A New Pattern!

The new pattern is out in the wild! I've called it "Gummies".

I've included 5 sizes: Throw, Twin, Full, Queen, and King.

(In reference to my previous post, I researched quilt sizes ad infinitum, and finally chose what would work for the size of blocks and sashing in the pattern.)

You can find the pattern here on Etsy and here on the website. You will save $2 by buying directly from me.

Quilting is in progress on my brand new Bernina Q20. She arrived last Wednesday and I'm in love.

I've been practicing hard and finished the Color Stack quilt. If you'd like to make one, I used this tutorial from Hopeful Homemaker as a starting off point.

Scraps

One of my 2024 goals is to significantly reduce all my scraps. What do you classify as "scraps"?

Over here, anything that is too small to fold and put away is a scrap. I also don't save very small pieces of fabric.  I have friends who will gladly adopt these.

My first step was to take ALL the scraps and cut them into 2.5" wide jelly roll strips. I was AMAZED at how many strips I ended up with! I then sorted them by color because I am not a "just grab one" kind of girl. "Intentional scrappy-ness" is more my kind of thing.

Our guild donates hundreds of quilts to local charities each year.  That, combined with the fact that I'm getting a new quilting machine soon (stay tuned for a post full of excitement) and will need some quilt tops to practice on, kicked me into gear.

The first quilt was one I posted a couple of weeks ago, inspired by one I saw at show-and-tell at a guild meeting. I love it but it took a LONG time to put together.

So, the search began for a simpler pattern or two.  Pinterest is a mecca of jelly roll quilt inspiration.

Up first, the Color Stack quilt from Jennifer at Hopeful Homemaker.

Here's the result:

It took about a day to piece and I kind of love it! Her tutorial is great but, if you don't feel like figuring it out yourself, there is a pattern.

Being someone who does not like repeating things and gets bored really quickly, I am now on the hunt for the next idea.

Stay tuned.

A Finish!

Finishes have been few and far between the last couple of years. In fact, my last list of completed projects was for 2016!

I saw a quilt like this at "show and tell" at my guild and it spoke to me. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out the design, since no one seemed to know which pattern was used.

This is Aila. She joined our family in March 2022.  She's getting a much needed bath today. :)

I partially chose this design because I have a whole tote full of 2.5" strips that need to go. I still have piles left, so another quilt (or two, or three) is in my future.

Perhaps a rail fence quilt? I think that will use more strips.

This is the show and tell quilt. Isn't it amazing? Because mine is meant as a charity quilt and they need throw quilts, not king size quilts, I reduced the size.

A note: If you want a symmetrical quilt, you have to make it square.  I only realized that when I was pretty much done with the top.

The pattern was eventually found. It you want to make the quilt, you can find it here:

Garden Pathways from Quilt Sampler Spring/Summer 2018 magazine (apqshop.com)

I'm using my scraps!

In March, Bonnie Hunter visited our guild. I've admired her use of scraps to make stunning quilts for years and, between my recent scrap organization frenzy, her visit, and an urgent need for a retreat project, I determined it was time to make a scrappy quilt. After much research (thank you Pinterest), I decided on the Garden Party quilt because it uses a variety of scraps and all 1/2" strips, which I have a ton of.

I found the book containing the pattern on amazon.com. The printed version is $19.99 and the Kindle version $9.99 so, for the first time ever, I decided to buy a digital "picture book".

I cut all the background strips (solid scraps, because somehow I don't have light scraps) in advance and, come retreat time, I was ready to get to work.

When I got home, I put all the blocks up on the design wall to gauge my progress. Not bad, but I have to make 100 "flower" blocks, so I have a long way to go.

Back at it this morning.