Handpiecing Fun

 A few years ago, I attended a class at Hyggeligt in St. Mary's on hand piecing.  I had actually done quite a bit of hand piecing but a bunch of friends wanted to learn and I was interested in getting the templates and you always learn different techniques by taking a class.  The project we were doing requires only two templates.  I grabbed a few fabrics and we worked on the center part and Chantal suggested the black with purple polka dots for the next round.  I had the green in my stash, but it didn't look finished after that so I added the stars around it.  These were the greens I had in my stash.  They are a little subdued for my liking, but then it sat for quite awhile because it still didn't look finished and I didn't have anymore purple.  Awhile ago I found more purple in a basket and was able to get another round on with some more polka dots.  I then decided it would be a lovely small project to hand quilt and that took awhile as well.  I put the last stitches in it last weekend. 

The finished table topper

close up of the quilting

I quilted circles in the center and in each of the stars

I found this piece of fabric in a bag of Kaffe scraps at my quilt guild's rummage sale a few years ago.  Perfect for the backing

 

 

 

Lap Quilts

 Another old UFO was finished last week and gifted to a senior friend.  She loves gardening and flowers so I hoped she liked bright colours.  I delivered it this week and she did like it ☺.  The pattern is Spinning Four Patch and the borders show the original fabric that is layered with four identical strips and cut into squares and then arranged with the most pleasing center.  I quilted this one myself with diagonal lines in the center and piano key borders with my Westalee ruler and then I got brave and quilted a maple leaf (with a ruler) in the corners. (click on the photo to enlarge)

Finished quilt

closeup of the original tulip fabric

The maple leaf in the corner is a little hard to see

This quilt is for my aunt who turns 90 in June, but I delivered it to her last week so she can enjoy it already.  I found a layer cake that has been languishing in the stash for at least 15 years.  These are the perfect colours for her living room so I made this no waste Windmill pattern from Anita Solomon's book, Rotary Cutting Revolution.  It's a fun and quick pattern but you do have to arrange it on the wall first before sewing together.  I had a bunch of squares left and added fabrics to make a second top.  It needs to be quilted yet and will go to another senior friend.  They are enjoying the gifts and my UFOs are getting tamed!  Win/win situation.
 

Finished quilt

I quilted free motion loops all over this top which worked well.