Biscuits & Gravy Quilt

 Back in 2019 I saw this print in the local quilt shop and I couldn't resist.

It's a Riley Blake line called Biscuits & Gravy. Well, I just thought that was the best name ever! I knew I had to build a quilt around it and I knew I wanted something in a patchwork style. Enter this simple pattern 

I needed something simple to work on when I was in Texas and this fit the bill 

I picked it up from Jackie the Monday before Thanksgiving after work and was tickled with this pattern she chose called Geranium.

                                      

I managed to stitch the binding to the front of the quilt, but with a houseful for 5 days over Thanksgiving, it was set aside.

After all, I had more important things to tend to! But, I always need a quilt to bind during the NFR and this one was this year's NFR quilt even though I set it aside again at Christmas. I finally finished stitching the binding the first week in January.

It finishes at 72x84

I backed it with my second favorite print from the line because I found 4 1/2 yards of it in the clearance section for $6.00 at The Quilt Haus in New Braunfels when I was in Texas. It wasn't quite enough, but I added a strip of a Shadow Play fabric that I found at a new quilt shop in Clovis

I guess this is a controlled scrappy patchwork quilt since it's all from the same line, but I love it and I plan on making another one from real scraps soon:

Another happy finish!

                          

2022 Quilt List

 With the exception of hand stitching a little binding, I can't even remember the last time I sat down to sew. I've had to shake the quilting cobwebs out of my head the last few days and figure out where I left off before Thanksgiving. 

Then I really had to spend some time digging through project bins to see what I might want to work on this year. I'm feeling pretty spoiled that I have so many options. It doesn't bother me to have UFO's, but I'm hoping to whittle them down a bit. I started a few of these last year, but most of them are a little more seasoned than that. 😉

1. Biscuits & Gravy - this one is back from Jackie and I just finished binding it a few days ago so post coming soon - just need to snap some photos.

                             

2. Jellystone - I got this one back from Jackie in November and I'm currently binding it.    

              

3. I Spy - I spent quite a bit of time collecting novelty fabrics for an I Spy quilt last year and even more time looking at layout ideas online. I have yet to settle on one, but that needs to happen so I can move forward with this project.

4. Plaid Tail Feathers - this one is pieced but I need to select a backing and make the binding

5. HST Chaos - this was on last year's list - I made the backing, pressed it and handed it off to Jackie

6. Lincoln 16-Patch -  I've tried to focus on using jelly rolls that have been sitting around for a long time and this one used up two. I started out last year with completed blocks and managed to make the binding, piece the top and back and hand it off to Jackie. 

7. Black & Pink Floral Spring Splash - No progress was made on this one last year so it too is added here. It needs a back and binding.

8. Scrap Dance Waltz - This one is waiting at Jackie's too

9. Plus A Nine Patch - I matched this with a backing and handed it off to Jackie

10. Pinwheel Garden - Another that now has a backing and is in line at Jackie's.

11. Sweet Menagerie - This is a Moda Bakeshop Jelly Roll pattern that is also at Jackie's. I feel guilty taking her any more.

12. Farmers Market - I need to piece a backing and make binding for this one

13.  Baby Sails -  This one is rolling over from last year. I just need to make the little sail boats and I set the bin next to my sewing machine so this will be the first project of the new year.

14. Posh Pumpkins - another jelly roll quilt that needs a backing and binding before I pass it on for quilting.

15. Winter Blues - In my attempt to whittle down my collection of blue fabrics enough that the lid will fit, I started piecing a few blocks for this Bonnie Hunter quilt. I've got a long way to go on this one.

16. Follow Your Heart - I bought this kit 5 or 6 years ago and I'd like to have a finished quilt by the end of the year, but I haven't even cut into the fabric yet.

I like having a list to work from and everything on this list is subject to change on a whim but this gives me a good place to start. 

2021 Quilt Round-Up

 I always think I ought to accomplish more on the sewing front than I do, but looking back on the year, I somehow managed to finish 12 quilts even though I spent so much of the last 2 years in Texas helping my mom and then tending to the estate. That's a good number for me, but in complete honesty, only 2 of them were completed start to finish in 2021. The others were all carry-over projects from previous years. 

1. Quite Contrary

2. Fresh Flowers

3. Adventures in Africa

4. Howdy

5. Boho Songbook

6. Pinwheel Polka 

7. Spring Splash

8. Zoologie

9. Dinosaurs for Taos

10. Country Garden

11. Americana Quilt

12. Desert Flannel Rag Quilt

And here's a snapshot of my year in quilts:

Desert Rag Quilt

When our girl was home for a visit this summer, she requested a flannel rag quilt. My MIL made her one when she was 9 and it is beyond tattered, but she still has it. 😂 About 5 years ago I mentioned it to my MIL and she pulled another one out and I told her that would be the perfect Christmas gift for our girl. She takes it everywhere. She drug it through grad school and on every school roadtrip, it followed her to her new job and she has taken it to every convention and business road trip - whether they traveled by van, car, or private jet. 😂 As you can imagine, it too is wearing thin. So she put in a new request and I let her look over some options. She chose a bundle of desert inspired fat quarters. These are Woolies Flannels by Bonnie Sullivan for Maywood Studio and she chose the teal for the backing:

DH has spent a few days helping the neighbors wean calves in October and I took advantage of the free time  to cut and stitch:

I cut the big squares 7" and then stitched the 2 1/2" square on top. 

I then centered a 6" square of batting between the top and back squares and stitched an X through the center before piecing the top

                               

Let the ragging begin! These old hands were very grateful for the invention of ragging snips

4 trips through the washer and dryer and much cleaning of the lint trap

and some trimming of the center squares to neaten up extra threads

                                             

And Skeet's seal of approval

This is my last quilt finish of the year

It finishes at 60x72

I love these warm, rich colors

And I hope this desert inspired palette brings a little bit of the dirt road to our girl

May you love this quilt as much as we love you Sprout!