Niece and Nephew Quilts are Finished and A Recap

I've been sharing with you the quilts I've been making for my nieces and nephews, the ones who have not received one in a while.  I overlooked three of them so thought I'd get caught up on that and do a recap.

The ones I've already posted about are Josh, Ashley, Laura, Nikki, Travis, Paige, Natalie, Emily, Carrie, Karlie, Kourtnie, and Kacie's. (Each name has a link attached in case you'd like to see them.)  All of them were made since 2018.  Thank goodness, I have a fantastic quilter (Shirley Jackson) I can depend on!

Jason is the one nephew who had never received a quilt from me.  When he was born (and I'm embarrassed to tell you how old he is, so I won't) I was crocheting afghans for new babies.  I also crocheted a large afghan for him when he was first married.  (Oops, that hints at how old he is.  Don't pay any attention to that.)  Anyway, it was definitely his turn!  I named his quilt "Long Time Coming".

For Tim I tore into my box of batik strips (again!) and made a variation of the Jelly Roll Race Quilt, using different size strips and pieces (instead of WOF strips) and sewing some diagonal seams instead of straight. It wasn't nearly big enough to suit me, plus I wanted to change it up, so I added strips around it going in the opposite direction.  It ended up plenty big enough, and I ended up with another happy nephew.  

Tina's quilt was Amy Walsh's "Zen" pattern.  Yes.  I used batiks.  I've used this pattern before, but this time I sewed some of it in a hotel in Seattle.  I've set up a little sewing area in many a hotel.  An important thing to pack for that is my Ott sewing light.  You know how bad hotel lighting is.

You may remember that, in 2018, I went a little crazy cutting up my batiks into 2.5" strips.   

Now, that box looks like this .....

Hooray!

Now all the nieces and nephews have new quilts.  (Another Hooray!)  Should I start on the great-nieces and nephews?  Well, I do have all those scrappy squares I cut up a few years ago.....

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Quilter, and Super Scrappy.

Rennes' Quilt

Rennes is the most recent great-nephew to get a quilt from Aunt Sandy.  (These little ones just keep coming!)   

I bought a few blues and grays when I was in Shipshewana this past summer so I would have enough to make a scrappy version of "Child's Play", a free download from sewcanshe.com.  

More HSTs, but I'm getting used to them, so I've stopped complaining!  

Auditioning fabrics for the binding was hard.  I though they all looked good.

  

Family baby quilts always get hand quilted.

I'll probably use this pattern again.  I really love it.

So does Rennes!

Linking up with So Scrappy and Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

An Early Finish - Safari Babies

I may have planned too easy a goal for November.  The Safari Babies quilt is already done!  I quilted it with a simple meander on my domestic machine and put on a bright binding for a fun finish.

 

Such cute safari babies!

I've already found some line drawings for another quilt like this one.  This time - underwater babies!

Linking up with So Scrappy, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and One Monthly Goal

October One Monthly Goal Met and a Stash Report

My October One Monthly Goal was to finish and gift the I Spy quilt for Baby Vivi, and I did it.  It was finished and gift wrapped for several days, but I didn't get by there to drop it off until the afternoon of the 31st.  Phew!  That was close.

I guess I was really focused on finishing, because I didn't take any "in process" photos.  How about some slightly fuzzy close-ups instead?

Cute prints, and bright colors, and Tom & Jerry, and cupcakes .....  

..... and a sweet custom label made by my friend Denise, aka Vivi's gramma.

My stash report is a little sparse this month, but I'm getting there.

OCTOBER

Fabric Added in October -  5.5 yards

Fabric Used in October -  10.4 yards

Fabric Added Year to Date - 77.7 yards

Fabric Used Year to Date - 195.6 yards

Net Used in 2022 - 117.9 yards

Days I sewed in October - 30/31

Days I sewed this year - 294/304

Percentage - 97%

linking up with So Scrappy

A New Old Project

When I was working on Kacie's quilt in 2021 (you can read about it here) I pieced a backing for it using leftover fabrics from the front along with a few pieces from my stash.  I liked it so much when it was finished that I decided to turn it into a quilt top at a future date instead of using it as a back.

I added an orange strip .....

 

..... and knew it needed more, so I set it aside.  A few weeks ago I was in the mood to get something off my UFO list, so I pulled it out and put it up on the design wall and waited for inspiration to strike.

I found these squares I had appliqued in January of 2020 when I started my temperature quilt.  That plan was a bust.  I didn't even make it through the first month!  Hmmm, could I work some of these into my design?

Yes.  I could.

Some of of them I added by ripping out sections and inserting in a new strip -

Some of them I added using raw edge applique -

Wow!  The color in this photo is really bad.  You can see in the photos up there ^ that it's two really cool shades of green.  Of course every shade of green is really cool, but let's move on.

Next, I auditioned some strips of orange and grey in the lower half .....

I said that once those strips were sewn in I was going to call it "done" no matter what.  Well, you know how that goes.   I made a few more changes in the top half, and now it really is done!

My LQS came through when I set out to find a backing fabric with grey and teal and orange in it.  Isn't this fabric the best?  It's from the Love Always AM collection by Anna Maria for Free Spirit Fabrics.   You should see this in the other color ways.  You really should.  So fun.

