Community Quilts from Karin

The volunteer quilt finishers have been keeping me hoping trying to get blog posts written.  Karin is the latest who sent pictures my way.

Karin writes:
“Cresco ladies were at it again! They take whatever is on hand, combine it with something else, and somehow, it all works together.  Here, they started with about 12 inches of cute, cartoonish dogs and cats, put it with lime green (lime green!!) swirls, solid gray, and black and white daisies, with yellow centers. Tah-dah, there you have it, cute as can be.  Keeping with the daisies, I free-handed loopy doodles with flowers sprinkled in, everywhere except the green rows. On those, I did some ribbon candy, so I could get some practice for sashings and borders.

For the backing, I pieced some yardage you had provided and flipped it all to the front for a self binding.

I used charcoal gray thread on top and in the bobbin. This one finished up at 40×50 and will be going to The New Church Without Walls Youth Closet.

So, I had a girlfriend come to visit, and she brought…

a stack, a TALL stack, of quilts she wanted to longarm. Trouble is, she has never used a longarm before, so we rummaged through the pile you’ve sent and found one that was similar in style to one of hers. It’s a simple patchwork, and her most basic was a nine patch, close enough!  This one was 48×60, so there was plenty of room to practice the easy arch motif.

After she did all the inner squares, I came along and looped my way through the chili pepper fabric of the borders and flipped the backing to the front, zig-zagged it down, and presto, we were done! She’s not quite comfortable yet, so we’ll load another one before we set her loose on her own.  Pictures of that one coming next.

So here is our final practice quilt before I set my friend loose to do her own quilting!

This was a little fancier, with bordered four-patches. We kept to the easy arches from corner to corner, added in a little travel stitching in the ditch, and put some vines and leaves in each square’s border. Again, we used the variegated red on top and plain red in the bobbin, to hide any mistakes that might be made.

I just love the little goat fabric, don’t you?  I’m pretty sure the tiny flowers next to it came from a vintage sheet that was also used on a previous quilt. 

So, we used up the last of that busy red, and pieced it with a section of what appears to be people looking at cars.  ??  We all know I don’t see very well, but that’s what it looks like to me!

This one finished up at 40×48, and, like the other 2, it will be taken to The New Church Without Walls, for their Youth Closet. 

Thank you to all who made these blessings possible!!”

Wow, Karin.  These turned out great.  I’ve said it many times before and will say it again.  Charity quilts are a great way to hone your skills whether you’re working on piecing or machine quilting.  I think all of us can do a good job but we all get better with practice.  Thanks for sharing your long arm talents with your friend and Karin, thanks for sharing your talent with all of us and the people who will receive these quilts!