The Bridge in Summer - A Quilt of Valor

The next Quilt of Valor - beginning!

 This quilt will be very like the last one completed, The Bridge in Autumn, but in summer greens.

Half of the top, needs some changes

Half of the top.

Bottom half of the top.

Two halves laid together.

Pinning the sandwich.

Autumn in Indiana

 

 Went shopping at the end of last week, for a big stack of fabric to begin my next several quilts. It might not be enough to finish them, but I have ideas for the next three. Starting the process here.

Building blocks of colorful leaves

Blocks into strips, and strips laid out

Top strip and batting attached to back

And there it is with tree trunks and binding!

Isn't the back pretty?

Shadows - Quilt of Valor

May 12th, just beginning! It's always messy in the beginning, as I am choosing fabrics to include. I always make more than I need, to be sure that I have options to select as I am building the quilt.

Cutting out 6" blocks, 1.5 and 2" strips

I try to have as few 'duplicates' of fabric as I can, that means having a lot of fabric available and cut out ready to go. It makes it more fun for everyone, I think, maker, user and folks who happen to see the finished product. 

Half way !

The borders, if there are any (and there usually are) are as important to the design of the quilt as any other fabric included (and they are all important), but they border can really pull the whole quilt together! I call this one 'Disappearing Shadows'.

Finished!

 

Back to Quilting Quilts of Valor

	Just like everyone else, Covid, all the hate and negative politics, including the destruction of life as we know it, life in general got to be a heavy load in late Feb/early march. I stopped sewing. I stopped a lot of things for a while. I guess I got to the point that I was thinking that just surviving life really wasn't enough, if living, if hope and joy are indeed gone, then why do any of us want to 'go on.' Sort of, 'what's the point,' I didn't answer the question, though I have moved past the conversation with myself - answerless.

Figment Masks and Bag

Several weeks ago I stopped sewing, I stopped cold. It had little to nothing to do with the pandemic, more to do with immense sadness at the meanness and hate displayed by so many. 

My sister likes Figment. We found a shirt, some socks and some bags at Epcot. I deconstructed one of the bags, just a 12x17" square bag with a drawstring across the top, and created several multi-layered masks and a purse to carry when we visit the parks, which we do several times weekly.

Quilt Tops Moving Along

Little Girl Purses

These little purses are reversible, to give 2 different looks for each one. I also created an insert, that can be moved from purse to purse very easily, and hold all the important stuff every little girl needs to keep near her. The insert protects the purse, so that each side always looks good!

I then added a special clasp, on a tether, to hold the purses closed. Other closures wouldn't have allowed the purse to be fully reversible. The clasp is very pretty.

Poinsettia's

Years ago, I saw something similar to the poinsettia door/wall hanging I am now creating, and making for pre-Christmas gifts. Interested in seeing what I'm doing and how I did it? You'll find it here!

This is the first, I will be making several, and will very likely make them differently, though using the same pattern, because it feels right. I will update my how-to page with my results and ideas to make this even better.

The Next Birthday Gifts...

The tale of 2 quilts. I frequently cut out and build out/up two quilts at a time. I like to have choices when I am putting them together, alternate blocks to place/put together. And when 2 nieces/nephews birthdays are approaching, it just makes sense to 'keep me out of trouble' to make them similar. No "how come he/she got..", "why didn't I get...".

These two are going out into the mail soon. The first, with the gray boarder and purple binding is backed with fleece, and though it has a woven fabric interior, to help protect the stitches from being stretched to breaking, it still doesn't have the 'body' of a more traditional quilt, which is what the second quilt is. Made during the 'lock-down' when fabrics/options weren't as available as they usually are, I'm lucky I have such a big stash! They are almost exactly the same, but quite different!

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  Fleece backing, woven 'batting'

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  Flannel backing, woven batting

Birthday Quilts for Young Ones.

There's always so much trimming to be done in Quilting!

In between the Quilts of Valor I've been working on, I have also been completing three of three birthday quilts I have to finish and send off, this month.

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  It's dark, but it gives an idea

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  First Quilt top completed

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  3rd Quilt Close Up

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  Quilting, backing is the same

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  Quilted Top ready for binding

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  Binding for one ready

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  And the second binding

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  Bound in text, breaking thread

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  Message filled binding

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  He hates me working...