New Start: Pie Birds

 

I started a new quilt for me. It is called Pie Birds. I first saw it on Viridian's Blog. I loved the name because I love pie birds. You can see I have a few I have used in the past when I used to bake pies. They are fun and cute little things. I loved the blocks because they are scrappy too. 

Evidently it Is a Kim Diehl pattern from the book Simple Charm. I didn't use a pattern. I just figured out how to make the 10 inch blocks on my own. I made 5 blocks to see if my own figuring was right. Then I decided I want a quilt with 35 blocks so I only need to make 30 more blocks.

Next step? I have a bunch of little 1.5 HSTs cut with my 

Easy Angle ruler. They are leftovers from making other quilts. I will use them as the wings on 60 little 1.5 x 2.5 Flying Geese. These will be my first addition to two sides of 2.5 inch squares. In my test blocks I made two HSTs but decided Flying Geese would be easier. I am going to work on all 30 blocks at one time because I find it easier to process scraps for the rounds on all of them at one time. 

And sew on...

Oh Scrap! At Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

I was going to do a wrap up post on the remaining orphan block tops I made this month but it snowed all day yesterday and I didn't want to go out to take a photo. I guess we got 10 inches and two more inches are forecast for tomorrow. I might have to find a place inside for a photo. I have three tops and two have photos. 

Cheerios

 

It's a top!

Cheerios

40 x 40

I have been making Cheerios blocks from scraps since 2024 as one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) projects. Earlier this year I went through the pile of blocks and divided them into groups for 3 comfort quilts - two small and one  twin size. I need a few more blocks for the twin that will contain blue, purple and pink blocks. I made the small green Cheerio top in September. 

As you can see...this one has red and yellow blocks and a lot of dogs. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

It's A Wonky Stars Top!

 

It's a top! 

Wonky Stars

42 x 42

Someone gave me a little baggie full of large dark blue waste triangles. I immediately saw Stars! They worked perfectly as Star points on 4 inch squares. I used dark blue squares from my 4 inch squares bin. I found a few 4 inch width scraps long enough to use for some blocks. For other blocks I cut 4 inch widths from some multicolor chunks. 

This little comfort quilt won't get finished and donated until next year. 

And sew on...

It's A Finish! Waffle Cone Roses

 

It's a finish!

Waffle Cone Roses

51 x 63

I can't believe I finished the top back in December 2021. I guess it has been that many years that I have worked with rose themed fabrics in December because I love roses and the quote by J.M. Barrie, "God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December."

Waffle Cone was a free quilt pattern when I made this. Now I see that the link I previously gave for the pattern is broken. 

I big stitch hand quilted it with a variety of different brown perle cottons. I used some stencils I had on hand and a pounce pad with chalk for marking. Some of my stencils I have for hand quilting don't work well with big stitching so I didn't add butterflies; however, I did work in some dragonflies as you can sort of see here.

I liked this pattern for some big prints as well as some smaller scraps. 

I love how I can feel all the fabrics soften as more and more big stitches are added.

And I love to be covered in roses. 

Back and binding.

And sew on...

Reflecting today on all I am thankful for. The list is long. Hope yours is too. 

It's ATop!

 

It's a top!

40 x 52

This quilt started with some fabulous Basket blocks I was given. 

I added a few borders with Flying Geese and Wonky Windmills. 

It will get quilted and donated in 2026.

And sew on...

***

Oh joy! I received a big box of goodies from Diana! I had fun unpacking it all! 

***

I just discovered that there are a lot of quilt books available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. I have browsed through several and so far not single quilt has gone on my "want to make" list. Actually I have found I prefer to make traditional blocks from actual scraps until I have enough for a quilt. That process may span a few years because sometimes I have to wait for scraps to happen. I also love to look at vintage quilts, find one I love and then make my version. 

***

We are supposed to have high winds today with gusts up to 49 miles per hour. Then we are supposed to have snow later in the week. I am not fond of that kind of weather. I am glad I am retired and don't have to venture out. Guess I will have to make myself a cup of hot chocolate and browse through all the black Friday seed sales and seed catalogs I have received in order to get my gardening fix. 

It's A Top! Orphan Layla

 

It's a top!

Orphan Layla

36 x 48

For this one I used orphan blocks with red, blue and yellow. All blocks came to me from other folks. I combined four six inch Snowball blocks to make a 12 inch block. The Stars on yellow background started out as 6 inch Happy Blocks (framed squares). I used them as centers for Sawtooth Stars. 

And sew on...

Snowballs and Rails

 

Snowballs and Rails

36 x 42

It's a top!

In previous posts I mentioned that someone gave me a bag of six inch Snowballs with red corners. I divided them into groups for different quilts. This is the third Snowball top. All tops are different.

 The first had a sporty theme. 

The second had a railroad theme. 

This one has a sort of toy theme. 

I had to make one more Snowball for this quilt. I had a 6.5 square with teddy bears to use and made that block down in the corner. 

