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These were “My Own Round Robin” projects with a final ending date this coming Saturday. (Yes, I procrastinated making this last round until I almost ran out of time!) It was a group project but instead of passing the top around, each person’s original selection of prompts was rotated. The prompts were a choice of three different colors or one type of fabric. You had to at least use one of the choices for that round. No one knew in advance what their next prompt would be, we found out monthly.

This month one of my choices was “dots” for the fabric type so that’s what I used for both quilts

All week I’ve reminded myself why I rarely enjoy making the type of quilt you have to put aside for several weeks at a time. I’m much happier going from start to finish. When I put something aside for several weeks, it’s just fun to pick up and work on again if you’re in the middle of a project you really want to make. If I’m not careful, I’ll turn it into a UFO. I know that and it’s why I normally avoid BOM’s, round robins, sew-alongs, and mystery quilts. 🙂 Oh, and did I mention I was crazy enough to attempt making two quilts? LOL Maybe I’ve finally learned my lesson. Maybe.

The finished patriotic quilt

The first four months rounds

The finished teddy bears’ quilt

The first four months rounds

These photos show the backing used on both quilts.

I decided to make a flange binding for the teddy bear quilt. I make mine a bit wider than some quilters do so I can topstitch on the binding part rather than in the ditch on the flange.

I cut the binding at 1.5″ and the flange at 1.75″ and press the seams toward the binding fabric.

I had planned to use the same pink as the narrow strip between the 3rd and 4th rounds but when I chose this purple backing it didn’t look great from the back. I used it for the flange instead. It’s hard to see in the photo of the finished quilt.

When I’m attaching my binding to the back of the quilt, I don’t sew off the end at a diagonal like some methods demonstrate. Instead, I stop 1/4″ from the end and backstitch.

When I’m pressing out the binding to get ready to top stitch, I use my embroidery scissors to cut of a little tiny bit of batting from the corner. (You have to be super careful NOT to cut into the fabrics though.) It really helps those corners to lie a lot flatter and avoids that big bump… especially when you have a flange and even more fabric in that miter.

I use the line in middle of my walking foot as a guide and shift my needle position one click to the right. It allows that line of stitching to fall very close the flange/binding seam.

Here’s a tip… Always fold the button of the binding up first – not the side. That keeps the diagonal folds going in the opposite directions on the top and back of the quilt which also helps the corner lie flatter.

I also stick a large head pin in the diagonal to hold the miter. When I approach the corner I use my needle up/down to take the last two or three stitches so I don’t accidentally run over that pin. Once I’m next to it, I lift the presser foot and pivot the quilt, pull the pin, and keep stitching down the next side. The pin really helps to temporarily hold the miter in place.

I hope this helps and, that it makes sense! It’s easier to do than it is to explain. 🙂

I’ve been purchasing Pellon 80/20 batting from Walmart for quite a while now. It’s been $40.99 for 9 yards by 96″ for at least the last year. The shipping is free with my Walmart account.

In the last month I’ve gone through a lot of batting. I placed an order on Friday night and it was delivered on Sunday morning via FedEx.

I usually keep 4 bolts (36 yards) on hand. I just split the cardboard bolt at the end and slide my arm in to spread the opening a bit so it’ll slide on the 2 inch pipe under my longarm.

I don’t like to wait until I run out as they’re occasionally out of stock.

The only place I keep batting cut-offs is at the end of the long arm table. They’re generally not in the way because I don’t quilt many large quilts. I know that if I designate a better, out of the way, place for them it’ll be easier to let them pile up. Once I have a few large pieces I go ahead and stitch together. I only need about 45″ x 55″ for a kid size quilt so I use them up pretty quickly.

This is actually more than I normally accumulate and it was enough to make 2 Frankenbatts. It’s been a busy week or two and I just haven’t had the energy to deal with them.

I need to start reading more books. I’ve gotten out of the habit lately for some reason. I read this one years ago but I remember how much I enjoyed it so beginning with this one.

And will move on to a few others by the same author.

I’ve been busy for the last two weeks but not much that’s quilting related.

I came across this quilt when I was considering which ones to donate for a fundraiser.

