Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

A Humble Hand Quilted Scrap Quilt


This is some of the fabric 
that I chose for the back of 
a humble scrap quilt.


I like basting the front,
back and batting together with 
a bright colored thread.
Something easy to see when it's time
to remove all the basting threads.


There is no rhyme or reason to the pattern
of this quilt . . . I just went with the size
of the scrap.


I'm choosing to use a hoop and 
hand-quilt this one.
It takes longer, but creates a much
softer finished quilt.
I enjoy the process of hand quilting,
it's relaxing and a pleasant evening lap project:)


This arrived in my mailbox from
Nancy of Cozy Thyme Cottage
Nancy and her husband have just moved into
their downsizing retirement home.
With all the work she has to do with moving
and setting up house,
this was an unexpected and delightful
surprise.  


Under this note is a bag of tea.

So as I'm quilting and waiting for
the snow to melt . . .


I'll enjoy a cup tea with Nancy
my blogging sister from Indiana :)

Happy Valentine's Day 
Keep Smiling!

Your blogging sister,
Connie :)

51 comments:

  1. What a wonderful quilt! I agree that hand quilting is a relaxing evening project!
    Enjoy your tea and happy Valentine's Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Christine, Happy Valentine to you, too :) Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a tea party here today and share a cup as we comment and visit.

      Delete
  2. What a lovely surprise a real joy. Love the quilt, I like to hand quilt too I find quite therapeutic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely and aren't the quilts softer and cozier when they are hand-quilted :)

      Delete
  3. Hand quilting is extra special but not something I've ever mastered. Your scrap quilt looks like it will be a real treasure. Lovely to receive the special mail from Nancy :-) I love your snow photo - it looks so pretty but I guess it slows you down a little sometimes - not a bad thing huh? Happy quilting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi There Raewyn, I am surprised that you don't hand-quilt, because you are a master quilter extraordinaire. Your quilts are amazing. Thanks for the sweet words, they mean a lot :)

      Delete
  4. I am loving your quilt and what a fabulous present from your friend! Pretty photo of the snow too! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Chris . . . please take all the snow you want . . . I have so much to spare, LOL.
      Happy Valentine's Day and thanks for stopping by to visit.

      Delete
  5. Such a lovely, lovely quilt. I think the bright colors are perfect and hand quilting is a wonderful way to finish it. I don't have the patience to hand quilt anymore. Blessings, Betsy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hand quilting is a slow process, but a good project for evening TV watching. We are having a high of 25 today and ice warnings for the next two days . . . Spring is looking better every minute. I'm sure that your weather is much the same . . . stay warm and Happy Valentine's Day.

      Delete
  6. HI Connie, I am so glad you left a comment on my blog (thank you) because it led me here to your beautiful blog. I adore your quilt! These kind are my favorite. I've always wanted to hand sew one myself, I've even saved favorite pieces of clothing but am so scared to mess up lol I need to just go for it I know! Can't wait to dive more into your blog. Happy Valentines Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't let quilting scare you . . . quilting started as a way to make warm blankets from saved worn clothes; cutting out the good parts and working them into blocks to sew together. I think of my work as being perfectly imperfect and ask my friends and family to not examine it too closely :) There is love in each handmade project no matter the experience of the creator. Just do it and have fun. With each one you make, you will learn something new and improve your stitching. Thank you so much for visiting and for following me back. I love making new blogging friends, Welcome :)

      Delete
  7. Oh my gosh -- this quilt is such a wonderful piece - all handquiltied? ! Unbelievable what work is in that --- love the handstitiching extra to it as well!
    Happy Valentine's Day Connie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks you . . . I am happy that you like it . . . it's nice having an evening project to work on and help me get through this long cold winter.

      Delete
  8. Hi Connie! Happy Valentine's Day! Your quilt is so pretty! I love hand quilted but get lazy. That flannel lap quilt is over the back of a chair waiting to be quilted. Haven't decided if I will hand quilt or machine quilt it! That tea cup and saucer are so pretty! My friend Dianne came for tea today. Wish you could have joined us! Hope you enjoyed yours! Nancy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Nancy, I thought happy thoughts of you while enjoying it. Happy Valentine's Day :)

      Delete
  9. I love your scrap quilt. What a nice surprise to get in the mail too

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it nice to go to the mailbox and get something special . . . something with your name on it that isn't an advertisement or a bill :) I would hate to ever see snail-mail vanish from our world.

