QOV and Quilts of Compassion

Here are some tops I recently made. 

 These three tops went to Quilts of Compassion in Toledo, OH. Janice came to Nashville and these went home with her. The above top didn't turn out like I expected. A friend gave me a picture and I just didn't calculate the measurements correctly. It is the perfect size if the dark strip goes left to right.

I put the kits together for the vet quilters to piece. The strips for the center of the stars were made by the group. One of the ladies then added the star points and sashing to make the completed top. It was quilted by a friend who recently bought a long arm. Also can't forget about  Barbara who comes to our sew days and just likes to iron!! I am grateful for everyone's help.

We are hoping to have 25 quilts to give out this year on Veterans Day to the Vietnam Vets.

Where has the time gone?

We had 8 Vet quilts that weren't given out last year and that means we don't have to make as many this year!

This is the first Vet quilt made this year. Our monthly Vet quilt sew days start up again in May. 

 These quilts are all waiting to be finished, some need bindings and some need to be quilted. They are all going to RMH.

 I have been meeting with friends on Wednesday mornings and we are all making a Lori Holt quilt. I've changed up some of my blocks as some are 6 inch and some 12 inch. I only have a few more to make. The log cabin type blocks on the right are my border blocks.

I am making progress on my hexie flower quilt, only 13 more rows to go (there are 14 and 15 in each row)! The trees I started a few years back and I am planning to make 12 of them in a 4x3 setting to hang above our bed.

I needed a new cover for my ironing board, love the bright happy colors.

I have spent Thursdays since February giving beginning quilting classes to the ladies who work on the Vet quilts. The classes didn't go the way I planned but went okay, they weren't able to grasp everything I tried to teach them. Some did better than others and others quit along the way. I think for the most part we are going to stick to string quilts...I am just not cut out to be a quilt teacher.

Alycia's QOV Mystery - Clue #3

Clue #3 is complete. Still pretty simple just as Alycia promised.

Though I do have to admit I have not had much practice using the Easy Angle ruler and that has been a bit of a challenge. Can't complain as I haven't lost any of the inside points as yet.

On to Clue #4. Linking up with Alycia's blog....

January 2016 End of Month Report

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

A BRAND NEW JANOME TREADLE SEWING MACHINE!

Apparently they have been around for many years. No, I haven't bought one, yet. I do have a old treadle machine. I thought this one was just neat. It has good reviews on amazon. I first saw this at a quilt store about 90 minutes from me and they wanted almost $600 for it. Online you can get one for $290.

For the first finish in 2016 I used the scraps from the backing of this quilt.  I cut as many squares as I could then went looking for a pattern to make this a extra large lap quilt. Finished size is about 72x84.

The teal and the reddish orange match the snowmen's hats and scarfs almost perfectly.

I love making quilts for Seth. He is 24 and has Autism. His favorite color is red, same as mine. Every time I send him a new quilt his mom tries to buy it from him. She even offered him a new video game he wanted and he said no! Gotta love a guy who loves your quilts so much. He is 6'2", so it had to be extra big for him to be able to wrap up in while he is on the couch.

Next is a quilt for Ronald McDonald's House. 

The big blocks are 15 inches. Here is the fabric I used for the big blocks...so life like. The pattern is the "Big E-Z". And E-Z it is!

And zebra print for the backing...

I needed a baby quilt in a hurry and made these two in about three hours each.

This one has the sweetest butterflies.

Close up of the fabric used - more butterflies

Here is a QOV-

 I was given some QOV type fat quarters. I cut them into charms and made this quilt.I chose to just sew blocks together and if two of the same fabric were next to each other it was okay. I wanted it to be totally scrappy. Karen is the one who showed me a picture of this quilt.


So far so good!

Linking to JudyL  and Michelle's baby quilts - A Quilter Reader's Garden

 
Fabric usage  2016 ~

fabric in YTD ~ 

fabric out YTD ~ 38.77

used YTD ~ 38.77

Quilts Finished ~ 5 ~ each quilt will only be counted in one category

QOV ~ 1

RMH ~ 1

UFO ~ 

New ~ 3

The Last QOV of the Year - #6

This will be my last Quilt of Valor this year.

Forgot to take a picture of the presentation case before delivering the quilts.

A new quilting friend wanted to take a quilting class. She asked me to go with her. I told her to find a class she wanted to take and I would go with her. She is a new quilter and has never taken a class. She chose a "Square in a Square" class. It is a different way to make sq in a sq, flying geese, dove in the window, etc, blocks, using a speciality ruler.

I still have two more borders to put on it. It will be about 26 inches square.

Here are some the the steps using the ruler. I used white as the centers of my blocks and they don't show up very good on the white paper.

You start with a center square and add strips on all sides.

