This is the quilt I messed up by washing it after it was sewn together, but before it was quilted.  I had to take it completely apart, and put new batting a new back on it.  It is for my grand-niece for her 9th birthday.  She loves butterflies and the color green, so the quilt reflects that - a basic 4 patch with wide butterfly fabric borders. The back was folded over to make the binding.

 

 

 

Machine pieced, machine quilted. 1 spool of white thread, 1 twin sheet for backing and about 3 yards of fabric for the front.

Long Absence Is Over...

After holidays, visitors, remodeling, and then sickness, I am finally back to quilting and blogging about my quilts. 

I started a quilt many moons ago, experimenting with a fabric I liked.  Had no idea who to give it to, but I figured it'd find a home eventually. 

So, I put a back, some batting and the quilt top together, and then "birthed" it.  Sewed all around the edges while it was wrong sides together, left a small hole and turned it right side out.  Then I set it aside.  Unfortunately, I set it on the bed...and the dog loved it.  He came in and laid on it with muddy paws after he'd been for a swim in the neighbor's pond. 

Well, I washed it.  And because it wasn't quilted, the batting shredded, and the quilt back, which was 100% cotton muslin, shrank.  Even though I washed both it and the quilt fabrics BEFORE i made the quilt. 

I put it aside for a while, knowing I'd have to remove every stitch. A special birthday is coming up, and I realized this quilt would be perfect for the birthday girl!

So, I took every stitch out...and today, I will be putting it back together as a quilt with a new back.  I'll post photos when I am done. 

Blue Green Scrap Quilt...

I made 6 inch scrap blocks from leftover various colors with a predominent color of green. There were only enough scraps for 12 blocks.  I used 10 inch sashings to make it lap size. Not sure I am pleased with the outcome, but this is what it looks like.   

The front.

The back.  The quilt is 68 x 54 inches. I stitched in the ditch for quilting.

Stashbusting:

About 1 yard and 32 inches green fabric + scraps

About 1 yard and 18 inches of blue green flower fabric for the back

A piece of 68 x 54 batting given to me (not bought)

I used standard white thread for sewing and quilting

New quilt - Barnwood Scrap...

Still trying to use up leftover brown scraps and yard sale scrap fabrics.

The front. 

6 inch scrap strip blocks interspersed with 6 inch barnwood fabric blocks.

Sashing is a white/gold star fabric. Border is an autumn leaves fabric. 

The back is pieced, leftover autumn leaves, white/gold star fabric and plain white muslin.  Quilt measures 57 inches by 67 inches.

Stashbusting:

1 yard + 31 inches of various fabrics for front

1 yard + 21 inches of 3 fabrics for back

8 partial bobbins of various colored threads

3 partial spools of various colored threads

1 mattress pad as batting

Yard Sale Treasure...

I went to a yard sale today and there was a pile of fabric, mostly Christmas and some vintage calicos.  I asked the lady how much she wanted for the fabric...$2.  I came home and discovered I have about 15 yards of fabric all together, and some is even cut into strips already!  I have a project for those strips :).

Anyway, as I sorted through the fabric, I found a little bag, opened it up and there was this:

Whoever started this project quit because the blades are all hand-sewn and the centers are sewn on machine, which bunched it up - the entire Dresden plate doesn't lie flat.

This will be an easy fix - rip out the centers, place them by hand, and all will be well.  I have no idea why there are only 5 - there is no other matching fabric at all. 

My daughter suggested placing one in the center and off-setting the other 4.  Sounds good to me.  Now, to find a nice background...plain white, or should I get adventurous?  We shall see...

Rail Fence Quilt

When I returned to the USA and began taking quilting classes, like all enthusiasts, I found catalogs of stuff to buy, including fabrics.  One of my kids found one of those catalogs and fell in love with a pack of 6 fat quarters, in the turquoises and blues of the tropical island where we used to live (Guam).  I bought the 6 fat quarters with the thought of making a quilt...someday.  That was probably 20 years ago.  Here is the Rail Fence quilt.  It measures 46 X 61. 

The front.

The back.  I used every scrap of the 6 fat quarters, except miniscule trimmings to square up the fabric.  The four little blocks are leftovers, and the large block was all the trimmings sewn together.  I even outlined the signature square with leftover pieces.

Domestic machine pieced, domestic machine quilted, stitched in the ditch. Backing blocks were sewn on by hand applique.

StashBusting:

6 fat quarters

2 yards muslin

1/3 yard of leftover fabric for binding

Another Apron

I made an apron and some coasters for my oldest from a favorite fabric.  I attached leftover Battenburg lace from the quilt I made for my Mom to her apron.

I didn't get a chance to make an apron for my youngest child at that time.  After talking wiht her this evening and telling her about Becky's full apron, she asked for one, too.

Although this looks like Autumn, it is really a very pretty Christmas print fabric with gold accents.  The apron is lined with a plain white muslin. The Battenburg lace is the last piece leftover from Mom's quilt.

StashBusting (including Becky's apron below):

1 yard of leftover white muslin fabric

1 yard of assorted blue/yellow prints fabric

1 yard of leftover Battenburg lace

1 yard Christmas print fabric