This little baby quilt, dropped by the courier on Friday, was a quick finish as the quilt maker just requested an edge-to-edge design. Any quilt for a baby, toddler or even child needs no more than this. They see the picture and colours, don’t care about the quilting, and never use these for too long.
On the very first day of Wimbledon and during a Sinner match, a quilter phoned to ask if she could fetch her quilt. I had no problem, as this is usually a rather quick transaction. I, however, did not know she’d be bringing another huge quilt along, and this part takes time. I have to make sure that we are on the same page regarding what needs to be done.
This
completed top was inherited by a non-quilting daughter after her mom passed
away. She had no clue as to how it
should be finished. At a gathering, my
client met her, and they talked about hobbies. This is how she came to
hear the story.
My client
then helped her with batting and backing and gave me the quilt to finish. Knowing it is for a non-quilter, I did not
want to overwhelm her with dense custom quilting or the price thereof. I would have loved to do custom quilting, though. I settled for meandering with
the knowledge that she at least has a useable item to remember her mom by.
I ordered 34 frozen meals and soup to be delivered on Thursday. I basically spent most of my food budget on frozen food because Wimbledon starts tomorrow. I am an avid sports fan on TV, though I am not fit enough to do any of these myself. However, I take Wimbledon more seriously than any other sport, and I do become rather unsociable during this time. Don’t visit me, don’t invite me, just let me be.
With this
quilt being the last one I have with me currently, I am quietly hoping for a
break. We will have the little one
over, seeing as it is school holidays in South Africa, but she is now old enough to
understand.
I also
spent the morning cleaning all the surfaces in my house. The little robovac can do her thing at night, leaving me with just a little mopping to do and then Wimbledon is
all mine.
After the quilt maker and I decided on a motif, I laid the 3 layers out on top of each other to ensure I load the right sides and not end up with a backing shorter than the top. Before taking the top to the machine, I decided to quickly count the blocks across and down. It was 9 blocks across and 9 rows down as I used the sides to count.
After
loading all three layers onto the frame, I started quilting and thought it would be a quick job. Before
long, I was done with row 3, which, at that stage in my confused mathematical
frame of mind, was a third of the quilt done.
Not far to go.
I quilted,
advanced, quilted, advanced, and when I got to row 9, I still had almost three-quarters of the quilt on the roll, still to quilt. That’s when it hit me, these blocks were on
point. In between each of the 9 block
rows, there were still 8 additional rows with 8 blocks each. Talk about a
disappointment!
Finally
done, I could return it to the quilt maker.
This is from what I regard as my “kind quilter”. She tends to bring me a quilt just after I worked on an intricate custom quilt, and I really just need an easy motif to take a break.
She made
this for a dog lover and thus used dog prints in the quilt.
When receiving this quilt from an out-of-town quilter, all my skills, creativity, patience or whatever you would like to call it, were tested.
Along with
the two quilts sent, computer-printed motifs came with instructions to do them on the quilts.
Now, as much
as I’d like to improve my skills and get better at what I do, I am sadly just a
freehand quilter and not a computer. I won't be able to get the left side of any block exactly like the
right or the bottom like the top.
I explained
this to the maker, but she was adamant I had to try my best or at least do something
similar to the prints she sent me.
I drew out
heaps of motifs on paper diamonds the size of those on her quilt and finally
came up with something I hoped would work.
For that, though, I had to make cardboard templates, two per block, and
these had to be marked on the blocks.
The tiring part was that both light and dark fabrics were used in every block
(diamond), and I had to use the blue water-erasable pen on the lights and a
chalk marker on the darker fabric. Time-consuming to the extreme.
I started
out quilting, all the while hoping for the best, and as I progressed, I could
see mistakes. Backtracking was not very neat,
curls not ending exactly on the same spot on both sides and echoes not spaced perfectly. I did my best, and that is what I can offer.
Once off
the frame and all the markings removed, I was pleasantly surprised by the
outcome. Very few of the problems I
noticed while standing by the quilt were even visible once it was off the frame
and seen as a whole.
The maker
has not seen the quilt yet, but liked what she saw in the photos I sent, so I am
hoping she’d be just as pleased once she sees the real thing.
The maker of this does not regard quilting as her craft, but as a mother of 3 boys, with the 2 younger ones getting married early, both with 2 kids, she had her oldest, who got married late and was unable to have a little one of their own.
Many
treatments and heaps of money, and MUCH later, they found out they were
pregnant. The scary/funny part is that
he is now 47 and his wife is 42. Never too
old to try something new.
