation project similar to QST 16 Patch #4 Blue. I have more green squares after a couple of sessions of scrap processing. I want to make another Sidewalk quilt, but I don’t have enough of the half blocks to make a green one yet. The blocks above are being added to the pile.
Quilts
Blue Improv #2 bound
White Strips #3 with red
I might have posted the *bound* Blue Improv before, but I don’t see it. It was getting folded up to be donated at Sew Day and I took a quick snap of the finished piece. More scraps off to do some good.
I also finished White Strips #3 (with red) and handed it in at the meeting last weekend. It looks different than the other white strips quilts, but I like it.
Without putting the blocks on the wall, I added sashing to my white strips blocks. I don’t have any design wall space and just had to go for it. I have a few donation quilts I need to make and this one will help me free up some design wall space.
As you can see, not having the design hampers my process. Somehow I missed adding top sashing to 6 blocks.
Yes, I used red. Dangerous, I know, but all my fabric is washed.
I finally dug out the white strips blocks I made last year and put them on the design wall. With the Patchwork Palooza no longer taking up valuable design wall real estate, I am able to work on this project.
I haven’t started on sashing yet, but did decide to just make my normal strip quilt rather than another Sidewalk quilt. However, since I haven’t started the sashing yet, that could change.
I am thinking about red sashing as I have at least two bins of red fabric. I could use more by making a Sidewalk version. We’ll see. I know I don’t want to make another white on white strips quilt.
I haven’t really decided to make 12 quilts for the guild this year. I am giving enough time to the guild. That doesn’t mean I won’t make donation quilts. It just means I don’t (yet?) have a goal.
My donation block making has stalled a bit. I am working feverishly on other projects, some in preparation for the holidays and some just because. Still, I have a few to show.
