Suture for a Living

"Houses" Quilt

2024-07-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

Finished this quilt in early June. It measures approx 40 in X 46 in. It is machine pieced and quilted. I gave it to a friend in real estate.

Confetti Quilt

2024-07-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

This quilt was finished back in April. It measures approx. 52.5 in X 64 in. Machine pieced and quilted.

Charming Windows Quilt

2024-05-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

Not sure if this pattern has a name. Saw something similar on either Instagram or Facebook and drafted my own pattern. I pulled out fabrics from my stash. Two fabrics were used to make "mirror" blocks -- one fabric as the "outer" pieces in one block and the "inner" piece in the second block. So the quilt is not truly a charm quilt as each fabric is used in to blocks rather than just one. The finished quilt measures 50 x 65 in. The back is pieced using some of the fabrics from the quilt front.

Two Small Purses

2024-05-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

These two bags were made in January of this year. This first one was made using fabric from an indigo dying class I took a few years ago. It measures approx 7 in X 5.5 in, has multiple inside sections

This one was made using the Voyager Bag pattern. The green fabric is the last straps of my dad’s army duffle bag. Added key hook and extra inner divided pocket for cards.

Practice Pieces Quilt

2024-04-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

I still working (off/on) to improve my free motion machine quilting. I have trouble keeping the stitch length even. This small lap quilt was made using small practice pieces. Finished size approx 32 in x 48 in. I gifted it to a friend in December who was going through chemotherapy for multiple myeloma. He died earlier this year from complications.

Ode to Dr. Suess Quilt

2024-04-19T06:17:00.001-05:00

I made this quilt for my nephew Dallas and his wife Gwen's first born son Gabril (born in March 2024). The quilt was finished in early December 2023. It measures 38 in x 48.5 in. It is machine pieced and quilted. The back is pieced also. Book is One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.

Scrappy Quilt

2024-04-12T10:02:00.003-05:00

I have been derelict in updating my blog as I finished projects. I will try to correct this starting with this post and the others spread out over the next few weeks. This quilt was actually finished back in November. I gave it away to be used as a baby quilt. It measures 31.5 in X 34 in.

Haverfordwest Afghan in Gray

2023-12-15T06:00:00.003-06:00

Finished this afghan recently and gifted it to my niece Eimi. It measures approx 54 in X 82 in. Yarn is Plymouth Encore Chunky, color 678. The patten is Haverfordwest Reversible Blanket by John Lloyd. This is the second one I've made using this pattern. The first two photos were taken while knitting the afghan, the third while blocking.

One More Scrappy Quilt

2023-11-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

There will be a lot of scrappy quilts in my future as I challenge myself to make quilts using the fabrics I have rather than buying new fabric. This one was make using a log cabinish style starting with a triangle center instead of a square. I finished in early October. It measures 48.5 in X 62 in. Not sure who will receive it.

Scrappy Quilt

2023-09-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

I finished this scrappy quilt this summer. It is machine pieced and quilted. It measures 40.5 in square. It is in reserve for now until someone needs it for a baby or just for a lap quilt.

Two Chevron Afghans

2023-08-11T06:00:00.002-05:00

I've knit two chevron afghans in the past couple years. Apparently I failed to post about the first one which I finished back in 2021. The pattern is Spicy Chevron Blanket by Patons. It was made for a nephew, his wife, and daughter (suspect she claimed it). The finished size is 48 in x 62 in. The yarn is Cascade 220 in these colors i-- dark blue #8393, dark teal #4009, teal #8891, yellow #4147, light blue #8905, and white #8505.

This second one was finished in June this year. It was made for a niece and her family. The pattern is The Walt Painted Chevron Baby Blanket by Danielle Romanetti. The yarn is Cascade 220 in toasted coconut #166, cream, and carmine rose #106, and deep teal #103. Finished size is approx 50 x 60 in.

ABC Baby Quilt

2023-07-21T06:00:00.003-05:00

I say a quilt similar to this one online (no numbers just the alphabet). I drafted my block patterns. It is machine pieced and quilted. The finished quilt measures 37.5 in X 45.5 in. It was made for a niece and her husband who are having their first child this September

This is the back before I added a label.

Prairie Blanket

2023-07-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

I finished knitting this afghan in April this year. I gifted it to a nephew. It is approx 45 in X 68 in. I altered the pattern so it would be rectangular rather than square. The pattern is prairie blanket by Oat Couture. Yarn is Pacific Chunky Cascade Yarns in colorway 166 (toasted coconut).

Scrappy Log Cabin Quilt

2023-06-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

I finished this scrappy log cabin quilt at the end of March. I gifted it to my half sister Mariko. It is machine pieced and quilted. It measures 45.5 in X 60.5 in.

