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  • Neutral Quilt Blocks, Pattern & Fabric for Adoption Quilt

    One of my dearest friends adopted in 2018 and I was able to throw her shower. I LOVE showers and I was so happy I got to do this one. Because it was an international adoption I went with a globe/map theme, utilizing my local Buy Nothing group to borrow a bunch of them.

    Adoption Buffet Table with Cupcakes, Globes & Flowers

    We had a beautiful group of women and I wanted to do something extra special for our activity. I love the idea of guests books but think they are not always the best for long term… how often do you get them out and look at them? Instead I decided on a guest quilt!

    Women Gathering to Assemble Adoption Quilt in Backyard

    I used these fabric markers (I asked and mama said they have held up fantastic over the last seven years). Everyone could pick a neutral material I had pre-cut and then a few strings to go with.

    Adoption Quilt Patchwork: Handwritten "Love You" Fabric Squares

    It was so amazing. I was also sent messages from the little girls foster family and I used a light box to trace those in her native language onto blocks as well. I sat on this partially finished for almost two years but man you should have seen how much I got done in early Covid days. I was a machine, and this quilt was finished and gifted finally then.

    Colorful Handmade Adoption Quilt with Signed Message Squares

    Because this was for one of my very best friends I knew she would never hassle me to finish it but I’m so glad I did. I think the Tiffany pattern works so well for this kind of thing. But if you had guests that could sew full log cabins would be fun too.

    Colorful Handwritten Patchwork Adoption Quilt with Messages

    I quilted this on my Juki in straight lines using a walking foot (I always use a Supreme Slider, extension table, and Machingers when I quilt on my domestic machine.

    Adoption Quilt Block: 'You Are Loved' Floral Embroidery Square

    This was a beautiful day and I’m happy to have helped make a memory of it. I’m even more happy to know and love this family. Have you ever done a quilt for a shower? I’d love to see or hear of more examples.

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  • Handmade Rainbow Half Square Triangle Quilt with Pink Border

    I’m so happy to have this lovely quilt finished (50 x 58). I already blogged about it here so I won’t go into too much detail. I quilted this on my domestic machine (my beloved Juki). It may be one of the last quilts I quilt on that thing – as I’m a month or so away from getting my long arm. I really really can’t wait! To do this simple quilting I used a walking foot, especially because my batting was so puffy.

    IMG

    Here you can see how simple it was. Yes I used some of my deep Denyse Schmidt stash for the back. I am trying hard to use fabric I really love and pass what I don’t on to my guild.

    Handmade quilt with pink leaf print and 'Life in Color' tag

    As always I tucked one of my woven tags into the binding. I ordered 1,200 ten years ago and am still working through them (I used the World Wide Label on Etsy). I know this is probably not the level of label historians would prefer, as it doesn’t give much info, but I do thing it’s better than nothing. It’s not intrusive but hopefully someone would figure out I made it via the internet in the future… time will tell!

    I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with this one. Rarely do the quilts I made have a home in mind when I’m making them. I don’t do well with an assignments (probably why I have already made three quilts since my daughter’s said they each wanted one inspired by this artist). I pieced this quilt about four years ago. I’ve kept up the practice of keeping triangle scraps separate and have two bags ready to go for the next time I want to make one of these, I really do love it. What do you do with your triangle scraps?

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  • I own a bridge now. Well Bj and I half own a bridge since we bought our vacation house on the other side of said bridge with our dear friends. It has proven to be a FANTASTIC quilt picture taking place

    Colorful scrappy log cabin quilt hanging on rustic bridge

    Not gonna lie though I’ve had some close calls with heavier quilts and the water…

    Colorful Handmade Log Cabin Quilt Draped on Rustic Bridge, Salem

    And why is this quilt so heavy? It’s a “quilt as you go” type of quilt. So it has lots of tiny pieces, lots of quilting and lots of batting! I can’t stand to toss scraps of batting so I started making these. I am totally in disbelief that I’ve never blogged about these before since I have made many – and some very large ones at that!

    Handmade Colorful Log Cabin Quilt Blocks Laid Out on White Rag Quilt

    I think showing the back will make it most obvious how this type of quilt is made, in case you’re not familiar with it. For me personally I utilize two sizes of scrap batting squares – ones about 15″ that I trim to 14″ after they are sewn on and a 10ish inch square I trim to 9.5 after sewing. To sew these type of blocks you flip and stitch, it’s very easy and addictive. I simply sew them together, as I would any other block. I do a very heavy steam press and I’ve never found this to be an issue.

    Log cabin quilt blocks pinned on design wall in home studio

    Here you see two quilts in progress – would you believe one is monochromatic and the other is this bright crazy quilt? I find it much, MUCH easier to deal with value by flipping the camera app to mono and snapping a few to see if anything glares out to me as a problem. These bigger blocks have about a 6.5″ square in the middle of either dark/light and then the rest of the block is the contrast. It keeps the blocks interesting. I believe I first read about this in a translated Japanese quilting book, but I can’t seem to find it. Just know this original idea wasn’t mine! To finish this since it’s already quilted you have two choices – either stitch in the ditch to anchor the backing fabric or tie it. I’ve done both.

    Quilting workspace with fabric stacks and sewing machine

    And about that house on the property with the bridge… I love to sew there so much! Often packing up for a few days looks like this as I am always OBSCENELY OPTIMISTIC about how much I will get done.

    Smiling Woman Sewing Colorful Patchwork Quilt at Home in Salem

    (Working on this quilt while watching wildlife and the creek – not too shabby!) This quilt ended up being perfect for a friend’s baby. A thick quilt like this makes an excellent play mat!

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