Quilt as you go

I've been sorting out my (many) Linus boxes this week, and I came across a set of blocks which were already quilted and just needed to be sewn together. They are all in bright colours and it seemed a shame not to put them together, so I decided to have my first try at quilt as you go! Firstly I auditioned sashing colours. Nothing seemed quite right, so I decided to sew them together - wadding and all - and then use a strip at the back to hide the raw edges.

Here are four of the blocks - very gutsy, as you'll surely agree!

I cut a strip about 1" wide, the length of the blocks, and placed it right side down on the edge of the blocks I was going to join together.

I sewed straight through the blocks and fabric strip.

Then I folded the strip over, turned in the edge, pinned and slip-stitched it. (It would have been even easier if I'd ironed the strip under down the free edge, but hindsight is a wonderful thing!). Since the blocks have been quilted right to the edge, it wasn't possible to trim the wadding, so the seams are a little bulky. Never mind, it'll just add to the snuggle factor!

Here are the two blocks from the front. Looking good. Now I'm off to watch the tv and sew the strips on the back!

Too many tops

I don't know a single quilter who says, 'Oh, I'm just going to layer up my latest quilt. Really looking forward to it!' Piecing is something most people enjoy, and then others like quilting, but the layering up is nobody's favourite. And that includes me! I've been busy piecing lately, and have now got too many tops!

This is a cot quilt DS started for a friend of his while he was 'resting' earlier this year. All the nine-patches were done, and it just needed assembling. The baby was born about 6 months ago, so I've given him a helping hand, now he's working.

Now I'm retired, I've been doing a little teaching - teaching quilting to adults is much easier than teaching language disordered children, though just as rewarding! This is a class sample which will no doubt end up on its way to Linus.

I've also been running a beginners' cot quilt class, and here is the sample for that. The ladies in this class were real beginners (which is fine by me) and one of them didn't even know what a seam was! Well, she knows now, and the local quilt groups will be benefitting by getting some new members generated by the class!

And of course, I'm rarely without a Linus quilt on the go. This one was made in response to a request from a 5 year old girl with cancer who loves princesses. Apparently her mother applied to the 'Make a Wish Foundation' for the opportunity to take her to Disneyland, unsuccessfully. This Disney princess panel and matching fabric was in the donated bag, which made the quilt very easy to complete. It won't win any competitions, but hopefully it'll win a little girl's heart.

Now to layering up. What joy!

Couldn't resist!

Last week we had a Project Linus sewing afternoon, and Jackie, Eileen and I made a lot of blue half square triangles. This is an attempt to try to use some of the donated fabrics, and also, to make some boyish quilts. I have had a request for 5 quilts for disabled youngsters entering foster care, and they're all boys! I have lots of donated quilts, but none were really boyish, hence the half square triangles.


Here are some of the triangles made into pinwheels, and bordered with a nice construction vehicle fabric.Here is a close up of the border fabric. I think a boy would like it. My next job this afternoon is to layer it up, so what do you think I've been doing? Yes, not layering up, but trying a new block! This block is called 'arrowhead' and looks pretty complicated. Not the way Anita Grossman Solomon shows in the current edition of 'Quiltmaker'. You just have to cut two 8" squares, do a little straight sewing, some easy cutting, and hey presto! you have all the pieces you need for the block. Join them together and trim, and it's only taken a few minutes to make! Now, shall I make a few more arrowheads just to make sure I know how to do it, or layer up? Hmm......

Bit of a theme

Having had all the pieces for a Linus patchwork top donated was great, but then I needed to find borders. I was lucky to find some pink in my stash, and then went with Pauline on a fabric-buying expedition (she was supposed to be buying, not me!) and found a lovely turquoise spot which was perfect for the border.

Here is the finished quilt, which will very shortly be on its way to a 14 year old girl with cancer.

The turquoise spot turned out to be very handy, as I found it was the ideal match for some Michael Miller fabric I was planning to make a bag with.

This bag is my original design - by which I mean that all the components are taken from various other bags, resized and reorganised. After all, a bag's a bag! I'm particularly pleased with this one, as I've finally mastered a zipped pocket inside it!

Here you can see the zipped pocket in the lining, and an ordinary set of flap pockets. The bag is for a workshop after Christmas, and I hope people like it enough to want to make it!