Presenting: Your Orphan Blocks

 

Hello! Louise here, to share with you a couple of quilts I finished using YOUR orphan blocks. See one of your blocks in this post? Let us know in the comments! This first quilt started with the two sections of log cabin blocks in the center column.

Both came to me already sewn together, but not large enough for an entire quilt.

I love the soft blues and pinks of this one! It lingered in my studio until I gathered enough friends in similar colors to fill out a top. I grouped similar size and style blocks into three columns.

Some of the individual blocks are quite simple, like this bordered square. And some are as elaborate as the small pieced hearts. So cute! A pale pink background and my interpretation of Baptist Fan quilting finished this quilt up.

The second quilt is also laid out in three columns, but with a couple of twists. As I was looking through my collection of orphan blocks in greens and maroons, I noticed quite a number of pairs of blocks. However, each pair was a very different size from the next pair. So I stacked them from largest to smallest and made two very similar columns.

I love these giant hexagons! They arrived on my doorstep as triangles that I sewed together into the six sided shape. Look closely and you'll see they are kind of mirror images of each other.

The two matching outer columns have a cream background, while the center column is a metallic gold. All the blocks in the center are "singles," with no matching blocks, so this was a good way to let them shine. A donated pre-sewn binding in scrappy maroons makes a super frame for this piece. It's great to get bindings all ready to go!

The third quilt is a giant heart, resting on its side in this photo. Kat graciously snapped all the pictures at her house after I shipped the quilts to her. Since taking photos is difficult for me, I really appreciate that. Thanks, Kat! In this style quilt, I take orphan blocks of lots of different sizes that share similar color saturation and hue. In this case, the blocks all contain bright colors with few neutrals or browns. 

I then piece them together without sashing into a continuous slab. The result is a bit of a wild ride, a riot of colors and shapes! It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I admit I love this modern look. I also enjoy the mathematical puzzle of fitting all the sizes and shapes together with no gaps. Partial seams can and do happen!

The background is a cool gray grunge, which heps to contain all that exuberance and forms the overall big heart shape. Made with heart by you and me, this quilt will surely cover a family with love!

I hope you enjoyed seeing these orphan quilts, and maybe got a peek of some of your own blocks. Many, many thanks to everyone who donates blocks, UFOs, yardage and scraps.

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 800 so far! The November/December drive is running now, check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved. 

Christmas Eve Quilts

Some spring-y quilts for the cold Christmas eve!  I'm making the rounds visiting family, Christmas is my favorite!

Only two quilts today, these were both quilted by Linda. I wanted to show some closeups of the quilting because it's brilliant.   This beautiful batik top came from Christine B, it's butterfly themed.  Look at the lower left corner where the sun is hitting to see the true colors of the border.

There was an additional outer border with large rainbow batik butterflies, but we decided since it made the quilt so large to save that and make a second quilt. So stay tuned for that!

Picture of the quilting from the back, so you can see it. I thought this motif was perfect!

This sampler quilt came from Marianne and Linda decided to do custom quilting on it with her computerized long arm. 

She did this by choosing complimentary designs for each area and programming them over each small section of the quilt.  Honestly it's stunning, totally a work of art.  

I really love this. Obviously some quilters can freehand beautiful designs, some of you may have been around long enough to remember when Judy used to do work on CiL quilts, and others use acrylic rulers. I admire those folks, but I can't do either of those things. I'm queen of the stipple.  

This is a kind of detailed quilting that I can relate to because it's more about math and scaling and computer programming than artistic ability.  It's still creative and requires skill and thought, but it feels approachable, like something I might be able to do one day.

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 800 so far! The September/October drive is running now, check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved. 

Linking to  Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday

Donated Quilts

It feels like it's been a while since I made a Friday post! Holidays are always so busy, and the census at the hospital is high as many elective surgeries that got put off are getting done at once. I hope you're all having an excellent holiday season. I've eaten too many cookies already.

All the quilts in today's post were donated already finished and quilted. These first two came from Tina C. who has been working on putting together a backlog of leftover "block of the months" and blocks from retreats and such.

The traditional colors in the first quilt are lovely, my mom would say they are "her colors". But I love this grey and yellow version. 

Erin E sent in this brilliant rainbow string quilt. It reminds me of one I made years ago. 

Lisa T sent in this quilt she made. She has been keeping me posted on her progress as she "Louise-d" together some coordinating scraps.  I told Louise she'd been verbed and she was delighted. 

I especially like this little pop of the flange at the binding and the perfectly coordinating backing.

Gail H sent in three darling little quilts.

The top one reminds me of some of the nontraditional Christmas colors I've seen lately. Sort of retro pinks and greens. It also remind me of the Strawberry Shortcake doll I had when I was little, did anyone else have one of those?

One of my patients got a quilt this week.  A very tough man in his 90s who was absolutely (apparently) healthy and independent until suddenly he wasn't.  His family made the decision to transition to comfort care and let him die with more dignity. His wife with Alzheimers, whom he had been caring for, was able to be at bedside and receive a quilt. 

These 13 quilts came from Kathy H.  More than half are in browns, fall colors, and masculine designs which are especially appreciated. Thank you Kathy!

And thank you to all the rest of you! Hope your year is finishing well.  Here's Sundae in her favorite sleeping position, letting it all hang out ;)

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 800 so far! The September/October drive is running now, check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved. 

Linking to  Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday

Cats in Hats

I worked too much this week and didn't get a post done, so here are the cats modeling some excellent Christmas gifts from one of my nursing students.

Notice Fudge's arm coming into the frame, pulling her hat off.

Sand and Sea Wrap Up

Tammy here! If you have had enough turkey, dressing, and the trimmings that you don't want to eat for a week, here is another feast that won't make you feel too fat:

All 24 of the Covered in Love May/June block drive of quilts produced here in Kansas. There is a whole lotta love here.

Thanks again to all who helped!

These quilts have been posted on Tammy's blog throughout the past months, and some have also been posted on Kat's blog here. 

There were a total of 26 quilts from the drive, 24 made from blocks sent in and 2 sent in finished.  

(The traditional block-map is at the bottom of the post).

This top from Bonnie C.

Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 800 so far! The September/October drive is running now, check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved. 

Linking to  Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday