Circles, rectangles & squares

Circles, rectangles & squares

I love scraps. I enjoy working with smaller pieces because I feel I have better control over them. These blocks ended up 10 1/2" square. As I was working on this quilt Mr. Joe asked if he could have it. Of course I said yes because if he liked it enough to ask for it then that is who it belongs to..... right? I had to pick out new backing fabric because well, he loves green and I had black picked out. I had even purchased 4 yards of 108" utility backing to make sure the back matched the front. I have used those extra yards on 3 other quilts and I've got some left. 

2016 UPDATE:

Ready to Quilt for charity:

• Boy coin quilt
• Girl coin quilt
• 2nd crib size

To make/finish for my family:

• maternity pants quilt (never worn as they were to big)
• twin little twister - top needs finished
• busy bee sew bag- not yet started
• 2 mine craft quilts - in the works
• Up to date on the 365 day challenge
• 2" many trips around the world -top is finished, my quilt guild ladies told me i must keep this quilt.
• Civil war log cabin - orphan blocks/fabric from guild Christmas exchange. 2 blocks were finished. i set out to make 7 but ran out of fabric on #5. I turned it into a wall hanging consisting of  6 16" blocks. ready to be quilted
• Modified Triple Irish chain. Started, didn't like color choices and put it in a box
• Teady Bears- needs bound
• Green triple Irish chain- needs bound
• Hawaiian box quilt -needs bound 

gifts

• bumble bee baby quilt - ready to quilt

To continue to work on:

• twin/full grandmothers flower garden (hand piece) - haven't touched it this year

What does your 2016 hold?

I have added so many projects for 2016 that I have a list of 21 27 going strong. 

Finished:

1. lined pouch for toys at church
2. lined pouch for violin chin rest and pencils
3. wheelchair quilt -donated
4. throw quilt -donated
5. crib quilt -donated
6. Quilt guild Bicentennial quilt block
7. "Mom's pride and joy" - twin quilt
8. birthday turtle
9. Chicken pin cushion
10. Thread catcher

Mom's Pride and Joy

I've had this quilt stashed away waiting on the binding. I would find it, then I would lose it and that kept happening for 5 years. I finally grabbed it up two weeks ago and ironed it.  Come to realize as I'm attaching the binding to the back of the quilt that this wasn't the binding fabric after all. It was the left over 3" strip I was going to use to make a second quilt.  Again, life goes on, and on.

Took about a week to sew it on because of "life getting in the way". This is a twin size, I do not recall the name of the pattern and I've misplaced the book I got it out of. (This post must be sounding like a broken record about now.)

so far I've completed 6/24 projects on my 2016 list

bow tie by hand

 I fell in love with the bow tie quilt. I make these blocks by hand with only 3 straight line stitches. Really easy and portable when taking your machine is not an option. Can you just see it now, the looks you'd get if you set up shop in the pediatric waiting room?

This bad boy is custom quilted with a light brown (fawn maybe) thread. I let the quilt shop chose the color as long as it blends in. I was more of a pattern Nazi a few years ago when i had this one completed but now, i like to have suggestions(choices, who doesn't like choices) but then i give the final say to the long arm master.

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(Binding matches the back of quilt, the true color is of the binding, not the backing)

I made this quilt for my boys and as such i wanted a back that didn't scream i'm full of flowers and pink. Nothing wrong with pink, my oldest really likes pink but i tend to work with girl fabric because it catches my eye so much quicker than boy fabric.  That totally could be because there is maybe one tiny section with 6 bolts in it for boys. (over exaggeration but you get my drift)

i have also switched to 108" "Utility" Backs. In the long run they are more economical, without cutting and piecing. Time saved, AND you have less math because length is already taken care of.  I just purchased 1 2/3 yard @ $13.95/yd for the back and binding for a 50 X 72". The binding is included in the length and the sections are longer strips for less piecing. Total win-win.