AHIQ, 12/27

Ann and Kaya - I came across your blog from Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts tonight.  I posted a comment about my improv blocks.  When I read your post, Ann, I realized that I have been doing improv quilting all along.  Here is one I'd like to share.

I like to do Project Linus quilts for kids at our local Chidrens Hospital.  I found a discount store that had a sale on fleece blankets, edged at 50 X 60 inches.  At less than $3.00 each I bought a bunch of kid themed ones to use instead of batting and backing.  All I had to do was make a top within those size limits.

Here's the fleece backing, which evolved into my Dog Park quilt.

I had bought this really cute dog fabric  all kinds together on green backing.  But the piece was not long enough.  So I decided,to make a row quilt.  I found the assorted brown strips that looked like paths or fences.  To add more length I broke them up with ball/balloon strips, making the length right.  I still had no name for it.  Then I found this whole Jellyroll of cars running along.  This became the streets  where the owners parked to get out and let the dogs play.  Voila!  A dog park.

It was amazing how all the colors went together and matched the fleece backing.  So here it was:

DOG PARK QUILT

I did give it to our quilt group's charity collection day held twice a year.  This year we collected about 300 quilts of all types and sizes, for veterans, halfway houses, nursing homes, NIQUs and Project Linus.  It is not only creative but satisfying being able to give it to a child who will love it.

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I'm linking this with AHIQ, Ad Hoc Imrpov Quilter at Fret Not Yourself  

RSC16 week 16

DEADLINES MET

My main goal this week was to finish my Dog Park quilt, which I last showed as a flimsy, needed for Monona Quilters charity collection on May 9. Once I switched to using the walking foot for it, I wanted to do the entire job before using my 1/4-inch foot again.  A friend helped me to get it pinned to the fleece backing on the weekend.  It was only about 45 inches square, a lot easier to handle than the 50 x 60 ones I've made in the past.  Here it is after quilting.

I bought the kids fleece blanket about a year ago and the dog fabric last fall to coordinate with it.  With the deadline looming, I quilted  and bound it in three days. The gold binding was left over from another project with just inches to spare.  

I quilted in the ditch for the strip pieces and did meandering rows in the dog area so it would not look like they were fenced in, but free to run.  It shows best on the back.

The finished quilt: 

My other goal was the Modern HST Sampler block called Pointed, which I managed to muddle through just in time to do these photos.  Of course, it is done in RSC16  April colors.

For the eight HSTs in orange I used a different method called The Eight Square Method by Honey Bear Lane on Pinterest.  You end up with straight grain on two sides and only the diagonal on the bias.  I don't want to mess around with stretchy edges and it is easy to do.  

Over all it was a very nice week with warm sunny days at last and that feeling of satisfaction from meeting my goals.  I hope you all had a good week and I'll be checking your posts on Rainbow Scrap Challenge at so scrappy tomorrow.

RSC16 week 14

 PROGRESS REPORT

DOG PARK QUILT.  The flimsie went together quickly and I showed it at our Monona Quilters meeting on Monday.

The fleece backing has a dog theme and is so fluffy and soft after washing.  Yesterday I got it pinned and ready for some simple quilting.  It is about 43 inches square.

Modern HST Sampler blocks to date:  

As you see, I am doing these in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colors, since they come every other week.  Can't wait to get going on April's orange with black or brown for all my projects.

It's taking me quite a while to do my slab blocks because it's not just a crazy patch, but more of a designed piece, evolving bit by bit and I'm enjoying the process very much.  It's a challenge to make it exactly 8.5 inches to match my 16-patch blocks.  Here is the February one I just finished today.

It's been a good quilting month for me.  The next step is to quilt and bind the Dog Park quilt, then back to my single blocks.  Those will just stack up till December, but I have number of WIPs to finish.

Thanks for all your nice comments this past week.  I link up with RSC16 at soscrappy and Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts.  Be sure to see what fun things are going on there.