SCRAPPY RAIL FENCE QUILT

What do you get when you start digging through the closets of a quilter?

Lots of unfinished projects! Lots of scraps...lots of sewing notions...

This one had been in there long enough. I just had to finish it.

 "Scrappy Rail Fence"

And here is the back.....

About six years ago I started my fabric square business. I would go fabric shopping at least three times a week, come home and wash, dry, and iron it all, then cut it into squares to sell on Ebay. It was not an easy job. I kept the leftover scraps in a huge plastic tub. Okay, several huge plastic tubs :-) I could probably make 20 quilts like this with what I have left, even after donating most of it.

I went over to one of the quilting bees in the area one day and ask if they wanted some scraps. I brought a bag full to show them what I had, but no way could I put it all in my little car. They would have to come and get it. So the following week on bee day they showed up at my house, caravan style, and each one "claimed" a bin as she walked in. One of the ladies thought of making some quilts to send to Haiti after the earthquake hit so they now had a great use for all this stuff. I'm not sure how many quilts came out of it, but it was at least 20-30. They sat and sewed, and sewed, and sewed. Rows and rows of scraps, a little trimming, then more sewing. One lady volunteered to sew bindings on them. She had a fancy schmancy attachment that folded and sewed all in one swoop.

Here are some of the Haiti quilts...

not all of the fabric used here was from me,

 but I'm glad my scraps went to a good cause.

 

A lot of the scraps were 4 inches one way but not the same the other way.

They sewed them all together anyway and came up with these.

Notice the seams don't match up, but aren't these great ? Very colorful.

Great job, ladies!!!

 

Reunion Baby Quilt

Happy National Quilting Day!

This fun fabric collection is called Reunion by Sweetwater for Moda Fabrics. The backing is also from Sweetwater, but part of the Hometown collection. The gray sashing and red binding are Moda Bella Solids. The finished size after washing is about 39 x 39 inches. It did shrink about 2 inches each way. I  prewashed the solids and the backing, but did not prewash the five inch squares because they were from a charm pack which was already precut. I didn't want to make them all wonky by washing.

I had fun meandering the quilting. I hung it up to take a photo and

while I was standing there wondering how to show the back side -

turn it over, pin up one corner, have someone hold it....

  ..... a little gust of wind came by and helped me out.

I love the crinkly look after washing.

Vintage looking!

The charm packs and solids are available for sale on my website while supply lasts....

Charm Packs - http://www.charmpacksplus.com/reunion-by-sweetwater-jan-2012.html

Solids - http://www.charmpacksplus.com/fabric-by-the-yard.html (scroll down for solids)

Blue Batik Quilt

Back in April 2011, I posted another Batik quilt made with this same pattern and some general cutting instructions. Then in October 2011, I posted the beginnings of this quilt - Same pattern, different colors.   I am so excited that it is now finished.... and I finished it myself using the free motion quilting techniques I recently learned. I really like how it turned out. The colors are so rich, even next to the gorgeous geraniums. I used a variegated thread on it to blend with the colors of the fabrics throughout the quilt. The batiks are from Princess Mirah. The thread is from Superior Threads - King Tut Quilting Thread - 100% Extra-Long Staple Egyptian Cotton #40/3.

Notice how I used binder clips to hang the quilt....

a few permanent nails in the fence make it really quick to hang a quilt for photos.

A peek at the backing....

I used one long straight pin to hold up the corner.

(I'm telling all my secrets)

This quilt is was for sale on Etsy

along with my other handmade items.

I ♥ Etsy.

Puttin on the Ritz Baby Quilt

This is what I worked on this weekend.... a baby quilt. This could be made using a charm pack, but I used fat quarters instead and cut them into five-inch squares. The sashing is 2 1/2 inches wide cut from Moda Bella Solids Ivory. The finished quilt is 41 x 43 inches. I couldn't make it any wider than the backing fabric without piecing that too, but it turned out just the right size for a baby.
People always ask me how I get the quilting lines so straight. Truth is.... I cheat! I use a disappearing ink pen to mark a row of dots to follow. They washed right out when I ran the finished quilt through the washer. Caution: Do not iron over the markings because the heat might set the ink into the fabric permenantly.

This one is pre-sold. I hope MawMaw likes it :-)

My New Old Sewing Machine

I learned to sew on this machine when I was about 12 years old. It belonged to my mother and it's a few years older than I am. I'm probably giving my age away now. Two months ago she asked me if I wanted it and I took her up on the offer. I emptied out all of the drawers.... lots of old thread, buttons, pins and needles, snaps, hook and eyes, rick rack, hem tape, several pairs of dull scissors, patterns, the original tube of lube (looked like it had never been used), attachments galore, and the users' manuals. Not much in there that a quilter would use. But the manual sure came in handy when I decided to........

....take the machine apart, clean it, oil it, and lube it. And I'm happy to say that after putting it all back together.... it worked!! These old machines are so user friendly.

Look at all these attachments. Wouldn't you know that the one I really needed for quilting was not included. I had to get a darning foot, also known as a hopping foot or free motion quilting foot.

Here is the button hole attachment. I remember my mom using it but if I really need to make a button hole I will probably use my other machine because it would be easier than this contraption.

The chair has storage in the seat but that old gold vinyl covering had seen its better days. Doesn't it look so much better now ??

Here are a few table runners and small quilts I did on this machine.

My free motion quilting is getting better and better on each quilt. I am enjoying this old machine and I'm sure it will see me through many more projects. Thanks Mom!!

Chocolate Figs Quilt

It's finally finished! I worked on this quilt for almost three months. It is machine pieced and hand quilted. I used Moda Bella Solids Brown and Butterscotch and Rose charm packs by Fig Tree Quilts also by Moda with a Bella Solids Red binding.

Here is a close-up of the stitching and backing.

 

And this is what it looked like in the frame before I started the hand quilting.

LSU Quilt

In honor of the big SEC football game coming up this weekend

and being a Louisiana girl, I was inspired to make an LSU quilt.

LSU vs. Alabama

Both teams are undefeated so far this season.

That  streak will end for one team this Saturday.

The quilt piecing was simple...

Two purple strips, one tiger print strip,

and two cheddar yellow pieces to finish it off.

The quilting was all done by machine with straight lines -

 diagonal on the cheddar, channels on the stripes.

The backing is one big piece of tiger print.

Finished size - 37 x 39 inches.

Sometimes simple is better :-)

Geaux tigers!