A few months ago, I received this lovely brown quilt top from Ann Dee in Georgia. It was on the bigger side, so I sent it on to Cheryl in Dallas as her favorite charity uses bed-size quilts. Cheryl always sends lots of pictures of the quilt tops as they turn into finished quilts. I like to see the work as it progresses.
Here is Ann Dee’s quilt top as it arrived in Dallas. It is 67” x 84,” which is nearly a twin-size.
Each star is made of a square and four HSTs. It’s an unusual pattern. I love all stars!
The Georgia quilt top is loaded onto a longarm machine in Texas. How’s that for cooperation? Sometimes it takes a village to make a quilt.
Every village has dogs that want to help with the quilt, too. Doggie keeps track of what’s going on underneath the longarm as the digitized computer is running. Can doggie be trusted not to tear up the batting as it drapes on the floor?
The digital quilting pattern shown on the computer screen is…
Ancient Scrolls, designed by Patricia Ritter. It is available on Urban Elementz.
The pattern is just being quilted out on the first row. The pattern goes fast because it does not backtrack over lines and doesn’t involve curlycues or intricate details. It’s appropriate for this quilt with a “masculine” feel.
Finally off the longarm and displayed in a Dallas backyard. Can you tell what Cheryl did to Ann Dee’s quilt top? (Not counting the quilting and binding, of course.)
Those non-fussy scrolls are just the thing this guy-quilt needs.
The binding came from the Dallas stash and has lots of shades of browns.
The back is a plain brown sheet from a local thrift store. Now that it’s dressed up, you’d never know it had such humble beginnings.
Did you figure out what happened to Ann Dee’s top after it arrived in Dallas? If you have eagle eyes, you can see that it now has thin blue and wide brown borders that made the quilt grow by a few inches on each side. The finished quilt is 76” x 94.” Since most of these quilts are used as bedspreads, a good size for them is 70” x 90” or slightly larger.
Cheryl told me she is looking for a facility to donate her quilts that is closer to where she lives. Until now, her quilts have gone to half-way houses in Florida and Kentucky where the residents keep the quilts when they leave the treatment program. If she finds one closer, she will be able to deliver them in person instead of relying on Federal Express.
This quilt is going to make some fellow really happy and will probably remind him of the quilts his grandma used to make! (How often have people told you that?) Thanks Ann Dee and Cheryl for another joint effort to pass on a bit of love.
Beautiful quilt ladies!!! The blue border really pops and adds a lot to the quilt! Great star pattern and quilting design!
The narrow blue border was a perfect addition to this quilt. Really brought the quilt to life.
Beautiful quilt. I love to see all the quilts, it gives me ideas for quilts to make. Of course, my list of quilts to make has grown. Thanks ladies for your time, talent and generosity. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful! I like the quilting pattern and also the unique star pattern. I need to go try to make one of those stars! There are so many generous quilters (both long armers and sewers), always blesses my heart to see and know about the generosity of these folks. Thank you all for doing what you do!
I just noticed that the star pattern is an off-take of one of Bonnie Hunter’s patterns – Smokey Mountain Stars. It is a free pattern on her blog.
Lovely quilt ladies, job well done!
I think that is one of Bonnie’s patterns. In an early book I think. Smoky Mountain Stars free pattern it is. Or very nearly.
Beautiful finish for a quilt anyone would happy to have. You wrote it up just perfect Jo, keeping the added-in details until the end. Handsome finish. Good job to all the helping hands.
Many thanks for the kind words, quilters. I think Ann Dee did such a nice job on the quilt top. I am going to check out Bonnie’s “Smoky Mountain Stars” pattern, and I appreciate the clue as to where to find it.
I think the blue border add so much to the quilt and brings out the colors. I am so impressed with all of you filters and your love for tedious sewing which is that being such awesome quilts
If Cheryl is looking for a closer facility to donate her wonderful quilts, how about a domestic abuse shelter? Often the people (usually women) are having to leave in a hurry, unable to take many belongings. Having a new quilt made by caring souls with which to start a new life could be very welcome. She can find a shelter by calling her local domestic abuse hotline. Beautiful work by all on this!