Mini Quilt Challenge

Last fall Kathie of Inspired by Antique Quilts had sent me this block. Four little baskets were beautifully appliqued with scraps on scraps. Back then I was getting ready for my surgery and the block stayed patiently in the drawer until this afternoon.  (It was so long ago, I thought I had lost it in my sewing room)

I guess today was it's turn to be turned into a quilt. There must be something in the air because I have never stayed so focused on finishing pending projects.

Well, I am happy that these baskets got the attention they deserved.

Kathie had meticulously hand appliqued them. At one point I was even thinking of hand quilting this quilt but the excitement of finishing the quilt took over after I pieced around the block.

Most of the scraps I used came from a pile Nifty had sent me few months back.  I used the left over binding from other projects.. of course!

Kathie's Challenge

Thanks, Kathie for your gorgeous baskets.
LeeAnn, I still have a lot and a projects in works form all your fabrics. Thank you for sending the goodies!

Baby Steps

My attempt of freehand machine quilting.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little courage and the will to try something new!

My first attempt to try something other than stippling and wavy lines. I can see how machine quilters get easily absorbed into various patterns and designs. This was actually a lot of fun!
I even tried binding with machine.

I tried!

I went back to hand stitching the binding on my second quilt.

Quilts for Basics

If you are a member of this blog, I would like to encourage you to post your scrappy adventures. I know how difficult it is to maintain posting on several blogs. But it seems like this poor blog has been neglected by me and I would like to change that.
I am up for a small challenge. Anyone interested? No deadlines, no rules.. just plain and simple fun :)

My AAQI quilt now for sale

You can own this quilt and help raise the money for AAQI

Made with 100% cotton, Machine pieced and hand quilted with 100% cotton thread.

Baby Quilt

Hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends. 

My husband's nephew and his wife are going to have a baby. We attended her traditional Indian baby shower over the thanksgiving break. I decided to make a quick baby quilt to go with her shower gift. 

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 I forgot to take pictures on the day of my plaid pantry party! 

Try saying that a few times!

Here is what I am working on.. 

I see my friends again this Wednesday and will be sure to take my camera with me.

'Friendship Garden'

 

I will post more pictures of this project as it evolves. 

Smiles!

 

Plaid Pantry

Some friedns are coming over tomorrow for a sew day. 

  

I am opening up my 'Plaid Pantry' to have some scrappy fun.

Stay tuned!

Simple squares!

Leftover scraps from past few projects find new place to be other than the storage containers.

Still trying to work away those scraps. Next up is another string quilt. What are your scraps up to these days?

Cattywampus

My basket was full of scraps!!

You know it's time to get sewing when the basket starts overflowing!
There's bits of fabric from very early quilts, even my first quilt! Scraps given to me by friends. The orange solid was the only fabric that was "new".
Some pieced combinations were tests for other projects that didn't quite make the cut but found a home in this quilt. I even used up scrappy threads! Half used bobbins of unusual colours, and almost finished reels.
Solids work well to break up the scrappy mish mash. A place for the eyes to rest, and to add depth.
The quilting is as scrappy as the quilt. I'm not very confident with my machine quilting so this was a good chance to get used to handling a quilt in the machine and play with different patterns.

The quilt ended up being 70 inches square and looks perfect hanging in our entrance hallway...

and in the trees and the bottom of our garden.

Cattywampus means cockeyed, messed up, out of whack, screwy. The perfect name for my latest quilt!

Cheers,

Rachaeldaisy

Blue Mountain Daisy