I also made the Rail Fence blocks I used as the alternate block. 

And sew on...

Big Stitching and Cross Stitching

 

I have been big stitching on my Waffle Cone Roses quilt. I am almost finished with the quilting and hope to have it finished by month end. 

I have a whole lot of different craft supplies I accumulated before I retired several years ago. I decided to look through the boxes to remind myself of all the things I am supposed to be doing in my retirement. I used to make Christmas ornaments every year with my kids and then with my grandkids but it has been at least seven years since I have had anyone to make ornaments with. Well, anyway...I have collected all sorts of cross stitch ornament kits from thrift stores and on clearance. I decided to work on finishing some of the ornies. 

I decided to start out working with these from the thrift store. The Holly Days was almost complete and I just had to finish a few stitches and mount it in the ornament. The Christmas tree green was half stitched but in the wrong color green. I went ahead and finished the ornament using the wrong green. The stocking ornie was not even opened so I opened it and finished it. Santa had the flesh of his face stitched but that was it. I am working on that one now.

I don't do any decorating for the holidays anymore so decided to use the ornaments as I finish them as bowl fillers. I am using a Goofus Glass bowl that was my great grandmother's to display them. Maybe it will be full by month end and maybe one craft supply box will be emptied. And anyone that stops by and wants to grab an ornament or two may do so. 

If I decide I like the bowl filler idea I might use the floss and aida cloth in my supplies to make bowl fillers for all occasions. I have this book of little cross stitch designs I can use. 

I used to use waste canvas to cross stitch little things on bibs, kid's clothes, gift jar lid covers, etc. There's a lot of cute, quick and easy little things in there to stitch. 

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

It's A Top!

It's a top!

40 x 48

I wish I could say I made all of those beautiful applique blocks. Someone gave them to me. She said she loves to applique. 

All I had to do to make this sweet comfort quilt was to trim all blocks to 9.5 inches and add some alternate squares...

...and a little border. 

I have been working all month with blocks given to me by others for comfort quilts and have been having fun turning them into tops that probably won't get quilted on my sewing machine until next year. I still have a few piles of orphan blocks to get into tops hopefully by month end. 

And sew on...

Friendship Star Finish

 

It's a finish!

Friendship Star

60 x 72

I made a variety of Friendship Star quilts back in 2022 for my granddaughter's friends after she passed away unexpectedly from "probable cardiac arrhythmia" (per autopsy). Most of the scraps I used to make this quilt are left over from making those 2022 quilts. 

I quilted it with swirls of black. 

The back and binding are the same fabric I used in the alternate blocks with the orange batik in the quilt top. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alicia Quilts

***

For the last several days our internet has been up and down and when it has been up it has been slower than molasses. They have been installing fiber optic out here in the country the last several months but we weren't scheduled to be hooked up for awhile. Since we were experiencing problems they came today to hook us up and, wow, what a difference that made! High speed internet!

***

Finished a book! Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. A Russian woman lives through the siege of Leningrad and a concentration camp. She loses her family. Fast forward to the future. She marries and has two daughters who know nothing of her past until one day... I learned a lot about the siege of Leningrad.

***

Oh joy! I received a box from Ann today full of a lot of comfort quilt backings! 

***

John decided he wanted to try growing saffron crocus. It blooms in autumn. It is not reliably hardy here in zone 5b so he is growing in pots we will bring in for the winter. 

Here is the saffron he has harvested so far. I am going to have to look up some recipes because I have never used saffron. 

It's A Top! Orphan Kieran

It's a top! 

Orphan Kieran

56 x 72

For this top I used 8 inch finished orphan blocks that were darker colors. I had 19 blocks given to me by others and made up another 13 out of a lot of 4.5 inch blocks I had on hand like HSTs and four patches. 

I made 31 Puss in the Corner blocks with brown and cream. I pulled 4.5 inch brown squares for the centers from my squares bin. I had some 2.5 inch width bits and pieces left over from making Quarter Stars in a bag that needed to be cleaned up so I cut the Puss corner squares from those pieces and also had some brown 2.5 inch squares in my squares bin. 

And sew on...

A Monkey Wrench Finish

 

It's a finish! 

Monkey Wrench

60 x 80

In 2022 and 2023 I made Monkey Wrench blocks in three different sizes as one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) projects. I decided to make them in three different sizes because that covered almost every width of scrap. 

I have been able to make many different comfort quilts from all the blocks. This one consists of ten inch black blocks. 

I quilted it on my sewing machine with gray thread . 

I bought a bolt of black and white daisies to use as the backing on several quilts. This is quilt #4 with that fabric. 

And sew on...

***

The weather has been so beautiful for this time of year. I have been working outside the last few days in short sleeves. There is always something to do in the gardens. I think now that it is going to get quite a bit cooler and I see some rain in the forecast so I might be forced to do a little housework.