Clips, Snips & Quips

Stash Stew #4...Time for Sunglasses!

I've been enjoying a series of classes given at The Little Shop For Quilting in Haddonfield, NJ.  I think they started almost two years ago.  It's a series of quilts that are called Stash Stew quilts since you're supposed to dig through your fabric stash and use up whatever you find.  

This bright blue, sunglasses needed, little boy quilt was the fourth in the series.  I remember buying the fabric on one of my first trips to the shop.  I didn't have a clue what I'd use it for, but it was bright, cheerful, and really caught my eye. 

For anyone who's interested, it's really nothing more than a big 9 patch, set on point, and joined together with sashing.  I know I'd looked it over and looked it over and wasn't sure just how it was going to go together.  I must say, of all the "Stashes" I've done, this was the easiest and fastest, by far.

Tonight, I'm heading up for another class.  We're finishing up Stash 5...far and wide, my favorite.  I'm looking forward to finishing up the borders and getting it to the quilter so she can work her magic.  It's going to make a perfect picnic blanket...so this afternoon I went online and ordered a picnic basket to go along with it.  I'm thinking it just might make a shower gift or Christmas present down the line.  OR, I just may keep this one for myself.  I'm really lovin' it!

Quilt of Valor

Guess it's time for a new post, huh?  I received two concerned emails today since I hadn't posted in a while.  At least that means someone's still looking at my stuff.  That's always a good thing.

This quilt is a Quilt of Valor I finished a few weeks ago.  I'm sending it to wherever it is you're supposed to send quilts that get distributed to Vets coming home from the war.  I haven't yet figured out where that is, but when I get an address, I'll ship this one out.  

I started this project in February.  I was missing Mom and decided to pull out fabrics I still had from her stash.  Just playing with her "toys" always seems to help.  

All the reds are from her.  When I pulled out the navy, I received a pleasant surprise.  It wasn't just from Mom's pile of fabrics.  It originally came from Grandma's.  How did I know?  There was a big round circle of fabric cut from one end with a pinking shears.  Grandma was the only person I knew who put a piece of fabric between her good dishes to keep them from chipping -- and she always used a pinking shears.  Mystery solved.  As I unfolded the blue, it was even more apparent it had been around a long, long time.  There were several long white stripes from where it had been bleached from the sun.  But, as with the reds, I decided that's what I wanted to use.  

Patch by patch, I kept cutting, following the directions.  I know Mom and Grandma were both watching me, giggling the entire time.  I kept running short of reds.  Then I'd go back to my cabinet and find another little piece that would be enough for another few patches.  Just about the time I thought I'd exhausted everything Mom had, I was done cutting.  Then came the blues.  Like I said, there was a big stripe of white that had to be cut around.  No big deal, right?  No, not at all.  I had all the patches I needed.  Then I realized that one of the borders still had to be cut.  I sewed together every little scrap and schnibble I could find, even picking up shreds I'd thrown on the floor.  Grandma always was great at making "something from nothing".  That's exactly what I did with her blue piece of fabric.  
By the time I was finished, I had a piece no bigger than 1"X2" of scrap.  She would've been proud. 

The result was this red-white-blue blanket I hope keeps someone warm and lets them know how much we appreciate all they do.