Aprons

The Pattern With Button Choices

For my Christmas craft I decided to make a few aprons. I started with a pattern which evolved with each apron. Revisions were made to the length and pocket placement and yoke design.

The first attempt was made exactly like the pattern. Given to Keith for his family.

The second attempt was longer but the pocket is still at the bottom. Given to Keith for his family.

The third attempt was even longer and the pocket was moved up from the bottom. This one was given to my friend Eirin as a Christmas gift for driving me to a holiday party.

The fourth and final (?) attempt was longer and the yoke was redesigned. I may have over shot the length on this one. Given to Keith for his family.

New Pattern, New Look

First attempt. I like the swinginess of this apron. Given to Sally.

I made this one narrower. I think I overshot the pocket size. Gave it to Sonna.

Back to the original one. Modeled by Sally. Made for Gladys.

Another like the third attempt. Animals doing yoga! Given to Ann.

Another using the second swingy pattern. Red and white stripe is the inside. Given to Hannah.

Another like the third attempt. Given to Ann’s sister Kate.

The last 2 for the year. Made for my cousin Kristi and her daughter Tricia. I wanted to use these novelty fabrics for Kristi. I once noticed a Periodic Table on the wall in a photograph of her grandson Cameron. Kristi replied that she didn’t do well in science when she was in school and felt like she missed out. So, she is surrounding Cameron with science related items to inspire him to do well in that subject. I think Kristi is a scientist in her soul, even if she didn’t score well in the classes. These aprons were made the length of the 3rd attempt, but a bit wider for better coverage.

Pastiche (Sampler UFO)

I started these blocks over 2 years ago as part of a Crafty Gemini on-line quilting class. I wanted to hone my piecing skills. Then my right eye went “bad”—torn retina, twice. I tried to pick up the piecing too soon, before my eye was ready. I couldn’t match seams, etc. One block turned out 1/2” too big both directions. I got discouraged and put the project away. I finally decided to finish it, inspired by Cousin Denise finishing her ufo’s. I remade the too big block and sewed the rest of the blocks together with sashing and cornerstones. I added a border and voilà a donation quilt!

• 68” x 82 3/4" single bed size
• Quilted in loose cursive lowercase l’s, some upside down and wavy horizontal lines.  Used white thread “Bright White” Omni brand 100% polyester from Superior Threads for the top thread and off-white thread “Pearl White” Omni brand 100% polyester from Superior Threads for the bobbin thread.  Free form quilting. 6 bobbins. Quilting by Patty.
• Backing: Yellow, green, and cream small floral print from a fabric.com sale.
• Batting: 80% cotton/20% polyester bleached, Comfort Blend by Winline.
• Binding: Light green grunge print from my stash. The green matches the green in the backing and looks good with the aqua grunge border.
• Pattern: A hodgepodge of blocks, hence the name “Pastiche”, from a Crafty Gemini quilting class. I think my quilting skills improved a bit until my right retina tore twice.
• Piecing by Patty
• Pinned into frame November 2, 2021. Quilting on long arm quilter November 5, 2021. (Patty). 
• Binding by Patty. 
• QC by Spencer

Aunt Lucy’s T-Shirt Quilt

Mother QC’ing the Bunny

I had trouble with the longarm after the quilt was mounted but before I started quilting. I futzed around with it all day and finally gave up and called the factory. Dan had me reprogram the machine and in short order it was working fine! Geez! I learned my lesson: call the factory sooner, not later! 

This is a very heavy quilt. Aunt Lucy used heavy-weight stabilizer instead of light- or feather-weight. Therefore, she opted for a thin flannel batting. Even with a light batting the quilt could be used as a weighted therapy blanket. It didn’t have the nice puff of a polyester batting, but it quilted nicely. Aunt Lucy requested that the top be quilted loosely, not closely. 

• 66" x 89" Single bed size
• Quilting: Quilted around the designs in the t-shirts and made wavy lines in the borders. Used light gray 100% polyester thread (Omni from Superior Threads-named "Silver") for the top and dark blue 100% polyester thread (Omni from Superior Threads-named "Navy Blue") for the bobbins. 6 bobbins. Quilting by Patty. 
• Backing: Navy blue cotton printed with bright, different color circles supplied by Aunt Lucy
• Batting: 100% flannel supplied by Aunt Lucy
• Binding: To be done by Aunt Lucy.
• Pattern: Uncle Bruce’s t-shirts arranged artistically
• Piecing by Aunt Lucy
• Pinned into frame October 5, 2021. Quilting on long arm quilter October 11-13, 2021. (Patty). 
• Binding by Aunt Lucy. 
• QC by Mother

Top Before Quilting (Picture from Aunt Lucy)

After Quilting

Burying Thread Ends

Aunt Lucy at the Tucson Quilt Show with her quilt

Dancing Shoos

I made this as a “for fun” project. I saw the picture on the cover of a magazine, realized I had the right fabric in fat quarter assortments, and decided it looked like a fun quilt. I made it slightly bigger than the magazine’s instructions so it would be the suggested size for donation quilts. The guild is currently giving quilts to the homeless shelters and Dixie Fire victims. I hope this one goes to fire victims as it looks cheerful. Turns out that the guild liked the quilt so much, they decided to donate it to Nurses’ Appreciation Day at Mills Peninsula Hospital. I am happy that the quilt was admired and elevated in status, that’s never happened to one of my quilts, ever!

