The Wayward Girls

 Our monthly sewing group dubbed "'The Wayward Girls" met May 4th and had some fun projects going on. Pam and I are both working on our sampler quilt and making great progress. Pam's are on the right above, and mine are on the left above. That's "Double X" on the top and a "Flower Basket" on the bottom. We are both making our quilts as a "no-buy" which adds to the challenge of a project.

These are Pam's blocks, above. The chain link block in the lower right corner is the alternate block.

Here are my blocks above, with the chain link block connecting everything across the top of the quilt. We've both decided that we will have to mix the sampler blocks up a bit, as the first blocks we did were a little color heavy compared to the latest ones we've done. I have finished the June blocks already...the double star and the 4 friendship stars. The next 2 blocks are contrary wife and contrary husband.

Pam uncovered a quilt book from the 70's in her stash, and although she didn't like the cutting instructions, she liked the look of a particular Log Cabin quilt.

She's not sure who she'll be giving this one to, but she said it's looking very much like a quilt a man would enjoy. I agree! Looks to me like it is mostly Jo Morton fabrics. Another no-buy quilt, too.

My project is from the Kathleen Tracy book "Civil War Sewing Circle." I believe this one is called Scrappy Stars Doll Quilt. I was auditioning the border fabrics above and below.

My finished top--I chose the medium print floral as the wider 3" border. Because I made my corners dark you see the "X" more than you see the "8-pointed star." The star finishes at 4 inches. I added the sashing and lattice to my design. I just didn't want to mess with all those seams coming together if I set the stars up against each other. This is also the first quilt I've made with purple as the main color. It was fun and different for me!

Carol took our Shared 9-patch and is making it in red/white/blue for a relative that is in the service. She has won an award and Carol wants to put a logo design in a center medallion surrounded by the 9-patch blocks and alternate solid red or blue. (By the way, Carol is a frog-lover!)

Once she described it to me, I had to graph this up really quick in EQ. Carol was trying to decide the number of red rows and blue rows. It will make up to about 50 inches--Carol wants this to be wall hanging size.

Carol's print fabric, above, cut into strips to make the 9-patches. Here they are below on my new ironing surface, getting a press job.

Here's what the block looks like. The upper right corner is a 9-patch, the lower left corner is a 4-patch. You have two 2-1/2 inch cut white squares and add a 2-patch to them.

Carol had some Thimbleberries projects to show, but since our meeting is this coming Thursday, I'm going to save the photos for then.

And last but certainly not least, is a picture taken yesterday on Mother's Day of our 3 grandchildren. That's Henry and Hadley, and the baby is our new "Kian" celebrating his first Mother's Day with his cousins. Love love love you little darlings! It was a perfectly beautiful day. Hubby and I were able to spend the day with both sons, both daughter-in-laws, and our 3 grandchildren. The weather was clear and sunny in the upper sixty's and we had brunch at the beautiful old Roanoke Hotel in Roanoke, Virginia. I decided I would need a little time off today to play so am taking a vacation day. I'm headed up to my sewing room....have to get something ready for our Thimbleberries Thursday meeting!

Till next time, keep stitchin!
Mary