Grandma
decided to make this quilt for this rather special little one. We chose a
denser meander to hide all the puckering.
Grandma did her best, and the result is still pleasing.
I received this beginner sampler, and the maker, as well as the local teacher, claims she did not do any sewing before doing this quilt. I looked closely at her seams and points and found it really hard to believe, but I don’t think they’d lie to me. We might just have a master quilter in the making.
I have a confession to make…. I dislike Kaffe Fassett fabric. While working on this quilt, I had a list of reasons, but once it was done, I realised this is just my opinion, so I won't share the details.
I have, however, decided to try to convince any future Kaffet Fasset fans,
handing me quilts to finish, to settle for an all-over meander instead of any
detailed motif or even custom quilting.
With this feather filler, I simply couldn’t see where I’ve been, where I
am supposed to be going or looking back on what I did, see any motif at all. It
was just a crazy bunch of overprinted colours.
To me, too much.
I struggled
to finish and ended up just quilting in half-hour increments, as that is how
long I could pretend to enjoy it. When I
finally advanced to where I could see the backing, I knew at least the motif on the back was visible.
I searched the internet for the name of this technique and saw that it goes by different names. For the previous one, I used “twisted pole” and opted to give this one a different name.
The
previous one was also done in an edge-to-edge pattern, while this one is custom-quilted and, as small as it is, kept me busy a couple of days.
The user of these, as far as I know, is not a quilter. She sent these two solid pieces of fabric to be quilted in an all-over pattern. This will go up against a wall, and her products/patterns will be pinned to these. I am not sure how the quilted fabrics will be attached to the walls, but she may have a stand of sorts.
I asked if
both should have the same motifs, but she preferred a difference. The motifs won’t be visible once she attaches her samples/examples, but they will still serve the purpose.
I often get several similar quilts from the same quilting group. This is a second Lily Dreams table runner from the same group as the previous one I did.
I have an
appointment to have my hair cut this morning, and I’m really nervous; I’ll be making use of
a new, unknown (to me) hairdresser.
Luckily, my hair grows fast, but I am still hoping for the best.
For the
weekend ahead, I plan to finish three quilts.
Well, maybe just two, but start on the third.
This bronchitis is frustrating. One day, I will feel normal, able to move and get things done, just to shower the next day and realise there is just not enough oxygen in my lungs to do anything else.
Yesterday
was one of my better days, and I was able to finish this runner made up of
sampler blocks.
I had more urgent shopping to do before I started this next runner, and I’ve been doing two online quilt courses/summits and fell behind on one as I was ill and had to catch up. I started doing a little marking, stopped to watch the computer and vice versa. As sick as I was of chicken soup, I decided to have more on Wednesday evening. It was cooked, and I really had to start quilting/ learning and was not in the mood to cook again. I didn’t get very far with quilting. We take care of the youngest granddaughter in the afternoon, and when her mom fetched her early, hubby and I started coughing again, nebulised, and stayed in bed for an hour or so. We also retreated to the bedroom much earlier. The quilt was loaded, so I started with the border. Thursday was another day in bed for me. Friday, I finally decided, breath or no breath, I need to quilt, which I did.
Friday evening, hubby sounded terrible. On Saturday morning, I took him to a doctor; he didn’t go when I did, as his old doctor had retired and he hadn’t been to anyone new. I made the decision for him and set him up with my doctor… female (ha-ha). I had to turn angry for him to stay in bed, but I managed, or he listened.
Without being ugly, how peaceful this house (and me) was with him in bed all day and I at least having energy to move around. I bought him a box of tangerines, a bottle of orange juice and take him his meals and the odd snack in between, and I have the whole house and TV all to myself. Just me, myself and I.
Finally, a little quilting again. Hubby and I have been flat on our backs in bed for 9 full days with bronchitis. The weather played along, cold, wet and windy and made staying in bed worth it. The bad part is that with bronchitis, you don’t have body aches, a stuffed head, or any other flu symptoms, but you just don’t have enough oxygen to do the smallest thing. Not to mention the constant coughing and feeling of drowning in your own phlegm.
I had 5
quilts waiting to be done and couldn’t do anything about it. Yesterday, we both felt better, and I decided
to give every sheet, blanket, throw, and any cover a decent wash to
try to get rid of the germs. I also
needed to cook a proper meal. I was able
to cook a huge pot of chicken soup.
This was done in increments when the oxygen allowed me, and we ate chicken
soup until I could no longer stomach it!
