A New Charity Quilt Pattern

New year, new officers and committee chairs for PCQ. The new Community Service Committee co-chairs are planning sew days, and we'll have some patterns available for the quilters if they choose to use one of them. The sew days are open to anyone in the club and they're welcome to work on a pattern of their own if they like, as long as the quilt will be for one of the charities we support. 

This year we will not be making up kits as we have in the past, but we do have a vast stash of fabric. We also have bins of 2-1/2" strips, so patterns using the stash and the strips are encouraged. To that end, one of the co-chairs wants to make Irish Chain quilts in a small size for Hospice. She and I talked about the fabrics we have available, and came up with an idea. Both of us worked on making the sample for our sew day on January18th. 

Irish Chain Variation, 42" square

I've drafted the pattern, but I've since learned that it needs an edit. Eventually the pattern will be added to the Charity Patterns tab above. 

We held the sew day this past Saturday, and we had a good turnout. Several people chose fabrics from our stash and 2-1/2" strips and started working on their own versions. I think they liked having the opportunity to choose their own fabrics.  

Linking up with Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

UFOs and WIPs, Part 2

First of all, an update from Part 1, pattern and teaching samples - 
I talked to the new co-chairs of PCQ's community service committee, and they want me to hold on to the unquilted pattern samples. I haven't had a chance to talk to the veterans' quilts chair yet about Star Spangled Spiral. I will keep the Scrappy Nine Patch Stars pattern sample. So, no reduction in UFOs in that category. 

The second category is unquilted tops. I donated almost all of my unquilted tops in 2020 while downsizing for moving from Missouri to Arizona. One top that I kept is very old; some tops are more recent UFOs, and some are current WIPs. Some are for donation quilts and some are for keeps. 

The oldest UFO is a small tessellated top, made sometime between 2006 and 2010. I have a backing for it. The top is marked for quilting with viney leaves and the stencil is packed with the project. The hold-up is that I didn't have the quilting skills back then to free motion quilt it. Also, the small size, about 46", always seemed like an awkward, not-very-useful size. 

Feathered Star, 40", 2021, made as a test to see if I wanted to make a queen size feathered star quilt for my bed. (The answer was No.) This could be finished as a baby quilt, but I don't need a baby quilt for anyone now and PCQ doesn't currently have a charity that wants baby quilts. 

Top from Cut and Shuffle Block Mamas. The Block Mamas were made in 2014 but the plan for the Kaffe fabric quilt in the book changed so they were not used. Since I have a Cut and Shuffle quilt in these fabrics, these Block Mamas just sat in a box for ten years. Finally last year I came up with a different plan, added the purple polka dot sashing, and pieced this top at retreat. Needs backing.

Kaffe Gradient Top: This project has been on my monthly goals list many times but always gets bumped for higher priority projects or squirrels. What does that say about my dedication to it??? The backing is pieced and I have batting. I want to quilt this on my domestic machine, in the ditch using monofilament thread. The holdup is procrastination over: a) getting it basted, and b) my anxiety about  finishing it with facings, not binding. I have wall space in my sewing room where this could hang when it's finished. 

Edna's Pattern: sample made in early 2024. Needs backing and I couldn't find enough pinks and turquoises of the right shades in my or the club's stash to cobble a backing together. After quilting it will be given to Edna and she can decide what to do with it, probably donate it. 

Lozenges top: Blocks made at retreat last July, finished piecing in October. Backing is pieced. This was going to be next up for quilting, but Kevin's tops came and I made those the higher priority for quilting. Then the club's long arm broke down, and now quilting is on hold. This will be a donation quilt.

Storyboard Stacked Slabs: 58 x 68", pieced in September. I have fabric from the club's stash for the backing but it needs to be pieced. This is intended to be a donation to a local family services agency that occasionally needs quilts for teen boys. 

Cherries Jubilee, 64 x 88" for twin bed, pieced in December 2024. Backing needs to be pieced.

Some of the tops to be quilted are recent WIPs, but getting them quilted may be a while. 

