A BowTies Finish Plus Two More for Hands2Help 2023

BowTies is a top.  Hooray!  I finished it on Wednesday, which accomplished my hope that it would be done by the end of May.

This photo shows the colors closest to real-life colors.  My camera and I had trouble capturing accurate colors.  I didn't try it outside because the sun would have washed out the colors.  For the past week or so we've had 100% sun with no clouds.

One thing I realized when making this quilt is that plaids do much better (in my opinion) when two pieces are not touching in a block.  I like it when lines align but it's nearly impossible to align plaids when they're side-by-side in a block like this.

Each bow tie finishes at 6".  Four together, placed with lights touching, creates a circular shape.  Bow ties are such forgiving blocks when it comes to the corner triangles being exactly the same.  And the only seams that have to meet are where four light or dark corners meet.

I succeeded in my goal of having four different light fabrics touch where the blocks meet.  There are a few dark "circles" but for the most part, the bow ties were randomly placed.

These three quilt tops, below, are the ones going to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) to become comforter quilts.

The center one, a double Irish Chain, is at least 10 years old, made before I began blogging.  It is larger than the other two and will fit a double bed.  It has such an array of fabrics and colors.  I think of these scrappy, multi-fabric quilts as compendium quilts--a concise collection of the fabrics I had on hand at the time I made the quilt. 

It has been fun to create something that will become useful, use fabrics I had on hand for good, and not feel possessive about the finishes.  I'll tote these to the not-too-far-distant MCC shop later this month. 

I'm linking this post to
> Hands2Help Link-up at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
> Finished (or not) Friday at Alycia Quilts
> Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
> Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More
> TGIFF at anjaquilts
> Off the Wall Friday at Nina's Creations
Thank you for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.

Impromptu Design Wall

The board I usually use for a small design wall still has some other blocks on it.  These nine-patches were small enough that I just started taping them to a section of wall near the sewing machine.  It's not a very large section, but then this quilt won't be very large, either.

I made another 12 blocks today for a total of 34 (having removed 2 from what I had yesterday).  I haven't decided on size yet so I don't know how many I'll need.  And I'm still playing with the colors.  (The colors in the photo are not true.)  The blocks will finish at 4½".  If I use alternate plain blocks I'll need half as many as if I used only nine-patch blocks.  In a way, I wish I could make tiny nine-patches but I just don't think I have the time to make enough AND hand quilt the quilt before baby arrives.

So, that's may work in progress this week.  Plain and simple.

I'm linking to WOW at Esther's Blog and WiP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.  Thanks, ladies, for hosting.

--Nancy.
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Nine-Patch: It's a Start

I started my grandbaby's nine-patch in brights and lights (and a few darks the photograph tells me).  Grand-baby-girl is due early in January and I want to finish a quilt for her before she comes. 

Blocks are cut at 2".  I started with 2½" blocks and decided they were too big.  I think baby quilts need baby-size blocks, and even 2" squares seem a little large but I don't think I have enough time to make more blocks and get the quilt finished, so 2" blocks it is.

Above and below is my progress so far and it's possible that after a few more blocks I'll change my mind and make a completely different quilt.  Possibilities for this nine-patch are 2" sashing and corner blocks or snowballs alternating with the nine-patches.  If I do snowballs I think I would choose fabric in a medium tone so I could add light triangles on the corners.  I've also thought about appliqueing flowers around a border.  We'll see how manage with the time I have.

A few more blocks in progress.  I need more yellow blocks, for sure.  None sewn yet.

I've already cut some strips to sew but have to pair them up with light/dark fabrics as needed. 

When I go scrappy it just seems to get crazy.  I can't limit my colors and fabrics.  On the other hand, when I make more than enough blocks it makes it easier to eliminate some that don't seem to work well, so I guess there is some control.

I'm linking this post to Quarter 4 Finish-A-Long at She Can Quilt with the intention of having it sewn (whatever baby quilt it turns out to be), layered, quilted, and bound by the end of December.

--Nancy.
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