I've been sidetracked by Christmas baking and baby quilt making! A member of my group donated fabric, so I thought I'd make a couple of baby quilts to donate.
When using others' fabric, it is fun to see what you can make - there was "just enough" with a bit of piecing to make this two colour style of quilt. Easy snowball blocks and framed squares - I've added a white border, and plan to add a darker mauve border as well.
The white fabric seems to have taken on a bit of colour from the mauve, but I think it was because I was taking the picture late in the day.....
I also cut strips and blocks for a friend to work with. I machine appliqued butterflies on each of the blocks before I passed it along. She is busy sewing the top today, so we'll be cutting borders for it soon! More pictures to come.
Check out what others are stitching at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.
I took the basket of fabric pieces and scraps along to my quilting group, and at the end of the afternoon, there was only a tiny pile of unchosen fabrics! We also discussed plans to make a couple of baby quilts for the local Pregnancy Care Center. (I'll probably see some of the selected fabric used in these quilts!)
I managed to get my Pick a Pinwheel quilt top finishes, as did one other ambitious quilter. I helped her to get her top basted before we left for the day. There were also a couple of table runners nearing completion, as well.
This picture shows the borders......
This one gives an idea of the whole top - laying on top of my bed. Next step is to get it basted, ready for quilting. I'll have to book some time with DH - he is my assistant baster!
I've spent 2 solid days sorting through the bags of scrap fabric that were given to me for my quilting group.
I had piles of fabric on every surface in my sewing room, and spent almost a whole day at the ironing board! Since the fabric had been stuffed into various plastic bags, most of it was so wrinkled that you couldn't even see what it looked like!
It is amazing how little room all the fabric takes up, after it is pressed, folded and organized, but boy, is it heavy! I know from experience that a container stuffed with scraps will rarely get used. I may be a bit anal, but I like things organized. I have containers with 1 1/2 inch and 2 inch strips - and that is where I go when looking for pieces to add to my scrappy quilts.
I managed to sort all the donated fabric into several groups - solids, pieces 1 yard or more, half yards WOF, fat quarters, strips 2 in, 2 1/2 in, 3 in, 3 1/2 in, 4 in, odd-shaped pieces bundled together by theme. There are even a set of 3-patch strips obviously destined to become 9-patch blocks.
I ended up with a large bag headed to the garbage, as some of the fabric had been stored outside in less than ideal conditions, and was damp, mildew stained etc. There were also many ruined pieces that were horribly miss-cut or mangled. Some I think had been destined for the garbage, so that's where they are going.
I'm hoping the group has fun tomorrow, doing some "shopping". I just received an email from one of the group who has been delayed in her trip south, asking me to save any leftovers for her......