The club's long arm broke down in November. The PCQuilters board and members voted to allocate funds for replacing the motherboard. After the repairs, the machine was briefly available again for about 10 days in December. It's still not working properly, and the members of the club's long arm committee have been working diligently with the Gammill tech. They have determined that the machine is not safe to use. It's 25 years old and although it's an industrial model, it's had hard use, often by inexperienced users. It needs to be replaced. The long arm machine is actually owned by the Pebble Creek HOA, not the quilt club. The club leaders are working with the HOA to see what our next steps are. In the meantime, no long arm quilting is happening.

I guess my unquilted tops will remain unquilted for a while longer....

Linking up with Finished *or Not* Friday at Alycia Quilts. Like the pattern samples last week, these are definitely in the *or Not* category. 

UFOs and WIPs, Part 1: Teaching Samples

One of my end-of-year goals was to assess where I'm at with my UFOs and WIPs, so I spent some time at the end of December looking through my lists, projects, and photos. 

Here's how I define UFOs (UnFinished Objects) and WIPs (Works in Progress); your definitions may vary. 

   - Anything that was started a year or more ago and which has not had work done on it in at least a year is considered a UFO. 

   - Anything started within the last 12 months is a WIP, which I also refer to as a current project. 

   - Anything started earlier than a year ago but which has regularly been worked on during the last 12 months is also a WIP. Progress counts! 

What I found is that most of my UFOs and WIPs fall into three categories: Pattern and teaching samples, tops that need to be quilted, and piecing projects, some of which are kitted up for future retreats. 

So let's look at the teaching samples first. It's easier to store tops than finished quilts, and it helps to see the back to see how seams are pressed, so I have several unquilted tops that are teaching samples or pattern prototypes. I debated whether to include them in this roundup, but technically they are UFOs that will need to be finished someday. 

Scrappy Nine Patch Stars QOV, 60 x 84".  Tutorial available; more info here. This is by far my most requested tutorial. UFO since 2017. 

Star Spangled Spiral QOV remake, 66 x 78". My original Star Spangled Spiral was finished and presented as a QOV. This is an unquilted top intended for teaching and used for a pattern (see Pattern tab above).  UFO since 2019 or 2020. 

The tops shown below are Prototypes for PCQ charity quilt patterns; see the Free Charity Quilt Patterns tab above for more info.

Woven Bricks, 45 x 60", UFO since 2022.  

Scrappy Color Bars, 60 x 80", 2022. 

Spinner, 64 x 80" shown. Other sizes available. 2022

Four Patch Variation, 68 x 92" twin bed size shown. Other sizes available. 2023

Giant Friendship Stars, 72 x 90" Twin bed size shown. Other sizes available. 2023

Stacked Slabs, 60 x 80" shown. Other sizes available. 2023

So that's eight UFOs. I have no immediate plans to finish these. I will talk to PCQ's new Community Service Committee chairs and see if they want the prototype samples to go with the patterns. I'll offer the Star Spangled Spiral top PCQ's Veteran's Quilts committee and see if they want it. They can finish it and present it their next Veterans Day event. I may hold onto the Scrappy Nine Patch Stars top for possible future use.

Link up: Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts. Obviously, these are in the Or Not category! 

Teal Blocks

Since my aqua/turq/teal stash basket is stuffed so full I can hardly shove it into the shelf where it belongs, it's time to sew up some of those fabrics. I decided to make another version of the same design I used for the Black and Tan quilt, but this time I should have an easier time getting the values right. 

I've made at least one test block of each of the nine blocks:

There are a lot of chambray/linen/burlap texture prints here, some Grunge, and also some marbles and batiks. The hues skew either teal blue or teal green, and I definitely want a balanced mix. 

Eight of the blocks are working, but one bugs me. I'm sure you've already seen which one.

The aqua green is too bright and too solid. Most of the other fabrics are tonal prints, so this solid stands out as too flat. It's also too bright. I like the light aqua print in the block and I need that level of value, but I need a different fabric where the solid aqua is. Maybe two fabrics, one for the diamond and another for the rectangles. I've shopped my stash, my friend's stash, and PCQ's stash. I guess I'll have to go buy something. Oh, darn, a trip to the fabric store...

Meanwhile, I'll work on the rest of the blocks occasionally. No deadline, no pressure. This will end up being a donation quilt. 

