Fresh Off the Frames

This week our quilters will be moving to 'summer hours'😊, cutting back from meeting two mornings a week to just one, just because summer is a busier season and it will give us time in our gardens, for getaways, and slowing down a bit. But that doesn't mean that QFS production is slowing to any great extent. Here's our latest finish.

It's another lap quilt - one that Jan made -  and is very similar to the Cowboy Quilt top that I finished up for Jan in February only this time she didn't piece the squares. I think I prefer it this way - a little easier on the eyes - and the fabrics are very pretty. The narrow border that matches the diamond works really nicely.

I'm a sucker for cross-hatched quilting so this one really speaks to me. 

In looking at those Cathedral Window embellishments it occurred to me that you could get a very similar look by using stitch-and-flip corners as well and not have to worry about the curves, etc.

The bright pink backing and binding is the cherry on top!....M

A Magical Mystery Tour

Well, everything in the Double Wedding Ring box is now pressed and organized, but there were no instructions enclosed so I've spent some time looking at what is already together for assembly hints. Finally I looked online and found this great tutorial.

The end pieces on the ovals are slightly curved compared to the squares used in the tutorial so I've had to figure out how to deal with that, but, by and large, I think I've now got a technique that works.

As I mentioned, the fabrics look like they are from the 80s but there are also a few terrific vintage-y looking pieces like this gem scattered throughout. Not sure if it is or it isn't.

Some of the ovals have very dark fabric combinations so I've been digging through my scrap bin as I go and will incorporate a few lighter bits. It's slowing a slow process down a bit further but I think it will be worth it. I'll have to ensure that they are well incorporated when I lay the rings out with the two columns that are already sewn together so that things are well distributed....M

It's a Quilt-in-a-Box

Jan's generosity to our Holy Trinity quilters continues to shine through. This week I unearthed a box filled with the makings of a very scrappy Double Wedding Ring quilt, basically a quilt-in-a-box (do they even make jack-in-the-boxes anymore?). I ended up bringing it home because no one else was willing to tackle the curved piecing required to get this to the finish line. 

There's been so much work done already to get it to this point that I just didn't want to see it waste away on a shelf someplace for eternity. From the look of the fabrics, I'm thinking that it may have been cut in the 80s. Jan couldn't confirm but she did say that she bought everything as a kit, so it looks like someone else may have cut all of the pieces.

Just about everything that I need to get started appears to be here: several oval sections either completed...

or in progress.

There's also a bag of pieces all bundled and ready to sew.

And I think that all of the oval and ring centres are cut, too, with some to spare.

There are two columns of seven rings already assembled. I'll have to measure but I think I only need to add three more columns to get it to the 48" x 64" needed for Quilts for Survivors. It may be a little long so there's a chance that I'd take two rings off the bottom in order to make the proportions work.

Job one is going to be sorting all of the bits and bobs and then giving everything a good press. Once I know what's what, it will be time to sit down at the machine and figure out just what I've gotten myself into!....M

The 8,000 Orphan Block Challenge

For the fourth year in a row now, the sewing machines of Holy Trinity’s quilters and our friends continue to hum as we sew quilt blocks and tops to send to Quilts for Survivors for residential school survivors. Several of the quilt tops we make are also hand quilted throughout the year and delivered with our fall shipment (last year we shipped 41 quilts and flimsies and 34 16-inch blocks). These quilts are a symbol of support, respect and love for those who have undergone the trauma of attending a residential school.

This year, we’re also joining in on a fun new challenge. Quilts for Survivors are asking for donations of orphan blocks – you know, those projects that somehow never made it to the finish line and are now tucked into bags and boxes around the house. 8,000 in total! They will be transformed into quilts of comfort, healing and love.

Any and all sizes of blocks are welcome as long as they are made of 100% cotton. As usual, we are asked to avoid fabric with religious symbols, school-related imagery, travel motifs or graphic content as they may be triggering or inappropriate for survivors.

The bulk of the blocks will be accepted in June at Quilt Canada in Winnipeg but they have already started accepting them by mail and have received over 2,000 to date, a terrific start! (These little guys are less than 6".)

Our current orphan block count at Holy Trinity is 64 and we would love to see it grow. The blocks you see are a combo of mine and donations from some of the gals at the church. I'm hoping to collect a few additional hidden treasures from my quilting peeps to add to the total so that we can include them in our fall shipment. If you have orphans that you would like to send to a good home, check out this Facebook post.

I keep my orphans in a little basket and have dug most of them out to send, but, of course felt that this might be a chance to make blocks smaller than the 16" size that they usually request. You know, just to get them out of my system. 

I've been wanting to try a spool block for ages, so I gave it a shot and made two. They are 12" and came together quickly. Not sure that I would ever make a spool quilt but it was fun to have a reason to try out the block. I suspect that there will be a few more sample blocks made before our shipment is packed up in the fall 😉....M