Quilty miscellaneous

Sort of a miscellaneous quilty post today. I've finished blocks of various types.

The Insecticus Humbugium (along with the scarab-looking Humbug) went together as planned. Tonya said I could send just a bug head so this went in the mail to her on Friday.

I quickly finished off Mrs. Ochiai's blocks for the block game. Mrs. Ochiai asked for TWO blocks to be made for her... TWO! Some of us are saying "seven..." "four pineapple blocks with a hundred pieces..." "Hawaiian applique block..." Mrs. Ochiai is too conscientious. AND she had cut out the white fabric for all of us! AND she had prepared little Ziploc pouches with cardboard inserts (to keep blocks from getting wrinkled) for each of us. Different personalities are sure drawn to patchwork. Most of us ask for "the more the better!" and stuff wrinkled choices of fabric into their box (whoops. That's just me... My other friends iron their fabric.)

I finished four star blocks for the bazaar quilt. Yes, that is the quilt with the tree but around the tree we are going to add stars. I may not be neat but I am fast. The four blocks didn't have to be done until April but I wanted one job out of the way.



I made one block for the surprise quilt... If I show too many of those blocks here it won't be a surprise...

I've been working on a Hawaiian quilt style bag for a friend who does hula dancing. This pattern is from Kathy Nakajima's books. Kathy is a native Hawaiian, married to a Japanese (actor) who introduced the whole concept of Hawaiian quilting to Japan. She has her own line of fabrics in Japan now and has become quite famous!

A couple people wanted the pattern to the little Totoro bean bag I had some students make last week. I'm afraid I don't know how to make a PDF file but I took a picture of the pieces used laying on the ruled cutting board so maybe someone can draw up their own templates. It shouldn't be too hard.





Trace the bigger piece onto fabric. Cut out adding seam allowance. Trace the arched pattern onto lighter fabric and cut out. Gather the rounded part with a running stitch and then applique onto the body fabric. Sew on the tracing line by hand or machine. Trim corners and clip points. Turn and embroider upside down Vs. Stuff with left-over batting and beads. Gather at the bottom and sew closed. Hot bond google eyes to finished Totoro.

And last but not least, June sent me more kitty fabric!!! These are so cute with kitties drinking milk and playing together etc. She also sent me some 1930's die cut hearts that would work together well with the fabric or might even find their way into a quilt for the kindergarten someday. (I can also see teaching those little girls that come for English, how to do a button hole stitch around a heart of their choice for Valentines's Day...)

Thank you June!