With my
energy levels up, I took everything to the washing machine, but one dog had to go to
the veterinarian. After loading the
third batch, we quickly took her, just to return to a flooded kitchen floor. Our 38-year-old top loader decided she had had enough. Turns out the bottom started
rusting, the water leaked and dripped onto electrical wires, which tripped the
electricity in the house.
With half
of the washing done, we had to shop for a new machine. Now, 38 years ago, with my old machine, life
was easy. You only selected small-medium or large load, hot or cold water and washing time. OH, dear, no more. Nowadays, everything is computerised; one can
even work the machine from one's cellular phone.
How and why? Who would load the
laundry? It weighs the fabric, you
select the type, and then the machine does its thing. Select water level, decide
on time to wash, decide how many times to rinse and spin and when I selected
bedding for 2 large fleece blankets, it took almost 2 hours. No can do!
Luckily, the salesman explained well, the machine did not come with an
instruction manual (one can EASILY download it, he explained to the
pensioners!!). Once the machine has
decided what and how long to do whatever, you are fortunately
still allowed to manually adjust it. In
future, doing bedding will definitely be set for a shorter time.
I received
the 5 quilts over 2 days, just as the bronchitis started, I warned the makers I am
not doing well, but before being forced to stay in bed, I got to finish one
runner. The maker said she used her
scraps and didn’t need custom quilting, so again I was grateful for a quick
finish. Less to feel guilty about.
I have not
even opened any of the other quilts, but so much has been neglected while sick that I have plenty of catching up to do.
I used last Friday and the weekend to cook for the freezer. I struggle with quilts awaiting to be done, yet I still have to cook meals too. I have a husband, as skinny as a broomstick, who believes in 3 meals a day (two containing meat if bacon and eggs are not served as breakfast) and snacking in between, with cookies as his favourite. As is, I already cook chicken and rice for our elderly dogs once a week, I boil veggies for the chickens, and I still have to prepare our normal meals. At this stage, I refuse to bake cookies. Hubby shares these with the dogs and chickens, donating my hard-baked attempt to animals. If he needs cookies, he can buy them himself.
To get back
to my story, when I have quilts awaiting, I need to prioritise what to do first. I hate working on a quilt; having to walk back and forth to check on food, and I would hate my work to reek
of onions or garlic once done. If I get
going on a quilt first, meals will end up somewhat shabby, nothing special, just something to serve to make me feel better.
If I choose cooking first, the quilt is loaded late in the day, so I may not make the best motif design choices, so
it waits for the next day.
Having
frozen veggies, cooked meat or full meals in the freezer makes my decision-making life easier.
Enough about my cooking rituals.
This quilt
maker’s daughter-in-law lives abroad and was gifted the blue fabric. She really could not get herself to like the
fabric, but, feeling guilty, decided to make something of it. When done, her own daughter came to visit and
loved it. It would be perfect for a
couch in her house, so Mom got motivated to finish it.
Once done
and having it over at my place for a while, she ended up not disliking the
fabric all that much anymore, but already gifted it, so her daughter will get the
“not so ugly” quilt after all.
This was the third of the quilts I dropped off from the ‘out of town’ quilter. Because of all the different fabric colours in the bargello wave, I knew full custom quilting would not show up much. I spoke to the maker, and we decided to use a combination of edge-to-edge bargello with simple straight lines in the background.
I had this
quilt loaded on the frame during Easter, and so badly wanted to start on Monday, but at 18:30 on Sunday evening, the electricity in large parts of our city
went out due to a fault. Monday,
therefore, was hell, sitting around unable to do anything. By lunch, the electricity was back on, but with
my tummy full (eating was most of what I did during this time), I was simply too
lazy and unmotivated to start. The quilt
had to stand over until Tuesday.
Another quilt with squares to be used as a tablecloth, so no batting in this one, only flannel in the middle. This is my customer preferring large-scale meandering. After doing all the tedious straight lines in the previous quilt, I welcomed something light and loose.
Somewhere along the line, I forgot to keep my blog updated. This led me to decide not to share quilts on Facebook, but rather to have them written about on my blog.
This quilt
came to me via a local quilt teacher who presented a class in a town some 200
kilometres from us. The teacher would
return the next week, and I had to finish the quilt before then. The quilt maker only requested diagonal lines
over the centre of the quilt and left the choice of what to do on the border to
me.
The border
had massive waves, and the best I could do was quilt it to death so the sides would lie as flat as possible. The maker
seemed satisfied after seeing a photo I sent her.
I haven’t seen one of these in ages, and the worst part is, I can not remember the name of a single block starting with that letter of the alphabet.
