Blue/greens Batik HSTS

     Oh boy, is this is an oldie WIP. I pulled it out of the bag to web and remembered that recently I found leftover HSTs from this layout and it wasn't enough to make another decent sized quilt. I dug those out and added them to the webbed, sewn top. I was able to add a top row, two bottom rows and two side columns. This made it a large sized comfort quilt (72" x 84"). I used to make comfort quilts under 70"  long. Yes, it takes less fabric and time, but really, a comfort quilt to really wrap up in, I found needs to be over 72" long. I made the decision to make my comfort quilts a generous size due to the purpose of a comfort quilt.
    I still remember when I was in the hospital for my heart attack having no blankets in winter and someone gave me a comfort quilt just under 60" long. I vowed if I survived, I would make generous sized quilts regardless of backing requirements.
    The HSTs were made sewing a batik to a white on all four edges and cutting diagonally twice. I trimmed every HST using the perfect slotted ruler so only 2 sides had to be trimmed.

Original layout design

The improved size using the whole layer cake of HSTs

Ah, the Flowers

     Even though I have not been posting flower garden photos, I have been greatly enjoying them. We had enough rain this year so things are a bit lusher than last year. The poppies were as usual, big and stunning, although too short lived.

    The siberian irises are always so wonderfully delicate and color saturated.

    And since I have been buying David Austin roses the past 3 years, I have been reaping the wondrous blooms. The colors, shapes and textures from the flowers inspire and inform my brain of the beauty of color and shapes.

    Also, Hot Cocoa was a gift from a friend because I admired it so much.

    The astilbes are always a frothy, feathery wonderful sight.

Horses in the Stable

     No, not horses like Alicia , but fabric horses on a quilt. The Horses Quilt was delivered to its girl Wednesday and her mom reported she was cuddled in it although we have a heat advisory. The quilt was the pattern, Crown and Anchor, by Doug Leko and the fabric line was by Ann Lauer, Horsin' Around. I blogged about the start here. It was not an easy or simple quilt to make. It was fun to quilt. I used Glide thread for the top and Superior Omni for the bobbin. I had major tension issues the last part of the last pass and had to rip it out twice, don't you just love when that happens?
    I took the photos in a shaded part of the yard, and then a sunnier spot as the wind has been an issue for days.

    I was able to use a couple of the horses left from the panels to make a front and back pocket for the quilt bag. I included a horses sticker book, a pocket quilt and handmade card in the pocket.

Upstairs, Downstairs in Pastels

      As part of the Upstairs, Downstairs challenge with A Left Handed Quilter, I continued on making blocks and was able to lay them out on the wall. I clipped them in columns waiting for an opportunity to web them. I waited until all the blocks were sewn (all 8 sets) before I ironed them with my steam Euro Pro. I never use steam until the blocks are sewn so I don't distort the pieces. I followed the directions and laid them out simply and I think it is a pleasant refreshing quilt.

      What I found amusing was when I was working on the blocks at my daughter's in PA, her cat plopped on the process. Later, at home, Mr. Tugger did the same to the blocks. Different states, different cats, same response.

PA cat

NY cat

Top as laid out

HSTs- next for webbing

      When my daugher and her husband spent last week grading AP Chemistry exams, I helped to babysit the 3 yr. old and 6 month old so my daughter could grade online in PA and my son in law grade in Salt Lake City. I took my machine and a couple of projects with me. I was able to web and sew a Scrappy Trips that was a leader ender for too long (photo to come) and trim 168 HSTs made from a layer cake (4 per 10" square) with the Clearly Perfect Slotted Trimmer. And iron them all with Best Press. Not exactly an exciting process.
       After I got home, I arranged them on my design wall (too short) with a design I sketched out from a table runner I saw online. While the colors alone were not exciting to me, when they appeared mixed in a design, I really liked them. After all, they are batiks- never met one I did not like. It is 12 blocks across by 13 down and used every single one of them, wonderful. They are clipped by column and ready to web. I know it is not symmetrical on the top and bottom, but it was either leave out the top row of blocks, or try to make new ones for the bottom to match. I don't have any more of the cream background fabric and I thought it will just be fine as it is.

 

The Blue Star goes home

    Despite all the goings on here, I was able to get the Big Chevron Star to its home. My daughter's roomate from college has a little girl that has big medical issues from birth, especially heart problems. She has been back and forth to Boston, MA from Rochester, NY too many times. She was scheduled to go again, and I thought of her older sister who was going to stay with grandma and grandma again while the little one was in the hospital. I asked her mom what big sister liked and she said anything and the color blue, so I wrestled through the Big Chevron Star which had languished in uncertainty and finished it up.
    Quilting it was fun. I tried to vary the scale of motifs and make them fun in the fabrics. The kit had a wonderful fabric for the binding which I used. I made a big pocket for a bag for the quilt and mailed it to her grandparents' house while her sister was in the hospital. She was greatly surprised. She sent me a cute thank you via her grandparents. So glad I could brighten her day and give her some comfort. Aren't quilts just the best?