After assembling my crumb quilt blocks and experimenting with knit fabric scraps, I was inspired to revisit my stash of test blocks and patchwork trimmings I keep for charity projects.
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| Test blocks and patchwork trimmings. |
With a variety of patchwork trimmings, test blocks and UFO blocks at the ready, I decided to spend the good part of February 29 feeding random scraps and strings through the sewing machine to make charity quilt tops. The weather was chilly but the beautiful sunlight poured through the windows of my studio. Natural light facilitates the ability to enjoy and choose fabrics and colors... and "charity quilts" is also an item on my 2020 Make Nine list.
Using up scraps, strips and strings
I had a stack of strip-pieced blocks from a Cuddle Quilt workshop from several years ago.
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| Strip pieced quilt blocks with alternate blocks. |
Alternate plain blocks were cut for this set of pieced blocks. This quilt will go to my guild's Cuddle Quilt project.
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| Cuddle quilt top. 39.5" square. |
Trimmings from the blocks above were pieced and combined with a red-white-blue star test block. When quilted, this will be a kitty quilt for the cats at the Chattanooga Cat Clinic.
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| A "modern" kitty quilt? Improv piecing, light ground and lots of "negative space." 29.5" x 28" |
More string blocks were added to the block stash. These are 5" blocks that finish at 4.5".
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| 5" (unfinished) string blocks. |
I often make long strips of patchwork with fabric samples and scraps. This is easy-going, mindless piecing. These scrappy units and strips will accumulate when using the leaders and enders process.
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| Improv patchwork strips. |
These patchwork strips make colorful borders and sashings.
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| Kitty quilt top. 28.5" x 25" |
Printed panels and parts of panels make quick quilt tops.
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| Kitty quilt top from parts of two holiday panels. 28.5" x 27" |
Successful results
Eleven charity quilt tops are now awaiting backings, batting, basting, quilting and finishing.
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| Eleven charity quilt tops ready to be quilted. |
I would say my February 29 was a productive day in the quilt making department. Hope your leap day was enjoyable and productive, too!
A note about leap days: German mathematician and astronomer, Christopher Clavius [1538 - 1612], figured out how and when to insert a leap day into the Gregorian calendar. Without leap years, February would eventually be a summer month.
