Wonky Quarter Log Cabin Finish

Wonky Quarter Log Cabin

It's a finish!

50 x 60

I used some colorful and wider selvages to make the blocks. Most of the selvages came from quilt back trimmings to that is why they are wider. I normally don't like to leave that much fabric with a selvage. Most of my selvages are cut thin and I save them to use as garden ties.  

I used some spider web fabric squares for the start of the blocks. 

Blocks finished at 10.5 inches.  

I finished the top in April 2023.

I quilted it on my DSM with swirls in gray thread.

The binding is scrappy -- darker pieces from the leftover bindings box. 

The back. 

And ready for donation!

The theme in my sewing space this month has been STRINGS. I've finished up 8 string quilts and have been working on three new quilts - Feather Bed, Spider Web and Eight Point Stars.  I think that is about all of the finishes I will have this month but will continue to work on the new starts for the rest of the month. Maybe I will run out of strings. 

I differentiate between string quilts and strip quilts. 

For me...strings just happen. I don't cut into any fabrics to make string quilts. Most of the time strings are a result of quilt back trimmings or wonky end cuts of yardage. If someone sends me longer strips of fabric I first measure the width and if it is an even 1.5, 2, or 2.5 inches in width then I usually have one or two projects in process that can use that strip. If it is wonky or not exactly one of those widths then it goes into my string box.   

On the other hand...for me... strip quilts usually involve some cutting of yardage or even width strips I receive from other folks who send fabric and scraps my way. 

Next month the theme in my sewing space will be KIDS.   I hope to work on finishing kiddo sized quilt tops I have in the TBQ (to be quilted) stack and dig into the orphan blocks and make a few tops. 

And sew on...

****

CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

July 24 - I wasn't really up to celebrating much of anything. My sewing space used to be a back porch and has a flat roof with a very slight slant .  I noticed a small leak in my ceiling the last time it rained. After that son helped me get up there and put a tarp over where we thought the leak was. Well, it rained yesterday and rain still leaked in. I took a good look out the window at the roof when it was raining and I think it might be collecting nearer to where the water flows into the gutter so we need to move the tarp. We have known we need a new roof and gutters for awhile because roof is about 30 years old (we replaced it a few years after we moved here) but with hubby in and out of the hospital, too weak to do much and  still with many doc appointments pending for osteoradionecrosis in the jaw and dysphagia I have not gotten around to getting any quotes. And I don't want to have someone working on the roof when we aren't around.    So, anyway, I went to bed without celebrating a thing.  And then...hubby yelled for me. and woke me up. His feeding tube was about ready to fall out.   I do have a spare one here but first tried pushing that one back in and then measured the volume in the balloon that kind of holds it in place in the stoma and it was low so I added some distilled water to it with syringe and he was able to hook back up to the feed pump ok.  Today I will have to measure volume of that balloon again to make sure it doesn't have a slow leak.   So, I was proud of myself for staying calm in the midst of crisis and taking care of business - definitely cause to celebrate. I'm surprised I can do some of the things I do.  Last time his feeding tube fell out it was Christmas Day and we ended up in the ER. They did not have the right Gtube to insert so they put in temp foley cath. We ended up at the surgeon's office the next day and he put in a new one. I asked him what to do next time it fell out and he said "watch me put this in" and get a spare one for home. I didn't want to but I watched....just in case...

 

Finished With An Edgy Idea

Selvage Coins

41 x 60

It's a finish!

It looks kind of wonky but it's blowing in the wind! 

I made the top in April 2023 when I was working with strings and selvages.  For this one I used most of the brightly colored selvages with little or no writing. 

I just did some vertical line quilting. 

And it has a scrappy binding.

And if the recipient doesn't like the selvages on front they can use the back for the front and the front for the back.  The back (or front) looks like a quilt made of triangles. 

The theme this month in my sewing space is March Madness (Quilting) Marathon.  I'm going to concentrate on finishing up a lot of the small tops I have in the TBQ (to be quilted) pile.  They will then be donated to:

Fostering Crossroads

Wrap - A -Smile 

Quilts Beyond Borders

And sew on...

*****

CELEBRATE! (My word of the year)

March 12- A few things in bloom! 

Species tulips

Iris reticulata and crocus here and there along pathways.

I've even seen some bees in the crocus. 

When I was out in February I saw that a rabbit had eaten most of my Hellebore (aka Lenten Rose) to the ground so once again this year I was not expecting any blooms. I put stuff all around it hoping to keep the rabbits out of the Hellebore patch and I guess that worked well enough for me to have at least one bloom this year. 

Scilla is starting to appear everywhere

And I'm not sure I'll get anything other than species tulips to bloom this year. I think a rabbit has been in my tulip bed and eaten almost all of the foliage to the ground. I stuck sticks in the ground here and there thinking the deer were eating the foliage because that usually keeps them out or I see signs of them in there because they will knock over the sticks. Since the sticks were all still standing and the foliage was still eaten I think rabbits are the culprit.   So, while I am celebrating a lot of flowers in bloom already I am not celebrating the devastation in my tulip bed!   And so it goes...

 

The Last Hurrah

Chinese Coins 

made of selvages

41 x 60

For this one I tried to use mostly wider and bright selvages without much writing. 

And I had just enough of a black fabric with multicolor dots to use for sashing between the blocks. 

The Last Hurrah!

