Carlene Foster's Gallery : Child

One block wonder

Carlene Foster — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:03:26 GMT

This is a repeat of the same star block, just by using different corner pieces, they look totally different. Of course, it is me, so it is still scrappy. :) The small sashings bring your eyes out so that it looks like one star is framed in the middle of a bunch of x's. I just thought that was the appeal to this pattern...starting with one thing and ending up with something that appears much more complex than it is. Downfall to this pattern was that it called for 2 5/8 inch squares for the outer corners, and I was using scraps from 2 1/2 inch strips, so I lost most of my star points in the process. Even rounded off, I like them (although it obviously bugs me).

Hanging Gardens

Carlene Foster — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 15:55:50 GMT

This quilt is called "Hanging Gardens" and was designed by Georgette Dell'Orco of Cozy Quilt Designs. It is meant for 2 1/2 inch strips. I ran across a 30 strip 5 x 22 bundle of cuts from a quilt show I had attended a couple of years ago and thought it was time to put them to use. This is a twin size quilt, as I only had a potential of 30 full strips after I cut them in half, one piece was black, so I took it out of the stack and was down to 29. The border fabric was in my stash for about the last 4 years, so it was time for it to go as well. It's a fast quilt to piece...I started Friday at 5:00 pm and finished Sunday morning at 12:35 am. (Let's say I was possessed and let that go! LOL) The background has a very light beige print on it, but I think the quilt will have more character if I have the long armer do it with a varigated thread.

Strings!

Carlene Foster — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 15:26:09 GMT

I cannot bear to throw away those strings: the cuts left at the end of the fabric that are less than 2 inches wide down to 1/2 inch wide. I sew them to 7 inch mujslin backs and then trim to 6.5 inch squares. This quilt top is 84 x 84. That is a lot of strings!

Meet me on Sesame Street

Carlene Foster — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:39:58 GMT

This was just a fun quilt that I did for a friend's upcoming grandchild. I just love the bright colors! The pattern is a free one online and could be used for several adaptations just by using large preprinted panels with some coordinating fabrics. It is fast and fun!

Scrappy stars

Carlene Foster — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 21:56:42 GMT

Never give me a batch of scraps and think I'm never going to use them...I find ways of putting them to some sort of use! Just need borders to finish this one. The star blocks finish at 8 x 8. I just used neutral sashings and scrappy cornerstones to keep the background from swallowing the stars.

Snap bags

Carlene Foster — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 19:35:59 GMT

Did I mention I have a lot of scraps to work with? Snap bags....held shut by two pieces of 1 inch wide tape measures cut to length. You would be surprised how stout the closure is...Pull tabs on the sides are recommended. Handles are optional. You can make all 3 sizes from two coordinating fat quarters, one to serve as the inside lining, the other to be the outside. Fast, easy and a certain gift giving wow factor. When my scraps were a little too narrow, I used coordinating fabrics for an extra strip on each side. No one said extra piecing wasn't allowed! LOL

Buggy Barn Christmas Stockings

Carlene Foster — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 15:22:29 GMT

I actually took a class to figure out this technique. Somehow, the directions in the books kept me confused. The buggy barn concept is to use a number of fat quarters of varying color shades/contrasts, stack them in the order that they will appear, cut all layers in one feld swoop, reshuffle the order of fabrics in some of the stacks, then put it all back together again. In the putting it all back together, there was a lot of fabric waste, which made this particular method not so popular with me. The results are cute...not breath taking or gorgeous.....just cute.

Insanity in reds and greens

Carlene Foster — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 15:12:46 GMT

Carpenter's star and filler blocks. This was the third quilt I did........ever. I had a hard time figuring out how to put the rows together because of the fillers, so I did a lot of partial seams as I traveled down each row. Now that I know a little more of what I am doing, I wish I could find this pattern again! You could do this in any color combination you want....I just chose various shades of red and green because that is what the one in the picture looked like. I am kind of a visual person. :)

Let it Snow!

Carlene Foster — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:01:40 GMT

Coordinating batiks make for a quick quilt.

Catch the Rainbow!

Carlene Foster — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:52:32 GMT

What do you do when you find yourself with a rainbow of scraps? Make a rainbow quilt, of course! This was a controlled paper bag pieced quilt. Each block had no repeats of fabrics, but the order that the block went into the design depended on which order it got pulled from the paper bag. So, each block got sorted by color, then thrown into the bag and pulled out one piece at a time.

Strip Therapy Stars

Carlene Foster — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 04:02:20 GMT

one Jelly roll of choice, some accents, some backgroiund fabric....a quilt. :) Stri Therapy 6, "Seeing Stars"

Disappearing 9 patch with hearts

Carlene Foster — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:18:55 GMT

I did this from a pattern I got online. What a way to use up some of those fq's that you have no clue what to do with them! I loved it! Half a heart was 6 inches x 3.5 inches, so these were not small pieces. Just watch where you place the dark and light colors when you make your nine patches (before you slice and dice into individual blocks again.) Simple, fun, fast.

Pinwheels

Carlene Foster — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:52:43 GMT

This pattern used half of a jelly roll (20 strips), and made enough pinwheels that I had two left over to make a throw pillow to go with the lap sized quilt. You can quilt as simply as I did (using my 1956 Singer 301) or more elaborately. I saw one that was done in queen size, using two packages of pinks/purples with a pink background. It was really pretty. I can see a lot of use from this very simple pattern. The pattern comes with directions to make several different sizes.

Bits and Pieces

Carlene Foster — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:33:41 GMT

I love brights, and I love scrappy. This pattern allowed me to use up some of my scraps and practice some new patterns. I think I needed this after a round of pastels and florals....

Glorified 9 Patch

Carlene Foster — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:30:53 GMT

I actually had a chance to take a one day class with Toby Litscho and this was the result of that class. The border, although complicated looking, is simply a large stripe fabric. I just love the color and play in this quilt design. Toby is big on curved piecing and accuracy. For me, the hardest thing about finishing this project was getting up the skill and the nerve to do the free hand feathering to complete the quilting. I finished the top in August/September 2010 and didn't get the quilting done until 2011.