Finished - The Batik Quilt!

I finished the batik quilt!

 Lots of firsts with this quilt. Besides the ones that I mentioned here, I also used a 40 wt variegated thread for quilting and I sewed a hanging sleeve on with the binding. 

I quilted wavy lines along the diagonal 'stripes' , the lighter stripes more densely than the darker stripes.  I also quilted a smaller scale of the same thing in the little squares. 

I need to hand stitch the bottom edge of the hanging sleeve to the back, but I  am still calling it a finish.  

The next quilt in line for finish is this ABC quilt that I started before we went on vacation in March. I had the blocks put together and sewed them together at retreat last month. 

I have never heard of quoits!

Very sweet vintage images!

After a photo of the completed top was posted in our guild Facebook page another member 'Crafty Tammie' offered me a panel of "Recess" if I wanted it for the back.  I traded some Denyse Schmidt fabric for it, since she is hosting a DS swap and I thought it might come in handy. (and, so I wouldn't have to report it as an addition to my stash!)

I assembled the back today.

And I think I like it better than the front!

I am debating using it for a top, and backing it and the ABC quilt with solids.  If I use them both as quilt tops, then I would have two to donate. 

What do you think?  Can it stand on its own as a quilt, or do I use if for the back?

WIP Wednesday - Precuts Save the Day!

I am a little ambivalent about pre-cuts. I like a bargain and precuts rarely seem like a bargain. 

A couple jelly rolls, layer cakes and a handful of charm packs have come home with me over the years when they were a screaming deal, as well as a couple of fat eighth bundles and one fat quarter stack.  I used up most of the bundles in two quilts with minimal leftovers, so I felt good about that. As for the rest- they kind of sit there, getting 'less current' by the day. 

Today may have been turning point!

I was hoping to finish another donation quilt to take to guild this week.  I looked through the stack of juvenile panels and fabrics that I pulled a few weeks ago, but nothing really spoke to me.  I didn't want to take the time to dig through fabric to find coordinating solids etc., and make a plan. 

Then I remembered that I had an alphabet panel of Punctuation by American Jane for Moda and a coordinating Jelly roll that I bought in a deeply discounted kit.  I cut the letter blocks apart and sashed them with some of the strips. The blocks are rectangles, so 'squaring' them up was a bit of a challenge especially since panel blocks do not usually print exactly on the grain. I hope to get them sewn together tomorrow, but the quilting will probably have to wait a few weeks.

(Please excuse crappy phone photo...)

I only used about two thirds of the strips, but I think there are enough left that I can whip them into a great scrappy trip quilt.  

It was nice to be able to jump into a project with minimal cutting and make some blocks quickly.   

I might be a convert!

Alphabet Quilt- 26 letters!

I finished the alphabet quilt on Saturday and it finished up with all 26 letters. 

I embroidered Y and Z onto the block with W and X. I found a transfer that was a good size and even though it is not the same font, I think it looks okay. 

Certainly it is better than having only 24 letters.  I am sure, wherever this little quilts ends up, someone will wonder about it someday, but it is a soft and cuddly quilt and I think that matters most.  

I quilted an orange peel pattern in the blocks and a couple of different patterns in the sashing with giant wishbones in the border.  I machine stitched the binding and came closer to having the same width on the front and the back.   Someday. 

I am still working on the 'quilts artfully photographed outdoors initiative'!

This one makes number 4 in the donation stack to take to guild next month. I probably won't have much sewing time this week, but I feel like I am still on track to have six completed before the next meeting. 

I have been watching Angela Walters' Craftsy class "Machine Quilting Negative Space" and I am itching to try some of the things she demonstrates in the class.  These small quilts are a great way for me to practice free motion quilting, use up some fabric and make a quilty hug for someone!

WIP Wednesday - Beatrix Potter's Alphabet...

...part of it anyway!

I started this quilt from a panel that I got at an estate sale.  It was originally designed to make a soft book, but the instructions suggested that the blocks could also be used to make a quilt.  I found some solid green that looked nice with it, so I dug in and cut out the blocks last night.

I pressed them and put them on the design wall and as I was putting them in 'alphabetical order', I noticed that there was something missing.

Two somethings - Y and Z!

There had been something cut off the top of the panel which I had though possibly was a decorative border or something, since the part with the blocks was intact.  After reading the instructions, I am guessing it was the front and back covers and Y and Z must have been on the back.

This quilt is going to be donated to the birthday party program and I don't want to send a 'defective' quilt, so I am thinking about quilting the missing letters into the border, or maybe repeating them in the quilting all over.  Or, maybe quilt them in the middle and echo out to the edges.

Anybody have any other ideas?

Linking with Lee at Freshly Pieced!