Another step . . . .

With great suggestions from my friends (both quilters and non-quilters) & some quality-time with my sewing machine (and seam ripper) --  the StarWars quilt top & back are finished.  I'm loving the way it's shaping up so far.  Monday afternoon it was delivered to my machine-quilter and now the hunt for the perfect binding will commence -- but, that's just another step in the whole 'process'.  
O' I forgot I also need a perfect binding for the I Spy quilt too --
I'm seeing a trip to the quiltshop in my near future!

It's a process . . . .

For me, quilting has always been a process - something I worked through until I liked the results and called it finished.  The process usually starts with some inspiration (see the picture below - upper right) - in the case of my latest quilt the inspiration was a quilt from Crazy Mom Quilts at crazymomquilts.blogspot.com.  My quilt  started as a simple quilt with one row of sort of wonky blocks paired with a large block of fabric.  As you can see, Master Yoda was my first block.

Here's what it looked like after the preliminary sketching, cutting, sewing, pressing --

It's really rough and I wasn't totally in love with it -- I needed help. So, I emailed the picture of my 'prototype I' StarWars quilt to my quilting gal-friends and got lots of feedback.  And, now the 'process' continues. 

With some tweaking and redesigning - there will be final pictures posted on Monday. 

That is if the 'Force' is with me . . . . .

Stitcher's Joint Project - 24 receiving blankies for a local teen pregnancy center.  Made over three weeks and we sewed a little bit of love into each one.  Bib & burp-cloths are our next project.

A Good Read:: Quilting for Peace

Make the world a better place one stitch at a time. 

• The Sunshine Circle created in 1912 and still sewing quilts and 'comforts' for those in need.
• The women of the United States Sanitary Commission who answered the call from President Lincoln to outfit soldiers with hand-made blankets/quilts. 
• Quilts of Valor  - coordinated through the VA to distribute quilts for wounded soldiers in communities across America.
• The Binky Patrol - providing thousands of quilts and blankets to children who need a little comfort.
• Morsbags - sewing your own reusable shopping bags to reduce the millions of plastic bags that litter our planet.
• The Aids Quilt - made in memory of those who have lost the battle with this horrible disease.
• The Boise Pease Quilt Project - honoring individuals for their peacemaking work.

All those and more organizations/individuals -- along with patterns and suggested projects to stitch a little 'peace' yourself -- are between the covers of this amazing book. 
It's definitely a good read.

Quilt to 'Blankie'

For years now, I've been making quilts for every baby in our family -- for grandchildren and now for great-grand children. It's my personal gift to welcome that new babe into our family. From the choice of fabrics and pattern -- to the final stitches on the binding -- for me each of those baby quilts have been a labor of love. And, one of my greatest joys is when those quilts are used beyond the baby years. That's when a quilt has become -- a 'blankie'

This picture was taken over the weekend of my great-neice, Jorja -- although, she may be in PreK this year -- she knows that sometimes you still need your 'blankie'

Biscuit Quilt Construction - Part I

Begin by cutting two different size squares of fabric: top (print fabric) is 6 inches / bottom (white muslin) is 5-1/2 inches. Cut 64 of each

To begin sewing, place printed fabric square on muslin bottom square, aligning the corners - you will need to take a tuck or pleat on each side to make it work.

Sew three sides of the biscuit, using a scant 1/4 inch seam allowance.

After you have sew three sides of the biscuit, (and the biscuit is still on the machine) stuff the biscuit with a small amount of poly-fil stuffing. Remember that you don't want the biscuit tightly stuffed - these little biscuits will be all sewn together and it's much easier if they are lightly stuffed (and, I learned this the hard way --- trust me - do not over stuff! )

Arrange your biscuits in whatever pattern you want -- or in a 'no pattern/scrappy look' (my personal favorite) and begin sewing into rows. Then stitch all those rows together to form the top of your biscuit quilt.

Making a Biscuit Quilt isn't hard at all - but, it is a little 'fiddly-fussy'. Just take your time and go slow.

Coming Soon !

Biscuit Quilt Construction - Part II ::

Making a quilt 'sandwich' and tacking it all together.