Monday, July 6, 2020

Little quilts for little people


Hello, hello! How are you? I hope you've been safe and well. Things are fine aboard the good ship Vector as we make our way slowly north this summer. I've been quilting along steadily and have a big batch of little finishes to share with you. First up is this jungle quilt, made with a tiger panel. One of my Sunshine Quilt Guild-mates sent it along. She had 3 or 4 of them and it was fun to see how folks used the panel.


She also included the chunk of tigers that I used in the upper left side of the backing. This quilt will go to Wrap-a-Smile (WAS.)


This quilt is also made with a panel. The cute sheep in the center were made to be a growth chart, so there were inch and feet marks up the left side. I just cut that part off and added some scrappy hour glass blocks. This one is also headed to WAS.


The back is nothing special, just a couple of pieces of green that coordinated with both front and binding. You'll see a photo of the back of each of my pieces here, no matter how boring. Why? Because occasionally the charities that I donate to will publish a photo of a quilt being used by a child, and only a glimpse of the back is visible. Twice now I've spotted one of my pieces this way, which is SUCH a thrill! I use my blog to document the fronts and the backs to help me remember them.


Next up is this super duper scrappy quilt in red hot colors. The blocks are made of crumbs that I stitched together during last year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I bordered two sides of each block with scrappy brown strips and there is lots to look at in this quilt!


The back is a strip of the same bright orange as the binding, and a couple of the cartoon characters from "Cars." I don't usually buy licensed character fabrics, but this chunk was part of a bigger lot and I admit the goofy cars make me smile. I hope it will also make a child smile! It will be donated to Quilts of Compassion.


Here's a tiny quilt! Only 36"x42", it used up the last of some pretty rainbow butterfly fabric I've had kicking around. I also had a charm pack of solids that were juuuuust right with the butterflies. A bit of plaid bordering and voila! Just right for a new baby.


The back is a single piece of hot pink with cute little bugs on it. DH's feet are included because, well, why not? I think he's as cute as a bug. This one will also go to Quilts of Compassion (the quilt, not the husband.)


And here's a third quilt for the same charity, which gives quilts to people affected by disasters. It features a panel with elegant ladies and gentlemen. I added rows of 16-patches and snowball blocks in the same soft pinks, purples, yellows and greens.


Here's a close-up of the panel. Isn't it fun? I like to think these are young couples who have just fallen in love, and hope the quilt ends up in the arms of a starry-eyed child. 


The back is a single piece of urban row houses in the same color palette. Could it be New York? Paris? It's where all these couples live, of course!


OK, on to even smaller quilts. The next three are tiny doll quilts, and will be donated to A Doll Like Me. The first two were made with just a handful of small blocks left over from other projects. Sometimes I use blocks like that on the back of a quilt, but these lent themselves to finished quilts in their own right. I like the soft pastels of this piece.


The back shows my swirly quilting, and is a rather thin piece of peppered or shot cotton. 


This one is scrappy floral blocks bound in dark green for a summer garden feel.


An old fashioned ditsy white with black somethings (flowers?) fit the back just fine. Doll quilts are a great way to use up scraps of batting, too.


And finally, the last doll quilt is perfectly square. I know it doesn't look that way! We waited a long time for a calm, bright morning to take photos and the wind kicked up right at the end. These little pieces really can get flapping in the breeze! But I think you can figure out that this one is kind of an I-spy with planes, trains, bikes, cats and more. I like to include a variety of styles that will appeal to any kid when I make a donation.


The back continues the transportation theme with a fun railroad print.

Whew! Well, I'm mostly caught up with sharing my finishes now. I hope you enjoyed the gallery of little quilts. Which one is your favorite?

31 comments:

  1. Wow that is a heap of gorgeous quilts you have done.... panels are so good to use and then build on. As always I love how you put together yours...I think the real scrappy red one is a favourite in this group... but thats because i love scrappy!
    Hugz

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  2. A whole bunch of wonderful quilts! I’ve been sharing your DH’s blog with my DH! He’s pretty impressed. Then I told him of all the quilting you do on board! Now he’s super impressed. I like the crumb block quilt so much. Setting it your way is so cool!

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  3. Wow, Louise, you have been busy! Great job on all. Doesn't it feel good to finish so many quilts and use up odds and ends and bits and pieces. I think the red crumb quilt is my favorite. It just glows. Wish we had some of that breeze blowing here. Hot, hot.

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  4. What great finishes. So many little quilts, You have been busy!

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  5. So much eye candy here! I clicked cor close-ups of all the quilts and just love all the pretty fabrics. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I do love the couples with the 16-patches and snowballs, the tiger one, but maybe the orange and brown crumb is my favorite. I love them all! And your quilting just sets them off.
    It was interesting to read about the charities you quilt for, so thanks for the links.
    It kind of looks like you are on a river instead of the ocean. I hope you are doing well!

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  6. Always fun to see what you've been stitching up while you cruise along the waterways! Had to giggle a bit about not donating the husband - haha. Darn good thing, that. You have such fun fabric in each quilt!