Checkerboard Afghan

2023-05-26T06:00:00.005-05:00

I knit this one without a pattern. The edges are a simple garter stitch. I then knit the inside in a block pattern of knit blocks/ garter blocks in a checkerboard pattern. The yarn is Valley Yarn Berkshire Bulky in colorway dark grey heather. Finished it measures 50 in x 68 in. I gave this one to a nephew and his wife. I finished it back in March.

Where the Side Walk Ends Afghan

2023-05-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

This afghan was finished back in February after starting it in Dec 2022. I gifted it to my nephew Carson. The pattern is Where the Sidewalk Ends by Fifty Four Ten Studio. The yarn is Plymouth Yarn Encore Chunky in colorway oatmeal. I cast on 130 stitches, did 32 pattern repeats to get a larger size than the pattern intended. The finished size is 57 in x 69 in.

Coin Quilt

2023-04-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

This quilt was made for my nephew. It measures 87 in X 88 in. I made the coin sections in a quilt as you go fashion. Then after putting all the pieces together added additional quilting. It was actually finished back in February but I just haven't gotten around to posting it.

The back (with my dog in the photo).

Trellis Afghan

2022-12-31T17:16:00.004-06:00

I started this afghan in early August and finished it about a week before Christmas. Mailed it after Christmas to my niece (just because gift, not a Christmas present). The pattern is Trellis Afghan by Elizabeth Vindedahl. The yarn is Valley Yarns Haydenville in colorway 21 (yellow). Blocked it measures 65 in X 72 in.

Mending Old Quilts

2022-11-25T06:00:00.014-06:00

I am not an expert on mending old quilts but I had two old family quilts that needed some mending. The tops were pieced by my paternal grandmother in the late 1960s/ early 1970s. My mother and my youngest sister quilted them for me (not the best quilting jobs but they did it) while I was in college. I decided to simple sew new fabric pieces over the torn/ frayed ones rather than removing the old pieces. In some areas I simple reinforced weak fabric with embroidery.

The first quilt was an album quilt with names (family and friends)/ places embroidered in place. I used this old shirt fabric as a substitute in this block. Wish I had taken an after photo.

I used an old denim striped shirt fabric for the repair in this block (lower right). Failed to take a before photo of this block.

Did take a before photo of this block and the planned (see pins) repair.

The second quilt (an old log cabin) needed a lot more repair. Here's a sample of some of the repairs. This photo (after) and the next (before) show a frayed center block which was repaired using a cotton shirt fabric.

This photo shows where I embroidered some weak areas to strengthen them.

These next two (first is before, second the after). Sorry the orientation isn't the same.

Another one showing areas reinforced by embroidery.

There were three areas of full thickness damage from me taking the quilt on a camping trip back in 1982 and embers from the fire damaging the quilt. These areas had to have all three layers (top, batting, backing) replaced so I decided to just make very obvious repairs.

Here are the repairs (front/ back) of each of the above. The first one

The second one

The third one

Scrappy Log Cabin Baby Quilt

2022-09-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

A friend recently became a grandfather so I gave this quilt to him for his new grandchild. It is machine pieced and quilted. Measures approx 38 in X 42 in.

Gitanes Shawl

2022-09-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

I started this shawl in early January this year. I finally finished it in early August. The pattern is Gitanes by Mrs Smink. The yarn is Lost City Silk in colorway Abstraction. Finished size after blocking is 26 in X 80 in. I gifted it to a niece.

Simple Four-Patch Baby Quilt

2022-08-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

Our neighbor's daughter is having their first grandchild soon so I made this quilt for them. It is machine pieced and quilted. Measures 38 in square. The expected baby is a boy, the grandfather to be is a pilot. The family loves it which makes me happy.

Doctor My Eyes

2022-08-12T05:30:00.001-05:00

I made this small art quilt last month and gave it to my ophthalmologist. It's sort of a self-portrait since I used a photo of my eyes/ face but I didn't add all the fine lines/ wrinkles. It is raw-edge applique and both machine and hand quilted. Measures 4.5 in X 10 in. I think he liked it when I gifted it to him at my recent yearly exam.

2022-06-03T05:00:00.001-05:00

I finished this small art quilt this past weekend. It is machine appliqued (raw edge) and machine quilted. As I wanted all the design elements to go to the edges I chose to finish the edges by facing it rather than binding it. The quilt is 16 in X 21 in. I was inspired by the “Night Swimmer” by Sarah Morgan.

Small Bags/Purses

2022-05-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

Recently I have been making small bags/ purses just large enough for a cell phone, keys, and maybe lipstick/ chap stick with a pocket for credit card/ money. The finished bags measure approx 6 in wide/ 8 in tall. Some with removal straps and some w/ adjustable straps.

This one is going to be a birthday present for a young preteen niece.

This one I mailed to a friend.

These two were made for a niece and her daughter (my grand-niece).

This one hasn't been designated for anyone as of yet.