Quilt Class and other sewing, etc.

Back on October 21st, I took a class with my quilt guild.  It was called Island Chains.  You could make the quilt in 6 different sizes (crib, lap, twin, full, queen & king).  I, of course, chose king size (the only one in the class).  Since mine was going to be so large, I started with the only part I knew how to make before the class, and started stitching some blocks together.  I should have waited, since they showed in class a great way to lay out the quilt 'chain' blocks.  This is how far I got in class.

how much I got stitched in class

Because of the colors I chose, I decided to call mine Autumn Chains.  

Because mine is so big, I didn't have a place to lay out the entire quilt to make sure that none of the 'chains' were too close to one another, so I took it to the church, and set up tables so that I could lay it out.  I'd already laid out almost half the rows at home.

all laid out

I'd already enlarged the pattern sheet and numbered it so that I wouldn't get my pieces turned the wrong ways.  I also used sticky labels to number all of my blocks.

my layout 'cheat sheet' and you can see some of the sticky labels, too

That layout sheet was a HUGE help when I was trying to sew each row together, especially the longer rows.  I now have all the rows stitched, and I'm sewing all the rows to each other.  I have about half the rows done so far.  It takes a long time to pin rows together.  I have TONS of leftover blocks and fabrics from this quilt (enough to make a queen size).  I'm thinking about drafting a pattern to make placemats and table runners with my leftover blocks.  

Our church had Trunk or Treat the Saturday before Halloween.  I dressed up as Snow White (hubby was a cowboy).  Because of the black wig, some people didn't recognize me.  

Snow White and her cowboy

our car, decorated, with ring toss as a game for the kids

Our dogs dressed up for Halloween, too.  The kids love seeing the dogs in costume.  The dogs stand by the glass door for hours, watching all the kids.

Westley as a lobster

Ziva as a hot dog

We're starting a new Bible study at church next week about some of the Women in the Bible.  Years ago, a quilt store offered a Women of the Bible quilt as a weekly download.  I'd downloaded all of the blocks, but I'd never gotten started on the quilt.  Well, now I'll get started.  The Bible study we are doing at church only has 11 women, while the quilt has 40 women.  The first woman we will be studying is Leah.  I've already made the block.  I'm using Civil War reproduction fabrics.  The blocks are different sizes (10" & 15" square). 

block, Rachel & Leah (15" block)

what the finished quilt looks like

the 40 Women in the quilt

The Bible study we are doing lists 3 women that aren't in the quilt (Abigail, the Canaanite woman & Sapphira).  I might make other blocks those weeks (the quilt blocks are for me, not the class).  The class is a good excuse for me to finally get started on this quilt.  

My little quilt guild had a sew-in on Wednesday.  I used that time (and space) to cut fabric for kits to make baby blankets for a group our guild wants to support.  The baby blankets have flannel on one side, and either cotton or flannel on the other side.  They are supposed to be 40" square.  I cut out 15 kits, and another 7-8 flannel backs during the sew-in time.  I'll have to pull out more cotton fabrics to go with the flannel backs I have ready.  I'll hand out kits at the guild meeting Monday night, to ladies who want to sew these baby blankets together (easy peasy, envelope style, no quilting needed).  

Now to get back to sewing those rows together.....What are you working on?