Small Things

Monday was Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, an annual day of community service and giving back.  Because I'm a full-time babysitter for the sweetest toddler in the world, I couldn't really do justice to the day on Monday, so I dedicated the whole week to donation quilts.  I finished this one above, a flannel tumbler baby quilt, shown on my grandson's portable crib.

The back is a darling animal print.  You can see the quilting here, which I did using the edge of the presser foot.  No marking needed!

We're having a lovely sunny day here, with temps in the 40s(!).  The snow is going to melt, and the furnace won't have to work as hard for a few days.  The sunshine does interfere with good photos, but oh well.
For my piecing this week, I worked on using up strips from my 3.5 in. bin, and finished two tops.

I'm calling this one Pixel Hearts.  The prints are mostly novelties, and the block only has 3 pieces--a 3.5 in. square of white, a 3.5 in. square of novelty print, and a rectangle 3.5 x 6.5 of matching novelty print.  Easy peasy.  The blocks are set on point to look sort of like hearts.

The alternate blocks are cut from Project Linus fabric.  You probably can't see it, but there is a drawing of Linus with his security blanket and the words "Project Linus" scattered about on the print.

I used what I had left of the Project Linus fabric for the pieced back.  It will be trimmed down after quilting.

Through the middle of the back I've sewn 4 patches made from 5 in. squares, to make the back big enough.  I think my favorite fabric here is the frog print.
I'm hoping to layer, baste, and start quilting it later today.

The second top is a pattern I've made twice before, called Joy in the Morning, by Gail Bong.  I first wrote about it HERE.  It's another easy block, made from six 3.5 in. squares and one solid colored 9.5 in. rectangle.  I like how it chains across the quilt.

I still have to make the backing for this one.
Even with all this piecing, the 3.5 in. bin is still full.  How is that possible?

I hope that I have succeeded this week in honoring Dr. King's memory. 
I take comfort from this quote:
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way”.
I'm not sure about the "great way" part, but I have made these small things with love and joy for the children who will receive them.

Wishing love and joy for you this week,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with Busy Hands Quilts and Crazy Mom Quilts.

The Plot Thickens: Allietare Mystery Quilt, Part 2

It's Link Up Monday for the Allietare Mystery Quilt by Bonnie Hunter, Quilter Extraordinaire.  Here's where I am on the units we're doing this week.

All the pieces are cut, and I sewed the first few units start to finish, so I'd be clear on what we're making.  My finished units are the ones with the light fabric sewn to them, at the back of the photo.

I have to admit, I was a little confused at first.  I'm using the Companion Angle ruler to cut these "headless geese" shapes, but my ruler is old, and the markings are not the same as Bonnie's.  No worries, though, I figured it out.

When I cut these shapes with the Companion Angle ruler, I just flip the strip over for the second cut, instead of flipping the ruler (which is the normal way to do it).  It just seems awkward to cut these upside down.

Guess what's in the box!  It's not tea!

It's black and gray squares, part of our cutting homework for clue #2.  I've got them in the tea tin to keep them unwrinkled and ready to go when needed.

Here they are, laid out on the desk.  As you can see, I disobeyed the directions and cut two different colors of gray.  I ran out of the first gray, which of course was a perfect color.  I only had a yard of it to start with.  So I'm filling in with the plaid.  I hope it turns out okay.  I just wanted to use up the fabric I already had.

In other news, look what we did!  My friend Joey and I worked together to piece this quilt back from my orphan blocks and scrappy yardage.

Here's Joey, piecing away on her Singer 301.  We had a fabulous weekend, sewing and visiting.  We even fit in a trip to the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts, plus a barn sale.

We sewed the quilt back on Sunday, and Joey took it and my string quilt home to quilt on her long arm machine.  (Hey, Joey, is my quilt done yet? LOL)  She is also doing two more quilts for me.

Friends and quilts--what could be better?
I hope you enjoy your friends and quilts this week.

Back to Allietare Monday Link Up Clue #2