I planned this one before Christmas and I finally got around to working on it. I’m really happy with how it turned out.
Instead of using sashing with string blocks, I used string sashing with pieced blocks. I began with a dozen 10″ x 12.5″ string rectangles (the blocks in the lower left corner of the photo below).
I chose not to use the blue and red stripe fabrics I originally considered because I just didn’t want to deal with trying to keep the stripe pieces all positioned in the correct direction. 😉 I also substituted the flag print for the center of the star after making the first block. I realized it was too busy and decided to use this star print on white instead.
I cut the string rectangles into four 2.5″ x 12.5″ pieces and used them for pieced sashing units. I’d considered mixing up the all the 2.5″ wide pieces but decided to keep them in pairs when I made the sashing.
I purchased a bolt of bleached muslin from Marshall Dry Goods to use as backing for NICU quilts that I plan to make for future donations and decided to test it on the back of this quilt first.
It was soft right off the bolt and better quality than I expected at the price. I washed it first to check for shrinkage and how it would feel after the sizing was washed out of the fabric.
The muslin did not shrink at all, wasn’t too thin, and felt like a nice soft bed sheet. I’m really happy with it and the cost makes it very affordable!
I’ve been thinking a lot this week about our nephew, a Senior Master Sergeant in the US Air Force, and praying he doesn’t get deployed to fight in a war.
Then on Friday, my husband noticed the poor stock market performance while watching TV, and we spent the evening discussing how to move more of his retirement money into a bond fund for safety. We’ve experienced recessions and bear markets before. As we age, we realize we don’t have as much time to recover from them as we used to so we hope we’re making wise decisions.
When I first woke up this morning, I saw the little quilt I finished binding last night draped over the arm of the couch. It’s made with expensive quilt shop purchased fabrics so I’ve been trying to decide “do I save it for the next time I need a new baby gift or, should I donate it?” I’m lucky I have that choice, but it’s disheartening to see the rising costs driving many people away from the craft altogether.
I felt a bit of melancholy, and starting my day an hour later because of the time change didn’t help. I didn’t feel like going for a walk, not one bit! An angel on my shoulder said, “Nothing gets better by not taking care of yourself. Just do it.” So, I got dressed and put on my sneakers, then stepped outside.
There was a light breeze and enough clouds in the sky to make the heat bearable. One of the first things I noticed when I began walking was the rose bush at the front of our home. My husband rescued it from a house in a neighborhood that was being demolished for airport expansion over 25 years ago. We have no idea how old it already was when he dug it up and transplanted it. A year or so later, we moved to our current home, and it was relocated once again. Today, it’s absolutely covered in blooms, and that gave me reason to smile.
After my 2.5 mile walk, I drank some water and sat down to schedule my Shingrix vaccine booster. With the walk finished and scheduling the booster shot both out of the way, I decided to take that little baby quilt outside for a photo before I folded it up and put it away.
Those few small actions have changed my whole mood. I started getting more ideas for little NICU quilts that I can work on at my Thursday quilting bee. I feel like doing stuff rather than planting myself in front of the t.v. which is how I woke up feeling.
I realized there are things I can’t control, like foreign wars, but I can take actions to improve my health and safeguard our financial future. I have to force myself to do them, especially when I don’t feel like it!
Burying your head in the sand is never a good thing and it’s important to be informed, however; when the news is depressing and I can’t seem to shake the feeling I need to remind myself that there are things I can control – like making quilts to donate. They help me feel better and, hopefully, the recipient too. It may seem trivial in the grand scheme of things and if I’m being honest, it is. When my choices though are to worry about things I can’t change or, to do something small. I’ll choose to do something small.
On tough days, it helps to Believe There is Good in the World and Be the Good.
A friend sent me some Kaffe strings. She saves her scraps, but these were all less than 2.5″ wide. She wanted to share them with someone she thought might actually use them. I’ve never purchased this designer’s fabric, so it was a fun change of pace. I might have enough for a second quilt, but I’m not in a hurry to start another one (unless a great idea comes to mind).
Deciding on this layout took a while. They’re such bright and busy fabrics I knew it would take a lot of background and, I wanted a bit of a contemporary design. I’m happy with how it turned out.
I used my favorite background fabric. You can see the Malachite design by Urban Elementz I used to quilt it better on the back of the quilt. It did take a bit of time to do the quilting, but I love the texture it gave the quilt and I think it has the same contemporary feel.
This week I decided to start trying to stick with a schedule so I don’t end the week wondering where it went. I may not get a chance to sew everyday but when I have the time, this is the plan.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday – piece/quilt a string or bucket list quilt top
Tuesday, Wednesday – quilt donation tops for the quilt guild
Thursday – work on my own baby/child quilt to donate
I wasn’t able to work on a little donation quilt top at my bee this week but, I did cut out the fabric and got it pieced at home.
It’s based on Bonnie Hunter’s free Streak of Sunshine quilt pattern. I altered it a bit, cutting my strips to 3.5″ and made 8 rows instead of 9 the patterns calls for so the quilt would finish at 36″ square, the preferred size for NICU preemie quilts.
