Forever Quilt

Simple Christmas Charm Quilt

This very simple quilt (2 charm packs and a Christmas Stripe) has a soft 100% cotton batting.  Not the expensive heavy Warm and Natural, but a less expensive brand I got on sale at JoAnns.  What I like about this brand is the quilt is very soft and drapes and snuggles so nice!

This year, all my Christmas quilts are packed away.  My son and my Grandson are staying in the guest room while their house is under construction.  As a result, I can't find or reach my quilts!  So I needed a quick, Christmas themed snuggle quilt for the living room.  Charms to the rescue! 

Big Girl Quilt

I loved watching my niece's monthly photos of her daughter's first two years.  Every month, she posted a photo showing her growing up.  She used a backdrop of a piece of fabric for each photo.  Of course I was attracted to that idea as well!

When her daughter turned 2, the monthly portraits stopped.  I asked her then to give me the fabric pieces, and set to work on her big girl quilt.  It's a happy riot of color and shape!

A companion to this quilt can be found here:  http://anita-rancherita.blogspot.com/2017/06/big-sister-quilt.html

Baby Quilt Challenge

At first I told my friend I didn't have TIME to make her a baby quilt..... but she was persistent, so I told her to get me 6 FQ's of the fabric of her choice.

Then she bought several fat quarters, her themes were "panda bears and soccer balls" and she found an eclectic assortment of black/red/white fabrics with those themes.  What drew them together was color, bot scale, theme or size.  I was smitten!

I put them together in a cut 6" blocks split nine patch.  At first, I was putting solids (red, black or white) in the center piece and neutrals in the rectangular spots.  Too dull!  Then I started a total mix up.  Much better.  Anything goes!  I had a square of white fabric with "AMEN" in black, and 2 squares (stars on them) my friend got as a "bonus" when she bought her fabric on ebay.

I really like it!

Exciting Lines Baby Quilt

This quilt was made after watching a tutorial someplace... Don't you hate when you can't remember WHERE??? . It used a yard (or was it a yard and a quarter?) of a stripe and a 4" border. That's it.  It's all in the cutting and putting it back together!

I choose this for the newest baby in the family! Happy Ned.

Found the YouTube tutorial!

https://youtu.be/l8xgM1H2X18

Pastels for Baby Girl

Got inspired with a quilt I saw while cruising Pinterest, went to the stash and found these pastels, and then and there started randomly putting this quilt together.  The inspiration had pattern and symmetry, mine just sort of came together.

This quilt will some day find a home.  UPDATE: Julia age 2, received this quilt when she came to the U.S.  for the birth of new baby sister.

Woodlands Critters Baby Quilt for Hunter

Back to good old standby, the Disappearing 4-patch. So quick and easy to make with a charm pack, 42 other 5" squares, a little for a border, binding and back.

The mother to be asked for foxes and woodland critters, and the color grey. I already had a charm pack that had some little foxes and such, as well as other gently baby motifs, such as airplanes, in a fresh color scheme of orange, yellows and turquoise  that went just perfect with a variety of grays I had in stash.

Charm Quilt for a Dog

My friend Christina got her first ever dog a couple years ago. I PROMISED her a quilt..........  finally!

A Quilt for Chloe!

Brides Baby Quilt

I made this quilt at the request of a friend.  She had been the maid of honor at her best friend's wedding, and wore a sheer layered yellow dress.  Now, her best friend was expecting her first baby, n she wanted a simple quilt, in colors suitable for a boy or a girl, that would incorporate pieces of the bridesmaid dress.  She selected the pattern, (large triangles) and gave me the dress along with the other fabrics.

 I love how it turned out!
The bridesmaid dress was sheer, so I layered it over the grey patterned fabric in 2 of the yellow triangles. I added a few triangles out of a white with little grey "x"s" just to add a bit of variety and keep it light.
I cut 60 or so 6" tall triangles for this quilt.  The borders are wider on the sides, since it seemed kinda skinny.  The back is pieced from the 2 greens and a bit of the grey pattern.

QUILT: Rings

This quilt was inspired by a wedding.  I wanted a representation of gold wedding bands, and had several great greys in a collection with the yellows.  After finishing the yellow rings, I decided to make grey nine-patches with gold centers.  the background is a great white with grey x's (kisses?) and the quilt came together as a generous lap quilt. White and natural in the quilt layer makes it a year round good choice for San Diego.

Romana and Jim

JAWS quilt

My grandson Zeke is currently fascinated with SHARKS and creatures that have TEETH.  So when I saw this JAWS fabric on sale, I had to.  I rarely buy "licensed" fabrics, but, hey, it's for my Grandson.

