Frog Block Quilt Top

 

I finished this quilt top yesterday.  The frog block in the center is an orphan block that I've had up on a design board for literally years.  I had originally planned to make 4 of the frog blocks for a baby quilt, but I decided against that idea.  I've been planning this quilt for a while now, but I've just finally gotten around to it.  The frog block is 15 inches, and I added a 1-1/2 inch border around it to make an 18 inch square for the center.  The surrounding fabrics are mostly blues and greens with both frog and bug fabrics, too.  Those are 6 inch squares.  The inner border is 1-1/2 inches and the outer border is 6 inches.  The quilt will finish at 45 inches by 57 inches.

This month I started back going to quilt guild and found out that my guild now supports Quilts Beyond Borders, a charity providing quilts to children in under-served areas of the world.  I had always planned to give this quilt to charity in some fashion, so now I have a good outlet for that.

Swan Kitchen Towels

 

 

I'm a little ahead of the game on these.  They are kitchen towels that I plan to give to my mother for Mother's Day.  I noticed that my mother has started collecting swan-themed items, so I decided to make her some swan themed kitchen towels.  The quilted part that wraps around the oven door handle is made with swan fabric.

The quilted part was done using my long-arm quilter in a swirl pattern.  I quilted a piece of fabric that was about 7 inches by the width of the fabric then cut it down into 6-1/2 inch squares.  I rounded off the corners of the squares and then attached bias binding to make the equivalent of a potholder.  I then sewed the "potholder"  to the center of the kitchen towel, gathering in the towel to make it match the width of the potholder.  I then attached a button to the side opposite the loop and use the loop as a button hole.

The bias binding was cut at 1-1/4 inches wide, but I think I will try 1-1/2 inches next time.  I think that would be a little easier to work with.

2025 Recap

At the beginning of the year last year I set out some goals for myself.  I reached most, but not all, of them. Here is the end of the year summary:

1. Finish UFOs = 4 of 4 (completed)
2. Use pre-cuts = 3 of 3 (completed)
3. Do window paintings = 2 of 2 (completed)
4. Do non-window painting = 1 of 1 (completed)
5. Sew sets of coasters = 5 of 5 (completed)
6. Sew small bags = 0 of 2
7. Sew tote bags= 1 of 2 

I couldn't decide if making the small bags was a good idea or not.  I think they are cute, but I'm not sure about the overall appeal or functionality.  I'm especially concerned about the closure.  Is a small Velcro closure enough?  Should they zip?  Have pockets?  I don't know.  I asked my 8 year old granddaughter what she liked best, and she said bigger with pockets.  I plan to take that under advisement.

The other tote bag, I just never got around to it. Somehow time just got away from me once we got back from visiting family in Washington last summer.  As you can see, there are no posts from July, August, or September.  We were gone during the month of July, but after we got back home I just couldn't back into the creative mindset.

And I thought I should note that I actually did a lot more than just one painting on paper.  I did several zen tangles, 5 mini-watercolors, and some full page watercolors. 

In total, I finished 8 quilts, 2 bags (one was for me so I didn't count it in my goals list), and 5 coaster sets.  I didn't create any new quilt tops without finishing them, so no new UFOs.  Not a bad year. 

Ride the Train

 

Gus's quilt is finished and ready to give.  Even though it was technically finished after Christmas, that didn't really matter, because we weren't going to see them until after Christmas (Dec. 29), so all is well.

I quilted this one in an all over meander pattern using white cotton thread from Hobby Lobby.  It's not my favorite thread, but it's what I had.  I feel like it doesn't unwind as smoothly as the polyester thread, so the stitches come out a little less even. 

The binding was attached to the front and turned to the back, then machine stitched down using a small zigzag stitch in matching red thread.

Disclaimer:  This post is being backdated to the date I finished the quilt.  I was having computer issues and didn't get things posted in a reasonable time frame, but I wanted the quilt to show up in the right time frame when I look back at the year.

All Aboard quilt

 

This is a twin sized quilt for my oldest grandson, Gus.  He's about to graduate from his toddler bed to a twin bed.  He LOVES trains, so his mama asked that I make him a train quilt for his new bed.  It will also be the biggest part of his Christmas present this year.

The quilt top is made from the All Aboard pattern by It's Sew Emma, but it doesn't use the featured fabric.  I assume that's not available anymore anyway.  The quilt top measures 71.5" x 91.5".

Disclaimer:  This post is being backdated to the date I finished the quilt top.  I was having computer issues and didn't get things posted in a reasonable time frame, but I wanted the quilt to show up in the right time frame when I look back at the year.

Fillers, Feathers, and Flowers

 

 

I made this quilt top so that I could do some practice machine quilting.  I divided the quilt into rows of 2 strips and rows of three strips for the quilting designs.  The rows of two are quilted with filler designs and the rows of three are all feathers.  Jellyroll strips work well for practicing.  They give a defined area to quilt in that goes all the way across the quilt.  It was all quilted in Lt. Turquoise (#32975) Glide thread.  I plan to use this quilt as an everyday quilt on my loveseat.

Disclaimer:  This post is being backdated to the date I finished the quilt.  I was having computer issues and didn't get things posted in a reasonable time frame, but I wanted the quilt to show up in the right time frame when I look back at the year.

Full Moon with Bats Door Art

 

I had an idea for more Halloween themed door art, so I decided to paint on my front door, like I did last Christmas.  I like for the painting on the front door to be larger, simpler, and easier to see from the street than what I paint on the side door.  I thought that bats in front of a full moon would be pretty visible and recognizable from a distance.  It also sorta resembles a evil smiley face. 

I used string and a dry erase marker to draw the large circle.  I used white ceiling paint to fill the circle.  Then I used a pale yellow wall paint for the moon color.  I drew bats on card stock, and then cut them out.  I traced around them with pencil and then filled in the outline with black acrylic paint.

I think it turned out okay, and it fulfills my last non-sewing goal for this year!

Running total of goals accomplished:

    Finish UFOs = 4 of 4 (completed)
    Use pre-cuts = 3 of 3 (completed)
    Do window paintings = 2 of 2 (completed)
    Do non-window painting = 1 of 1 (completed)
    Sew sets of coasters = 5 of 5 (completed)
    Sew small bags = 0 of 2
    Sew tote bags= 1 of 2