It’s a block of the month from 2018 called Surf and Sand. I didn’t like the setting in the original pattern so it was a while before I took it back out to finish.

This was the original setting. I was lucky to find more of the Quilting Treasures fabric line for the setting I ended up making. I’d seen a photo on a long armer’s quilting page and was able to graph it out. I’m glad I waited because I’m much happier with the quilt I eventually made.

I made a lap quilt with nothing but leftovers. As you can see, it’s been folded for awhile. I need to do better at refolding my quilts every so often.

I have more scraps and these white strips I’d like to use up but I haven’t quite made up my mind what I feel like making with them yet.

I DO know what I think I’ll make with this half-roll I’d purchased from JoAnn’s several months ago on sale.

Your guess about what comes next is as good as mine! There are 2 of my quilt tops in line to be quilted and a couple for my guild’s outreach program so not much chance of getting bored anytime soon. 🙂

Happy Friday!

I quilted and bound this guild unfinished top that had been in storage for quite a while. I asked if I should adjust the size, either make more blocks or remove a few, so it would be easier to donate. The answer shook me to my core.

The lady making the deliveries said these smaller quilts can always be used by a senior in a recliner or wheelchair (depending on size). She then added that one organization she gives the quilts to will take any size. The children and teens they help are by referral and they know many of the children sleep on the floor because they have no bed.

Children. Sleeping on the floor because they have no bed.

How can you not remember that when you’re making quilts? I know if I’m not careful, I’ll overdo it to the point of burnout. That won’t help me or them. The best way to avoid it is to put my quilting on some sort of weekly schedule. It’s the same thing I do for household chores, laundry, and grocery shopping. It’s a habit now so I don’t stop and think about it. I need to make a habit of rotating what I work on at the beginning, the middle, and the end of the week.

I want to have a mix of quilts that are needed, quilts that are ones I’m really inspired to make, and quilts that will use up my abundance of scraps and strings.

Last month I worked on the rescued quilt tops. Now, I’m making strings but I feel the need to quilt some tops for my guild and also projects for the weekly bee I joined. It makes my head spin but, I know it doesn’t have to so I made a plan.

• Saturday – Reset my sewing room including piecing frankenbatts, trimming scraps, make sure all fabric is noted with the yardage and put away. If there’s extra time, prep for the next project.
• Sunday / Monday – Sew string or scrap quilt
• Tuesday / Wednesday – Sew inspiration (bucket list) quilt
• Thursday / Friday – Bee project and quilt a guild top

Life happens and there are days I’ll be busy with family things and not sew at all. The point is to rotate what I’m working on so I don’t get in a rut.

I once read that procrastination is simply decisions deferred. That’s a pretty accurate description. The left photo shows how my strings are stored. The wooden crate on top are pieces I need to trim and/or sort.

The next photo shows my scraps, and the last one are white/off-white strips on that were cut for projects I later changed my mind about. Those strips rest on top of my scrap baskets because I have no storage space for them.

As you can see, I have an overflow of fabric for both string and scrap quilts, not to mention the two drawers of fat quarters. I have ideas for all these fabrics! I don’t want to just store them; I want to get a better habit established to use them regularly.

On Saturday, I started my plan and used the morning to reset my sewing room. I thought I had kept up pretty well with my batting cut-offs so I was surprised to see there was actually enough for 2 small quilts. I only have 2 little pieces of batting left over. Staging them at the end of the table on the back of my long arm works well as long as I keep up with piecing and using them.

I’ve had good success by zig zagging them as soon as I finish attaching a binding while my walking foot is still on the machine. while I have the walking root on from binding the previous quilt. Now I know if it’s late and I’m tired, or have somewhere I need to be, I can just catch up on my Saturday morning reset.

I trimmed pieces from quilts I worked on last week too. I have 60 “waste” half square triangles trimmed to 3.5″ from the Dinomite quilt.

If I put them away, it might take a while before I want to work on them again. Better to keep them out and use them up eight away, especially since I have an idea for them based on a simple 3 Yard Quilt pattern.

I’ll cut the rest of the pieces for the quilt tonight. I’m anxious to start the next quilt so I’ll sew these as leaders/enders. The fabrics are so different than the quilt I’m making next that I won’t have to worry about the pieces getting mixed up.