 You then trim, using the ruler to create this block - the square in a square - this is the basic unit that all the other blocks are made from

 by cutting the blocks you can create flying geese or 1/2 square triangles

 Cutting in a different direction you create the dove in the window block - I do really like the border it  makes

I didn't buy the ruler or any of the books. I have bought speciality rulers in the past and used them once, sometimes never - wasn't sure about this one because...

#1 - I felt there was a lot of waste - I know I will never use all the fabric I have and I shouldn't be concerned about a little waste. I could be wrong about this percentage but I think I heard the teacher say there was about 1/3 waste, seems like a lot to me.  

#2 - The other thing was that after you trim the blocks they are on the bias, I haven't had a lot of experience working with bias blocks. Guess I should have used starch on them. The center of the small wall hanging I made was a bit wavy. 

The main thing was I got to spend time with a new quilting friend, learn a new technique and was able to drop off my QsOV. 

All the new beautiful fabrics and patterns were so tempting but I didn't purchase any.

Linking up with JudyL's Stash Report

Fabric usage  2015 ~

fabric in YTD ~ 19.66

fabric out YTD ~ 176.02

used YTD ~ 156.36

Quilts Finished ~ 16 ~ each quilt will only be counted in one category

QOV ~ 6

RMH ~ 8

UFO ~ 1

New ~ 1

Quilt of Valor #5

I used the Fat Quarter Shop's free pattern "Welded" for this QOV.
You can get the pattern here.....

The directions were perfect and  the top was quickly completed.

The pillow case was made and donated by my friend, Karen. She blogs at K's Quilting Korner.

Now that I am no longer taking care of my mother, have joined a quilt guild and have made new friends since our move, I find I don't have as much quilting time as I did before! Having quilt/sew dates, visiting new quilt shops in our area (not much fabric has been coming home with me), and it seems as though there is/was a quilt show to go to every weekend in September and October, is keeping me busy. Having a great time. I feel so very blessed.

Bought 6 yards of this fabric at the Huntsville quilt show - only $3 a yard and I couldn't pass it up. Bought all they had as it will be perfect background fabric for RMH quilts.

Visit the stash report at Patchworktimes

Fabric usage  2015 ~

fabric in ~ 6

fabric out ~ 10.5

used YTD ~ 146.18

Quilts Finished ~ 15 ~ each quilt will only be counted in one category

QOV ~ 5

RMH ~ 8

UFO ~ 1

New ~ 1

QOV #4 ~ RMH #8

I doubt I am going to reach my goal of 12 Quilts of Valor and 12 quilts for Ronald McDonald's house this year. I will be thrilled if I am able to finish 5 QOVs.

I very seldom buy quilt magazines as I already have so many patterns I will never have the time to make. The cover quilt just caught my eye and I had to buy it.

I really, really like the cover quilt! I am not sure what color I will make the star points, maybe blue or green.....I already have about 5 quilts that have red star points.
 There are at least 4 quilts in this magazine I like. I used this pattern to make a QOV.

Here is my version of the quilt.

I used a bunch of blue on white/beige fabrics for the background and a solid red for the pinwheels and border. I made a pink and black version a few years ago - you can see it here.

The pillow case was made and donated by Karen.

She used such cute fabric to make it. Love the hearts...

Kat over at Kat and cat quilts is asking for 10.5 inch string blocks. I was able to make 24 this weekend will try to make some more in the next couple of weeks. I was touched when I read about her quilt ministry - though not sure she calls it a ministry. Go here to read her story.

Here are 12 of the blocks - I used muslin for the foundations.

I certainly have enough strings to make hundreds of blocks...Gotta love mindless piecing.

I was, once again, inspired by a quilt Karen made - 

Just when I think I am out of I Spy fabrics I keep finding more! I used 5 inch squares. This quilt will be going to RMH.

Linking up with -
Patchworktimes
Quilting is more fun than Housework
Michelle's "Let's Make Baby Quilts

Fabric usage  2015 ~

fabric in ~ 0

fabric out ~ 18.89

used YTD ~ 141.68

Quilts Finished ~ 14 ~ each quilt will only be counted in one category

QOV ~ 4

RMH ~ 8

UFO ~ 1

New ~ 1

Christmas Tulips / QOV #3

After seeing Thelma's beautiful quilt I just knew I had to make one. I even copied the same color scheme she used. 

You can find the pattern here... it is called Vintage Tulips. I had seen the pattern before but the quilt on the pattern cover just didn't appeal to me.

This quilt is a Christmas gift for a friend who is a florist. The quilt is 100 inches square. I love the colors, very springish. I used a different green for each of the stems/leaves. Love the scrappiness of it all.

