Just use it up

I decided to try to just use what I already have on hand for new projects.  I really have no need to go shopping for fabric except to help finish projects that are on the docket.  And I really don't need to add to my wish list of projects.  Binding fabric seems to be a sticking point in my mind.  During the inventory clearance sale at my LQS today, I just bought batting with the 40% off one item coupon.
 
A co-worker who is retiring this year likes blue.  I showed her a few pictures of fabric and made sure to include mostly what I already owned.  She seemed to like all of it so I decided to break into the Parson Gray stash that I accumulated in the past few years.

And then, since I did not want to put the fabric back away, I kept going and kept cutting.  4 quilt tops later, I have a quart size ziploc bag or less of the remaining Parson Gray fabric.  Here are the quilt tops.  2 are plus quilts, one is a group of random blocks to attempt to mimic the Road Trip Quilt by Cluck, Cluck, Sew but in a bigger size, and one Candy Coated from Sunday Morning Quilts.

The back of the co-worker quilt.  I only had about 2 yards of the navy flannel and managed to just use a strip from Candy Coated that would have pushed that quilt over 90".  I wish I would have kept it all solids on the stripes but I'm not changing it now.

Candy Coated which I think I am keeping.  The first picture has the stripe of 4.5" strips for the back across it.  

 The bigger Road Trip Quilt (6.5" squares, 9.5" or 12.5" blocks).  This will probably end up being a gift for my brother.  It was meant to be fairly mellow and it is.

And the second plus quilt.  I assembled this one in smaller components to not take up as much floor space as I did with the first one.  Oops, not enough value difference in the middle for far away pictures.  I did not look at the overall layout but was concerned with smaller parts so I didn't notice the values until taking the pictures.  I may donate this one to a local school auction if I get it done in time.

Since the majority of my coordinating fabric got used for the quilt tops, I do need to purchase some fabric for binding.  And yes, plus quilts are mighty easy and quick to put together.  There are at least two that are my intended quilts list and have been for multiple years now.  Soon, I will manage to quilt the first two and then progress to quilting the other two.  And probably I will purchase some navy quilter's linen to use as binding.

After the Epic Meet-up this summer, I did not put away the 6 free Clothworks batik fat quarters I received.  Today, I cut them up to make a Starburst quilt from Melissa at Happy Quilting.  No recipient, just a "let's use this up."

Blue Plus QDAD

Not too long ago, I was impressed by a design made by Michelle Wilkie (Factotum of Arts) as part of the Quilt Design a Day project.  Specifically the plus quilt week on this post QDAD week 13.  I loved the simplicity of the design and the negative space.  Knowing that I had a plethora of blue 5 inch squares cut to make a HST blue quilt, I chose to sacrifice some of those squares to make this quilt. 

I am unsure what all of the solids are.  I know that there is Kona Alegria (the background blue) and the 7 year old's favorites Kona Ocean and Pacific.  The plus is probably Kona Azure.

I quilted it with the standard, negative space and row filling wishbone design.  Usually I try to quilt in only one direction as it is faster for me that way, but this time I quilted both right to left and left to right.  Although it may seem insignificant, when I've tried that previously, I usually mess up going the opposite direction.

The backing fabric was Premier Lord Daisy Turquoise by Dan Bennett.  This quilt, and the two birthday cake quilts, will go to Seattle Children's at the end of the month (as long as I get the other two quilted and bound) donated through Katie's Comforters Guild.

Blue Plus Quilt
Designed by Michelle Wilkie @ Factotum of Arts
Fabric: Kona Pacific, Alegria, Ocean and three other blue fabrics
Binding: Kona Alegria
Backing: Premier Lord Daisy Turquoise
Quilting: wishbone rows by me
Approximately 54" x 60"

Pink Plus quilt top

I kept looking at the Acacia quilt tops from yesterday and decided that perhaps I should make a nearly all pink quilt.  With Modern Meadow and Hope Valley fat quarters which were acquired at the beginning of my quilting habit, I started this top today.  I do have a bit of fabric acquisition guilt, but I'll keep working on dwindling the stockpile before resupplying.

With the crafting space being in the middle of a family room and home to two kids with active imaginations, an interlocking quilt design is not the most practical.  The squares on the floor became a hopscotch game (the three year old ran through the open spaces and called it hopscotch) or a river to jump across by the seven year old.  It also is their play space and where most of their toys live so I really shouldn't get upset.

 Somewhere in a fabric bin are a bunch of blue squares from the same lines cut to make a plus quilt using leftovers from my dad's quilt in 2012.  It didn't really take too long to piece this one, perhaps I should do that next weekend.  Nope, I should be finishing a quilt for a co-worker that's been basted for two weeks.  Or basting and quilting the three tops from the weekend.  Or making boy quilts for two other co-workers to give post delivery....oops.

If works in progress only count quilts that having some sewing done, here's my list:

Basted:  
Pam's quilt

Finished tops:
Pink Plus
Birthday Cake 1
Birthday Cake 2

Piecing:
Blue half square triangle
Purple Crazy Piecing
Blue hourglasses

Wonder if I can quilt four quilts in a two day weekend....