Small Finishes and the Joy of Giving

Recently, I took the time to finish a few small quilts that only needed quilting and binding:

A Lone Star that was a class sample, 23" square, the top was made years ago when I wanted to play with these colors/fabrics:

Three small minis, all about 10" x 13":

A baby quilt, ready the next time I need one, leftovers from Afternoon Delight, 35" square: 

After being involved with my friend Janet's Estate Liquidation sale, I looked at my own abundance of wealth quilting stuff. There were 381 unfinished quilt tops at Janet's sale and almost all of them found good homes. Some lacked one border, and the border was included in the bag with the unfinished top. We often wondered why? Why did she not spend another half hour and totally finish the top? They ranged in size from baby to king size. 

Here is one of hers I got--it needs some kind of outside border and I think I will remove a few of the bottom rows to make it a better size:

Just some of the tops packaged for sale, prices ranged from $10-50, depending on size and complexity:

A satisfied customer, Denise Panter, wrote about her acquisitions in her blog Blog: 

Now I am on to quilting a few of the larger tops I have ready. Basting is my least favorite part of the process, but once done, the quilt is ready for the magic to happen. Once 3 large quilts are quilted, I will get back to piecing a new top I have in progress.

In addition to finishing my PHD's--projects half done--I have been giving a few quilts away. Mostly to non-quilters who I think would appreciate having a quilt I made. Last weekend I did that in Dallas. Shelly Heesacker is the TV producer who works with The Quilt Show. I have appeared as the "guest artist" three times now, so have had telephone interviews with Shelly each time to prepare the show. And then have the pleasure of working with her in the studio. She is the consummate professional--no wonder she also works with Harpo Productions and other top notch companies. 

A week before the trip I asked in an email about her favorite colors. Then I sent her photos of 5 quilts and asked her opinion. She thought I was asking about which to bring for set decoration and raved about one in particular. That was the ONE I had hoped she would choose. The first day of taping I had her read the label, where I had added the phrase "Presented to Shelly Heesacker 8/2020". It was the  perfect gift for the perfect person. She was overwhelmed and I was happy to see her so thrilled with her totally unexpected gift. That evening she asked that we take a photo together of the occasion:

The quilt was a class sample from 15 years ago, never to be taught again, and I am so happy it has a new home. My kids are happy too--they don't want them all and I still have at least 100. Here is Shiloh resting in my hotel room after being in the luggage for the trip:

The most important thing I have to do now is move the photo of this quilt from the folder "Quilts for Classes" to "Quilts Given Away". That will save me time  years from now when I forget I have given it away and search my home to find it. Been there, done that!

On to basting then Let's quilt!

Barbara

Quirky Little Blocks

I just love these little 3" blocks from Temecula Quilt Company. After working on BIG quilts this is just the break needed, fun and fast to finish.

Not sure if this is the layout yet, but these are the blocks:

The patterns are in the book Quirky Little Quilts  by Sheryl Johnson and the inspiration to make it now is on her blog, Quirky Little Quilts Quilt Along.

Next week should be the layout information--there are several possibilities I am eager to try.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Merry Month of May

I've known all year this month was coming, 3 trips this month and only one week home--this week. I've been sewing like crazy to make the most of it.

Here is my eclectic Design Wall, with lots of works in progress:

There are some OLD projects up there, like the dragonflies made from angelina fibers--no other place to safely store that until I decide to finish it.  A few are class samples, some upcoming, some recently taught.

Here are parts for the Circa 2016 project from the Temecula Quilt Company blog.  They've just posted this week's block so I'll jump right on that.

The blocks are 3" finished and the baggie contains 120 half square triangles that are 1.5" finished.

Yesterday I played with very small strata, 1" cut strips:

More about this in a later post.

Next week I'm off to Salt Lake City for Spring Market--a real treat!  I love to see what is new and exciting in the quilt industry I love so much.  Also a great time to spend with the close friends I've made at Quilts Inc.  Hopefully, I'll be able to post some photos for you from Market.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Scrap Bag Quilts

I am a sucker for Temecula Quilt Company's mini-quilts--they do one in December each year as well as at least one other earlier in  the year.  This year it's called We Wish You a Mini Christmas.

