Quilts for Kids

This is my first Quilts for Kids project. I am sure I will do many more. Definitely not my colors, but I know someone will absolutely love it and will get great comfort from it. When I get a few of the pinwheels I am working on, I will post a picture to show the fabrics in the layer cake bundle I picked up. I was able to get a couple of them at half price during the shop hop. I will use both for quilts for kids.

QOV Quilt

My Quilt of Valor quilt is done. It will be donated through our shop hop this weekend. The top (on the left) is all shades of red/white(tan)/blue. The back (on the right) is more scrappy. The 1/2 square triangles are all red/white/blue, but the strips are everything but the kitchen sink. I am pleased with the way it turned out. What do you think?

These are a couple of samples of my reversible quilts. The one of the left is one done for my MIL. The other 2 are front and back of one done for oldest son and his wife. A lot can be done with this style of quilting and is a lot of fun. I did 5 of them in one year.

Reversible Quilts

To start with, you need to use a walking foot throughout the process. I have made them with this design and have also made other types of blocks for one side and done the sew and flip for the other side of the quilt sandwich. For joining them, you need to cut strips 1 1/8 wide and 1 3/4 wide.

In this picture, there is the front and back of blocks. You iron the wider strip like you do for the binding with wrong sides together. The strips are then sewn to the right side of the block. I put the folded strip on the front edge and the 1 1/8" strip on the back of the block. Make sure the wrong side of the fabric is facing out on the back. You attach in this manner to each block except the last one in the row.

The next step is to join the blocks together by attaching the next block to the other side of the 1 1/8" strip. This gives you the sashing on the back of the quilt. Do that to each block in the row.

The final step is to work on the front of the quilt and fold the 'folded 1 3/4 strip' over to cover the joining of the 2 blocks so it just covers the stitching line of the second block. Use a narrow applique stitch to sew the strip down. You can also hand stitch the folded edge down, but for QOV or Quilts for Kids I machine stitch it because of the amount of washing and wear. This process is repeated for each block joining and to join the rows. I usually work on one row at a time so that I always have the bulk of the project to the left of my machine.

These are a portion of the first 3 rows completed front and back. When the last row is done all it will need is the binding.

January Update

The EPP project is moving right along. I have finished 1/2 the blocks. When they are done I will add a 3 or 4 inch border. I've never done that with this method. Seems like that part might be a little boring, but we will see. I'm already getting anxious to start the next project. That is our dog Brandy admiring the quilt.

I will be starting on assembling the blocks to the QOV quilt tomorrow, and will post more pictures of that process soon.

QOV Quilt

Here is a picture of 2 blocks. One showing the front of the quilt which will be all red/tan/blue and the back which will have red/tan/blue for the 1/2 squares but will be totally scrappy on the strips. This is a easy way to make a quilt that is quilted as you sew. Each block is sew and flip and then repeat for each color.

EQ Pattern

Here is another pattern. I saw a pattern I liked in a magazine and drew it up in EQ. This is one of the 4 variations I made from the original pattern. I'm calling this one Diamond Surround.

EPP Update

I have 1/4 of the blocks done. Amazing how fast it goes when your pieces are bigger. Scared myself adding the 4th row. Had the original section turned around and the pieces on the last row weren't matching. Thought I'd put them together in the wrong row. Imagine how happy I was that all I had to do was turn the joined section around found that everything matched perfectly. This is smallest project I have worked on with EPP. I'm using the same lt tan and dk blue throughout, with the pinwheels scrappy and randomly done.

A New Year has begun

A friend had drawn up a block in EQ and designed a quilt based on a picture of tiles in the Sistine Chapel. I liked the quilt she designed and got her permission to play with the block she drew up. This is the layout I came up with that I liked and may do for a Quilt of Valor. Time will tell. I have so many designs on my computer I will never do them all. With this one I like the way each border around the central block is a different size. It is a very simple design, just using 2 different blocks.

Last Post of the Year

Knit pillow for DS is done. I made each of my kids one when they were younger. Surprise, Surprise he remembered his, had lost it during his divorce and wanted it replaced. That is a drill sergeant for you. LOL His original one was oval, but I couldn't find any pillow forms that shape and I am terrible at making them.....so he gets one a different shape. Like the original, it is yellow on top and black on the back. Hope he likes it.

Now onto next years projects.

