Incorporating spare blocks

Here is a comfort quilt that incorporates a few 12" blocks that I had picked up in a guild fabric auction.

A simple stitch using a walking foot along the block diagonals, along with a slight curve around the perimeter of the quilt provide all the needed quilting to keep the top and polar fleece backing together.

One guild member mentioned that she frequently sees piles of quilt blocks at her church bazaars, and at garage sales. What a perfect opportunity to rescue some old blocks and give them a wonderful home. Bring these blocks to a RNQG meeting, and they will be on their way to a new home.

9 - patch blocks

Here are 2 quilts that utilized a series of 12" 9-patch blocks, along with some other blocks. Notice the use of the light/medium/dark fabrics in the construction and layout of the 9-patches. The interplay of light and dark add visual interest to the quilt.

The second quilt once again showcases a lovely Dresden plate made by Mary D.

Incorporating a large toile block

Here is a comfort quilt that has as a central focal point a 12" x 24" toille fabric. Notice how easy it is to incorporate a large block of a fabric that you just hate to cut up.

Graphic 9 patch

Here is an example of a quilt that was done with some 4 patches and some 9 patches. The 9 patch fabric comes from a bag of fabric that was 'bland'. However, using the principles of light and dark, a fabulous nine patch is easily made, using 4.5 inch strips (on the serger of course!).

To kick it up a notch, some nice orange fabrics was introduced. Notice that the pumpkin fabric repeats in several places. This pumpkin fabric was a fat quarter, that was cat into 6 inch finished squares. Not having the heart to discard the bits of fabric left over from the fat quarter, these made it into 6 inch finished squares with some other left over fabrics.

September Show & Tell - 3

Here are 4 quilt tops that were made to showcase some Dresden plate 12" blocks donated by Mary D. Mary had made about a 100 Dresden plates from her scrap pile, and when I mentioned that I was making quilts for people undergoing cancer treatment, she offered 9 Dresden Plates, which she appliqued onto 12.5" pieces of fabric that I just happened to have with me.

Notice how some busy prints look very nice as 12" blocks, and it reduces the amount of sewing required to make a top.

These 4 tops were actually put together on a serger, which is wonderful and quick for piecing blocks with a 1/4 inch seam. If you haven't tried using your serger to piece a top, you should try it. You can have a top done in no time.

Remember, if you have spare blocks laying around, they can be made into a wonderful comfort quilt. Just bring the blocks to a quilt-a-thon, or to a RNQG meeting. I am collecting the blocks, and making up kits for people to sew into tops.

2007-2008 Quilt Year - September Show & Tell - 2

Here is another example of the comfort quilt done by Ellen. In this case, only 12 pieces of fabric were used, each a 12" finished square (each square was cut 12.5" x 12.5"). A simple design, yet the fabrics left room to showcase some wonderful quilting. Ellen used a variagated thread, and used her embroidery machine to stitch out an outline of a flower.

Some very simple elements, yet combined, they provide a powerful, graphic image.

2007-2008 Quilt Year - September Show & Tell - 1

Here are 2 comfort quilts which were shown at the September 19, 2007 RNQG meeting. These were done by Ellen, who has helped with many quilts for the PQP.

Notice the few, simple blocks in the first quilt, yet how the color and pattern make a bold statement. An excellent example of making a quilt out of those wonderful fabrics that you just can't cut up.

The second quilt showcases 2 fabrics, one of which is a plain navy. Here, the interplay of light and dark make a bold pattern of the entire quilt. In this case, Ellen used the serger to put these blocks together, and on the stripped blocks, the serger seams are on the right side of the fabric. A simple decorative stitch, through the diagonal, provided the quilting on this quilt, showing that all you need is a walking foot, some thread, and a sewing machine to machine quilt a comfort quilt.

Doesn't this inspire you to put together some of your fabrics to make a comfort quilt?