July Marginalia- a Quilty 365 Project

I am caught up through July 24 with my appliqued circles.  

I started them on November 4.  I use 2 strands of embroidery thread to blanket stitch around each circle that represents something in the day of my life.  Then I use a micron pen or ultra fine sharpie to write on each block. 

In July I made and canned wild black raspberry jam and pickled beets, have been harvesting broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions.  I bought tablets for my grandkids. I've also played a lot of games with the grandkids and this month their new favorite game is UNO.   I finished 5 quilts this month - three for charity, one QOV (Quilt of Valor) for bro-in-law and one for me.  We celebrated my daughter and youngest son's birthdays. 

And then...July 18 my granddaughter tested positive for Lyme disease and the same day her dad (my son-in-law) went into the hospital and was later diagnosed with Leukemia. As a separate problem he had a pacemaker installed because of arrhythmia before he started on his chemo treatments. He's been in the hospital since, my daughter at his side and we have been watching the grandkids (thank goodness school is not in session)... well, grandpa has mostly been watching them but I've also been taking a few days here and there off of work to help out.  Then grandpa found out on July 21 that he has a fractured jaw that will involve bone graft surgery. His consultation appointment is Aug 3 (his birthday) an hour away in Iowa City where they do that type of surgery.  I think I will soon be taking more than a few days here and there off work.  Thank goodness I have a lot of vacation time saved up. 

These circles are nice to pick up and work on these hot summer days when I have a few minutes here and there to stop and do a little stitching.  The problem is getting them prepped and ready. 

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

Oh Scrap! at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Quilty 365 at Quilty Folk

Super Heroes

Super Heroes

60 x 80

I originally was making this as a surprise for my grandson as listed in my Q3 Finish-A-Long goal #7.   I changed my mind when I found out my son-in-law, Barry, was diagnosed with leukemia (AML - M4).  He's been in the hospital for a couple of weeks and my daughter took up my grandson's Super Hero pillowcases to brighten up his room.  

I wasn't sure how to quilt it (on my DSM) so did some spirals and stars kind of like you see in comics when Super Heroes are fighting.   I also quilted in some fighting words like POW (see it sideways on the left) and BAM and WHACK and ZAP. 

BAM

The color for leukemia awareness is orange so that's why the backing and binding are orange.  The Super Hero oncologist and nurses will have him feeling marvelous in no time! 

This was my goal #7 for

Finish-A-Long

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Cotton Robin

At the beginning of the year Julie (aka Floribunda) hosted a round robin. This was my third year of participation.  This year there were 16 Round Robineers.   Every round robineer starts out with a small block and mails it to Julie by the end of January.  

This was my center block. 

Pictures of all of the center blocks, makers unknown, were posted to the Cotton Robin blog. 

Next in the mail we received a center block and our instructions were to add a border. 

I added a beach and an ocean and sent it off to the next person. 

Then I received this block that had a second border added to the center block - the flying geese on neutral background.   I was instructed to add a second border.   I had a difficult time with this one because the block seemed lopsided to me because the border didn't go all the way around. So I had to ponder long and hard what to add for a second border. My first inclination was to "unlopside" it and continue the flying geese around.   But how creative is that? 

So, this is what it looked like after I added a second border. I was not completely happy with it because I wanted to even it all out but I tried.  And off to the next destination it went. 

Then I received this block in the mail with the first and second borders added and I was instructed to quilt and bind it. 

So I did a lot of hand quilting.  And sent it off home to the maker of the original center block. 

Then I received my center block back with first and second borders added and some awesome quilting added.   I love my little quilt. 

It's fun to see the final reveal of all the quilts on the Cotton Robin blog. 

It joins my little quilts from years one and two. 

This round robin stuff involves a lot of improv thinking. 

So I'm going to do some improv linking:

Ad Hoc Improv Quilting with Kaja and Ann

This, That, and oh...The Other Thing

I posted on Saturday that I only needed 13 more 3 inch spools to reach my goal of 766.  I've been making these for about three years in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge monthly color.   I couldn't wait until next month's color is declared to finish them up.  I scooped up the scraps left over from the recent ABC top and made the final spools +2 in case I counted incorrectly. 