End of 2010

Looking back over the year, it has been a basically good one with a few losses. A couple furkids were lost by other family members, and a couple friends were lost also.
As for my list of projects, I completed 6 of them with 3 others going into the new year. Plans for next year in addition to the 3 projects not done, are to do 2 Quilts of Valor, and 3 children's quilt's for Linus group or family. To be decided later.
Lots of baking to do this week and visits with the family Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A lot of work, but lots of fun as a result.
Merry Christmas to all.

December update

Like most of you, can't believe Christmas is almost here. I am never ready, but then I work best when under a deadline. Next week will be a busy one.

Working on the backing to the hex quilt. Hope to have it done early next month so I can get the project to the quilter. Still thinking about how I want to bind it.

New EPP project is coming along nicely. I now have 1/8 of it done. I am doing it in 4 sections so it won't be too big to work on comfortably until I put the sections together. I am really liking how it is coming together. The background and center of each block will be the same throughout, but the pinwheels will be scrappy.

Merry Christmas to all. Have a joyous and safe holiday and a wonderful New Year.

New EPP Project

Finished the first block to my next EPP (English Paper Piecing) project that I started on the Branson Trip. I was able to get about a third of it done on the trip despite very little elbow or leg room on the bus. It will be fun as always to see it come together as each block is done.

New Bag

Made a new bag from materials designed by Mark Lipinski that I really like and have been getting a little at a time. It is a winter design with snowflake type pattern. I also made a purse organizer. I followed the instructions for it, but if I make it again, I probably would make it a little deeper.

November

This is shaping up to be a busy month. DH had eye surgery and will have the other eye done in 2 weeks. Then there is Thanksgiving and only a month to Christmas. Yikes

This is my next pattern that I will start to hand piece while on a trip later. Not nearly as ambitious as the 1/2 square triangle blocks will finish to 2". Large for me ;)

Back at the house with lots to do. All the unpacking and sorting through years of accumulation before we can even considering selling the house. It is a 4-bedroom colonial and much larger than we need with the kids all gone. Don't know yet if we will get another house. Not in a big hurry on that.

Changes

It is time to leave the lake. Always a sad time as it is so peaceful here. Lots to do if we are going to sell the house next year. At least we hope too. There have been good and bad things lately. One friend lost a puppy and another one will be losing her 2 1/2 year old Dachsy to cancer. It could be a few months or a year. You know how those things go. On the good side, a niece is expecting a baby. Fortunately, the good usually out weighs the bad.

Should be done with my Hex Quilt next month (I hope), and looking forward to starting my next project.

I plan on doing a Quilt of Valor one starting in December or January. This is an approximation of the design.

Beautiful October

I so love this time of year with all the fall colors and cooler temps. It is also the season of cider mills and donuts. Delicious, but bad for the waist band. This is a bag that I put together this morning for Halloween, another fun part of this season. Can't really tell from the picture, but there are spiders climbing on the handles. The lining is multi-colored spider webs.

I've been really busy working on my hex quilt, and hope to have the piecing finished by early November. We will see. All depends on how much life gets in the way.

Labor Day Weekend

Just a note. It has been a good weekend. We ate out at a fundraiser for Cancer. We have several activities here in our park labor day weekend to raise money. One of the ladies here in the park got my Ribbon quilt and one of our DIL's got the baby afghan. She doesn't know if she will save it for someone having a baby or use it as a lap blanket. It is mint green and she loves that color.

We had a very nice barbecue with most of our kids, a couple grandkids and friends (13 people in all). Our son in Fort Knox was able to make it home and be with us. That made it even more special. The weather was perfect. Today is just a quiet day which is always so welcome after a lot of company.

Possibilities

Out of the Scrap-Basket Surprises book that I did the ribbon quilt, is another one that I might try sometime in the future. It is called Belize. All the quilts in the book are jelly roll friendly, using 2.5" strips. What do you think of this one? As always, there are more projects that I would like to do than time to do them in.

Ribbon Quilt Finished

Finally got the ribbon quilt done. Sent it out to be quilted. The lady usually has a one week turn around, but it took 2 weeks this time. She must be getting a lot busier. I know at least 4 quilt shops that use her services. She is very reasonable in her pricing. I love the look of this quilt. It is great as a scrappy quilt and would probably look good in 3 or 4 colors.
Instead of the traditional binding, I just folded the backing fabric over to the front. It looks nice, but I think I prefer the traditional binding. These are pics of the quilt and the backing fabric.

Now to move onto my Downey charity quilt. I also have a child's quilt that is at the quilter's that I will need to finish and mail off when I get it back.

Happy Quilting