After dinner last night I quilted it and started hand stitching down the binding. I should get it finished tonight.
On Tuesday I made aanother quick trip to Resource Depot. I’m going to try and go every two weeks to look for fabric I can use for baby/kid quilts. I’ll need to start avoiding the office supply section. I have no clue why but I’m a sucker for office supplies! 😉 I’ll use everything I bought this week so I don’t regret it. I just know I have plenty now and there’s no reason to buy more. It’s too darn hard to resist the couple of bucks it costs to fill up a bucket with whatever you want. The week I got a couple of calendars, one for my purse and one for the fridge, more receipt tape for short string piecing, a bunch of pencils, and some pads of paper and graph paper.
I found a few small pieces of fabric that’ll be great to use with some of the focus prints I got last week at Hobby Lobby in Mary’s Quick Strippie quilts. I found a baby print fat quarter, and some pink fabric that will work for backing a couple of future baby quilts meant for donation. The best find was a one-yard piece of ombre fabric by Hoffman. I really love ombre and had fun with a piece a year or two ago making this kid’s string quilt .
Today I’ll get back to working on another patriotic string quilt. I really wasn’t in the mood to work on patriotic strings again yet but, I purchased some bleached muslin from Marshall Dry Goods and was anxious to try it out for the backing.
I’m pleasantly surprised at the quality. I feared it would be too thin or scratchy to use on a baby quilt. It wasn’t. It would have been fine to use right off the bolt but I chose to pre-wash a piece to see how much it might shrink and remove any sizing that may have been in it. The fabric didn’t shrink at all and it was nice and soft after washing. I’ll probably buy a bolt of 45″ wide too and save my cute prints for the tops.
It was a bit of a pain to iron that 90″ wide piece of fabric and trim the stray threads down the sides. Next time, I think I’ll go ahead and use it right off the bold and wash the completed quilt afterwards. I plan to use it mostly on baby quilts so it needs to be nice, soft, and cuddly. ♥
I finished a quilt today and this one is a bit larger than the size I normally make for string quilts.
I began by making 7 1/2″ string blocks then paired them with either a red, white, or blue square – drew a diagonal line on the solid fabric and stitched on both sides of the line. Cut in half and you have a pair of half square triangles. Those were trimmed to 6 1/2″.
I made a similar quilt with upcycled men’s plaid shirts a couple of years ago. I love the quilt and display it in our living room. For that reason, I was fairly certain I’d like this string version too.
I have a couple more string quilts I want to make next, well actually three of them. 🙂 Each one will either be inspired by, or a deliberate effort to replicate one, I’d seen on Mary’s Heartstrings Quilt Project website. All three of them go back several years so it’s time to stop procrastinating and just do it!
On Thursday I went to Hobby Lobby to check out the fabric sale. I’d looked online as the kids prints first so I’d have an idea of what to look for. I bought a few of the ones I’d seen online and at 12 yards for only $60 I was happy I went.
I plan to take a break one day a week an work on a baby or children’s quilt. They’re usually pretty quick and always fun to make. I’m saving up ideas too on how to use up the scraps I’ll be generating from those.
The pixelation pattern in the middle of the bottom is the only one in this set I haven’t made so I may just start making some 9 patch blocks as leaders/enders while I’m working on other things. Note: the quilt above the Pixilation pattern is not mine. I didn’t take a photo of the one I’d made. I probably saved this photo from Pinterest to my ideas file. I’ll have to be sure to snap a picture of the next time I make it!
When Sam saw my latest quilt top he asked “who is that one for?”. Silly man! Do people ask an artist when they finish a painting, who’s it for? It’s for me.. of course. Whether I keep it or give it away is always secondary. I quilt for myself.
I secretly think he asked because he wanted me to keep this one.
“Art is to console those who are broken by life”. ~ Vincent Van Gogh
That makes every quilt – art.
What you just read above is another Facebook memory – from a little over a decade ago. I promise not to keep sharing them but this one really hit home today.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about quilting and where it plays a part in my life going forward. As much as I enjoy gifting and donating quilts, I still quilt for myself because it’s what I love doing. I realize how incredibly fortunate I am to have something to do that I absolutely love. ♥
My quandary lately is… Do I take on the work and responsibility of leading a group of quilters to make and donate quilts – or not?
My doctor says “no stress!” for health reasons. My husband asks “how are you going to manage that with after school pick-up?” And, my heart says…. “will trying to lead a group actually strip away the thing I love doing the most?” because I know how super hard it is to both lead and participate. It’s a tough decision and one I’m not taking lightly.
The quilt is still one of my very favorites and from the pattern called Seafarer by Quiltfabrication. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it! If you know me, you’ll know I’ve worn a ship’s wheel and anchor charm around my neck for longer than I can remember. It’s the first thing Sam ever gave me, it’s symbolic of our last name and, my step-dad just so happened to be a ship captain.
I think this pattern is the only one I’ve ever purchased specifically designed for string piecing.
And, today this quilt is for me. A reminder of how much I love to quilt and that no matter how much I love quilting- family will always come first. Everything else ranks a distant 3rd place. ♥
Time to Quilt 