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  7. They're all wonderful donations and the organizations getting them are lucky to have you as a patron. My favorite is the red hot scrappy one. I love it!

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  8. You have certainly been busy! Wow! What a show. I always enjoy seeing what you have made. I can get seasick if I think about it though. LOL I like that you share a little bit of your comments about each quilt too. I always like to see the back, even if it isn't anything special.

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  9. OMG Louise you really had a boat load of quilts to share with us today! Love them all, but the sweet bright butterflies speak to me:) You really need to lighten your boat load by sending these quilts off;)

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  10. I enjoyed today's quilt show. I like that you show the backs of your quilts. It's always fun to see the fabrics you choose and the way you piece some of the larger quilt backs. The quilt with the dancing couples is my sentimental favorite. After growing up watching Fred and Ginger twirling on the dance floor, it definitely speaks to me.

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  11. How nice to see so many special quilts getting done and ready for sending off. I haven't sewn in weeks. Instead we are tackling long needed yardwork and other house projects. Enjoy your journey north.

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  12. You've been a busy bee this past month with another group of beauties to share with us & your charities that you help. I have to say the Super Duper Scrappy Red Hot quilt is my favorite but only because red is my favorite color. You totally amaze me with what you do with your block/color combinations. The backs are always fun to look at too. Your fantastic swirls show up so good on the back of that doll quilt. Congrats for a productive month. Your quilts are like "postcards" to us from the waters of the world. Keep those cards & letters coming!

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  13. so much gorgeousness !!! Love what you did with the tigers !!!

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  14. Just when I was beginning to think that you might have fallen into the ocean... BOOM!!! Here you are with a post full of SEW many wonderful finishes. Glad to see that you've been keeping busy, Louise!

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  15. So wonderful to complete all of these charity quilts. I think the doll quilts are my favorite, plus the butterfly quilt. I'm sure that they will all be used and loved which is the main thing. I will use your doll quilts as inspiration for when I have extra time and make some of my own. So easy to put something small together.

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  16. Wow, Louise. That's a pretty impressive bunch of quilts!
    My fav is the red hot crumbs.

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  17. You've got a lot of fun finishes, Louise! I love the red hot crumbs, too - looks like I'm not the only one! Those quilts are going to get a lot of love in the places where they're headed.

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  18. Another fun group of finishes, Louise! I love the red hot crumbs and the romantic couples quilt. The patchwork/snowball border rows really made that quilt stunning. Congrats on so many worthwhile finishes. I hope you’re enjoying calm seas and calm (!) visits ashore! xo

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  19. Another batch of beautiful quilts. My favourite is the red scrappy one. So much colour!

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  20. Thank you, Louise, for continuing to support WAS with your creativity. You are the most artistic engineer I have ever met! Love all of these, but your panel with elegant ladies and gentlemen plus snowballs particularly engages me. Your creativity is amazing! ~Ann

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  21. You continue to amaze me with your making of these very welcome quilts
    for the little ones. You have such a collection here and I can imagine the smile on a child's face being handed a quilt of their very own, made with love. You ask which would be our favourite, mine would be the very bright red hot coloured scrappy quilt - no surprises there I guess! I can't leave without mention of the wee doll quilts - delightful.

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  22. Now THAT was a very fun post to read! So much quilty goodness here. You have been a busy lady! The crumb quilt is my favorite. LOVE scrappy quilts like that. And your quilts are always so colorful and bright which makes my heart happy. :)

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  23. You have been so busy. They are all great. My favourite is the couples dancing quilt. I love how you incorporated the 16 patches and snowball blocks.

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  24. Very fun quilts! The tiger one is my favorite, with the elegant ladies a close second.

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  25. What a super batch of quilts, Louise! And keep showing those backs. I personally think they should be called “side two” or “other side” because often “backs” are as interesting or fun as the “fronts.” (How’s that for too many quotation marks?) I’ve just caught up on your other blog, and was surprised by how far north you got since I last read. It always amazes me how much quilting you get done with your seemingly adventurous and unpredictable journey. Safe travels during this strange time!

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  26. Such a parade of gorgeous quilts! My favorite is those red hot crumbs!
    And it's good to see your quilts still occasionally have feet!

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  27. Yes, indeed, quite the gallery of gorgeous quilts. You keep busy while afloat, it seems! I've been stitching slabs like your reds...in a box but seeing your quilt makes me want to finally make them into something.

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  28. Well strangely enough the red orange and yellow RAC one is my favourite! Usually I go for blues and greens. All wonderful quilty hugs from wonderful you. And I giggled at “the quilt, not the husband” joke.

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  29. Love them all...they are sure to provide happy quilty hugs.

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  30. Gallery if goodness!! They're all wonderful, but your red hot crumb quilt calls my name! The addition of the brown strips for harmony and cohesion was inspired. I hope your travels remain happy, and that your quilts find their way into all the right hands (and hearts).

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  31. What a great grouping of quilts and what a variety of subjects! Smiling cars, butterflies, dancers, flowers and more. Have you found a port? Glad you aren’t down in the Gulf of Mexico. Stay safe.

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