Second Chance Quilt: Have A (Few) Hearts? That’s A Great Start!

You know by now how these things get started: someone gives me something. In this case, as part of a larger bundle of possibilities, there were three matching 6-1/2″ applique hearts. Much too cute to trash. I did consider pot holders, or a table runner, or a banner. But what they wanted to be was a baby quilt.

I had a little bundle of fat eights that “happened” to match perfectly. I love it when that happens. All that was needed was some background fabric and something to make centers for 6-1/2″ star blocks. I really wanted to make the centers as 4-patches using the bundle fabric, but there just wasn’t enough.

The strips of fabric are cut at 2″. Four of them create a 6-1/2″ block of color. This would have been much easier with straight cut quarter yards, but with enough fabric-stretching, the fat eights just made it.

There is a small background piece between (1″ finished), 3″ and a border around.

It is such a cheerful quilt, bringing joy to the heart. And it all started with just a few hearts!

4″ Squares Quilt: Tipi

This is another of the charity quilt kits Sparkle Jane and I created several years ago. One of my goals this year is to get them all put together and delivered to people who can use them.

The colors scheme came from the tipi print–too cute! Some colors are all the same, and some are mixed scraps. Works for me!

There is nothing wrong with simple quilts. They have their own appeal.

Eye Spy + Quilt COMPLETE

I KNOW I saw a tutorial for this, but now I can’t find it. If you know of it, please tell me and I will update the post.

So, the point is that I had this pile of novelty fabric squares that needed a job. An Eye Spy quilt is the obvious solution, but I felt that there was something more possible.

I love the way this turned out. I had yardage of this interesting green, and it seems to highlight without overwhelming. (More of it will be featured in another upcoming quilt.) If you squint, you might recognize that the squares are laid out (mostly) alternating dark and light squares. It adds another layer of interest.

It is definitely an Eye Spy +. Plush “sashing”, plus diamonds, plus color arrangement…The quilt finishes at 45″ square. And there is so much to look at!

Second Chances Quilt: Friendship Stars

I really like hand-me-down projects. They introduce an element of mystery and challenge my skills and assumptions.

The bag held a pile of friendship stars. Some had names written on the seam allowance, leading me to believe they were part of a long-ago block exchange. Some spin one way, and some another. Maybe that is what held the original maker back?

They finish at 6″ square, so, to make something of a usable size, something would need to be added. Sashing is an easy go-to. But, what color? Not white. Not cream. Not black. None of them worked. Oddly, as I dug through my stash of solids, this dark green stood out. Interesting, but not overwhelming.

The quilt is still small (34″ square), but there is a baby out there somewhere that will be warmed because the work of many hands is finally a finished quilt.

ps–Looking at it now, I think I would extend the sashing around the outside, still keeping the binding the same color. More balance. And a few more inches.

Spring Intensive: Sewing Again!

Spring Intensives are coming up in May. What are Intensives? At the school where I teach, the week before Christmas and the last week of school in the Spring, students don’t attend regular classes. (Honestly, what really gets done in classes at that time?) Rather, each student selects from a menu of classes and attends that one course for the entire week. After the success of last year, I am offering SEWING once again. How does an English Teacher get to teach sewing. Well, it is officially “Non-Fiction Reading Comprehension.” Doesn’t that sound like sewing to you?!

If you want to see some of what happened last year, you can check in HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.

This year we will only have three days, so I am modifying the projects some. On schedule this time are…

coasters

bookmarks

hot pad

basket

tote bag

notebook cover.

That should keep us busy.

Again, an appeal: If you have leftover precut squares (5″ or 10″), or fat quarters, that you would like to be rid of, we would use them for these student projects. I am not asking for free, but would pay for them and shipping if we can make a deal. You can leave a comment or email me. Thank you so much for considering us.

Ice Cream Sandwich Quilt COMPLETE (And Mini Tutorial)

This quilt started as an experiment with fat quarters. I had seen a few similar quilts and wanted to give it a try.

This version uses 9 fat quarters. Three prints and 6 solids. The quilt finishes at 40″ x 48″. Each block has a center cut at 4-1/2″ x 4-1/2″, some plain squares, and some created as hourglass blocks made of two squares starting at 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″. The outside of the blocks is two rectangles 2-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ and two rectangles 2-1/2″ x 8-1/2″.

It went together quickly and is finished and delivered to a neighbor as a spring surprise. She seemed very pleased.

I acknowledge that the instructions aren’t a lot to go by. Feel free to ask questions. Enjoy!

General Conference = Binding Time

If you enjoy the Joyful Sabbath posts that appear weekly on this blog, consider joining me (and many others) for General Conference this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Two days of music, inspiration, learning and peace.

More information available HERE. All are welcome.

One way I prepare for Conference is by having quilts to bind. It helps my mind focus on the messages for me as my busy hands prepare quilts for donation. Everyone wins!

Expect several posts in the near future with details about each quilt. Enjoy!