Design Wall Monday 2/28/11

When we bought our TV table/console, I didn’t have a runner large enough to cover the top of it.  So I folded a beach towel, which would have to do until I made a runner.  How long has it been?  Not very long.  Maybe going on a year?  Or so?  Hm.  Well, anyway, I took a few hours and made a braided runner.  So easy.  So fast.  Just have to bind it, which I’ll do by machine.  Now, why did I wait so long?

“Tipsy” needed another border, so I cut squares from the leftover fabric and sewed them with strips of the inner border, just to make it a little bigger.  It’s now 19” x 24 ½”, which is good for a tabletopper.  


Next week I hope to have "Remembering Kathleen" started and a UFO finished!  (How's that for commitment?)


Go to Judy's website for other Design Wall show and tell!  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2011/02/28/design-wall-monday-february-28-2011/

Whoop Whoop! 2/25/11 and Giveaway!!

This week I got a lot done!  I finished the Party on The Block quilt (still don't have a name for it, any ideas?)  and I pieced a backing for it.  See yesterday's blog, it wasn't the most fun I've had!

But then I found the instructions for using the Lil Twister template with 5" charms, so I took a break, sewed charms, added a border, cut it up with the template, sewed the pieces back together, and voila' I have a cute little quilt.  It's only 12" x 18 1/2", but I'll add a border or two.  It only took maybe two hours! The directions suggest you cut 1 3/4" squares  from the scraps from cutting, and sew them together for another border.  Hmmm, sounds like lots of sewing itty pieces.  I'll hold onto them for awhile and see how I feel about it after adding other borders.  Would you?

On Monday I have a guild class on making fabric bowls with clothesline.  I've made a few already, but I've had the fabrics pulled to make one for my son and his lovely bride.  The fabrics are left from a quilt and pillowcases I made for them before.  So the bowl can be set on their dresser for keys, coins, etc.  Here are the fabrics:

I have some many  gaboons of UFOs, and this week I plan to tackle finishing one UFO top, and quilting one quilt.  There.  I've said it.  


If you link via the subject line to Sarah's website (confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com) you can sign up for her Whoop Whoop! Fridays, where you can get pats for your accomplishments.  Or encouragement for the next one.  And she has a great giveaway going on this week!!!  Go, go, go!

QAWM (Quilt Along With Melody)

At the beginning of February, Melody at Fibermania.blogspot.com issued a "I always wanted to make..." challenge.  While what I made wasn't something I always wanted to make, I used something she made as inspiration for a backing on my red and white "Party on The Block" quilt.

  

Somewhere along the way, I mixed something around, so there were three blocks that didn't play well with the others.  So, they are going to be a tablerunner!  (Making lemonade, here!)

By the time I got to making a back for the quilt, I was pretty much ready to throw up sick and tired d-u-n with red and white, and felt like I might not make another one in my lifetime for awhile.  So, inspired by the gorgeous quilt Melody made from her hand dyed fabrics, I cut and hacked all the scraps and pieces I had left, and sewed them together for the back.

It does the job.  And it's nearly finished.  Oh, and I sewed little scraps together to make a red and white binding.  I'll be sew glad to have this quilted and bound and outta here!!!  

A little late for Valentine's Day, so guess I'll have to pack it away for next year.  Oh, darn!

And apologies to Melody for having the audacity to even refer to her beautiful strippy quilt in the same paragraph as what I did.  You've gotta go see it here:

 http://fibermania.blogspot.com/2011/02/simply-stripes.html

Looking For a Single Block

One of the guilds I belong to meets at the Welcome Center of a subdivision near me. There is a huge fireplace in the conference room, and they like to display quilts along both sides.  It's really very nice, but some felt it was too public, and not secure, and someone might walk away with loaner quilts.  Not good.  So they asked each guild member to make a couple of large blocks that would be incorporated into four or five quilts that could be changed out in different seasons. 


Are you familiar with Marcia Hohn's website, www.quilterscache.com ?  She has every block you can think of, and you can search her website to find just what you need, and she has designed many herself.  So when you're stuck, need inspiration, or can't find what you're looking for anywhere else, check it out!  As many books, magazines and patterns that I have, I still go there pretty often.


Anyway, back to the block I wanted to make. I decided to make a 15" block and picked this one, called the Milky Way, with minor changes.  I think it will look great with other blocks in patriotic colors, don't you?  By the way, the points at the top are cut off by the photographer (me), not by the quilter (me). 


And here's the second block I made for one of the quilts.  I love the colors!  

Enjoy the day!

Don't Sit on My Quilt!! (not)

I saw a world-famous teacher on TV (probably Simply Quilts) several years ago, who was showing off a beautiful quilt she'd made for her new granddaughter.  When she was asked how the family liked the gift, she said oh no, she wasn't giving it to her until she was 18 (or maybe even 21, she may have said).  What's the point?  I make so many quilts, my kids couldn't use them up fast enough!  I'd hate to die and have someone discover a pile of quilts that were "put away" and never used.  I don't even "get" wrapping grandma or great-grandma's quilts in archival papers and all that.  They were meant to be loved, not put in storage.  There, I said it.

This rant was precipitated by a blog I read about quilters who put away their "masterpieces" that are only brought out for "show and tell." They feel strongly that after all the work they put into making a quilt, it should be kept pristine and admired from afar.  I understand there are those who love the history of quilts, and believe all things old should be kept forever.   I totally disagree.  If I make a quilt, I want someone to use it up!!!  Seeing photos taken in my family's home, where there are quilts piled into the corner of the couch, or wrapped around a kid, or even being held down by a cat, makes me smile from ear to ear.

Just one last thing before I clamber down off my soapbox.  Grab a quilt, snuggle into it, pull it up over your head and read a book, or take a nap in it.  Isn't a shame that there are quilts in the world not doing their job?!  

OK, done for today.  Hope this blog (with the modeling assistance of Annabella, The Beautiful One, and Patches) helps to rescue quilts kept prisoner in a chest, box, closet or even (gasp!) under a mattress!

Quilty hugs,

Brita

PS - I apologize to those who regularly do Show and Tell and lectures, teachers, those who make shop samples, etc.  There is certainly a place and time for making quilts that won't be used, at least right away.  I just meant generally speaking, quilts should be loved and sat on.