Carlene Foster's Gallery : Throw, Chain Piecing

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).

Bonus blocks

Carlene Foster — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 16:01:15 GMT

What do you do with the parts of your hst that you cut off? Do you throw them away, or keep them until you have enough of them to do something else? I save mine. These are leftover from quilts I have made in the past 2 years, with a basic filler fabric to calm it down a bit. This is already a large lap without any borders. And, basically, it was a free one for me...I like those :) I have 3 more large collections of free quilt blocks, just need to decide how to group them into something that will resemble a finished project. :)

Duck tracks--very scrappy

Carlene Foster — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 18:32:25 GMT

This is the reason my local quilt shop owner hates scrappy quilts. This is a 60 x 80 quilt top made with nothing but scraps, the colored pieces were all 2 x 2 or smaller. Unfortunately, this didn't make as much of a dent in my scraps as I was hoping...more scraps to come! :)

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.

Grandmother's Flower Garden made modern

Carlene Foster — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:30:52 GMT

Most of us have, at one time or another, gotten the English paper piecing bug, if for no other reason than a multitude of scraps and a curiosity about the process. I had done several flowers and they had set around for a few years waiting for me to address them. So.....I used mine in a quilt as you go setting, separating each flower into its own block, then surrounding the garden with a picket fence. Now, I don't have to feel guilty about not tending to my flowers. :)

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.

Kolidescope

Carlene Foster — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:58:37 GMT

Sometimes, ya just gotta do one of these. This one reminded me of the old stained glass wndows. Fun, fast and it looks a lot more complicated than it really was.

1600 inches

Carlene Foster — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:47:52 GMT

This is a fun way to use a jelly roll to create a nice throw quilt with some interesting texture. The applique chicken was just for fun.

Pinks and purples

Carlene Foster — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:31:34 GMT

Inspired by one block from a sampler quilt and leftovers from the Wildflower Rhapsody BOM that I completed. I'm liking this combination of fabrics almost better than the original quilt.

Sophia: Jinny Beyer kit

Carlene Foster — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:46:03 GMT

I bought this on one of Fons and Porters' kit sales. The picture online was nice, but the actual fabrics were striking. This is the Sophia design, done in the topaz colorway. This will be a favorite for a long time.