Mini Retreat

At the end of July, a friend came to stay with us for a week, and we dedicated three full days to a sewing marathon. I was incredibly productive!

During that time, I managed to finish quilting the last two quilts for Quilts Beyond Borders. I didn't get great photos of the quilts as I was rushing to get through them so I could quilt a quilt for my friend.

Quilted with Abbie 3 E2E

Quilted with Zen Roses 1

I also tackled the binding on the last of my quilts. Handling large quilts in my sewing space always feels like a bit of a wrestling match, which might explain why I often procrastinate on finishing them. But now, I’m thrilled to report that I’m completely caught up!

Last Saturday, we also attended a local guild fabric sale where I picked up some small pieces of fabric. By then I had finished my binding project so these finds prompted me to whip up a quick scrap quilt. I opted for the familiar Broken Bricks pattern. I considered trying something new, but the ease of this pattern—no need for complex calculations or meticulous matching—made it the perfect choice.

I quilted this one with Modern Stars E2E (rounded edges).

I've nearly finished sewing on the binding on this one. It should be finished tomorrow.

Some Unpaid Gigs

Last week, I happily took on six quilts from Quilts Beyond Borders, thanks to the coordinator, Susan Schmidt, who graciously dropped them off. This charity provides a 108"-wide piece of backing, wide batting, and two lap-size quilts for each project. If your frame isn't large enough to handle them side-by-side, you quilt one first and then the other right below it.

I've spent the past few days working on the first four quilts. It's been a great chance to test out some new pantographs and use up those partially-full bobbins.

Quilted with Avril E2E.

I'm a little disappointed with this next one. The thread color blended too well with the fabric, making the pattern hard to discern. A different thread color, perhaps a light blue, might have highlighted the design better.

Woodlands B2B

I was tempted to use a nautical-themed pantograph for this shark row quilt, but unfortunately since I was stitching it on it's side, it would have looked odd stitched perpendicular to the fabric's rows.

Quilted with Marion Rounded E2E.

The last quilt in this batch proved quite tricky. It was serged with mismatched seams and uneven edges—truly wonky, as we say in quilting. Despite its imperfections, I continued working on it because I had started the batch and these quilts are destined for refugees who might just be thankful for a warm blanket, regardless of its flaws.

I quilted this one with the Florence B2B because it had no backstitching and
would be pretty forgiving of my fabric-easing efforts.

This quilt required significant effort to manage, as it wouldn't lie flat. I had to carefully guide the long-arm to ease the fabric and avoid pleating, even sewing down a pleat along one edge to keep it square. It was the most labor-intensive quilt of the lot, but the outcome was satisfactory. I hope it brings warmth and comfort to its new owner.

I still have two more quilts to finish, but I'm taking a short break to recharge.