Keep Calm and Quilt On!

I think we are all tired of making masks at this point. It seems as soon as I finish a batch, I get another request. I hear myself singing from “Fiddler on the Roof”, Maskmaker, maskmaker, make me a mask!

But, one cannot live making masks alone so here are a few more projects that kept me busy while emptying my thread spools. Eight and counting! 

I have even played thread roulette a few times. I won this time!

 

I have nearly emptied my “feeder quilt” box. My brother gave me this sweet tin years ago and I keep my current feeder quilt pieces in it. Time for more cutting! 

Ever since I started sewing, I have kept a “feeder piece” under my presser foot. It is something I learned from my childhood friend and neighbor. If you simply run a scrap (approx. ¾”) through your machine, it keeps you from wasting thread and before the days of automatic needle down, it saved me from having to re-thread in the event that the needle was on its way “up”. 

One day in my teens I figured out that if I could keep a few squares cut up beside my machine, I could actually make 2 quilts at a time! I have been doing it ever since. Bonnie Hunter has written a few books on her method of doing this and a lot of my friends now do it too. I still keep a dish of smaller feeder pieces for when I am in a hurry and just want to run something quickly under the foot. 

I repaired a few of my grandson's favorite shirts. As with many children with autism, he likes to chew on his shirts and many had some significant holes. I simply attached some ultra suede patches with not only covers the holes, but strengthens the color as well. My daughter in law thinks I should market this idea. We will see how it lasts first. 

My Mom is enjoying her new quilt made with Lori Lee Triplett’s panel and lots of my “feeder quilt” 4 patches. I miss being able to visit, but we are blessed to have a sister who is taking great care of her. 

We have a great need locally for veteran’s quilts. I participated in Kevin’s (Kevin the Quilter) “Simply Sensational Summer Scrap Quilt” mystery last summer and this is as far as I got…

 So, rather than make one big quilt, I divided up the blocks and made 2 quilts and perhaps have enough leftover to work into a third!  

I made a block with Sue Watters' pattern for Quiltmania. They will be assembling quilts to donate to first responders and health care workers during the pandemic. You can learn about it (here). 

I’ve been working on my Cassandra’s Circle blocks and now the center block is quilted and bound. Yes, I am doing this in the potholder method after all. 

I am almost finished with my April mini and will post it at the end of the month. My Humble Quilts “Doll quilt swap” was mailed out last week and I will post that when Lori does the link up in May. I must say I had a hard time letting it go, but have had a lovely note from the recipient and she likes it as much as I do. Win, win!

It is amazing how something so tiny can create such havoc! All the sacrifices and changes in our daily routines have made me realize how lucky I am.

I am grateful for all the health care workers, grocery workers, garbage workers, postal and shipping workers and others who have made our lives safer and easier. And, I am to thankful all who practice social distancing!

I hope you are all safe and healthy and have had some added free time to quilt.