Then Kathy of Kathy's Quilts blog posted a pic of a vintage hourglass quilt made by Clarissa White Alford that inspired her to start making one as a new leader/ender project.   I love the quilt and was also inspired and although I don't sew leader/ender style I decided to make a block to remind me to make more blocks so I can make my own version of the Clarissa quilt.   My block finishes at 12 inches.  I used 1.5 inch strips and cut them with a Companion Angle Ruler to make the hourglass units.  

See those little 2.5 inch Broken Dishes Blocks to the right of the Clarissa Block?  On the 1.5 inch strips before I used the Companion Angle Ruler I used the EZ Angle Ruler and cut little pieces for those HSTs so as not to waste any fabric.  And now that I've finished making Spools from those 1.5 inch scraps I guess I'm now making little Broken Dishes.   In five years or so I might have enough for a very large quilt. 

July Birthday Blocks

Remember when I recently posted about my Birthday Girl quilt? 

Well, I received this year's block I requested in March.  Other ladies in the group also have birthdays and sometimes paybacks are hell!  Linda requested we make Storm at Sea in batiks and the colors you see here. After making this block I know I NEVER want to make a Storm at Sea quilt.  NEVER, NEVER, EVER.  NEVER....EVER.    Penny requested Shooting Star using our choice of summer prints and solids for the corners.    Now this is more my style!  I do like to try different things and I have to say that sometimes I get a workout with the Birthday girls.  (Note to self...you have not mailed these off yet and July is almost over.)

  August Birthday Block

Cathy requested Card Basket with cream/tan background and dark colors for the rest of the block.  I still had some of that blue batik from Storm at Sea laying on my sewing table so that dark went into this block as well.   This block was not difficult to make but I'm not in love and I don't feel the urge to make any more. 

This month I also tried some improv Spiky Leaf blocks a la Block Lotto.  Although I enjoyed last month's improv Bull's Eye blocks (and may someday make a whole quilt of them) I did not enjoy making these and will try one more time to make more blocks for my Old MacDonald Sampler before I decide on an alternate block. 

Finally, there's a 3 inch 9 patch swap coming up in August so I made 10 sets of 6  for swapping (plus made some for me too).  I love these little things and have used them in a Sister's Choice quilt and a Jack's Chain quilt.   Can't wait to see what the 60 I get back will look like. 

Yesterday I cut all the pieces I need to finish the Super Hero quilt.  I was going to make it for my grandson's bed in the camper and surprise him with it but I've switched gears.  I'm now in a hurry to make it for my son-in-law who was diagnosed on Monday with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. In this episode the Super Heroes fight against leukemia.   The back and binding will be orange - the color of leukemia awareness. 

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Moving it Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag

ABC - It's a Flimsy

ABC

Happy Blocks for a Baby Quilt

40 x 48

My nephew and wife are having a boy in October.  I guess his name is Zimmer. 

I have a lot of 6.5 inch ABC sets of fabrics from past swaps. Each set is different and it's fun to see what fabric represents each letter when the swaps come back.  

I bordered each square alternating polka dots and stripes (except for one mishap where I used polka dots instead of stripes but I'm sure the baby won't notice). 

I'll have to piece together some batting and then look around to see if I have something appropriate for the backing.   After I get it quilted I will iron on the appropriate letter to each block...hopefully without mishaps. 

Hopefully I'll get it quilted by October.  

Linking up to:

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Pink 1.5

Pink is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color of the month so this week I dug into my 1.5 inch pink scraps and made a few 3 inch spools. 

Then I got a little distracted by some scraps laying next to my sewing machine and made a few other spools.  Wish I would have looked at how many spools in total I needed to meet my goal of 766 before I made these instead of after because I am now only 13 SPOOLS away from my goal.  I might not be able to wait until next month to complete 13 more spools. We shall see.  It's nice to know that after about 3 years or so of making a few spools a month from scraps I'm close to a quilt!!

And I made some postage stamp rails.  These blocks will be separated by sashing a la a vintage quilt that inspired me to make these from the itty bittiest of scraps. 

There's one more pink Saturday this month. Grab some pink scraps and join us for 

ScrapHappy Saturday

The Birthday Girl Quilt

The Birthday Girl

(commonly known as Broken Wheel)

53 x 66

I didn't make a single block.

Ladies from 3 different birthday clubs - two last year and one this year - made the blocks. 

