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Category Archives: Quilts

Currently: Binding, Binding, Binding!

Rainbow Binding

I’m checking off a long list of works in progress!  There are two baby quilts with a swiftly approaching due date: one quilt is finished, one is in the final steps of binding.  Did you notice that I mentioned *one* due date, but two babies?  That’s right, twins!  You’ll hear lots more about that when the quilts are done and I’m cleared to share.  I can’t wait to tell you all about it!  These quilts were designed to have special meaning for their families.  My hope is that the quilts will help the babies see and learn about precious stories from their past and give peeks of the adventures ahead — which is a lot to ask from tummy time, isn’t it?  But with a couple interactive quilts and a loving Mommy and Daddy, I have faith.

There’s also a quilt top that I sent off to a local shop for long arm quilting.  With the time crunch, I just couldn’t do it all.  It was a relief to admit that and accept (paid) help.  Hopefully I’ll have that one back soon so I can work on binding it over the upcoming holiday weekend.  I’ll share more about the importance of this special quilt soon, too.

I’m excited about our upcoming quilt-worthy celebrations and hope you have many of your own in the months ahead!

 
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Posted by on May 21, 2012 in quilting, Quilts

 

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A Note about Time

WIP: Rainbow Quilt

This is one of those times when the blog is quiet, but I’ve been hard at work on stuff I just can’t show you yet.  I spent a few weeks on a very special project that I hope to share soon, and then there will be a little series of quilts, including the partially finished one above.

Isn’t it funny when you spend weeks or months working on something only to hear, “Where do you find the time?”  You don’t find time, you use it — wisely or not, right?

 
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Posted by on April 24, 2012 in Quilts, sewing

 

A Future Quilt for Charity

Gift Fabric for a Charity Quilt

A friend sent me a box of fabrics to make a quilt for a charity we both support, Mothers Fighting for Others.  The sweet floral prints made me think of Little House on the Prairie, and I realized that I should work with that.  If the little quilt is going to be auctioned to raise money for an orphanage and a school, isn’t it fitting to pair it with a beloved book from childhood?  What Mom or Grandma wouldn’t want to share those memories with their special little girl?

Prepped Squares

I’ll throw in some white and make an hourglass quilt small enough to be a baby quilt, but large enough for a little girl to sit under and read a good book.

Hourglass Blocks

Just to add some intrigue for the quilt’s new little owner -  some historians think the hourglass quilt design may have been used as “quilt code” to help send messages to escaping slaves.  An hourglass quilt hung outside or visible in a window was a message about when and where travel would be safe.  The colors used may have told when to expect help.  (You can read more here.)  There’s a lot of dispute about whether or not quilts were actually used as codes, but I love the idea that not only can you stitch love and comfort into a quilt, but also bravery and kindness.

This is just going back my “to do” pile while I get to other things, so it may be a while before you see it again!  If you’d like to own this future quilt yourself, I’ll post again later to let you know how you’ll be able to bid on it.

 

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Granny Square Quilt Made with a Jelly Roll and Charm Packs

Granny Square Quilt - Made with Jelly Roll and Two Charm Packs

Granny square quilts are popping up everywhere!  I loved Jolene’s granny square quilt tutorial at Blue Elephant Stitches as soon as I saw it.  This design is meant to be great for using up scraps, but since it’s based on 2.5″ squares, it works really well with a jelly roll and charm squares.

Granny Quilt Ingredients

I used a Moda jelly roll in Silver and two charm square packs of Malka Dubrawsky’s new fabric line A Stitch in Color.  Jelly rolls are strips of fabric 2.5″ wide and as long as the fabric, so cutting 2.5″ squares was especially easy.  The charm packs are 5″ squares, so they just needed to be cut in quarters.  This saves a LOT of cutting time, lets you get right to sewing AND if you’ve fallen in love with a beautiful line of fabrics, it’s a great way to use them all together!

Since the finished blocks are trimmed up and used on a diagonal, you’ll end up with your fabric on the bias — it tends to not want to lie perfectly flat.  Don’t let this worry you, a good pressing before you sew the blocks together works wonders.

WIP: Granny Square Quilt

And somehow I have to hold every quilt top up in front of a window.  I seriously need to make quilt top curtains someday.

Granny Square Quilt

The gray background makes the bright colors almost glow.

Granny Square Quilt - Made with Jelly Roll and Two Charm Packs

But be prepared to share, everyone will want your quilt!

Cat on a Quilt, Already

If you’d like to see more granny square quilts, check out the I <3 Granny and Scrap Attack Quilt-Along groups on Flickr.  You’ll find loads of inspiration!

 
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Posted by on March 5, 2012 in Quilts, sewing

 

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WIP: Putting the Pieces Together

WIP: Granny Square Quilt

Slowly but surely, my granny squares quilt top is coming together.  I still have no idea about backing, binding or quilting method, so I’m not exactly rushing to get through it.  (I love all the fabrics so much I’m tempted to just throw some fat quarters together for the backing.)

Hope you’re having a great Valentine’s day!

 
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Posted by on February 14, 2012 in Quilts, sewing

 

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