Alpha Bits and Pieces quilt

This is Doreen’s version of the Alpha Bits and Pieces quilt designed by Sandy Klop.

Alpha Bits and Pieces quilt

Doreen incorporated an Alphabet fabric into the back of this delightful quilt.

Alpha Bits and Pieces was quilted with the Popcorn pantograph by Jodi Beamish and a Rainbow variegated thread.

Popcorn pantograph

Here is a picture of the whole pieced back of this Alphabet quilt, a great way to complete a quilt and use up some fun bits of co-coordinating fabrics.

Quilt back art

If your ‘Plan A’ doesn’t work, the alphabet has 25 more letters.   

2016 Finish-A-Long Second Quarter

Two projects to finish for the second quarter of the 2016 Finish-A-Long.

My ten year old grandson walked into my house one day and said “Grandma, if you ever have time I have an idea for a quilt that you could make for me.” Of course I was interested, he then showed me some pictures on the internet and we looked through my fabric to get an idea of colours. What he wants is the Minecraft character Creeper.  So my first project to finish for the second quarter is Owen’s Creeper quilt.  Here is a picture with the squares cut out and ready to sew.

Beginnings of Minecraft Creeper quilt

Second project is the one project that I did not finish in the first quarter, so here we go again.  From my 'quilt top' rack I chose a very old quilt top, perhaps the oldest in my collection, an Irish Chain in yellows and blues.  I will need to find a back, probably a white (I do have an extra wide bolt of white – that should work), and plan to do some custom quilting, of continuous curves and I’ll have to decide what goes in the middle of the white.  I am determined to finish this quilt by the end of June..

Double Irish Chain quilt

And that’s it, I did finish two of my own projects in the first quarter of this year, so I should be able to finish two in this quarter.

Take a minute to check out what others are hoping to finish, or perhaps join in the challenge fun at Finish-A-Long.

Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from people having too much to do, it comes from not finishing what they started.  ~ David Allen

Fractions on a Roll

Judy made these two similar but different quilts using the Fractions on a Roll pattern by The Quilting Bee.  This first quilt Judy named Teal.

Fractions on a Roll quilt

Teal is quilted with the Calm Water pantograph by Anne Bright and a Marine coloured thread.

Calm Water pantograph

Judy’s second quilt is called Green Tea.

Fractions on a Roll quilt

Green Tea is quilted with the Flowing Feathers pantograph by Hermione Agee and a mint coloured thread

Flowing Feathers pantograph

They are slightly different in colour, can you see the difference? 

Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things. ~ Chaim Potok

Black and white crazy patch with just a dash of colour quilt

My second finish for the first quarter of the 2016Finish-a-long. The blocks for this quilt have been hanging around for a very long time, so glad to have it finished.

Modern Crazy Patch quilt

These blocks were made in the crazy patch style, which Judith Montano Baker teaches, stitched on a piece of muslin and either started in the middle, or in a corner and built out from the corner, or around from the middle block, which has more than four sides.  Four sides in the middle would give it a log cabin look.  Each block is black and white with a dash of colour, I chose the primary colours plus green.

Crazy Quilt blocks

Most of the fabrics in this quilt are decorator fabrics, left over bits given to me by my friend Nancy who made wonderful pieced clothing from them.  I decided to back the quilt with a 60 inch piece of cotton that I found at IKEA.

I chose the Gossamer pantograph by Hermione Agee, as many Victorian crazy patches had spider’s and spider webs embroidered on them.  Quilted with a black and white variegated thread called zebra.

Gossamer pantograph

It took me three trips to the fabric store to get the binding for this quilt, on trip number one I came away with enough of the black and white stripe which I wanted to use on the bias, however when cutting my continuous bias binding I accidently cut it on the strait of grain, more than half a yard cut the wrong way and not enough left over to finish the quilt, being that I was away at a quilting day and this was my project I sewed three quarters of the binding on by machine and hand stitched the back.  The next day I was back at the store buying more fabric (without a sample), the stripe looked a bit wider, however I thought maybe my perception was off, I purchased another half meter.  When I got home I found it was wider and more cream than white and black.  So the next day I returned with the quilt to find the exact match, phew deadline looming I got it done.

Quilts connect the past with the present and the future.

Froggy Mile a Minute quilt

This quilt was made for Isaac who likes frogs.  While my daughter was finishing high-school and going to university she would nanny for Isaac and his brother three mornings a week.  Isaac liked frogs and the colour green, so when I came upon this frog print I decided it would be a nice finish for a mile a minute quilt and a nice gift for Isaac.

Frog bordered Mile a Minute quilt

I then found this amazing Leap Frog pantograph by Patricia E. Ritter which I thought would make a perfect finish for this quilt.  Quilted with a Turf green thread.

Made especially for Isaac.

A cuddly green flannel backs this froggy quilt.

This Mile a Minute quilt is one of my finishes for first quarter of the 2016 Finish-A-Long, be sure to have a peek at some of the other finishes (there are hundreds).