Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
I am still making a few of the regular guild donation blocks. I have started work on the next Color Strip Donation top to go with the others. The HST 9 Patch is made from leftovers from the HST Star quilt top. It is larger than the other blocks – 12.5×12.5 rather than 8×8. Peggy said she would do something with it.
Remember a few months ago when I tried out a Missouri Star block that I had seen on their weekly show?
I like this block, but I did not enjoy making it. I has been hanging on my design wall for months and I wanted to do something with it. For a few weeks I have been thinking of adding another round of star points and making it into a donation top. Over the weekend I did that.
I used my Triangle Technique to make HSTs. While this is a great chart, and covers the most used sizes, it doesn’t go up to making 8″ (and larger) units. I guessed about the starting sizes and was a little bit off.
I had to add a little strip to each HST to make them fit. It is not super noticeable and will be fine for a community quilt. Lesson learned.
I decided to use the leftover improv strip blocks for one donation quilt. I just slapped them up on the design wall so I could see what I had. I will definitely do some kind of colorwash effect in the final layout.
There area lot of colors missing, so I will make some more blocks in the missing colors. I think I need about 28 total blocks to make a reasonable/useful sized quilt.
The long lost and latest addition to my Ends quilt series, Ends n.12: Pop Parade, is finished. I mentioned it the other day in my design wall post. I decided just to make a back and call it done.
Ends n.12 is another in the series of quilts I am making using the cut off edges of quilt backs. This quilt, as mentioned, uses Pop Parade, the never-ending fat quarter pack.
This was mostly done. I had to sew a piece or two on, but mostly I had to make the back.
The back uses the rest of that Italian Restaurant fabric I talked about recently.
This will go to Peggy at the next Sew Day.
See all of the Ends quilt on their own series page.
Lee Ann brought Tim’s quilt back to the guild for donation. It was part of, what Peggy called, the Bind-a-thon. I think the last time I talked about it was in July.
I had totally forgotten about it (out of sight, out of mind). I am glad it is finished and it on its way to some needy person.
Ends n.13 is another in the series of quilts that I talked about a couple of days ago. Yes, I made two this week.
I used the leftover pieces from Ends n.12 to get started and then added some additional pieces from my stash of ‘ends.’
I decided I needed to get this one finished. All the projects left on my design walls when I put them away were a lot less interesting when I saw them again. I didn’t want to toss them, but I did want them finished.
I started it last year sometime. The first time I talked about it was July, which was right before we dismantled my workroom. I was concerned at that time that I wouldn’t have enough scraps to make a decent sized baby quilt. It’s still a concern as I am piecing tiny scraps together and expect to have no yellow scraps left.
I spent time over the weekend making good progress.
I have other projects to use as leaders and enders, but I have been making a little progress on donation blocks. Some you have seen, but this is the total number for February. I am channeling my friend, Marty, somewhat. She loves brown and for some reason I am trying to use up the brown squares I have.
I gave a slew to Peggy at the guild meeting the other day. The ones I have made in February are small in number but mighty in potential good.
I finished the HST Star quilt in time to give it to the community quilts team.
I am pretty pleased with the way it came. A sort of dull charm pack (why did I buy it??) turned into a cheerful quilt top.
The quilt isn’t very girly and I wanted it to be suitable for boys as well, so I chose an Italian restaurant print I have had for years. It is time to use it and this is a good use of it.
I made good progress over the weekend on the current donation quilt. I talked about it the other day. Talking about it really made me want to get it done so I could hand it in at the meeting next weekend. It has been a long time since I have made a quilt.
I didn’t know how this was going to shape up as the picture I saw was small and not very attractively styled. I knew that it wouldn’t look hideous regardless, so I stayed the course.
I had sewn a bunch of HSTs from the charm pack I had. To make the legs, I needed to rip off some of the white triangles in order to make the legs. I decided I didn’t want to make giant Flying Geese and would make the legs into giant HSTs.
I was able to get the foreground part of the quilt done on Saturday, which was great.
The white brightens up the slightly subdued colors of the charm pack.
I am working on a donation top. I saw a picture in Today’s Quilter and thought it would give some relief to poor Peggy who has been the recipient of a 100 or so HSTs recently.
I started going through my charm packs after Peggy asked for HSTs for donation quilts. I used up 4 charm packs (2 of background) and sent the HSTs to her without making a quilt.
Finally, I decided that was a little mean and I was inspired by a Sawtooth Star quilt made from HSTs. One day last week on my lunch hour I started sewing the center blocks together. I made three HST 9 patches in about half an hour, which made me very happy on a lot of levels.
Stay tuned for the finish (or another in progress shot.
Everything has slowed down in my workroom, but I am still eeeking out some works. I have, again, made a few donation blocks in the last week or so.
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 definitely didn’t make as many donation blocks in 2021 as I did in 2020. Still, I have a few to share and I am a firm believer in the old adage ‘ every little bit helps’.
I started making the guild 16 patches in May. Even though I cut tons of squares, I just didn’t get to it. I was using other projects for leaders and enders. Then I started the workroom upgrade. It has all conspired to make me not as productive in the donation area than last year.
This is still an important part of my quiltmaking and I’ll get back to making more blocks again.
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?