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

2024 Year in Review

A productive year, including tops and finished quilts:

January

Gary's Patio Quilt

February

Scrappy Celebration with Friends, 

patriotic version, quilted by Linda

March

Cool Batik Scrappy Celebration with friends

top shown, later quilted by Linda

April

Sea Turtles for great-nephew Damien

May

Ruby Jubilee, CSQ 40th anniversary, donated to Operation Shower

June

Stacked Slabs, tropical version, donated via PCQ

July

Woven Bricks, Daisy version, donated via PCQ

August

Kaffe Gradient Flimsy

Referee Stripes flimsy

September

Storyboard Stacked Slabs flimsy

October

Friendship Stars, to be donated

Lozenges flimsy, to be donated

Autumn Scrappy Celebration with friends, quilted by Linda

November

The Black and Tan Quilt

gifted to a friend

Road Trip

December

Cherries Jubilee Top, for donation

I feel good about the quilty accomplishments of 2024, even though I didn't blog as much as in years past. I'm hopeful that 2025 will be more of the same. 

2024 Goals Recap: 

Goals for 2025

 Looking forward to a good year of quilting related activities in 2025!

December Stash Report and Goals Update

December 2024 Stash Report: 

IN this month: 2 yards (2 yards dark blue from 35th Ave.)
OUT this month: 5-1/4 yards (Red and Cream scrappy columns top - estimated 5-1/4 yards.)

IN YTD: 81 yards
OUT YTD: 98-3/8 yards

YTD Net Change: 17-3/8 yards OUT

Each year my goal for my stash is to break even or end the year with less than I brought in, so 2024 was a good year. I never count any fabric I use that comes from PCQ's stash, and I know I used a lot this year, so I sewed up more than 100 yards. 

Goals Update: 

December recap: 

1. Work on the slow scrappy project at social sewing. Yes, progress. Due to scheduled classes and holidays, I only had two social sewing days this month. 

2. Finish the red and cream scrappy top. Done.

3. Plan a turquoise version of the Black and Tan quilt to use up some of my aqua/turquoise/teal stash, and practice getting the value placement right. Progress. At least one of each block type has been made, nine different blocks. Most are working, but I need to find a replacement fabric for one of them. 

4. Layer and baste the Kaffe gradient project. No, not touched.

5. Go through all the UFOs and plan what and how to finish in 2025. Made lists of all UFOs and WIPs. Possible future blog post about this. 

6. Consider the scraps and leftover blocks and block parts from Road Trip and figure out how to make something with them. No, not touched.

7. If the long arm machine gets fixed and I get a time slot, quilt Kevin's tops. Done.

8. Clean up the sewing room; organize the stash, scraps, and UFOs. Done.

January 2025 Goals: 

1. Prep for and teach lessons 1 and 2 of the next color class. 

2. Find fabric for the last block of the teal project; make at least two blocks. 

3. Bind Kevin's quilts.

4. Piece the backing for the red scrappy quilt. Book time on the long arm and prep leaders for basting it for quilting on my domestic machine.

5. If possible, quilt the lozenges quilt on PCQ's long arm; bind it. 

6. Layer and baste the Kaffe gradient project. 

7. Play with a Postage Stamp variation. 

Not much blogging happened this month, and that may be the case going forward. No particular reason, I just haven't been inspired to take process photos, edit them, and write about what I'm working on. The first quarter of 2025 will be busy with color classes so I don't anticipate a lot of sewing and probably not much blogging. 

Cherries Jubilee Flimsy

The red and cream version of my scrap project is now a finished flimsy. I have no idea how many different fabrics are in it. A lot, for sure. The 6" blocks were addictive to make in batches of four. Each little square finished at 1-1/2 inches. Here's an indoor photo on my design wall; I'll get an outdoor photo with better lighting later. 

Two of the cream fabrics have cherries in the print. For that plus the overall red and white color scheme I'm calling this quilt Cherry Jubilee. 

The cream fabrics all came from my stash and the reds are about half from my fabrics and half from PCQ's stash. This will be a donation quilt. This top measures 64" wide by 88" long, so it can work for a twin bed. 

It'll be a while until I can quilt it; the club's long arm has been out of order for over a month already and they've determined it needs a new motherboard. The club voted to authorize the expenditure. Now they're working with Gammill to get the repair scheduled. Then there's a backlog of booked time slots that will have to be rescheduled. 

Link ups: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 12/16,  Oh Scrap! 12/16,   Alycia Quilts 12/20