With another QOV presentation coming up in July, I thought it would be a good time to pull out some orphan blocks that were sent to me. I know some of these came from dear reader friend Melanie T. I think some also came from another reader, but I cannot remember who – Phyllis D, was it you? Anyway, I had 10, so all I had to do was come up with two more. I actually had the one in the top right, the red and white star, from a Moda event. So all I really needed to do was make the nine patch in the lower right.
I laid them out on a big design board that I put over the quilt that was on the longarm at the time. I had these two fabrics to add, as the blocks alone wouldn’t be large enough for the size requirement.
I thought the lighter looked better for sashing, and added 3-inch wide sashing between the blocks. I made rows of blocks with sashing between, then did the measure and cut method to add long strips between the rows.
I pressed it and laid it on the floor to be sure it was flat.
The next border was a medium blue for contrast.
Then the outer border was the barn red. This brought the size up to 60×72.
Loaded on the longarm, I was ready to quilt.
I folded up the bottom to check my own borders. It looked good. I reached over it to grab the camera and didn’t notice that I bumped the right edge, but you can trust that if I put it back, the fold line is straight, just like the left side.
OK, all ready to go.
I used the long swirl pantograph called Fascination, one I use a lot.
I like the long gentle curves, which soften the hard angles.
Dark red Glide thread is on top, with Bottom Line in the bobbin.
The contrasting thread gives some punch to the backgrounds while allowing the piecework to shine.
One more view.
All finished with the quilting.
I trimmed the quilt with my rotary cutter. This was a topic of conversation at our last longarm meeting, as some of us trim even with the fabric like I do, while others leave an extra 1/4-inch of batting showing to fill the binding more. How do you trim?
I attach the binding with Aurifil 40 wt thread.
I like a deeper binding, so I make mine more like 3/8 – 1/2-inch, using the wider foot.
Because our veterans deserve our very best, I wanted to hand stitch the binding to the back. Aurifil 50 wt thread for this purpose is my favorite.
Two Sundays of slow stitching and it was done.
The binding is the same fabric as the backing, and makes a nice frame in the lighter color. After the binding was done, I added the QOV label with washing instructions.
All finished, it will be delivered to the committee soon.
What are you quilting this week?
Sharing Slow Sunday Stitching
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From My Carolina Home 
Kuddos…..so very heartwarming.
I love the way you put together the orphan blocks into a stunning sampler quilt. Quilts of Valor is such a great project.
Nice quilt! And it’s nice to see someone else who also likes a deeper binding on quilts like I do.
It turn to be a very beautiful quilt.I trim as you do, even with the fabric
Lovely contribution for QOV. I trim the way you do. Our recent quilt show had a lot of judged quilts and those “scribes” who were taking the notes for the judges noted that “full binding” was a “very big deal” with the judges. I am finally “splint free”; so this weekend will get the binding on my Queen Bee’s Carolina Hurricane Quilt. It was too much to handle with the splint in place; so now I can tackle that large quilt. 🙂
I really like this sampler quilt: straightforward, yet interesting with the variety of blocks. Amazing how blocks from different quilters come together in one unified body to make something great. Like you, I make a wider binding, but also trim generously to be sure the binding is plenty full.
The helping NC flood victims and the QOV projects you and others do is so heartwarming to me. Your projects truly make me remember that some folks are generous, selfless, and hardworking. I do cat rescue and sometimes get fed up with people. You restore my faith in people ( like you)
Great finish Carole. Nice job repurposing spare blocks for another project. You have such a gift for pulling projects together, not to mention you having such a kind, generous heart.
Beautiful QOV quilt. Love the sampler blocks. Great finish!
Beautiful finish! I love samplers, and this one is fantastic and for a wonderful event. I trim as you do, too.
It’s a fabulous sampler quilt! Samplers are my favourite!
The quilting design is also lovely!
I trim my quilts even with the edge of the border… no extra to make the binding fuller as I like it to lay completely flat at the edge.
Another great quilt, top to bottom, Carole! A wonderful use of orphan blocks. Quilting today will be a Pat Sloan block, then some applique stems.
Lovely QOV! I really like that quilting design too. I trim to the edge of my quilts and typically stitch about 3/8 or a fat 1/4 inch for the binding.
I’m quilting up a little baby quilt today. Happy May!
I love a flat quilt!!! Great job on the sashing and borders, Carole. I trim at 1/8″ from edge. I do wonder why you use Glide on top and BL on bottom. I use Glide on top and bottom both. No need to find another matching spool.
What a great QOV! I love that you were able to use orphan blocks — I tend to use my orphan blocks to make gift bags! No quilting for me…I’m working on personalized/custom baby orders for my Etsy shop. Happy Wednesday!
Very nice QOV. I’m sure it will be appreciated. I need to get one quilted to gift to my Marine son. I attach bindings like you do. I like a full binding also.
Someone is going to love that quilt!
Wow! Love the choice of color in sashing/borders, it really made those colors pop. Always love a QOV
Hello there,
Havn’t talked for a while
Love the basket weave and the flag designs on the quilt of valor, so pretty in the red, white and blue for our country.
Wish I could have gone to the Blairesville show, I talked to a realtor for a good while looking for a downsized home for me but didn’t see anything. Liked the area because there are so many activities there pertaining to festivals both food and crafts. Have always enjoyed the Hiawassie fair , gone to it ever since I moved here in 1977. Love the mountains and the crafters. Hope to go this year but have gotten
To want somebody to go to it with, have somebody in mind that works in the thrift store here and we went to the Red Hatters together.
Have a great day and smile.
Phyllis
,
Lovely, Carole! I trim to the edge. The binding is still full, because I fold it over at the edge and make it taut to the back. I usually have 1/4″ on the front and 1/2″ on the back. But not always. =) This is the best way to use up orphan blocks or trial blocks. I try to always do sample blocks in red/white/blue so they will go in an American Hero quilt. =) This week, I worked on a baby quilt, but it isn’t quilted yet. I have enough quilting to do it every day next week!
Beautiful! I trim even with the quilt top and use my larger sewing shears.
Lovely QOV…I’m sure it will be appreciated.
I trim my even too, but I use a vary narrow binding. Just personal preference! Your QOV is marvelous and I am sure will bring joy to some veteran.
Very pretty. What a nice way to use donated blocks. I trim my quilt the same as you. I like the way the end result is.
Wow! I love what you did with these disperate blocks! I made a QOV similar to this a couple of years ago with blocks I got in a swap but yours puts mine to shame! Do you collect blocks or swap for them or how do you by them? You sure did work wonders with them! WTG!