And speaking of fun..... The person I'm going to gift it to is going to absolutely LOVE this quilt.  Seeing that is one of my favorite kinds of fun.

Linking up with Scrap Happy Saturday

September Goals

My grandson needs a new quilt.   It seems he has outgrown all the quilts I've made for him.  It's no wonder.

 

 

Look at this child!  I think he gets taller every day!

He wouldn't give me any ideas about the style or colors I should use.  He wants to be surprised.  I bet that would be risky with a lot of 16-year-olds, but I'm pretty sure he'll like whatever I do.  I've decided to use the "Cartwheel" pattern by Stephanie Sheridan.  It was featured in the Aug/Sept 2016 issue of McCall's Quick Quilts magazine.  This is what I have done so far .....

..... 60 string blacks partially made, and a huge mess in my sewing room!

The plan is to turn the string blocks into HSTs with a navy or dark blue monochromatic print.  My September goal is to have the top finished and ready for quilting.  

I'm all set up and ready to get back to work!

Linking up with One Monthly Goal and So Scrappy

RSC-Purple Goal and OMG Goal Met

I was so busy sewing in July that I forgot to blog!  I set my goals for the month and posted them on the 5th, forgot all about blogging, and got to work.  I managed to dig up a few more purples for RSC2022 by looking through my Asian prints.  There weren't many there either, but my Sawtooth Star and Windmill blocks are done as are the 60 brick blocks.

My One Monthly Goal for July was to finish the One Block Wonder that has been on my UFO list for a while.  And I did it!  I had already quilted the center.

The hexies I'd started quilting in the borders looked better as tumbling blocks, so that happened.

It's quilted, bound, and washed.

The main thing I learned from this project is that even though I like the look of big-stitch quilting, I hate doing it.  I'm really over it.  

I do love this finish.  I'm not sure where it will end up, though.  It's a little small for a snuggle quilt unless I can find someone pretty short to give it to.  Hmmm, now that I think about it, I just might have someone in mind.

Linking up with So Scrappy

July Goals

Since I accomplished my June goals, after failing to do much at all in April and May, I think I might have enough mojo now to set my goals for July.   

I started on a One Block Wonder in September of 2019.  Yikes!  That's embarrassing.   Okay, it needs to come off the UFO list soon for sure!   I started quilting it around then, but got discouraged shortly after that (with Covid and life, not just with quilting) and set it aside.  I had quilted all the blocks in the center of the quilt but not the borders.

It is definitely time to finish it.  Hubby made a template for me to match the shape of the six inch hexagons.  (I tried, but mine was wonky!)  So far, I've stitched a few hexagons in the border, but it's going to need something else.  

I'm kind of figuring it out as I go.  I need to figure fast, though, because finishing this quilt is my July One Monthly Goal.  

Another goal for this month is to get my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks made using this month's color - purple.  This is definitely going to be fun since THIS is my purple stash .....

.....  all of it!

And this is everything from my juvenile/novelty prints that has any purple at all in it.

So.  Let the challenge begin!

Linking up with One Monthly Goal and So Scrappy

Mar/Apr Goals Finally Met!

I am happy to announce (happier than you know!) that my March goal (which became my April goal) is finally done!  I knew I was right to not give up on it.  I put the binding and label on Natalie's quilt this week and it's ready to gift.

I was finally able to get some photos that show the true colors.  It's amazing what a little natural light will do.

I'm excited to be able to gift this one in person next weekend.  I've had to mail an awful lot of niece and nephew quilts the last few years, and that's not as much fun.  Isn't that a pretty quilting job by my friend, Shirley Jackson?

It's almost time for May reports, but I haven't done the April reports yet.  So, here they are -

APRIL

Fabric Added in April - 5 yards

Fabric Used in April - 8.9 yards

Fabric Added Year to Date - 26.3

Fabric Used Year to Date - 69.2 yards

Net used in 2022 - 42.9 yards

Days I sewed in April - 25/30

Days I sewed this year - 114/120

Percentage - 95%

Linking up with So Scrappy!

RSC-Pink Goals Met!

It's almost the end of another month and time to report on April's RSC2022 progress.  The color for April is pink, and even though pink is not very high on my favorite colors list, I've managed to find enough pink scraps to get my blocks made.  Here are my Windmill and Sawtooth Star blocks.  

I added a third monthly RSC project which I haven't mentioned before now.  I want to use up as many scraps as I can in this challenge, so in January I found a stack of sixty red 2.5" by 4.5" bricks and decided to turn them into a third project.  I added the aquas/teals in February,  golds/yellows in March, and of course pinks in April. I have no idea where I'm going with this idea, but I'll come up with something!

And speaking of pink!  I was attracted to these Kaffe Fassett "Agate" fat quarters when I was "supporting my local quilt shop" the other day, and they ended up coming home with me.  I wasn't sure which one I liked better.

Much to my surprise when I unfolded them later I found out they're both from the same print.  How fun is that!  

So that's my "April Pinks" story.  Onward to May and whatever color that brings!

Linking up with So Scrappy!