The name of the traditional block is shoo-fly, and the pattern calls the quilt “New Shoos,” so I changed it slightly to “Dancing Shoos.”

• 63 1/2” x 81 1/2" single bed size
• Quilted in parallel, slightly wavy lines at a slight downward angle across width of quilt. Occasionally quilted a slightly wavy line at a slight upward angle that crossed some of the downward lines.  Used bright orange thread “Orange Glow” Omni brand 100% polyester from Superior Threads for the top thread and medium aqua thread “Treasure Isle” Omni brand 100% polyester from Superior Threads for the bobbin thread.  Free form quilting. 8 bobbins. Quilting by Patty.
• Backing: Green and turquoise vine print, wide fabric for quilt backs. Fabric came from a Connecting Threads sale and I have had it in my stash for some time.
• Batting: 80% cotton/20% polyester bleached, Comfort Blend by Winline.
• Binding: Dark turquoise batik print from Connecting Threads, bought as an alternative fabric for Dogs and Sea Otters quilt and not used for that, but looks perfect for the binding of this quilt.
• Pattern: "New Shoos” from Fons and Porter Love of Quilting Mar/Apr 2021. Pattern by Jenny Kae Parks. It’s the Shoo-Fly block made with bold, colorful fabrics and no sashing between the blocks.
• Piecing by Patty
• Pinned into frame September 21, 2021. Quilting on long arm quilter September 21-24, 2021. (Patty). 
• Binding by Patty. 
• QC by Spencer

Picture from the Guild.

Aunt Linda’s Brown Spice Market

Aunt Linda made another quilt like Mother enjoys making. See Aunt Linda’s Mountain Quilt from October 2020 and Mother and Sally’s Quid Pro Quo from March 2020 and the earlier quilts that Mother made. This time Aunt Linda used a brown rather than black accent strip in the blocks, hence “brown” in the quilt’s title.

• 69" x 80" Single bed size
• Quilting: Quilted in slightly wavy, unevenly spaced, mostly parallel but crossed at random points lines. Free form quilting. This is a quilting pattern I recently saw in a magazine and have wanted to try ever since I saw it. The quilting represents scent wafting off the brown spices. That’s my story and I’m sticking too it. Used medium brown 100% polyester thread (Omni from Superior Threads-named "Allspice". Even the name of the thread is appropriate for this quilt.) 7 bobbins. Quilting by Patty. 
• Backing: Pieced back from brown and gold fabric with stripes of various prints, very pretty!
• Batting: 80% cotton/20% polyester “Comfort Blend” from Winline
• Binding: To be done by Aunt Linda.
• Pattern: Inspired by “Spice Market" by Vicky Wozniak from a McCall's advertisement.  
• Piecing by Aunt Linda
• Pinned into frame September 14, 2021. Quilting on long arm quilter September 14-16, 2021. (Patty). 
• Binding by Aunt Linda. 
• QC by Sally

Front of quilt

Back of quilt

Aunt Linda’s Block of the Month

Aunt Linda sent 2 tops for me to quilt. This is the first. Aunt Linda made the top, Cousin Tim, driving his new Miata, delivered it, I quilted it on the longarm, and Mother QC’d it. It takes a village to make a quilt!

• 59” x 72" single bed size
• Quilted in a loop-de-loop meander, medium sized loops. Used medium blue thread “Tidal Pool” Omni brand 100% polyester from Superior Threads for the bobbins and off-white thread “Cream” Omni brand 100% polyester for the top. Free form quilting. 7 bobbins. Quilting by Patty.
• Backing: Blue print cotton. Backing supplied by Aunt Linda
• Batting: 80% cotton/20% polyester. Comfort Blend from Winline.
• Binding: To be supplied by Aunt Linda
• Pattern: A block of the month pattern from Aunt Linda’s quilting guild. To me it looks like a flower.
• Piecing by Aunt Linda
• Pinned into frame August 31, 2021. Quilting on longarm quilter September 3, 2021. (Patty). 
• Binding by Aunt Linda. 
• QC by Charlotte—Mother

Aunt Joyce’s Found in a Box

Aunt Joyce found a quilt top in a box she was cleaning out. She thinks Nana made it, but isn’t sure. She wants to give it to a great grandchild expected later this year. Twins actually, but this will be for one of them when they move into a big bed in a few years. That time lag will give her enough time to lose it in another box.

• 65” x 84 1/2" single bed size
• Quilted in a loose stipple, overall meander. Used light blue thread “Blue Ice” Omni brand 100% polyester from Superior Threads. Free form quilting. 8 bobbins. Quilting by Patty.
• Backing: Blue print cotton extra wide backing. Printed with circle figures. Fabric came from fabric.com.
• Batting: 80% cotton/20% polyester. Comfort Blend from Winline.
• Binding: Light blue cotton print.
• Pattern: Scrappy strips on a foundation made from an old sheet. Light blue sashing and light yellow corner stones. Light blue and light yellow borders.
• Piecing by Nana, Aunt Joyce’s mother-in-law Mrs. Howard
• Pinned into frame August 3, 2021. Quilting on long arm quilter August 6, 2021. (Patty). 
• Binding by Patty. 
• QC by Charlotte—Mother