Back in 2020, I was curious about doing something for a quilt in rectangles. Years ago, I saw a nine-patch quilt from rectangles instead of squares. Ok, not really what I was looking for, but the idea of rectangles stayed in the back of my mind. So, this is how I ended up with Harvest Bounty. I still had scraps galore and a stash to work out of. So, one day in July 2020, I started cutting 4″ x 7″…
We were so poor growing up, and my mom hated to sew. I don’t remember ever using anything for a doll quilt around my “babies” but old worn-out towels. However, I do have special memories of a doll quilt my mom kept safe and gave me as an adult. This is a brief story of my yo-yo doll quilt memories. Apparently, these quilts were popular during the 1920’s to 1940’s. They were portable, could be used for scraps, only required…
Finally, some time to be catching up on projects. My sewing time has been so limited the last several months. However, over the past month, I have been able to carve out a few more minutes of sewing each day. I thought my readers would like to see what I have been doing. Maybe it will inspire you to fit in a few more minutes of quilting time each day or week. More Time: How do I get more time…
My Fans Are Charmed was a really fun quilt to make and not nearly as scary as the first fan quilt that I made in 1988. I guess ten more years of quilting makes a big difference in how I approach a pattern. Each blade of the fans (there are 488 total) is from a different fabric. Maybe not a “true” charm quilt but I had fun sorting through the scrap bin and trading with other quilters to get the…
I love to English paper piece hexagons but not so much diamonds. This Tumbling Blocks (English paper pieced) was pieced using this method in 1990-91. It was an experiment, and I chose three colors to make the diamonds and a floral fabric that coordinated for the background. I found that the diamonds were harder to baste together than I thought they would be – maybe because of the sharp points of the diamonds. Plus, the more I worked on it,…
Are you looking for another way to use up those strips you have pre-cut or leftover? These super easy rail fence quilts are another quick solution for using those fabric strips. It is usually made of strips in three colors or patterns. I made these three back in the 1990’s after seeing a completed rail fence quilt at a guild meeting. By this point in my quilting journey, I had already figured out I liked working with fabric strips that…
This scrap quilt is an easy one patch pattern. However, this Windmill Blades Quilt is also the story of what happens when the quilter does not pay attention to the directions and ends up with enough cut for two quilts. Ugh…the “mistake” The pattern and lay out were simple. I saw it and thought it was a great way to use up more of those pesky scraps that continue to multiply in the scrap bins. After choosing the scraps and…
The Antique Honeycomb Quilt was a wonderful find during a visit to an antique shop in Farmersburg, IN during 1997. The top was in a pile of other antique tops back in a dark corner. I paid $15 for it, and happily took it home. This quilt pattern is a bit different than “normal” because the honeycombs are more rectangular than hexagon. I compared the fabrics to some other quilts I had. And did some research, including a visit with…
I have always been ready to travel when the opportunity arises. Quilting and travel seem to fit together fine. So I am a quilter on the road again. The hubby and I took a few days off to escape north to see my sister, her family, and any other family who showed up in MN. The plan was to make the drive each way a two day trip with overnights in the Wisconsin Dells. Peaceful, quiet time… The other part…
I am a big believer in giving back to my community. Here are six simple donated baby quilts to the local crisis pregnancy center that I made. As I make these quilts, they get donated in batches of 6 – 12 to two local pregnancy centers. The blocks are a mix of flannel and cotton with the batting being scraps left over from my own projects. The backing is usually a flannel or child print cotton. They are tied with…