      Delete
  10. I like those kinds of quilts. Is is also known as a crazy quilt or is that something different?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that a crazy quilt has lots of different shapes of fabric scraps . . . although mine are all different sizes, they are all of a rectangle shape. Also crazy quilts usually have embellished hand embroidery, but not always. Maybe I just haven't gone that crazy , yet, LOL. I love scrap quilts because it's like almost making a free quilt . . . using what is leftover instead of buying new :)

      Delete
  11. I hope your Valentine's day was as sweet as you are! Happy quilting.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cute idea, Connie. Is that kind of like a crazy quilt then? I gave an antique crazy quilt made out of heavy old velvet to my daughter. xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Diana, I think that a crazy quilt has lots of different shapes of fabric scraps . . . although mine are all different sizes, they are all of a rectangle shape. They are a lot of times made from luxurious fabric like your velvet, too. Also crazy quilts usually have embellished hand embroidery, but not always. Maybe I just haven't gone that crazy , yet, give me a few more year, LOL.

      Delete
  13. It's funny that you mentioned hand quilting. I was cleaning the garage last week and came across my floor standing quilting hoop. Steve asked if he should toss it, but I convinced him that I would be hand quilting again one day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I hope that you do . . . there is something about a hand-quilted quilt that you just do not have in a machine made one. I'll never stop doing them on the machine, but I don't want to stop hand-quilting either.

      Delete
  14. What a lovely cup of tea and such a thoughtful friend you have! Love your scrap quilt. It's what I need to try to put together with some of my fabric! I have plenty of fabric just need to make a plan! Enjoy your day! Stay warm. Hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quilting is something that I was not even slightly interested in, until about four years ago. I had tried a couple of times and thought that it was just too much work . . . then the quilting bug bit me and I've loved it even since. Watch out for quilting bugs, their bite is contagious :)

      Delete
  15. That's a lovely looking quilt.
    How lovely to receive that gift from Nancy, a lovely thought.

    I hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jan, thanks you and thanks for being such a sweet blogging sister. We just had a special supper and a special dessert . . . thanks to your low carb desert recipe. I hope that yours was sweet also :)

      Delete
  16. Such a sweet scrappy quilt.. great idea to just kind of go with it and where it takes you, depending on the size of the scraps. I have bags and bags of strips that I've saved over the years, to make a strippy quilt which I love. This quilt inspires me to get those out and perhaps wash all of them as they've been sitting in tubs for probably 30 years and are musty (though kept dry, etc.). What a chore that will be.. then ironing them all.. but will be fun to see what's there.. they are all pieces from projects I've done for the past 30 years or so. A little 9 patch square here and there would look neat too. You amaze me at how fast you make a quilt! Hugs.. Marilyn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, it doesn't seem fast to me . . . but I do enjoy it.

      Delete
  17. I love seeing your beautiful quilts! Your teapot and cup and saucer are so pretty. I would love to have a cup of tea with you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would love that too . . . it would be so nice :)

      Delete
  18. I love this scrap quilt you are making, Connie! And it was a blessing to see that you are hand quilting it. I'm glad to know that that isn't a total lost art. My mother-in-law always quilted hers by hand, also.

    What a lovely surprise gift that came in the mail for you. :) And your teapot and tea cup are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dianna, I do enjoy hand quilting, it's very relaxing to me and I feel the same as you . . . I don't want it to become a lost art. I also do many of my quilts on the sewing machine, regular machine not long arm or quilting machine . . . those things are beyond my budget :) It's fun, too, to make scrap quilts . . . they are like making a quilt for free. Waste not want not, so they say :) Thanks for stopping by to visit and for leaving a comment. I appreciate it.

