The Bird Quilt

When I first saw this bird quilt pattern by The Pattern Basket I knew that I needed to make it for my bird loving son, Ryan.  It is the perfect quilt to make from a jelly roll of fabric.

The wide array of fabric colors will make each bird a bit unique.  I loved putting those blocks together.

 

I used green "scatter dots" on white fabric from Bee Lori's fabric for the background.  The pattern had directions for right and left facing birds.  I used the left over strips of jelly roll fabric to make a scrappy binding.  I love the mish mash effect.

These were my two practice blocks.  They became my tribute to my son's birds Tonka and Gemma.  Amazingly their coloring mimics that in their blocks.  Fun  quilt to make!  I understand that it is a pretty popular quilt to cozy under at my son's house.

Two quilt finishes plus add ons for October

My granddaughter, Opal, celebrated her birthday this month.  I decided she was now old enough for a bed quilt.  I call this the "waste not" quilt.  I put it together with a jelly roll and a charm pack of fabric by Brenda Riddle.  Each block has a charm pack square in the middle with two jelly roll strips for the star points and background.  Seriously, it was so much fun to put these blocks together.  I had enough white for the background.  That skinny border between the white was made from the leftovers from the half square triangles used in each block.

I also used the leftover half square triangles and fabric to make a doll quilt for Opal's doll.

I included a nightgown made from an old nightgown of mine.  This is a super easy way to create a doll gown with lots of lace and details.

I made a scrappy binding with the leftover pieces of the jellyroll and I had fat quarter of the gray from the same fabric line to for the tiny squares in the sashing.  And then my frugal ways ended.  I needed fabric for the backing for a pretty large quilt.  I wanted it to be special.  I wanted to use Brenda Riddle fabric.  I called a few stores and found that her fabric was scarce.  I finally found something that I felt was perfect but it cost me $12.99 a yard!!!  When did that happen?  I just had to congratulate myself on the "waste not" quilt top and pony up the money for several yards of fabric for the back.  And then I neglected to take a photo of the back for posterity.  Oh, well!

Quilt number two had been my summer project.  I thought this pattern called "Feathers" by The Pattern Basket" would be perfect for my bird loving son, Ryan.  Each of those bird blocks has 30 pieces.  My goal was to make one a day.  I made 30 different blocks.  I used a jellyroll of fabric called "Sugar Pie" by Corey Loder and the background fabric is green scatter dots by Lori Holt.  I sewed the top together and then hung it on my stairway banister for the rest of summer.   After finishing Opal's quilt, I knew it was time to finish this one up as well.  It does have a bit of autumn in it.

Once again I was buying backing which was also a part of the "Sugar Pie" line.  These practice blocks were placed on the back and I embroidered the names of my son's two birds, Tonka and Gemma.  It was just happen stance that these colorful birds mimic the actual birds.

I really love this quilt of birds also with a scrappy border of leftover jellyroll pieces.  However, one bird has a mistake I didn't notice until later!

Warren's quilt and birthday

My youngest grandson is a lover of tractors, farm animals, outside, and dirt so using Lori Holt's Farm Vintage book I created a farm quilt for his birthday.

He wasn't too happy about a photo at first but I finally caught a smile.

We celebrated his birthday at the park not far from his home.  He wanted a "blue" birthday.  Grandpa came through with a crazy flower candle.

His sister and cousins had fun digging in the sand.

The sand digging crew just kept growing . . .

and growing.  It was a beautiful March day in Arizona.

Mabel's BIG quilt

Last July, six year old Mabel took me aside and with great earnestness explained her need for a "big" quilt.  Yes, I had made her a small quilt when she was two and now she was six and a big girl who needed a big quilt.

Her well thought remarks made me realize that she did indeed need a "big" quilt.  I finished it and gave it to her last fall, but finally took pictures the first of February while we were visiting her family.

I used a jelly roll of "Sundrops" by Corey Yoder and a Bella solid to strip piece a "Sweet 16" quilt.

I love this cheerful fabric.  I machine quilted straight lines forming sqaures.

I pieced the backing with additional "Sundrop" material.  I used the ends of the strip sets as a stop border between the two different fabrics.

Now my cheerful granddaughter has a BIG cheerful quilt!

Ceci's birthday quilt

This quilt was finished April 2016 for my granddaughter on her 1st birthday.

I used Tasha Noel and her cute girls for the centers and Bonnie and Camille  to finish and highlight each block.

It was fun to see it all come together.  Sashing corners were also fussy cute fabric of girls on a bike.

I sewed together a backing from different pieces of fabric including a label.

 

I feel like each block tells a story.

I hope that Cecilia will enjoy this quilt forever.

When I found the stripe with matching repeating colors I knew it was just right.

Bllom Along with Lori Holt and Calico Days fabric line

I loved Lori Holt's sew along last year but decided to do my own style of applique, back basting.  I bought "Inspired by Tradition" a couple of years back and was excited to use these patterns for my Bloom Along.  Following are pictures of the 12 blocks I made from the Calico Days fabric line.

As I sewed, I pinned them to my bulletin board on the wall above my sewing machine.  That way, it was always blooming inside while winter weather and a late Spring happened outside.

My completed top just waiting for me to quilt it.  I think it may be a hand quilting project.

Quilting projects completed in 2016

This is Emelia's and Ryan's Christmas quilt meant for Christmas 2015 but finished and delivered the first of January 2016.

I understand that that minky backing makes this quilt pretty popular year round.

Better late than ever!  I have been busy recreating my quilting life in 2016.