Blue and White Quilt Top

Check off another quilt top! 

Im finally done with this blue and white quilt top after...oh...maybe 10 years? It's going onto a hanger with the rest of my unquilted tops, mainly because I haven't decided how to quilt it (hand, domestic or longarmer) and I haven't found the batting or backing. It's not a rush...I have PLENTY more UFOs to work on. 

This one started YEARS ago as a class sample. I was teaching from a book with lots of jelly roll quilts. I had a finished sampler quilt to show the class but I started this solid one to explain cutting and piecing. The center star and some of the surrounding stars were taught in the class along with the 12" corner blocks in the next round. They were never put together...just stuffed in a box for 10 years. I'm just thrilled to have finally finished this much of it. It's 80"square. 

I love two color quilts and am so happy to have one. They feel vintage to me. I suppose that means I should hand quilt it. Yup...maybe.

Boy, how things have changed..

I haven't posted in a while...I just can believe how the world has changed in a bit over a month. We left Florida on schedule and got back home in time to stock up on groceries and necessities.

First it was the social distancing, then the "stay home order". Part of our family is in southeast Michigan where the virus is the worst. I think they're staying home and staying safe. Up here in the Traverse City area, it's not bad yet...maybe 9 or so cases.

When I finally sat down to sew, I started working on finishing up my Kaffe Bear Paw quilt. This was one of many UFOs I would be working on to finish up BEFORE starting anything new.

So I added a plain border, basted and quilted this quilt then attached the binding.

First UFO of 2020 ✔. I posted a picture on Instagram because I'm following and playing along with @2020finishalong 

This really pushes me to get projects done.

Next up is my #blueandwhitequilt 

It's a two color solid one that was started YEARS ago when I lived in Charlevoix. 

I am currently working on the final border...lots of white with a sawtooth edge and stars in the four corners. This is being designed as I go...just seeing what I think it needs. It'll be about 80" square when done...seems like a good size.

After making 188 half square triangles, I stopped working on this quilt to help out the local hospital. They are requesting face masks that can hold the N95 mask inside. I made a dozen then started sewing masks for family and friends. A call has been put out for these same masks to be made for first responders also. That's what I will be doing today. Not my favorite type of sewing but it's got to get done. Until the government can get more masks, we need these covers to be able to reuse what we have. I'm using a sheeting fabric for the inner because it's a higher thread count. 

The nurses in our area made a specific pattern request. We are making masks according to the ones recommended on this site: 

  MASK PATTERN

So that's it for now...STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY...STAY HOME!

Blue and white star quilt

I had a little sewing time this afternoon and was able to add 3 blocks to my #blueandwhitequilt

I changed the design just a bit. The outermost border was plain. I decided to add a bunch half square trianges (hst) and a few more of the stars going around the center. I really HOPE I have enough fabric to do all of this. It's going to be close.

 So besides sewing this weekend, we met a new family member. It's amazing what can be discovered through #Ancestry.

And now I'm relaxing a little before the big game comes on....I'm also admiring Al's handiwork 😉 He's such a talented carpenter.

Next in line...

I'm working on an old UFO...one that I really love. Years ago I taught a class and sewed up a class sample. I made a few extra blocks as I taught how the blocks went together. I usually use solids to test blocks then when I get enough, I make a solid scrappy sampler quilt. But these were all in blue and white so I saved them for a two color quilt.

This block below is what I stitched up today after taking apart a block I didnt like.

I think this was "cups and saucers" block....usually a nice design but just too bold in solids.

It took a while to reconstruct such a big block but I'm so much happier with the new one. 

This was the start of the quilt center. 

It needed 4 more stars then I needed to add a 2" border all the way around because I needed the center to become a 36" square. 

I figured i could use my leftover class blocks in the four corners of the next border....but what about in between?

Do you like EQ? I have to say it sure makes it easy to see what a quilt will look like. I tried out a few different ideas...couldn't decide...so i put a poll on Instagram. The quilters voted this design as the favorite.

So this what I'm working towards. I need to make a dozen 12" blocks to finish the next round then 3 borders.

Shouldn't take too long.

Oh, and I finished the flannel squares quilt top. It's off to the longarmer.