I did a fast "disappearing nine patch" with 3/4 yard of the featured fabric, 1/2 yard each of two "water" fabrics, and a 1/4 yard of "blood." I cut each piece into charms.  I added 1 charm square of solid red.  Just because. It's a light weight cotton quilt, perfect for summer evenings.

Butterflies Quilt

My cousin Tary was a unique man, sweet, loving, kind. We lost him way too young.

The butterflies are batiks, the sky is a gently painted light blue on muslin. The quilt will reside with my cousin Patty.

Fly back home,  on newly formed wings.  I miss you.

AYOQ: Sea Creatures and Numbers Quilt

The 6-month baby quilt for my Grandson is June, and here in San Diego that means beaches and sail boats.  In the fall of 2015, his home was destroyed by a fire, and in it was the original June quilt.  It was my favorite of the yearly quilts, with sailboats and bright colors.

To replace it, I decided on something totally different!  I researched cartoon sea creatures on google, and drew some out on 5" muslin squares, then tinted them with inktense pencils.  Then I water painted them, and they became color fast and permanent. I then alternated with squares from a charm pack themed sea creatures and numbers.  Some of the drawn blocks included numbers and counting circles.

This was a real fun replacement quilt to make to photograph Zeke on his 18 month portrait.

Persimmon Pluses Quilt

The name of the charm pack was "Persimmon" and though thoroughly modern, the muted colors suggested something from the past to me.  So I designed a "plus" block that used the width of the 5" charm with 2 muslin sides, split in half, trimmed to 5", then added the other 5" arm. Each arm was 2" wide.
Then I sewed it all 4 sides to a muslin 5" square, marked the diagonal lines and cut them (a method for making square in a square that works if you don't need sharp, bordered edges.) Since the background and the 5" square were muslin, this was a good accurate method to use.
A few of the fabrics were too light, they were simply lost on the unbleached muslin. After completing the quilt, I poured some coffee on the blocks that were too light and put it out in the sun for a few hours.  After washing, the coffee had very softly colored the light fabrics, and stained the muslin in a few spots, helping me achieve the "aged" look I imagined when I first saw the charm collection.  A few of the blues were also too light, I used inktense watercolor pencils to add a little deeper blue or brown on those pluses.

This is a small quilt, around 36" by 42". No border. The binding was a piece of brown scrap from the scrap box. It would work in an antique cradle, or just displayed on the quilt rack in my dining room where I display my smaller quilts.

Happy Summer Quilt

Happy is how I feel when I finish a quilt.  Actually, I feel happy when I plan one, sew on one, think about one, or shop for fabrics.  Quilting is the ultimate meditative pleasure, my mind wanders freely and peacefully while I work on a quilt.
This quilt was inspired by a You Tube Video Tutorial by Missouri Star Quilt Company.

"Cutting Corners"
https://www.missouriquiltco.com/land/tutorials/cutting-corners-quilt/index.html?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=lp&utm_campaign=t119

I used exactly 20 jelly roll strips and a couple of yards of white muslin.  I had 19 strips from a clearance collection I paid a couple of bucks for from Connecting Threads, (connectingthreads.com) and I added a solid green strip to make 20.  There were 5 (2 1/2") binding strips.  Straight line quilting between each block, down the center of each block, and 1/4" away from the seam on the white diagonals.  Finally, I chose my favorite thin 100% cotton batting (I buy it on a 50 yard roll from JoAnn Fabrics once or twice a year.)  I like it because it's thinner than "Soft and White" so after washing, the muslin back gets soft and the quilt has a very soft drape.  I mean, the quilt hugs you back!

This quilt became a retirement quilt full of happy inscribtions!

A Utility Quilt

Block is made with charms, a 16 patch block is made, then split on the diagonal twice. Then reconnected to make 2 blocks. I grabbed some left overs and random blocks from the workroom and began experimenting. Ended up with a fluffy, lightweight utility quilt.

Little Flags Quilt

This design is simple hourglasses, 3 of the 4 positions are white muslin. They were then arranged to simulate little flags blowing in the wind.  Instead of the usual random color placement, I tried a rainbow effect, one color gently flowing into the next.  Machine quilted in horizontal waves, it's a generous lap quilt for spring or summer.  I used a fluffy, poly quilt bat to make it snuggly but not too warm.

Linens and Such Quilt

I made a small version some time ago, and ever since wanted to make one I could use for napping in the afternoon.  The "fabrics" in this quilt are linens; pieces cut from tablecloths, napkins, bathrobes and such.  Some were my mother's; some purchased at an estate sal shop.  The blank white blocks are cut from the same tablecloth I cut my Grandson's Baptismal Outfit from.  So a piece of him, when I snuggle for a nap, stays with me!

