How our little "Stars" are doing

First of all, welcome to new followers of this blog!  There are so many interesting blogs out there now.  I could spend hours surfing around the net. But back to my sewing. I made some alternate crazy-pieced blocks for this quilt.  I don't use any foundation for my free-pieced crazy squares. I simply keep joining my scraps together until I have a block of big enough size, then I square it up. I do lots of pressing of the seams. A quilt like this could be made using any design you choose for the appliques, and any background(s).  I have found in my stash a nice chunk of green gingham for the border.  I don't see many quilters using gingham these days.  It's very versatile.  And can be used in a variety of different ways.  I'll be stitching on the border next--to be continued...

Star baby quilt--the beginning

Well, I was a bit under the weather for a few days, in more ways than one!  Besides my not feeling well, we went from having comparatively cool type weather all summer to having the hottest day ever recorded.  It was as if all that summer heat that we had avoided decided to hit us in only one day!  Lucky me, I had my AC repaired recently, and it was up and running for that blast of heat.  And people say that we have no weather to speak about in Southern California.

I have begun sewing a baby quilt, which was the next thing on my sewing list.  I turn under the edges of the stars by sewing them to fusible interfacing. Placing right side of  fabric to sticky side of interfacing, I sew all around the edges, then I cut a little hole in the interfacing and turn the star right side out.  Presto, all the edges are turned under.  I then press the stars to the quilt square and machine sew the edges.  I plan to make alternate squares in a free-pieced crazy square.  I have a lot of scraps of kid-type fabric left over from that I Spy quilt that I made. So now is the perfect time to get some of them sewn up.    

It's an Oldie

The nights are getting colder, and I grabbed this quilt out of the closet. I made this quilt in 1996.  The blocks are made totally of scraps.  I got the dark blue used in the blocks at a charity rummage sale.  Someone had donated what are called "cut aways."  Those are scraps of fabrics left over when clothing is sewn commerically.  The assorted white scraps were left over from my sewing.  Many of the centers of the blocks were also left overs from when I was sewing blouses for the summer.  This is a tied quilt, and the backing is pieced from part of a white sheet and some muslin.  I threw the quilt in the dryer and fluffed it a bit.  It is still as cozy as when I sewed it. 

A Challenge is a challenge

I really am grateful to Tonya for the challenge!  http://lazygallibamish2010.blogspot.com/  At first, I thought that I was making the world's most unlovely quilt.  But being as spontaneous as you can grows on you.  And I found great satisfaction when combining the fabrics and colors.  I have added three border strips to the quilt since the last post.  And now I feel that I have finished the top.  There's a bit of a way to go yet, as I decide how to quilt it.  I'm thinking about hand quilting it, except that my arthritis might not like all that stitching.  I may have to tie it.  Because of the unevenness of the top, I think that machine quilting would make big puckers.

Needing advice

Here is my work on the Challenge http://lazygallibamish2010.blogspot.com/so far, and it has been challenging! I already posted a photo of this quilt top. Now I have added borders--so what did I do? I decided to do what Gee's Bend quilting ladies might do, and I added strips of fabric that were left over from making the backs of some previous quilts. I always cut a generous backing, and there is often a strip left over after I trim when adding the bindings. What the photo shows--I spread the quilt top on my bed, so please disregard the yellow edges, that's simply the background quilt. My questions are: Is this enough? What does the quilt need, within the requirements of the challenge?

I Spy Quilt

Here is a photo of the completed I Spy quilt.  I free-motion quilted it.  This time, I tried to make some circles in the quilting, and I like it. I think that it makes a light-hearted touch.  I have to use this method more often, I think.  The difficult thing for me now is mailing this quilt to the library where it is being donated.  But good news, I have a box to pack it in. Now back to the salt mines, as my mother used to say--I want to do some creative sewing on that challenge quilt! 
New Year greetings to all my Jewish friends--may you be Inscribed in the Book of Life for a very good year.

In Memory

Beginning the challenge for http://lazygallibamish2010.blogspot.com/

OK, I started on The Challenge. And the first thing I want to say is that I hope that I haven't offended either the great Amish or great Gee's Bend quilting ladies with my effort! Well, I got out the scissors (according to the rules, no measuring and no rotary blades) and I went to town. The quilt that I used for my basis is a typical Amish Bars pattern, such as in the book "The World of Amish Quilts" by Rachel and Kenneth Pellman. And the second thing I have to tell you is remember that perfect 1/4 inch seam that you pride yourself on--"fegget about it!" I mostly tried for about 1/2 inch. And the third thing is it ain't done yet--I have to add the borders. As far as the ironing is concerned, what you see is what you get--and it ain't pretty! That quilt fabric stands out like a sail in a breeze. Don't know how I'll ever quilt this thing--maybe I'll tie it? I'm glad that I bought some of that orange color fabric a few weeks ago, I must have known in my heart that I needed it. And I need to make a note to myself to buy more grey. I bought that a couple of years ago, and it's nearly used up now.