Windy Hill Quilters finishes

     I quilt with a group of quilting sisters in a little community East of Portland, Oregon.  Corbett sits in the Columbia River Gorge, about 20 miles east of Downtown Portland. 

    We enjoy each other's company and together, we stitch up not only our own personal projects and offer suggestions and advice,  but we make quilts to be given to members of the Corbett Community in tough times such as illness,  fires, or traffic accidents.    We have also made quilts for a  family homeless shelter and Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  

     We are not a large group, but about 8 regular members.  A nice intimate group. 

     There is a storage area at the church we stitch at, with fabric that has been donated for the cause.   We often start there for inspiration,  but there is plenty of fabric in my own stash to fill in where needed.    The group purchases batting for use,  with funds raised from raffle quilts. 

     I usually have at least one or two quilts in progress for donation to the cause,  but lately I've had gaggle of them in the works.  

     I've made it my mission to get these much needed projects moved on into the hands of those who need them for comfort and warmth during difficult times.  

     This past month,  I've finished 2 youth quilts,  and 3 larger quilts for this cause.  4 of these, I started back in fall of 2014,  when I purchased a bunch of fabric from a quilter's estate sale.  In the pile of fabrics, there were several pieces that I decided were appropriate for these projects, and I got started on some tops.   I've finished a few of these last year,  but my goal was to try to finish several more this year.  

Here are some of the finishes I've had this last week or so.  This has entailed piecing backs,  piecing batting sections together,  and layering and quilting.   One of the larger quilts has 6 batting scrap " frankenstein" stitched together.  

Thomas the Tank  #2   45 x 60 

Thomas the Tank Engine #3  45 x 60  

In the group of fabrics,  there were several Thomas the Tank Engine fat quarters.  I have finished 3 quilt tops with that group, and there are still more.....  but in the interest of wanting recipients to feel like their quilt is special,  I think I'll wait a while to begin another top with those pieces.  

Rodeo Flannel quilt  60 x 80

Campfire Cowboys Flannel  60 x 80 

There were a couple larger pieces of flannel that would be perfect for "guy's quilts"... 
I added variety with some flannel pieces I had stashed away.  

This next quilt is one that I got all the main fabrics from the back room at the church.  
I used Teri Atkinson's pattern Tile Tango.   The scrappy 9 patch blocks were made with 
2 1/2" squares from my scrap bins. 

Tile Tango  72 x 90

 

February Finishes!

     February was a good month on the quilting front.  I finished 2 children's quilts that will go to my niece's two foster children.  These two sweet children have been in her home since just before Christmas full time.  She and her husband were a respite home initially, but this brother / sister duo were in a home with other very young children and needed more nurturing time.  

Criss Cross Applesauce  Backing 

Criss Cross Applesauce 

Bright Hearts  / Foreshadowing  

Bright Hearts - quilting detail 

     These were both tops done as mystery quilt test tops.  The one with hearts was half of the blocks originally made for the 2011 mystery. (another youth top was finished and gifted 2 years ago)  and the one with  the yellow and green crossed lines was started last March.   

     I love testing new patterns!  Especially mystery quilts.  It's fun to see if I can figure out where the designer is going.  This designer, Jessica Smith, of the Quilt and Needle always keeps me on my toes.  My mind does not think in the same brainwaves as hers, and she always surprises her mystery followers with a wonderful finished project.   My biggest problem, is that the tops get to the finished top stage, and if I don't have a specific recipient or home for them, they don't get quilted right away.  If you look at my "to do" list, it has several mystery quilts from the Q&N that need finishing.  I'm hoping this is the year. 

Sticks and Stones 

     This donation quilt is finished!   Last year, while going through some boxes of donated fabric with my quilting sisters in Corbett, (The Windy Hill Quilters),  I came across some partially cut and  sewn blocks, lots of them! 

Sticks and stones - detail 

      There were probably enough for 3 quilts worth .  The majority of the fabrics are from the 80's.. blue/ pink, plaid with hearts.. very outdated and country looking.    However, while  looking through the bag, I thought.. if I replace the  plaid center on these dark blue blocks  with a cream, they would go nicely with these other blocks. (There was a pattern in the bag, called "sticks and stones", but it had been copied from somewhere, with no reference to the designer.  A google search helped me find 3 more images of the same quilt, but again, no designer credit.   So... whoever designed this quilt, I'm sorry I can't give you credit.  
     This measures 60 x 72.  No one else  in the group was interested in working with the bag contents so it came home with me.   There will be more to come from that bag, but I will mix it with some more updated fabrics and use some of it in pieced backs.  

     I also finished 4 star blocks for a Quilt of Valor.  These blocks need to be mailed in the next few weeks to the person who will piece the completed blocks into a quilt for a well deserving veteran.

Quilt of Valor blocks 

      I also got four more tops finished that were in progress.   Campfire Cowboys  and Rodeo were made from some flannel in a tote of fabric I purchased at a garage sale in the fall of 2014.   I had some of the smaller plaids in my stash that  coordinated with the two large scale prints.  I used the pattern " Just Can't Cut It"  by All Washed Up, to allow the prints to be seen.  These both  measure out at a Twin size 75" x 87" . I still have some of the branding iron fabric to use for backing.  These will be  donation quilts when done, possibly to a homeless shelter,  or to an Indian Reservation that our small quilt group is sending quilts to this spring. 

Campfire Cowboys 

Rodeo 

     The other two Thomas the Tank Engine tops are ready for quilting now as well.  These are going to the new family homeless shelter with the three quilts I finished last month.  

Thomas the Tank Engine II 

Thomas the Tank Engine III

Stash busting news!
   
     See the black fabric with the bright hearts?  I purchased that fabric when my granddaughter was born on Valentine's day, 20 years ago!  She has always been a hot pink & zebra kind of girl, and this little print  and it's companion never made it into a quilt for her.... It is all gone now... only thing left are a few 2 1/2" squares that are in the scrap drawers.   In fact,  the binding on this quilt is about 1/2 and 1/2 of the two prints to make it all the way around. 

     The bright yellow print used as backing in the top photo, has been one of my favorite prints, and I'm down to less than 2 FQ.... It is such a fun print to put in children's quilts.  I'll miss it.  

     The checkered border has been in my stash for a long time as well, and it's time to move it along.  I got it for a great price,  there is enough for another large border, or to piece into a back somewhere.