Linus projects

Something got me in the mood to work on Linus quilts this weekend.  It's definitely time.  I usually donate a bag full every year, but this year, I don't have any quilts ready to go. 

Linus isn't just about altruism for me, although that part is very important to me.  Linus quilts are also great for practicing skills.  Like that swirly wind pattern I want to use on the leaf quilt.  So, I pulled one out that I knew would be a great quilt top for that quilting design and basted it up and got to work.  It only took about 5 hours to quilt the whole thing, including a few fits and starts at the beginning.  It's 54" square.  I'm sewing down the binding now.  This is all made from scraps that are 2.5" wide.  It's a very easy pattern from the book Twosey-foursey Quilts by Cathy Wierzbicki.  Great book and this is my fave pattern and makes a great donation quilt because it's so simple.  It's called barbed wire, but when you quilt a wind pattern behind it, it looks like whirly-jigs. 

This is what the quilting looks like.  I'm very happy with my progress.  I've figured out a couple of small things that I did for years that made the wind pattern I was using look less like wind.  I wasn't curling the lines around far enough and my echo lines were too far away from the original.  That's really all I changed, but it has made a huge difference in how this filler pattern comes out. 

And, lest you think all my Linus quilts come out that good, they don't. 

This is the three bears quilt top. 

The first time I made it, I made six short columns, which would have made them run horizontally up the quilt.  But, the fabrics are mostly directional, so that looked stupid.  So, I took two off, and cut them in half and took off one side of a border, added the extra length and laid it in the floor, and it was tooo long...and it looked stupid.  So, I cut 8 inches off the end of the whole thing and added the border back.  And, now it's just right.  It gets one more border of a batik that's a riot of other colors, but mostly purple and really ties it all together nicely.  I hope to get that on and have this one ready to quilt next weekend.  I'm going to quilt one thing in the columns and something else in the borders.  How's that for a plan. 

Friday evening, while we watched TV, I cut hexies off my flower project and sewed up the seams that came apart because I'd cut a knot off them.  And, then I added most of those hexies back, in different places.  And, I got that lack of symmetry that I was going for.  Now, this one is ready to move forward.

But, I'm in no rush because I'm still practicing feathers.  The ferns that I want to quilt in the background around this are based on feathers; along a spine, but with a different shape, and I want to feel comfortable with the feathers before I try to tackle the ferns. 

I am burning through some leftover pink thread, I'll tell you. 

Rob doesn't need new knees!  You all cannot know how relieved we are to get that news.  He's had trouble with his knees for a few years and it's gotten worse and worse until his doctor finally took notice and took some x-rays.  Turns out his knees are fine, it's his tendons that need work, so he's added better arch support to all his shoes and is doing some stretching exercises and already feeling better.  Maybe too much better.  I'm just a little worried he's going to want me to keep up with him.

Here's a little something to brighten your day.  No matter how gloomy it is where you are, spring is coming.  I promise.

This is the first Iris of the year and unfortunately, the rain got to it before I got a pic, but there are about to be more of them.  This Iris came from a neighbor.  She was a gardener like me and, like me, her garden always looks overgrown and full and lush so we had that in common.  She lost her battle with breast cancer a few years ago and one day, I was walking past her house and one rhizome had been kicked out of the dirt and was laying on the sidewalk.  And, I stole it.  And, now I have a white Iris that blooms very early in spring and will always remind me of Kate.

Everybody have a great Monday!  Lane