DOLL BLANKET for BABY

I like to take hand sewing quilt projects on our many travels. On this trip to Antarctica, I pieced a doll blanket for my two & half year old granddaughter. 

With cutting the pieces ahead, I was able to finish the top, hand quilt it to a flannel back and bind it. Grace knew right away what it was for.

DRUNKARD'S PATH from Scraps, WEDDING QUILT #5

Autumn, my grandniece, will be the recipient of this quilt. She is only 12, so it is stored in a cloth bag for now with a label telling her that it was made with love by her Aunt Janet.

This had been on my to do list for years. I found this different adaptation using multiple prints of light and dark instead of the traditional 2 color design. The original quilt size is 54" x 66" but I added extra blocks to make it king size. I started by collecting scraps from various sources, cutting no more than 12 of each shape from both light and dark prints. Part way into the cutting I realized that the pattern called for more light scraps than dark. I wasn't going to discard the extras so I made the outer squares the reverse of light and dark. You may notice the difference or not. 

I chose to hand piece the curves because of their size but also because I was laid up with foot surgery. The blocks were machine pieced.

In planning the layout, I used 12'x12' scrapbook paper to arrange the small squares. I rolled masking tape and fixed them in place on the paper until ready to sew each block. By laying out all the squares first I achieved a balanced design. 

The repeat of the border fit perfectly at the corners even with increasing the size. I finished by hand quilting circles that outlined the curves.

Here's the pattern if you'd like to try this. Just click on the pictures to print the actual size.

American Heritage Sampler

(26x32)

As you may have guessed, we have been traveling again. I hand pieced this miniature sampler quilt on a March cruise from Beijing to Anchorage (7 days at sea),

put them together when we got home and then quilted it while traveling this July from NY to London on a 18 day “Fir & Ice” cruise including Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Shetlands, & Norway.

This idea started with a barrel marked 15¢ a strip in a San Diego quilt shop that specializes in vintage fabrics. I had fun sorting through odds and ends with no end product in mind. My design plan was to include as many representative patterns as possible. These traditional blocks range from 1800-1860.

"BONBORI", Japanese hexagonal paper lantern

I finished the hand quilting and binding.
I am so pleased. This one is for me.

Thank you again Janet, Quiltsalot, for sharing this pattern idea with us.

Looking forward to handquilting

Ready to hand quilt! The border became quite a dilemma. I wanted to use the kimono fabric my mother bought for me years ago in Japan but once I put it on I knew it wasn't right. It took away from the hexagons. So . . . I ripped . . . and then went back to Quiltsalot to look at her borders. I was surprised that I had enough scraps to cut triangles for a border. Janet of Quiltsalot has had so many inquiries about this quilt that she posted some directions to get you started. The pattern is no longer available. I figured it out by myself, so can you.

Hexagon progress

I'm having so much fun hand piecing this quilt that I'm zipping along. Here I'm working on baggie #10. All the individual blocks for 12 rows are done and I'm working on the half blocks to fill in. Of course I still have the connecting to do.

My mom and dad made a trip to Japan in the 80's, getting to travel the "back roads" and visit in homes. Mom bought me this roll of fabric but I never could figure out how to use it in a garment. I got to thinking about what I will use for the border and remembered this wonderful gift. There's plenty and fits in with the colors and theme of this quilt. My only regret is that Mother isn't here to share in the joy of designing and making of my quilts.

Hexagon Explosion

I've been busy cutting and arranging. I revisited YOKO Japanese Antique and Fabrics shop in South Pasadena that was still there after 5 years. I bought some more vintage fabrics: the red and pink dragonflies, blue crosshatching on white, red/pink flowers on white, and white flowers on navy. I really feel like the design has a balanced look. I still have some half blocks to cut but I'm ready to start hand piecing them together. Next week we are visiting our good friends in Cave Creek Arizona and this will be prefect to take along.

“BETTY BEE'S BOUQUET”, a Grandmother's Garden

My mother, Betty, was an incredibly creative person and a talented artist. Like most wives and mothers in the 40's/50's, she did not pursue a career outside the home but used her creativity to make clothes, decorate our home, and volunteer to be the artist/craft leader for all groups. Both my sister and I were in awe of her abilities but instead of intimidating us, she encourage us and supplied the materials and opportunities to follow her. This quilt is dedicated to her.

Most of the fabrics for this quilt came from her scraps. It contains memories of clothes she made for herself, my sister and I, and her granddaughters.

As I commented to Jackie, I didn't follow the conventional technique for grandmother's garden because I didn't know any better. As I cut the hexagons, I marked each corner with pencil. Matching these dots, I joined the seams with alternating running stitch and backstitch. I really found this less time and work intensive because I didn't cut paper templates, press under the seam allowance or baste. Maybe it wasn't the "right" way but it worked.

I hand quilted this queen size bed topper. The whole process took about 2 years with other projects in between. As of yet I have no granddaughters to pass on this heirloom so if my oldest son doesn't have any girls, it will go to our first granddaughter-in-law.