Community Quilts from Karin

It was a great day to read my email.  I had a couple from Karin and you all know, Karin’s emails are the best as they are filled with quilts!!

Hey Jo, you haven’t heard from me for a while, but that’s only because I have been kinda busy.  This queen-sized quilt was from my own stash, with the borders and backing purchased specifically to go with.

It was created using those new Cake Mix papers from Moda, but without a pattern. Yes, there were several sessions spent with Jack the Ripper, and I got lost on my quilt path way too many times to count. In fact, by the time I got to the bottom, it was almost random, I was so far in the weeds.

Just for fun, and because I had to stretch the wide backing, and because I had some leftover blocks from the front, I added a panel in the back to make the backing long enough.This was made for a young lady I know personally, whose parents have recently split and she is being used as a pawn in their co-parenting struggles. Hopefully, this will be a source of comfort to her as she matures.

This king-sized was another quilt made for a specific person I know personally.  She is actually the mother of the child for whom I made that first quilt.  She lost both her jobs through the pandemic, decided 20 years of abuse was her limit, left her husband, and got Covid.  Her husband is trying to be friends with the children, as opposed to parenting them, so there is nothing but strife and conflict in the household.
The quilt is made from 2 jelly rolls, 2 inch and 4-inch squares of background, and an accent fabric.

Once everything is cut, it comes together easily, but, boy, cutting it out was tedious and confusing!

This wide backing was specially ordered, and it’s just beautiful! I have a bit left, so I’ll look forward to using it again!

Sooo, on to our donation pile finally… I believe this top was from the amazing Cresco ladies, and the backing was recently received in the box from Susan McC, from Austin, TX.

The fun mustaches were only juuuust wide enough for backing, so I pulled the pink binding out of my stash.

Lol, ‘stache/stash, how fitting is that?  I tried a few new motifs on this one, and I think it turned out pretty well for the first time. I think it’s sophisticated and fun at the same time, and will be perfect for a ‘tween.  

This was simply a panel of various lighthouses, and its sure brought back memories for me.

I spent many many hours by the Cape Hatteras light, and I was there when it was moved away from the shoreline. The panel and part of the backing was sent by the very generous Ellie L, from Indianapolis, IN.

The whale fabric I used on the back was gifted to me by a friend when I was making all those masks.  She didn’t know how much to get me for one mask, so she brought me a yard!  Bless her heart!  It was quite a lovely accident that I used it in the top half because it has the appearance of being sky when I wrapped it to the front. I used navy blue thread, top, and bobbin, and did a new, wavy sort of motif.  I think it evoked the power of ocean waves crashing on the rocks. Turned another way, I think it could be like fire, and with a bit more modification, it could be woodgrain.  We’ll see if I ever use it again.  :)  

The back really shows the waves, don’t you think? 

This beauty finished up at 36 x 44, and I probably should have added a border or two, but I re all didn’t have anything that coordinated well.  It will be fine for a youngster in the ambulance for the first time or to warm a crash victim, I’m sure. 

I believe this was another top from the Cresco ladies, and it was really fun to quilt. I wanted to keep the quilting simple and sophisticated, so I went minimal.
To play off the bubble fabric, I used a new circle ruler in each block, but that wasn’t enough, so I came back and put a large swirl in each.  I remembered my (unintentional) wandering with the pinwheel quilt, and was determined not to repeat that, so I kept the hooks all going the same way. 
The feathers around the borders were meant to mimic the swirls and swoops in the block fabrics.  I used silver thread on top and charcoal in the bobbin.


This quilt was rather large, at 50×70, so I pieced the backing together.  You will recognize the stripes; it’s what was left from a sheet you sent, and the Wild West trains was recently received from Linda W, from Williamstown, NY.

I hope she is finally warming up!!  

I know these will all be appreciated and loved, wherever they end up. The generosity of your readers is touching, and soooo much appreciated.”

WOW…What an amazing bundle of love.  Karin does such wonderful work.  She really knows how to make quilts shine.  Many thanks to the Cresco Ladies for providing many of the quilt tops.  You ladies ROCK!!