Flag quilt #3

I made 9-patches using up the dark blue fabric leftover from flag quilt #2 and the light blue fabric leftover from flag quilt #1.

The 9-patches are one light blue fabric, the solid squares are a second light blue fabric (below).

I loved the blue on blue design. It makes a lovely blue pieced background. 

Middle and I agreed, the nine patch background was too plain. It needed something more. It needed something to balance the flag. 

At first I thought about substituting bold blocks for a few of the 9-patch blocks. These were my inspiration photos -

At middle’s suggestion, “applique”, I ended up going an entirely different direction -

Flag Quilt #2

I started right in on flag quilt #2 rolling on with the momentum of having a free long arm quilter and using up masses of fabric from my studio. 

Here was my starting point flag quilt #2  - 

Here are my inspiration photos -

There was a lot of math, the three sets of blocks (large friendship star, small friendship star, fancy star) and the flag were all different sizes. 

The background fabric is a consistent light blue print. I had a limited amount of that blue fabric and could not get more. It was a measure twice, cut once project.

I completed this quilt top between 4/7 - 4/16. I remembered to take a photo.

The stars are scattered, but in a systematic way. I like how the scattered stars form a background.  I like how the three fancy stars are string and balance the flag. 

I like the scale of the whole thing. 

Flag quilt #2 (above) is ready to go to the new-to-me long arm quilter. 

When she texts to say flag quilt #1 is finished, flag quilt #2 is ready to go to her in the same trip. Bonus, she lives the next town north of me, a close distance.

Military Veteran Donation Quilts (Flag quilt #1)

I found five flag panels, I made long ago. 

I wanted them to go to good use. None of the kids wanted them. I did not want them either. 

At the quilt retreat in March, a female Navy veteran told me about a group. They make and donate  veteran/military charity quilts. I was thrilled to find this connection. More information is at the bottom of this post.

My goal was to only use supplies on hand, not buy anything. I gathered what I had and stared at it for a while. 

My Flag quilt #1 -

Inspiration -

My finished top -

Middle and I dropped flag quilt top  #1 (above) off to the Navy Veteran, who is also a new-to-me long arm quilter, on Sunday, April 6, 2025. 

I neglected to get a photo of the top before it went to the quilter, but she kindly took one (above) for me. 

There is something off about the color in this photo and the quilt top in this photo. It looks off and a bit ugly. It did not look that way to me in person. I will post another photo when the quilt top is quilted and bound. 

I am very relieved I have a “no cost system” to put the five flag pieces to good use -

This Navy Veteran and long arm quilter is a member of my quilt guild. She volunteers her time/talent quilting for a local military support group. The group provides batting. The group will also do the handwork of the binding. 

So, for me, this means I piece the quilt top(s). I give the top and backing to the long arm quilter. She loads it on her frame and quilts it. She gives it back to me. I make binding and do the sewing machine part of the binding. I take it to the guild meeting for show and tell. I give it back to the long arm quilter at the meeting, she gives it to the military support group for me. They finish the binding and give it to a veteran.

No $$$ is required for the long arm quilting nor the batting nor the handwork on the binding.

Orange-ish at the quilt retreat

I attended a quilt guild retreat a couple weeks ago. 

I went for three of the four days. I went Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Most of the rest of the group started Thursday.

Thursday was an already reschedule massage appointment I did not want to change. 

Friday middle worked from home so the dogs were covered. Thursday, the dogs were with me.

Plus four days felt like too much to me. Even three seemed like a lot. 

I took the orange related fabric (yesterday’s post) as my project for the retreat. 

It was a very safe easy project, I took it so I would be able to be social while I sewed. I did not want to take anything complex. I wanted to take as few supplies as possible. 

I washed and cut all my fabric at home. I cut 8” squares for very simple (one patch) charity quilts. 

I laid them out, one at a time, on my kitchen table. I labeled the rows with blue painters tape. Middle and my husband helped me package each top in order, in zip lock bags, so it was all ready to sew at the retreat.

This meant I only needed to take 

- a sewing machine

- a sandwich size zip lock baggie filled with 2 spools of thread, 4 filled bobbins/package of extra sewing machine needles, and a small pair of scissors

- 2 large zip lock plastic bags full of 8” cut squares. 

Individual garbage cans and power strips were provided by the facility at each table.

Irons and ironing boards were available at the retreat facility, but I did not use them. I waited until I got home to do the pressing.

I planned very carefully. I did not want to have to take half my sewing room with me. 