Sister's Choice Quilt for a Baby Girl

Delicate pale colors, an Asian Theme (fabric of the month fat quarters years ago!) shot with gold accents.  It included one fabric with yellow and lavender, the colors requested by the Grandmother-To-Be who commissioned this baby quilt. I used that fabric in the half blocks surrounding the other blocks.

Looking at it, the background should have been bright white, to help the pastels have more distinction?  On the other hand, it's overall soft with some stand-out in the center star, also made in a contrasting color pattern to the surrounding stars.

I tried out a new ruler to measure and cut the borders, and asked Pinterest to tell me how to make bias strips for binding.  I ended up cutting first then attaching the strips, I could NOT line it up correctly with drawing lines every 2 1/2 inches then turning the fabric and offsetting them.  Thos who have ever battled with it know what I mean.  And those that find it easy peasy need to come show me!

Update:This quilt found a home with ABIGAEL, daughter of Stacey Orlando, in November,  2016.

1,512 Prayers Around the World Quilt

I was inspired to make this quilt for my niece Carrie when she told me last September that she had breast cancer.  I immediately pulled the fabrics and decided this needed to have lots and lots of blocks, as each of the 1 1/2 inch "postage stamps" would symbolize a prayer from me.

I obviously hoped to get the quilt to her as soon as possible.  Carrie bravely endured grueling chemotherapy, she completed that on Christmas Eve.  After a brief recuperation, she underwent surgery, and still I prayed and worked on this Around The World quilt.

I worked on it between my own family challenges, babysitting my grandson, the holidays and a broken arm. But the quilt is now finished, and on it's way.

There is still fight ahead, as Carrie has radiation and more chemotherapy in the future.  But now, I hope she snuggles with her quilt, and knows how much we all are inspired by her fight.

It is full of 1,512 patches of love, dense quilting, and unlimited prayers.  I love you!

Drama in Black Sisters Choice Quilt

I really enjoyed making this block and wanted to make it again in striking solids and black.  It's very jelly roll friendly, and I watched a You Tube Video tutorial from Missouri Star Quilt Company to get the directions.  Just 13 left over jelly roll strips, (See NICU for March Of Dimes Quilt) ) and some black from my bolt (yes, of course I have a bolt of black!) and a couple of blocks at a time this quilt came together.

Dora is one of my Grandson's Other Grandma's (yes, it's complicated!) And I feel blessed to have her as part of the "Village" that Ezekiel has united!

Little Boy Minions Disappearing Nine Patch Quilt

I know a little boy, turning two soon, who LOVES his Minions!  So when I found this charm pack of minions, I KNEW he must have a quilt from them.

Good old, fast and true, disappearing nine-patch quilt, with red for the cornerstones and a light blue with tiny red and white flowers for the legs. OOPS!  I screwed up one block's orientation in the bottom row!   Didn't notice it until I was nearly finished quilting the thing!  I did a grid for the machine quilting, around every 2 or 2 1/2 inches. No border at all, so it went fast, and stayed under sized so I didn't have to piece the back.  I used a fluffy polyester batting, so it would be a nice cuddlesome blankie.

Happy Birthday Harvey! 

Gold and Pink Baby Quilt

One of my young friends is expecting her first baby. She is having a girl!  So, I asked her what she wanted for a baby quilt and she said "pink and gold."

Gold.  As NOT a Christmas color, I was challenged to find some.  Found this piece at Missouri Star online, and the charm pack had a nice selection of pinks and other pastels, which in turn suggested the pattern for the quilt.

I admit, this needed to be a "fast" quilt, since quilting time is so limited with work, grand-baby and life!

Just for fun, I made a quick flannel receiving blanket in yellows, pinks and donuts! 

AYOQ: ALL HALLOWS EVE QUILT FOR BABY

This is the final of the twelve first months quilts made for my Grandson. Don't know why I saved this for the last. I had the idea and plan in my mind for some time.  I guess I was collecting strips and waiting for some chunks of time.  The back of this great quilt is some red and orange flames on black, and was a gift to me from Shannon, my Co-Grandma. So this, the final quilt, is a joint effort!

This is a fun quilt to make!

I guess the only thing left to make now is his first birthday quilt!  hahahahahsa

https://modafabrics.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/simply-woven-quilt/

AYOQ: Baby Autumn Disappearing Four Patch Quilt

A little split 4-patch with the golds and reds of autumn!

The fabrics are from a charm pack and include leaves, little turkeys and pilgrims. The scale is very small, so you need to get pretty close before you recognize the little designs.

