Quarantine Quilt

24 blocks! I had more time to sew!

If this keeps up, this quilt is going to be massive! It's so crazy, but full of so many fabrics.  Things I have had used in other quilts, and fabrics that just needed to be cut up.

I am not sure how big I shall make this quilt.  I might go to 30 blocks.

Quarantine Quilt

15 blocks.  School can be difficult, finding things for my students to do, doing the grading, checking up on students.  

I can imagine how tough things are for them, because they are difficult for me.  

I am glad I have this hobby to help keep me sane.  I just would like to finish other things.  But I need something that doesn't require thinking.  

Quarantine Quilt

These blocks really are coming together so quickly. I am running out of variety of blocks.  For each individual block I am using different fabrics. I am not caring about color, light or dark. 

I have been trying to go through my scraps, using things up or cutting it down.  I want to have things more organized, so it's easier to quilt.

I am up to 12 blocks!

Quarantine Quilt

These blocks are coming along SO fast.  It takes a few seams to put together, but they go together quite quickly.  I already have 6 blocks! I am not sure how many blocks I will make the quilt.

The blocks finish at 12".  So it won't take much to make this a large quilt.  This is definitely helping me through this quarantine time.  I want to sew, but I seem to have lost some mojo, so these are easy to do.

Sewing machine

I have loved using my 99k for the past 10ish years (before that it was a Montgomery Ward from the 80's that was my moms).

While I loved that machine I really wanted something with a little more throat space and backstitch.

So I have been searching for a 201 for a while.  I decided on a 201 because it has a drop in bobbin, more throat space & back stitch.

This is my 1951 Singer 201!

I found one on facebook that was close to me and within my budget (you'd be surprised ate how much some people want to charge for these machines just because they're vintage, not realizing they aren't actually worth that much.)

This one was in fairly good condition.  I did give the cabinet the once over.  And eventually I would like to fix the arm that holds the cabinet open.  But for now it's fine, I have some shelves that fit perfectly under it.  

There is actually more room to the right of the machine.  I am hoping I can train Minnie to sit there.

a new quilt?

I finished 4 quilts, so that means I need to start another one right?!

I don't know where I saw a picture of a quilt like this, probably facebook (there's so many nice quilting groups there!)  But I decided to draw it out to see how each block was put together.

I drew it out in September 2019! So over 6 months ago.  I did the math and could use two sizes of blocks, just dependent on what size strips I wanted to cut up.  2.5" x 4.5" or 2" x 3.5"

The 2.5" x 4.5" are the same size blocks that my rail fence quilt uses! So I already had some started!

These came together SO fast.  For my leader ender I have been using, the mini spools, I ran out of backing fabric (ok I can't find it, I have more, I am just not sure WHERE). So I used this as my leaders and enders.  The blocks came together SO quickly!  I love that there aren't seams to match!

I think I am going to call this Quarantine Quilt, because things being the way they are, it's very mindless sewing.

Tee Shirt Quilt done!

I decided in the long run to add the smaller blocks to the top of the quilt.

I added a 2" sashing because I didn't want the quilt to get TOO large.  I measured each row, and for the most part each of them were close in size! I did end up having to add a little sashing to the top of some of the rows.  Then I added a full row to the top & bottom of the little blocks.

I also added a slightly larger border to the bottom, I figured that if I felt it was too long after quilting I could trim it, same for the side borders.

When I quilted it I actually did it upside down, because the of the back.  (there is a picture further down), but I had one small block left over and I used it in the back, I wanted to make sure the whole thing was on there. (If you don't know, when long arming you need to make sure your backing is a few inches larger in width & length to be able to attach it to the machine.)

Here is the finished quilted quilt!

 

 

And this is the back.  I don't think I have a close up of the fabrics I used, the left & right pieces have donald duck on them.  My FIL loves him.  I had actually bought the fabric for the back a few years ago to make him a quilt.  I think it works well for the back!  You can see the one extra block on the bottom right.  The bottom left is the label I used.  I tried something new.

It's cricut infusible Ink.  I usually have done corner labels and write them with a pen, but after a few washes, it ends up coming off :/ infusible ink will NOT do that!  Next time I will use my heat press to do this, you can see where I kind of moved the transfer sheet with the iron.

 I should have made it a small block on the backside, but I folded over the edges and stitched it right on top.  But like I said it's my first time, gotta start somewhere!

If you are interested in a tee shirt quilt I have more information here

You can connect with me on facebook or send me an email.

Tee Shirt Quilt 3

Here is the next row.  I added slightly wider sashing between the blocks so they they would be approximately the same height as the first two rows.

I got real excited because there were some thinner blocks here, and you could really see them "floating" with the shadow!

And here are all 4 rows done.  

I also had some smaller blocks that I originally was going to intersperse throughout the quilt, but decided it would add too much length.

So then I had thought about adding them as a row by themselves, but then I was afraid it would make them the quilt too wide and not long enough.  I think what I might do is add them to the top or bottom.

Tee Shirt Quilt 2

Since my blocks weren't all the same size it took some work to add them to each other.  I started with the row that I thought would have the largest blocks and be the longest. 

I made the blocks that were the smallest and added sashing to the sides so that they were all the same width.  Then I added a small sashing 1.5" to each block.

Then I did the same thing to the next longest block, changing the size of the sashing to try to make sure that it was the same length as the first row, again, having the design wall was SO helpful.