No one was as minimalist in their approach as I was. It was astonishing how much stuff the other retreat participants brought with them. 

We have this cart we use for dog training - it worked perfectly. I used my cart to move things between my car and the conference room and my hotel from at the same facility. 

I got all five of my tops (below) sewn together over the three days. I have all the backing fabric. These quilts are ready to go to the long arm quilter in future years.

I paced myself carefully. I would sew for a bit, then visit or shop or take a nap. I did very well. I was glad I went.

I went around and looked at what everyone else was sewing at the retreat, I was social.

I shopped at two stores in that area that I like. 

I attended an Amish dinner with the group. 

2027 and 2028 charity quilts

I discovered a collection of orange-ish reproduction fabric in my studio, a lot of orange fabric, mostly in small pieces. The photo below is just part of it.

This orange-ish fabric was purchased at the fabric garage sale I attended a couple years ago. A quilter had died, her husband sold her fabric stash in a series of garage sales. 

I had bought gold and orange fabric sort of together, not seeing how orange some of it was. I used the gold in the two Lottie quilts (3 and 4). That left the orange.

No one needs a pumpkin quilt in my family. I made identical pumpkin quilts a couple years ago. Oldest has the original. I made exact copies for both girls.

I debated what to do with all the orange-ish fabric. I absolutely did not want to make an orange quilt for anyone in my family.

As I was actively pondering the orange fabric, I found a photo that inspired me to plan an orange charity quilt for two years from now, 2027.

There is no danger in working ahead on charity quilts. I will not decide they are the wrong color or style. They will be fine.

With this inspiration photo (above) in hand, I looked for theme fabric to go with orange fabric at my local JoAnns.

I was open to fox fabric, but found none at JoAnns. I did find football fabric and butterfly fabric that blended well with the orange. 

I later found a fox fabric remanent at a quilt guild yard sale.

My original guess was I would get three charity quilt tops from the fabric pile. 

More orange-ish tomorrow.

2026 pink and green charity quilts

Next year, 2026, I am donating two pink and green charity quilts to my local guild’s cancer camp collection.

I made the blocks for these quilts long ago, spring 2016. I sewed the blocks into rows. Then for some unknown reason I stopped. The rows were not sewn together, the project was abandon. I neatly packed the rows away and forgot all about them. I did not think I had any UFO’s. I was wrong.

Again, I think I made the two coordinating pink and green block sets with grandkids in mind. And again, not at all what I want to give granddaughter now, but perfect for charity quilts. 

I sewed the rows together and added borders March 3 - 8, 2025.

These pictures (below) show the quilt tops laying on the pink backing fabric. 

I measure the batting, backing against the top, each time I finish a quilt, before giving it to my long arm quilter, to make sure there are at least 5 extra inches all the way around. 

The binding will be the pink backing fabric.

They are ready to go to the long arm quilter, later this year.

What is very interesting is I have no pink fabric in my bins. I also have none of the green fabric. 

I found several of the small squares in the 9-patch were scraps sewn together.  I clearly used up every bit in the blocks for these two quilts. 

Charity quilts are an opportunity to declutter

My local quilt guild supports a children’s camp that hosts children with cancer one week each summer. Members make and donate children’s quilts. Each child at the special cancer camp gets to pick one quilt to keep. The guild provides more than are needed, so the last child picking still has a wide selection.

Years ago, like 25+ years ago, I chaired this committee. My kids were very small at the time and really loved having the quilts in a pile at our old house. It was quite the stack, the guild donates over 120 quilts each year.

Last year, going back to the guild, I thought I would not participate. I did not plan to donate charity quilts. I thought, based on the reality of my hands, I should not waste my time sewing for other people. I thought my priority was sewing for my own family, while I can.

By pacing myself carefully, and taking care, I am doing fine. A lot of this is because I have my binder. The handwork of binding is the main part that is too much for me.

I realized I have finished quilts, parts of quilt tops, cut fabric, and uncut fabric (all that I no longer want) cluttering my studio. 

Anything goes with charity quilts.  They can be crazy. The backs can be pieced. The batting can be pieced. Charity quilts are an excellent way to use up materials.

I realized I can make charity quilts, with very little effort. 

I realized I need to participate in Guild activities in order to feel part of the guild.

By donating two charity quilts each year, I can actively declutter my sewing room. 

Middle also attends the guild with me and is a member. One quilt from each of us, two quilt donations per year.