For my QOV #3 I used Mollie's instructions for a Carpenter's Star.  My blocks are 8.5 inches unfinished and I made a simpler border. 

And the presentation case...

One of the reasons I joined two quilt guilds was to, hopefully, once again find my love of quilting. It was lost for about 7 months. I literally had to force myself to sew/quilt a little here and there. So glad it isn't lost any more! 

Another reason to join the guilds was to meet quilters in our new area. That part is proving to be more difficult for me. I am hoping in time that a few of us will click and new friendships will blossom.

Fabric usage  2015 ~

fabric in ~ 0

fabric out ~ 32.22

used YTD ~ 108.80

Quilts Finished ~ 8 ~ each quilt will only be counted in one category

QOV ~ 3

RMH ~ 4

UFO ~

New ~ 1

Quilt of Valor #2

I used the "Sparkle" pattern from Piece N Quilt to make my 2nd QOV for the year. Natalia's pattern is super easy and makes a great quilt. The pattern was designed for a Christmas quilt. I traded the green for a blue and used a fun patriotic fabric for the background.
The blocks are almost 25 inches square. The quilt goes together pretty quickly.

Ruby is now 1 year old and very obedient. She loves her big red dog. She has never torn the stuffing out of any of her babies.

Here is the presentation case... it is folded in  quarters.....

 I am 6 quilts behind for my goal of QOVs. Not sure I will be able to catch up. 5 of us in my not-so-fun quilt guild are going to begin meeting once a month for a sew day. This month we are going to make a large Carpenter Star quilt.  I will be making my in blues and reds for another QOV. 

The next set of blocks to leave are these 55 flower blocks...

I think they look odd without stems. These have also been sitting around for too many years to count. These will be donated to the not-so-fun guild. There is a member who takes old blocks and makes donation quilts.  One less bin in my cupboard!  I think I have 6 empty bins so far, feels good to have the extra empty space. 

I am counting the blocks I am giving away as fabric out. It feels really good to see my "fabric out" numbers growing

Fabric usage  2015 ~

fabric in ~ 0

fabric out ~ 15.90

used YTD ~ 76.58

Quilts Finished ~ 6 ~ each quilt will only be counted in one category

QOV ~ 2

RMH ~ 4

UFO ~

New ~

QOV #1 ~ Project Sheets ~ Baby Quilt ~ Couch

Taryn over at "From Pixels to Patchwork" created some project sheets to help keep track of where you are on a certain quilt.

You can find the free downloads here - 
http://www.pixelstopatchwork.com/2013/01/quilt-project-sheets.html 


Going through my UFOs I found a Hunter's Star quilt that I know I started way back in 1994-95 when we lived in California. When I got it out I thought I would continue to make more blocks so it would fit our bed. After looking at it for awhile and reading my notes, amazed that the notes were still there, I realized there wasn't enough fabric to make 52 more blocks. 

I decided to finish it using the blocks I already had made and use it as a QOV. 

And the presentation case...

I also made a cute baby quilt out of blue and yellow flannel pre cut charms...

And the back, which is just too cute...

Bill decided that he might want a boat to use on our small lake (large pond). He went looking and came home with this couch - 

It has four recliners and 4 cup holders. It certainly isn't something I would buy. The price was really good ($450) and it was brand new. Never dreamed I would have a couch with cup holders!!!!!!! Though it does come in handy to hold my seam ripper! Bill loves it.

Going through more bins I came across a quilt started back in 2008. 

The top is half finished and a few of the remaining segments are complete. I have no desire to finish this one. This is a Bonnie Hunter pattern and I just happened to know of a Bonnie Hunter fan and this is on it's way to her! 

Really feels good to find new homes for some of the older quilts I no longer want to finish.

At the library this morning there are 9 patrons. All 9 of us are either using our own computers or the library computers. Guess I am not the only one who doesn't have the internet at their home in our county.

Fabric usage ~

fabric in ~ 0

fabric out ~ 16.62

used YTD ~ 60.68

Quilts Finished ~ 5 ~ each quilt will only be counted in one category

QOV ~ 1

RMH ~ 4

UFO ~

New ~

Stash Report ~ November 2, 2014

Since last report ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Fabric In - ZERO
Fabric Out - 5.23

Made a QOV Presentation Case

 I also managed to make 46 blocks for Alycia. She is a having a QOV Block Drive. Simple block and goes together quickly.

Pictures of the new house can be seen here -
I have heard that the solar panels are up!

Here are a few more hexie flowers

I am thinking of putting them on this black dot fabric, I keep changing my mind. I have 34 made and only 191 to go. I am still enjoying making these little flowers.

Maybe I will be able to get in more sewing/quilting time this week.

Linking up with Judy's Stashbuster's Sunday report.