These tiny blocks are just so cute! They finish at 2.25" so are very fast to make. I'm making 3 of each block since they go so quickly.  I decided to make all 36 blocks from my favorite Scrap Bag:

It's full of old fabrics I've accumulated from my favorite projects as well as a great bunch of fabrics I got in a class years ago--the teacher offered me anything I wanted from her stash bag and I was like a kid in a candy shop--there are a few treasures in there.  It is my go-to bag for bits and pieces.

And I've found a NEW project I HAVE to make:

Today I saw this on the Facebook group Quilts: Vintage and Antique.  A very lucky woman in Pennsylvania (Trina Marie) just found this quilt at a shop for $95.  It's 80" x 82", the half-square triangles are 1.25" finished and it's in pristine condition.  She is so tickled to own this treasure and generously posted lots of photos.  Many people and quite a few experts have commented on what a find she has.  The fabrics may date from as early as 1850 to the late 1800's.  This woman had a DEEP stash bag--a quilter after my very own heart.  I just know I would have really liked her.

One of the classes I'm teaching this winter is "Leaders and Enders", learning to create a second quilt while working on primary projects.  I have 5 quilts I planned to teach--now there is a 6th--this is a great "lifetime" project.  I'll cut pairs of 2 inch squares, draw a pencil line on the back of the lighter fabric and sew a less-than-quarter inch seam allowance.  I use a small stitch so that will work just fine.  Precise measurements would have you cut 2.125" squares and use a quarter inch seam allowance.  You could always use 2.5" squares, and trim the finished HSTs to 1.75" after sewing.  Whatever floats your boat.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Big and Little

I've been working on projects Big and Little:

Big Stitch quilting on my Antique Rose Star quilt:

Making a miniature Churn Dash quilt:

Block size 1.25".  Quilt is about 8" square

 

Yes, I know some of the points are "hidden"--sometimes, finished is better than perfect.

I recently taught a Lone Star class by special request and this was the project I used for my "step outs" in class:

The center of the star is about 18" and the piece is about 22" square.  I'll hand quilt it when the Antique Rose Star is finished.  I found a bundle of 5 fat quarters when I searched my closet for things to sell at our guild yard sale later this week--they were perfect for this project.  The outer border is the size it is because that is ALL that was left of that fat quarter.

Here are a few shots from class:

 

Janie adding a corner square

JoAnne making the points match

Mary cutting quickly with her strip cutter mat

Sharon completed her block.  The book is All-Star Quilts by Helen Young

Another class project, this one hand pieced

Lois wanted to learn the Antique Rose Star so I taught her privately as the others sewed on their Lone Stars

 

Four of the six students had driven up from South Alabama for the class.  They stopped at many quilt shops along the route, taking 12 hours to cover what is normally a 6 hour drive.  It was Row by Row time so they planned their route to hit participating shops.  I was so pleased to have them request this special class and make the time to come "up North" to spend time with me.  Great ladies and it was fun!  Hope to see them again.  And the two local students were happy to have this class too.

This week I am determined to get all 50 of my kits made for Make It University at Quilt!Knit!Stitch! in Portland next month.  More than half way there so I'll make it. 

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Merry Miniatures

One of the little handwork projects I took on my recent trip was three of these "Merry Miniatures" little quilts.  It was the perfect travel project--I did the embroidery as we rode--I was NOT driving.

She's a little crooked--I'm just calling that "charming".  A hundred years from now someone will think this was made by a child as she learned to quilt!

The pattern is from Chickadee Hollow Designs and is called Baby Steps.  I don't see it on their website but they have lots of other projects.  This is about 8" x 10"--just a cute little thing.  I picked the pattern and buttons up at Paducah this past April.  I'm making 3 to use as gifts as a memento of that trip.

The first is done, the second needs buttons and mine needs the binding turned over and the buttons. 

Check out Judy L's Design Wall Monday to see what others are doing. 

Let's Quilt!

Barbara