      Delete
  19. Lovely quilting, Connie! Thanks for your comment and good wishes - I'm going home this afternoon! My walking is still very poor but they reckon I'll do better at home than in hospital now.

    Shoshi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no place like home . . . I am sure that you will feel better there and recover sooner. Home cooked meals and sleeping in your own bed and two great reason for being home. Thanks for stopping in to visit and do get well soon :)

      Delete
  20. What a sweet post. Nancy is very nice, isn't she? I love your quilt with all the colors and sizes. Wonder if I could do one. I enjoy the hand quilting best...with the few quilts that I've done, anyways. Hope you and Steve had a happy Valentine's Day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wonder if you could make one? The answer is absolutely yes! You are a marvelous seamstress and quilting should come very natural to you. That and the fact that I'm sure you have a bunch of beautiful scraps leftover from your aprons and bonnets. We had a simple Valentine's Day . . . a good meal and dessert in the middle of the week . . . just being together is enough. We're old geezers I guess, dressing up and going out sometimes seems like too much work, LOL

      Delete
  21. So lovely to see your happy scrappy quilt Connie! And the hand quilting looks lovely. Happy Valentine's week!
    Helen xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Helen, this is a very welcome compliment coming from a professional like yourself. I enjoy hand-quilting; it's nice having an evening project to do while watching TV with the hubby :) Thanks so much for stopping by to visit, I am delighted that you like my quilt:)

      Delete
  22. Very pretty teapot and cup. Your scrap quilt looks very nice. Sweet of Nancy to share tea with you. xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Nancy, thanks you. I have a small collection of tea pots, but that one is the first one that I ever purchased and one of my very favorites. I've been working on the quilt every evening . . . it will take a while but I am enjoying the lap work and having something to do while watching TV with Steve. It keeps me from falling asleep during the programs, LOL.

      Delete
  23. HI Connie!
    Thanks so much for your sweet comments at my blog!
    Your quilting is gorgeous! Good job!
    Enjoy your evening...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Linda and welcome! It is always nice having new blogging sisters drop by to visit. I am delighted that you like my scrappy quilt, thank you :)

      Delete
  24. Wow your scrap quilt looks great, I too enjoy hand quilting but lately have used my machine because I have needed to get the projects to the person the project was intended for, maybe I will hand quilt the one I am making for my guest bed :) Hope the snow melts soon for you, we are enjoying higher than normal temps here right now, but I know winter isn't over yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Connie, it is nice to know that you like to hand quilt too. It is becoming a lost art, but there is a special softness and a warm homespun feel to a quilt that has been treated to the love of a hand-quilter. I also use my machine for most of my quilts, but hopefully I'll never stop making one or two a year that are hand quilted. We have enjoy a couple days in the low 40's but not long enough to melt our snow. My seed order arrived and I've purchased peat pots and soil to start my peppers and tomatoes in the mudroom. Then when the weather warms up I'll move them to the potting shed. I know that this weather has got to break soon . . . all around us people are starting to experience warm spring weather :) Happy weekend!

      Delete
  25. Hi Connie,

    Your scrap quilt is just beautiful. I LOVE the fabric you chose for the backing. How amazing that you are quilting by hand. I can just imagine how that would be meditative. That's how my knitting is - which I haven't done any since I've moved. I need to get out my needles to hear the clacking sound they make while I work.

    Yes, the dogs have settled in quite well and are really enjoying themselves. I am blessed not to have stairs and I don't miss it one bit! I can carry all my groceries in (I used to leave the non-perishables for the next day so I wouldn't have to walk up and down the stairs twice!).

    You still have much more snow than us. Most of it has melted from the yard except in very shady places.

    As always, it's so nice to have you come visit!

    Hugs,
    Kay

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sweet Kay, we have been blogging sisters from almost my first week of blogging . . . you are a dear friend and when I see that you have visited and left a comment, it always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. I'm tickled that you like my quilt and yes hand quilting is much like knitting in the fact that it's calming. I am so happy for you and your dogs . . . your new home sounds perfect for you :) Thank you for popping in and know that I truly appreciate your friendship :)

      Delete