From Small Things: Episode 80: They're Almost Quilts Already

Welcome back! This week we are outside, so please pardon the change in sound! Over the last week, I have been hand quilting even more than usual, and have a finish to show for it! I wanted to focus on this one because I have 5 projects in the works which are about to become quilt tops very quickly. First, I have the Moroccan Tiles blocks which I started working on last week. This is a disappearing block which I saw made by ‪@QuestioningQuilter‬ . I am using blue and white shirts (and probably some sheets and curtains) picked up at the church's free day, because this quilt will be donated to them later this year. I have about 40 blocks made, and I will lay some out so we can look at the pattern they form. This may be pieced into a top by next week. Second up is a butterfly quilt. I have a stack of appliqued butterfly blocks in vintage fabrics which were gifted to me by a viewer. They are very wonky and endearing, and I want to piece them all into one quilt. Since all the blocks are made, all I have to do is square some blocks and build others up to the right size, and add some sashing. It won't take long for this one to become a finished top. Third on my list is my Postage Stamp quilt. This is how I've been using up my littlest 1 1/2" scraps. Each block contains 144 squares, and will finish at 12". I have about 29 made, and I think I have enough scraps cut and ready to make the last 7 blocks. I'm not decided yet about how I will piece the blocks together-- should I add sashing, or put them next to each other? But this was a long-term project, which is nearing the finish line. Fourth is my blue embroidery project. I have 11 of 12 blocks done of this Jack Dempsey embroidery kit. Again, it won't take long to do one more block, and then I need to make a choice about sashing. I am thinking of using my little scallops in the sashing to echo the shape of the embroidery pattern. Fifthly, I have another 12 embroidery blocks which I purchased last year at the fabric sale in Ephrata. These were done in blue and green, and I have 6 blocks of one design and 6 blocks of another. I think I want to make these into square-in-a-square blocks before piecing them together. But again, the blocks are already finished, and it's just a matter of piecing them into a top. My finish this week is my Split 9-Patch quilt. I quilted this one with YLI thread, in a crosshatch pattern, and it took me 15 days of focused hand quilting. I used some red and blue thread on the outer borders, which disappears on the front but shows on the back. The backing is 10" squares in light colors, made from shirts, sheets, and some stash fabric. I wanted to show this quilt next to one I made previously, which is made with exactly the same block, but arranged into a different pattern (the older one is called Perkiomen Valley). This block is fun to play with, and see what kind of new patterns emerge. I hope there are no flies in your sewing room this week!