Guest Book Quilt

Last fall we had a 70th anniversary party for my grandparents. My Meemaw and Pappy are just so spunky and we are so blessed to have them in our lives and in great health! My Pap makes quite an impression. He says the wildest things and tells the funniest stories. He has a knack for finding amazing deals and making a quick profit. He also makes wooden crosses in his workshop and carries them in his pocket to give away. My Meemaw is such a sweetheart and, although she might flare her nostrils at him from time to time, she tolerates his antics with a little smile. She still sings in the choir and volunteers at church. She comes to as many of her great-grandchildren's sporting events as she can. (Her senior admission card is falling apart but she is so proud of it!) She pretty much just radiates sweetness and love.

We celebrated their anniversary (and Pap's 90th birthday) with a party last fall. As an alternative to a guest book, I offered to make a quilt. I had several charm packs (sets of assorted 5" squares of fabric) that I had won in giveaways and I cut some additional 5" blocks from solid white. The guests used fabric markers to sign the squares or add a special message.

Then, after letting them sit on my desk for a few months, I finally got around to making the quilt. I just did basic patchwork, arranging the squares pretty randomly and even using the unsigned squares in case anyone wants to sign it later. I added a white border and then did free motion quilting. I am not very good at free motion quilting. I need a lot more practice. I basically just decided that finished was better than perfect.

It is just a lap size quilt. I probably could have added in some other quilt squares to make it bigger, but I kind of just picture this draped over Meemaw's couch or Pap covering up with it while sitting on his recliner. :)

I was running out of daylight to take these pics- and we had snow- but I am going to now bombard you with quilt pictures because this was a fun project and it has been awhile since I actually finished a quilt:

If you would like to pin this idea for later... I mean, it isn't anything super original, but it will get much more use than a regular guest book and the charm squares did make it significantly easier!

Scrappy Square Boys Quilts

This is all very unusual for me. First of all, I actually finished not just one, but two quilts!

Second, they are made for boys!

I bet you didn't think I even owned boy fabrics. Well, that just goes to show how old these quilt squares are. Some of them were cut over 10 years ago. These are almost my oldest unfinished quilts, but sadly, not quite.

I used to make a lot of pillows from character fabrics - Toy Story, Jurassic Park, The Lion King, Rugrats, Clifford, and Bob the Builder, etc. - and these are some of the scraps. The ends are even borders from some Clifford pillow panels.

I remember one time when my son was little, he helped me to put some of these squares together. I let him arrange them and I sewed them together. I am pretty sure he is too cool for that now. So, these quilts are nearly the last of my little boy fabrics. Also, my little boy isn't little. sniff sniff

I backed them with fleece instead of using batting, so I hope they hold up OK.

On the smaller one, I did a little more practice with free motion quilting. I have a long way to go, but it is getting better.

On the larger one, I did wavy line quilting, which is the easiest way for me to machine quilt.

I machine stitched the binding because of the fleece backing. That was the hardest part. I would rather sew it by hand. Hesitation to do the binding accounts for several months of the procrastination to finish these. I plan on donating the larger one to Project Linus or the local NICU, but I haven't figured out what to do with the small one just yet. I am just glad that they are finished and I hope that they will go on to bless someone else's little boy.

Charm Square Quilted Purse

Another finish!!!

I won a charm pack of Summer Breeze II several years ago and I eventually made myself a charm square tote out of it. It isn't perfect, but I like it and it matches our school colors. I had enough charm squares left over to make another one, as long as I used a solid color on the bottom to make it stretch. I pieced the squares and then it sat on the shelf above my sewing table for the last three years. I am so glad to have this one done!

The outside is free motion quilted on batting, the lining is interfaced, and the straps and pockets are made with fusible fleece. It is a nice, sturdy bag.

You can see the difference between the bag being tied at the sides and left open.

 

The pockets inside are my favorite part! They are a bit of extra work, but so great for attempting to keep my purse organized. This one is for my sister, and I think she is going to love it!!!

You can see my list of Finish-A-Long goals for this quarter HERE.

Scrappy Squares Doll Quilt

The other day, since I had a few minutes before an appointment, I pulled up Netflix to finish an episode of Fixer Upper and sat down to hand stitch the binding on this doll quilt. Spring sports are upon us, so with the rushing around all of the time, it was awesome to just sit down and relax for a little bit. AND I got another finish done from my Finish-A-Long goals (see HERE). Double win!

I don't know why I procrastinated for so long!

Anyway, I love this little scrappy patchwork quilt. I look at it and see bits and pieces of old projects I have made. From old quilts and my sister's apron...

...to my son's first bedroom curtains when he was only 2. Now he is 16. *sigh*

This was also my first attempt at free motion quilting. It isn't perfect, but it was good practice. I love how it got a great texture when I washed it!

Oh, and not sure if I ever showed this before, but my daughter and I made flannel nightgowns for her and her doll. (They often ask for PJs for their dolls.) This gives a size perspective. The quilt is only 24 inches.

I am really plugging away at these finishes, but I found even more unfinished projects in the process! I am trying to focus on one thing at a time so that I don't get overwhelmed. With practices and games 5 days a week, craft projects should be the last thing stressing me out! It does feel like a weight is lifted each time I finish a project, though. There are several more I completed that will be on the blog next week, so please come back to see them!