Marsha and Astrid Complete Their RWB On-point Four-patch Quilts

We have been busy quilting girls!  Astrid and I have completed our red, white, and blue quilts.  They are both the same design.  We each made our four-patch layouts with color differences.  Mine has two whites, and one red, and one blue.  Astrid made her four-patch squares with two blues and two reds.  It makes for totally different color and design-look outcomes.

When I cut the pieces for my quilt, I made the squares a little larger than Astrid did hers.  That has caused my quilt to be a little bigger than hers.  I think they both look awesome.  I particularly like the traditional sorts of fabrics that Astrid used.  Mine are a little brighter for a more contemporary look.  Be sure to try cutting out some squares and sewing them together; it may amaze you!

Hachi Quilting Is a Japanese Form of Design and Creativity

Astrid and I have been reading about Hachi quilts.  We are each making one.  Of course, Astrid has this big collection of Japanese and Korean fabrics.  I shopped in her stash, and I picked out a Japanese fabric with parasols in maroon, green, and gold.  Astrid also contributed my background fabric, which is not a solid, but is white with light green paisley, which acts like a solid in my composition.

I really enjoyed making this quilt.  I quilted it myself, using the stitch-in-the-ditch method.  The book we used for guidance is called East-Meets-West Quilts, by Patricia Belyea.  I have decided my next Jane's January Tutorial is going to be about Hachi quilts.  Of course, you do not have to use Japanese fabrics.  You can use any large print fabric and pair it with a solid.  Our friend, C, has bold garish fabrics that look amazing in Hachi quilts.  I think pairing them up with solids, is what really makes these quilts pop.  

Kirsten and Edna Quilts

Jane here.  My friend, Kirsten, has made another strip quilt.  This one she stitched-in-the -ditch instead of quilt-as-you-go.  She tells me it is for a friend who needs a quilt for her granddaughter.  Well this one is just right.  I took the photo of Kirsten and her quilt.

It has been raining here today, so we stayed in and tidied up, vacuumed, and worked on bindings.  Then we watched Finding Nemo and had popcorn.  We also got an e-mail from Edna, who has been doing some quilting.  She said she wants to join in the Medallion Quilt Challenge of 2021.  How exciting!  I can hardly wait to see what she comes up with. She sent us a photo of her most recent completed quilt.  It is another scrappy dandy.

Edna, also said, she is hoping to come and visit us this Fall and bring her medallion quilt with her.  She wants to show us in-person.  That is definitely something we all look forward to.

Kirsten Finishes a Quilt with Flying Geese

Remember Jane's January Tutorial?  She used up some half-square triangles to make a quilt.  Kirsten used a lot of half-square triangles in this lovely red, white, and black quilt.  The flying geese are made from half-square triangles and of course the columns on both sides of the center are also half-square triangles.  The fabric is some she has had since approximately 2001.

Kirsten quilted it herself using the stitch-in-the-ditch method for the central part.  She quilted the outer areas with straight lines and triangles.  Because she used a pale thread, you cannot see it in the photo.

Red Thread?

Did you see that Kirsten is quilting her quilt with red thread?  It should look very interesting when completed . . .whenever that happens.  She is hand-quilting it. Yikes! 

This is a close-up of Kirsten's hand-stitched red quilting.

 I am using country sort of fabrics in my Civil War Nine Patch; you know, guitars, chickens, bandana fabric.  I thought I had my quilt top finished, then I decided to add some interesting old timey style borders on.  I used dark blue bandana fabrics on the back.  I, too, have decided to quilt mine with red thread, as I and a friend were discussing the matter and she said it was a good idea.  We shall see how the two compare.  I admit, mine may not be as bold as Kirsten's, but that is because I have stitched-in-the-ditch.  I just finished it last night. I used a blanket stitch, that my sewing machine has, to sew down the binding on the front of the quilt.  I love it!

The dark blue paisley binding is sewed down on top with red blanket stitches.

I made the backing a little bigger than the front and pulled the back forward and folded it to make the binding.  I call it a "cheaty binding", but some folks call it something else.

Here is me, holding up my finished Civil War Nine Patch quilt.

 Then, here is some news.  Jane is catching up and is also doing a Civil War Nine Patch quilt.  She won't give us a hint on her theme, though.  Astrid said she has some bright orange fabric, that a friend gave to her.  She serged it, washed it, and got it all pressed, and apparently that is one of the fabrics going into her quilt.  Astrid said it may be from the 1970s!  Well, that will be different.

It seems I am the first to complete my Civil War Nine Patch quilt.

Shoo Fly Fun!

I have been working diligently on my Shoo Fly quilt.  I am just finishing up on the sashing.  I love these colors!  My problem is I have to decide if I will stitch in-the-ditch or do stippling for the actual quilting part.  Maybe I should practice my stippling . . .  You know, I think I may have made a shoo fly quilt before . . . perhaps a hideous pink quilt.  I will have to think about this some more and try a churn dash or something next time.

Just in Time for New Years!

I tried using light colored fabrics with little splashes of color in this 'grow-your-own' quilt.  It was a lot of fun.  I stitched the entire thing in the ditch, which accentuates each strip of fabric I used.  It is a lovely New Year quilt.

Stack N Whack Quilt

A friend of mine showed me how to do the Stack N Whack quilt process.  I picked out some paisley for my quilt last October. It was on Columbus Day.  I started it in November and finally finished it last week.  The way I quilted it was stitch-in-the-ditch.  It took me so long because I have been busy with other things.  I am happy to have it finished. It is awesome!  This is me, Kirsten, and my first Stack N Whack Quilt.

Fabric from Sleepy Hollow Quilt Shop in Marsing, ID,
and from Craft Warehouse in Meridian, ID.