In my sewing room the theme for April has been Strings, Selvages, Crumbs and Orphans. I haven't even made it to the boxes of orphan blocks nor will I this month.  Sewing crumbs, strings and selvages together is pretty labor intensive and sure uses a lot of thread. And I haven't really even emptied that many bags or boxes of scraps - just mostly made shorter strings or selvages. Even though I have made nine comfort quilt tops this month from selvages, crumbs and strings I don't feel like I've accomplished much.  I'm tired of this month's theme now so moving forward a little early to May's "free range" theme. I'm allowed to do that because the monthly theme is my own game with my own rules.  So from now on through May I'm going to feel free to move about the sewing room AND the gardens. "Free range"!

So, this Chinese Coins quilt top (#9 for the month) is the Last Hurrah   last flimsy for April made of strings, selvages or crumbs. 

And sew on...

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

 

Selvage Quarter Log Cabin Top

It's a top!

Quarter Log Cabin

50 x 60

I used the longest, widest and most colorful selvages to make the 10.5 inch blocks. I wanted to make bigger blocks and more blocks but most of my selvages were not long enough or colorful enough. So this is where I ended up. 

 

And sew on...

 

What's In The Hoop?

What's in my new 17 inch square hoop? 

Skimpy Scrimption Stars

(scrimption = small portion, little bit, scrap, pittance)

I'm big stitch hand quilting with yellow and red perle #12. 

And I have a new 17 inch square hoop. 

Both my round wooden and 14 inch square hoops cracked after all these years so time for a new one.  

Inspired by a c 1880 vintage quilt I saw online at Mingei International Museum in the Pat L Nickols collection.  Usually if I'm inspired by a vintage quilt I like to hand quilt my version too. 

These are 12 inch blocks. 

I used the String Star tutorial at Coriander Quilts.

I used selvages for my strings.

Started in December 2018.

Top finished August 2020.

Quilt is 60 x 84

It's fun to read some of the selvages as I quilt. And sometimes fun things show up in some of those scrimptions. 

And sew it goes...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

 

Skimpy Scrimption Stars

It's a flimsy!

Skimpy Scrimption Stars

60 x 84

I started making the Stars from skimpy scrimptions (skinny scraps/selvages) back in December 2018 after I was inspired by a c. 1880 quilt in the Pat Nichols collection at the Mengei International Museum. 

I used Corey Yoder's (Coriander Quilts) string star tutorial which was nice because I didn't have any set in seams to deal with while making these 8 point stars. 

After making a few stars off and on since 2018 I got serious about finishing enough stars for a top a few months ago and made it my "20 minute challenge" project. That meant I sewed on the stars at least 20 minutes first thing each day I went into the sewing room. 

 Finally at the end of June I had enough blocks for my quilt. And now I have a flimsy. And I still have a lot of skimpy scrimptions...probably enough for 10 more quilts like this. But that's not going to happen. At least right now I don't think that's going to happen. 

Finished or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

It's a Finish! Black, White and Read All Over

 Black, White and Read All Over

59.5 x 68

 I made this to use selvages with text. 

I also used 9 inch squares of fabric with text.

Quilt was inspired by Star Bright free quilt pattern by Katie Blakelsey of Swim, Bike, Quilt. 

 I finished this top Dec. 2018 so it's about time it got to the top of the quilting queue.  It's not like I don't have anything  better to do but when I was sewing the selvages together for the 9 inch squares I grouped them kind of by theme such as...Happiness is...

Jumpin' Jungle. 

 So there's lots of easy reading in this quilt, maybe a few words of encouragement, and maybe a few laughs. 

I quilted it on my DSM with vertical lines of serpentine stitch. 

For the backing I used a piece of gray fleece that was a perfect fit. It's been around here for ages so I'm glad I finally found a use for it. 

And speaking of words...I know a lot of people choose a guiding word each year. I have never thought one word was enough to guide me through a year so I've never picked one. Instead I'll share the words I try to live by every year:

1. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 

2. Stay the course

3. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.

Happy New Year, everyone! 

I'm looking forward to another year of quilting (and gardening). 

It's a Finish! Text Me!

 Its a finish!

Text Me

62 x 84

Sorry for the fuzzy picture. It was cloudy and dreary outside. 

Here is a little better picture of it before it was quilted. 

Getting this to the finish line was my goal #4

for

Q4 Finish-Along

This is a donation quilt that will probably go to Humility Homes and Services. When I get a pile of 12 twin sized donation quilts I will let the grandkids pick 6 for donation. Then I will keep some for other occasions and continue to add to that pile. Each time the pile reaches 12 then six will be donated. 

 I used a free pattern called 2 Hour Couch Quilt.  I thought it would be a good way to use that center fabric without cutting it up. I bought a lot of it deeply discounted when Hancock Fabrics went out of business. I've made the granddaughters several things with the fabric like pillowcases and tote bags but they are no longer in the pink phase so thought some other little girl would like a pink quilt. 

 I also thought it would be a good way to use selvages with text. And it's not like I don't have anything better to do but I kind of had a theme going for each of the selvage squares like animals...

 ...and Summer fun. 

 Some of the other fabrics echoed things like hearts, butterflies and flowers found in the center fabric.  I had a couple of different fabrics with letters on a black background I used for the border.  It was an easy make but it took awhile to get it quilted. 

I quilted it with four petaled flowers on my DSM. 

The backing was pieced. The fabric with letters in squares was gifted by a quilty friend. The hearts below that was a leftover piece from another quilt back. The fabric on the right that I also used for binding was a thrift store purchase from long ago when I could actually find yardage at the thrift stores.