AYOQ: Baby Speedster Baby Quilt

I have really enjoyed this block; a snowball/bright hopes variation.  The circles!  Made for the grandson-to-be, the fabric collection named "Speedster" had little race cars, tires, numbers, circles and chevrons. I quilted "in the ditch" and around the border.  It has a light weight poly batting, for a really hugable feel.  The backing is a great JoAnn's Fabric sale chevron in red, white and light blue.

Thanks to Woody, my next-door-neighbor's grandson for holding the quilt for it's photo, and Olivia the pug for photo-bombing!

AYOQ: Baby Sailboats

This is the "June" quilt for my Grandson Zeke. His father is an avid fisherman and boat enthusiast. So when summer rolls around, every weekend finds him fishing or cruising the shores of San Diego.

I purchased the "water" and the borders on the annual quilt run.  The backing of this little quilt includes cartoon sharks.

The sails were solid charms. and the boats were scraps from a great wood grain!  This quilt is darling!
Update: In September 2015 the baby's home was devastated with a fire. This quilt was smoke damaged, but the insurance company will try and repair it. I hope so, it was my favorite of the 12!

AYOQ: Red, White and Blue Baby Quilt

This patriotic little quilt was made with scraps from the patriotic box. The block is called Ribbon Star. The neutrals is a pair of fabrics from Anaheim many years ago.  One says DEMOCRAT and the other REPUBLICAN. I alternated blocks and the red corners or blue corners.  They are 9 inch blocks and I got the idea from my perpetual calendar (Jan. 31!) A small 1 7/8" border (That's exactly how much fabric I had in the stars pattern!) and a nice striped binding.

This is "JULY" for Baby Zeke's first year of quilts!

AYOQ: Surfer Baby for my Grandson

Liked the last one so much, had to make another!

AYOQ: Baby Braids

This little quilt was made with a charm pack and some 5" squares plus about a yard or less of grey fabric. The pattern is cut with a 5" half hexie template, then arranged braid style in 4 columns. I loved the ultra modern stylish colors and I like this braid style.

Smug baby!

AYOQ: Around a Baby's World

I found a fat quarter in San Antonio while visiting my Dad, a white with tiny baby bottles and phrases like "Got Milk?" and "Milk, It's what's for dinner!"  "Milk, It's not just for Babies" and other such cute things.  I coupled it with a charm pack hat had little garden/farm scenes and a baby blue with tiny fruits and veggies.  The idea was "Around the World" but frankly, the colors didn't make a very strong statement.  In any case, it works as a early springy baby crib quilt for a boy!  Since I am having a winter grandson.....

My Springtime Baby! 

AYOQ: Blue and Yellow Baby

This started out as a split 9 patch based on 5 inch squares.  5 of them were with 5 of one colorm, 4 of another, and then 4 patches were the opposite.    It wasn't very interesting though.  So I split each block into 4 pieces diagonally and then switched them up and back together.  because of the mechanics I was ONE 5' square short to complete the pattern.  I COULD have cut another row, but instead I decided to root through the 5" squares drawer.  A red square hollered at me.....

Obviously, there is half a red colored block in my scrap blocks collection now! UPDATE: The scrap block was remade into a place mat for Big Sister Miranda!

AYOQ: Let It Snow!

When you are born in December, you'll be needing a nice warm quilt for the winter months.  Although it doesn't snow at the beach in San Diego, we can always imagine!  Backed in soft flannel that was a hand-me-down from the collection of a friend's grandmother, this whimsical quilt will delight for many years.

AYOQ: Puppy Love

This darling quilt is a charm pack (named puppy love!) and a yard of grey fabric. The grey was also cut into 5" squares and each pair rendered 4 HST's. Then it was just a matter of lining them up into the zig zag pattern.  The bottom row is half red and half black cause that's how the charm pack colors were distributed. I did add a few random black/white hearts to make the white rows complete.  The borders are the same width as 1 of the HST's. (I think about 3 1/4")  It is stitched in the ditch between each block, with 3 rows in each border about 1 1/2 inch apart.

The fabric has motifs of hearts, dogs, paw prints.  The binding is a quarter yard of white paw prints on red I bought some time ago at JoAnn's.
This will be for the first Grandbaby! (Due in December.) Good for a boy or a girl!

AYOQ: Bluework Baby Quilt

Starting of course with his Hand Stitched Bluework!  Welcome beautiful baby. I started this quilt, along with another one in redwork, for the baby before I knew if I would be welcoming a boy or a girl. It is hand embroidered and hand quilted. I did a lot of the hand work while staying with my father in Texas.

It's A Boy!

AYOQ: December

Welcome, Beautiful Baby! Just a week before Christmas, you came into our lives. We are blessed. I got the idea for this charm square quilt from something I saw on Pinterest. I love the way the colors weave past each other.