Old age is
not for sissies. I often use AI just to help refresh my memory. This one took forever to finish, or so it
felt. My feet, knees, hips and lower
back knew I was at the frame most of the day.
Thus, going to bed at 19:30 was nothing strange. Not because I was all that tired, but I just
needed to get my body in a different position.
This quilter is expecting her first granddaughter soon, and they are leaving our city for the coast towards the end of the month. She, therefore, wanted this to be quilted ASAP, I guess, so they could get packing for this huge move.
We are having the kids over for lunch today. I usually make pickled fish for either Easter Friday or Sunday, but this year I simply didn’t feel like it. They were informed to bring a loaf of bread (unsliced) per couple, and I will supply the curried beef to make our own bunny chows. Guess we will have to get some Easter eggs for the little ones as well.
This was
the quilt mentioned in my previous post to be finished within a week, as it was
meant as a gift for a friend who planned to go on a beach vacation during our
first school holidays.
The quilter
booked in advance, so I didn’t mind taking the sampler off the frame to finish
this quilt in time, and then later popped the sampler back to continue on it.
It has been more than a month since I last did a customer quilt, but I do believe everything happens at the right time. Firstly, a PC board had to be replaced on my frame, which left me more than 5,000 South African rand poorer. This was not available in our city, and I had to order it. Secondly, the heaps of cricket on TV kept me so busy, I was kind of grateful for the break. When a quilter from out of town came to the city earlier last week, she dropped off 3 quilts; by then I already had a booking for Friday, and the latter had to be finished within a week as it is meant as a gift. With the PC board replaced and the cricket not on every day, I welcomed the change.
This
sampler was the first of the three “out of town” quilts I took from the parcel, and I started with it and tried to get as far as I could before the Friday quilt
arrived. I did a couple of variations of old favourites by simply
using them in a different setting. This
is what makes a sampler such a fun quilt to work on.
This ever-so-organised quilter made this for a stork party somewhere in March. This one must definitely be for a soon-to-be newborn baby girl.
I think I spoke too soon when I initially thought 2026 would be the year of newborn boys, as just after posting about it, I got this girly quilt. I do believe this is not for a newborn, as it is a single-bed quilt.
I have another girly quilt on the frame intended for a newborn.
The massive number of sports on TV is mostly done, and I believed I would be grateful, but on Sunday, I found myself bitterly bored. Even hubby didn’t quite know what to do with himself. The World Cup 20/20, however, will start soon, and I suppose our lives will get back to their new normal.
Many people
have asked why we opted for another 5-bedroom house after going on pension, but
we realised that if we had chosen a two-bedroom house with a small garden, we
would have gone bonkers by now. At least
now we still have something to keep us busy in those quiet times.
It appears, from what I get from my quilt customers, 2026 might be a year for baby
boys. This was the second baby boy quilt
I got to do, and in the first month of the year.
A quilt client brought in this little quilt made by her daughter for one of her pregnant friends, and apparently insisted on making the quilt herself. Mom booked a space while the daughter was still in the process of making this. The day she brought it to me, she said, she thinks this was the first and last quilt her daughter will ever make. I am not sure whether mom interfered too much or whether the hobby just wasn’t for her. Whatever the case may be, the quilt turned out lovely.
This was the second quilt I received this year and the first from out of town. Normally, quilts from out of town only get to me towards the second part of the year, so this was something new.
I almost
forgot to post about this, as we have plenty of sports on South African TV, and I
seem to be working on my new posture, which will include a flat butt and square
eyes. Some days I start watching the
Australian Open tennis at 02:30 in the morning, this will be followed by U19
cricket, women’s cricket and then the SA20 2026 cricket. We also had a couple of days with 7’s
rugby. If these do not follow each other
and overlap, I’d be channel hopping like crazy, and last night only got to bed
at 11 pm, but we had fellow cricket fans over, so the visit went on long after
the cricket ended.
This
quilter claims it took her almost 17 years to finish this, but I think it was
worth keeping it and eventually finishing it.
We’ve entered another year; however, our old year ended devastatingly when we had to put our African grey parrot to sleep due to organ failure. We have a huge vacuum in our house and lives, and hubby and I take turns crying when one of us suddenly remembers or sees a memory.
On to a
more pleasant subject. How clever is
this quilt? This couple made this very
innovative quilt as a joint venture to be given as a wedding gift. I love this idea; whether I’d attempt it
myself is another question. They used
fleece as backing, and although I am not keen on working with fleece, it does
give a quilt a soft drape.
