A FREE quilt? Really?

I am a bit cheap  frugal.  

Example:  When our Bee goes on a shop hop, Suzanne has purchased several laundry baskets and put our names on them so when we buy something we can throw it in our basket and then when we are done no one has to search for their bags.  My basket is always the least filled!

No kidding.  I only buy fabric when I know what I am going to make with it and not much extra either.

Therefore, when I have left over fabrics they are small pieces, none of this 1/2 yard or more stuff for me.

So.......when I can make a 2nd quilt using left over fabric I feel like it is a FREE quilt since I didn't purchase the fabrics just for that particular quilt.

This quilt is from left over fabric from a couple of Twister quilts I made last year.  Therefore....it is free.

 I am always amazed that when I sew I think I am making perfect 1/4 inch seams so all my blocks SHOULD be the same size.  Never are!  The trimmings are slightly different on each block.  Some trims are mere threads and others are close to 1/4 inch!  Can you imagine how far off your quilt would be if you didn't square up those blocks?

 Here are 30 Disappearing 9 Patch blocks all squared up and ready to sew together.

 Don't know why I bother putting them up on the design wall to make sure same fabrics aren't together.
It never seems to work anyway!

 Horizontal rows all sewn together.  I'm sure I'll have them pressed and sewn together later today or tomorrow.  These are big blocks........13 inches square so it is going together quickly.

On another topic:  My friend, Janine, had a birthday yesterday.  I made these small design boards for her.  Aren't they cute?  I love going to Lori Holt's blog, Bee in my Bonnet, and seeing what fun things she has done.  She has a tutorial on making these boards.  They go together quickly with a tiny bit of sewing and a lot of gluing.  Be aware tho.......they are addictive.  I see several more of these in my future.  Can you imagine how nice they will be for keeping blocks together (Like Buggy Barn blocks).  They can even be stacked so your cat can't mess them up.  Perfect size to take to quilt retreats or Bee's to keep projects together too.

Best get dinner in the crockpot so I can head back to my sewing room.

Happy Quilting!                 Lynda

Pinterest Quilts gets too much of my time!

 Since I retired (love that word!) I spend a little too much time on Pinterest looking at quilts.

I found a Disappearing 9 Patch  that I knew was perfect for all my leftover

black, white and red fabrics from a couple of

Twister quilts.

So I sewed together 30 of these large blocks.....

 Cut them, turned a couple sections, and sewed them back together.

 Just playing with a couple of ideas on placement.

 Several weeks ago my friend, Janine, had me take a Swoon quilt class with her.

We made 2 blocks for her quilt but she hasn't finished it yet.

I decided I better make one for myself as a practice block for when she

calls and says she can't remember how to make it.

The class made it seem like a really difficult block but when I tried it myself,

I found that it was quite simple.  

This one will probably turn into a table topper.

I took 3 quilts to the quilter last week and she called today to say 2 of them were done

BUT

I had not made the back of the 3rd one quite big enough.

How does that happen?  I measure, remeasure, cut, sew, measure again......

Happy Quilting!                   Lynda

Why oh why don't I learn from the past and plan ahead!

 Yes, I never seem to learn!  Once again I bought fabric without making sure I had the border fabrics.  By the time I finally was ready to add borders, fabrics were sold out every where I went so I had to use 2 different fabrics for the borders.  Of course, they are from the same line and they do look good together but maybe I should have mitered the corners.  (Again I am second guessing my decisions.  Does anyone else do that?)

 You can see how they look at the corners.  I do love this quilt!  

I am pretty sure the graduating young woman who is receiving this will love it too.

I also finished this great Churn Dash quilt in mostly Lexington by Moda fabrics in that lovely indigo blue color.  I just love this.  I put the blocks up on my design wall, mixed and mixed and placed and replaced but still came up with lots of the same fabrics close to each other. I love this quilt too.  (Does anyone ever NOT LIKE a quilt they make?)  Sometimes I have a hard time giving away a quilt........until I see the joy on someone's face when they get it.

Now to take them to a quilter.

I'm heading out today to use some of the gift certificates I got at retirement for more fabric.  I have a couple more quilts in the planning that I just have to make.  I wonder if I will ever get to the point when I am done planning quilts or making quilts or just going to the fabric store to feel the fabrics?

I sure hope not!

Happy Quilting!                             Lynda