A "birthday club" is a group of ladies who makes blocks for each other as requested and sends them off to the birthday girl in her birthday month.  For all three groups I chose the Broken Wheel block on neutral background and colors of choice.  It was fun to see what each lady chose for "colors of choice".  I received more than these 20 blocks but these played together the best and the rest are in the orphanage for now until I figure out what I want to do with them. 

I added a one inch sashing and cornerstones. 

I pieced some batting by zigzagging it together and then quilted it on my DSM with lines going in all different directions. 

I wish I would have had the ladies all sign the blocks they made on the front but I still have all of the envelopes they came in so I can put their names on the label (if I ever get around to making it). 

I had just enough of this fabric to piece together for the backing.   And now it will make a nice lap quilt for me this winter. 

This was my goal #8    for     Q3 Finish-A-Long     

Linking up to:

Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Log Cabin Lunacy under the Full Buck Moon

Wonky Log Cabin

40 x 58

It will be a donation quilt for either Wrap-A-Smile or Quilts Beyond Borders

I started this in February when the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color of the month was brown.  I noticed I had a lot of short brown strings and a quilt was born.  Surprise, surprise...I started and finished something all in the same year!!!!! 

In the summer I like to piece together my leftover batting for smaller donation quilts and then get them quilted on my DSM.   I send the quilts off to their destinations at the end of the year and then the cycle starts all over again.   

For the backing I used a nice soft 100% cotton sheet. 

I quilted it with some wobbly and wonky spirals on my DSM.

I even had enough leftover binding pieces in brown to finish it up. 

This was goal #5    on my      Q3 Finish-A-Long list. 

I'm also linking up to: 

Moving it Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag

and when the Full Buck Moon arrives tomorrow I will link up to 

Log Cabin Lunacy at Julie Quilts

In the Hoop (Only When It Is "Cool")

String Stars

I don't have air conditioning so don't usually hand quilt much in the summer. But we have had a few "cooler" days lately. After work I've come home on those days and taken my quilt out to the deck with a tall glass of freshly brewed iced tea (thanks to a thoughtful hubby)  and satisfied my craving for a little hand quilting.    I'm hand quilting String Stars (a BIG quilt made mostly from leftover quilt backings and other long strings) with navy perle #8.  Right now I'm quilting the Stars. I'm not sure what I'm going to do in those diamond shaped areas between the stars. 

And as a bonus I get a fix of color and scents while out on the deck serenaded by birds. 

Today it is raining but maybe later (after I make a couple of canners of pickled beets and make some wild black raspberry crumble for the grandkids for breakfast) I'll find some time to put in a few stitches. 

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

In the Pink 2.5 - Part II

Pink is the color of the month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  This week I worked again with my 2.5 inch scraps.     I worked with 2.5 inch scraps at the beginning of the month but didn't get them all used up. 

I made some pyramid units for a 1000 (or more) Pyramid quilt following the tutorial on Molly Flanders blog.   I sew together end to end any pieces that will be big enough for a pyramid and that is why I sometimes end up with pyramids with more than one fabric. 

I also made some little 4 inch I Spy blocks with 2.5 centers and 1.5 sides. 

And finally Interlocking Chain blocks.

And now I'm a whole lot of 2.5 inch pink scraps lighter. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge ScrapHappy Saturday 

Peace

Peace

40 x 60

It will be donated to either  Wrap-A-Smile  or   Quilts Beyond Borders. 

This is made mostly of leftover Happy Blocks with peace signs from a quilt I made my brother years ago (maybe 2013?) and some star blocks leftover from who knows what - probably patriotic Happy Block quilt. 

I pieced together leftover batting with zig zag stitches. 

The backing and binding is some calico from the thrift store.  I found a couple of yards for 95 cents - brand new, never used.  I know it was old because it was only 36 inches wide.  I remember those days! 

I quilted it on my DSM with loops and three petaled flowers. 

This was my goal #3      for      Q3 Finish-A-Long

Old Bow Ties

Bow Ties

40 x 56

Made from some really, really, really old swapped 8 inch bow tie orphan blocks.

It will be donated to either Wrap-A-Smile   or   Quilts Beyond Borders. 

I quilted it on my DSM with some squiggles through the bow ties and some Xs in the black squares. 

This is truly scrappy in every sense. I pieced together batting with zigzag stitches, used some gingham from the thrift store for backing and pieced together leftover bindings for a scrappy binding. 

This was my goal #4   for    Q3 Finish-A-Long

Linking up to Scraptastic Tuesday