Sharing this plan with my good with color quilting friend, she thought it was a very good idea. She encouraged me to pace myself. She suggested only donating the minimum number of quilts (2) each year. She suggested working ahead so this process is not painful. 

I am working very far ahead. The two eye spy quilts for this year are done, the 2 pink/green quilt tops are ready for the long arm quilter, I just finished a series of orange-ish quilts.

I feel very motivated in finishing charity quilts. I really look forward to reducing materials in my studio. I enjoy being several years ahead. I look forward to sharing them at Show and Tell each year. I look forward to a child enjoying them. I look forward to getting them out of my house.

I painted this week

Two weeks ago, I would not have been able to do it. Paint. At the community theater.

Moving ladders, up and down ladders, standing on ladders, painting over my head.

This week, I made it just fine. (Middle went with me. Both times.)

On Tuesday, I walked the dogs early, painted (2 hours) in the late morning***, ran a couple errands, and then sat outside with the dog’s for about an hour.  Then, I worked on copying photos over to Shutterfly. (I am up to 2012.) I did not let myself take a nap.

On Wednesday the dogs went to the beauty parlor, so I had the day off.

We painted (4 hours) in the afternoon. Then ran errands. I did not let myself take a nap (again). And it was easier than it had been on Tuesday (to stay awake and then go to bed st a normal time).

I purposely did not do any arm weights all week. Painting, particularly over your head, for hours at a time, is  tough.

Sunday and Monday, I tried not to take a nap. I might have dozed a little in the evenings.

So noticeably better this week.

And this was the first week of weaning off my last steroid inhaler. One puff twice a day. Two weeks at that level and then I try to stop.

To recap - major asthma trouble most of July. Major steroids. It took me all of August and will take nearly half of September to wean myself off oral, nebulizer, and two inhalers. Goodness.

***I figured out that if I walk the dogs early, we can paint for two hours (morning volunteer shift is 10am-12pm) and then let the dogs out when we get home. I am not sure why that did not occur to me.  So I can go paint a couple times a week. Two hours of painting is more pleasant than four also.

Spools of Thread - how many does one need for the rest of their life?

Those are my spool racks, mounted above the bulletin board, in front of my sewing machine, in the closet under the stairs.

Closet is an odd term, it is actually a little room, but we call it 'the closet under the stairs'.

Middle went through and sorted spools by color.

Putting a lot of spools, which had been cluttering my sewing table, away in the process.

Nice and neat. Easy to find the right color. It is very rare that I have to buy the right color, usually we have it.

I do not sew for leisure any longer.

I sew to hem, mend, add straps, alter.

That is the ending half of the spools of thread story.





The first part of the story is, before middle even started tidying the spools to the finished state in the above picture, I started a spool donation bag.

One of the local high schools still has a sewing program.

I actually used to teach quilting in that same room at that same school, evenings, long ago. 

When I started the spool donation bag, I would look at the number of spools I had, decide I probably did not need 15 spools of white thread any more (I did when I was quilting all the time), and throw a few in the bag.

Then when middle was seriously tidying my spools (while I was working on a couple of her skirts at the sewing machine), she starting adding multiples to the donation bag in earnest.

She separated the spools into colors, looked to see if there were any exact duplicates (in colors other than white, black) and then only kept one of each color. And she pruned down the number of whites and blacks even further.





Last week, every day, I had multiple things in my car we had cleaned out of a closet or shelf that I was passing on to someone else.  (Several trips to GoodWill.)

When I pulled into the school lot, to drop of the spool donation bag, I thought - I wonder how many spools ARE in that bag?

I dumped them on the passenger seat.

Then I counted as I refilled the bag.

48 spools of thread were donated to the school. Doesn't look like it in the picture does it? When I started counting, I guessed half that amount. When I later asked middle, she guessed 50.





The spools from the picture at the top of the page are the ones we kept.

There are 105 spools in that (kept) picture.

We found (even) more as we kept cleaning that closet.

Yes, different colors are very necessary for mending, hemming, alterations, etc. And pretty much all of those colors get used, one time or another. But we did not need three spools of the exact same gold (for example).





I used to sew my way through whole spools of thread within a couple days (working on quilts or hemming massive amounts of baby blankets or the like).

I have not bought a spool of (any kind of) thread in many, many years.

I sent all my (specialty) quilting threads to a fellow blogger who happens to quilt, several years ago.

So, once upon a time, there were lots more spools of thread than what is covered in the pictures (above).