Quilt Kits and Symbiosis

I miss sewing... I said something one day about missing sewing and the husband of one of our quilty ladies said "but you're doing all this quilting!"  What I explained to him is that the act of sewing is putting two or more pieces of fabric together and fastening them with thread.


What I do for the quilt guild at church is the opposite of sewing - I cut up stuff!


Each one of us in the guild, and in life, has different skills.  What makes life so delicious is that the combinations of those skills often add up to something wonderful that could not be done on your own.


You know about the symbiotic relationship between flowers and bees, they need each other to complete their various tasks.  That's how I view our church quilt guild.  Someone chooses fabrics and makes up kits.  That is me.  Someone or a lot of someones takes those kits home and makes the quilt tops.  They're brought back to the group and many someones make quilt sandwiches and find the bindings to match, and a final someone takes them home and quilts them.  Oh, not a final because we added last year a someone who takes the quilted quilts and sews on the bindings, because she can do that while keeping her health-challenged hubby company.


So while I'm a worker bee, doing my part, which I love, sometimes I miss sewing!

I cut small chunks into strips if they're width of fabric (WOF).  I had a big bin of 2.5 inch strips, and made a blue jelly roll.  The strips on top are for binding.

Then I cut up a bunch of kits - over the holidays, not all at one sitting!  Some were patterns we are familiar with, and some are for a new pattern called Oh! So Sweet and Simple, using strips and squares.

This is another part of the pile, a pattern using only 2.5 inch strips, called My Favorite Strip Quilt, a gift from our local quilt shop owner.

And this bin is full of matched sets of fat quarters for a pattern called Yellow Brick Road.  They require further cutting, although the pattern calls for cutting as you go.  The first part of prep is pressing, and cutting the first set of strips.  More cutting happens after the first round of sewing.  It's a pattern  I love but it does require a certain level of attention as you're working.


So I was very happy to find time to make this:

a small three yard quilt, using strips and blocks.  The name escapes me oh duh!  It's in the photo of the kits... Oh So Sweet and Simple! -- and I was supposed to turn the striped blocks sideways on every other row, but forgot.  Oh well, it's pretty.

And this table runner for my kitchen table.  It's a quilt as you go, all strips.  Kid of a simple project but so pretty on the table.


That was a couple of  weeks ago... I need to find more machine time.  Although my main machine may have to go to the hospital, she decided not to go in reverse anymore!


Isn't it always something!!


Sew on...