Fun with Fat Quarters

Sometimes I just feel like starting a new project but don't want to spend any money.  It's usually because I'm tired of whatever I've been working on.  These quilts are two such projects.  I have a shoe box full of fat quarters* in reds, blues, greens and golds that I've collected over the years.  I love these colors and sometimes when I stop by a quilt shop for the first time (usually a Shop Hop) I'll browse through their bin of sale fat quarters and pick up one or two.  So, technically, the quilt is not "free" but the fabrics were purchased so long ago, I can't remember.  Even the patterns have been sitting around waiting to be used.

This 30" x 30" small quilt is a Schnibbles pattern called "Nash".  It was so quick and fun to make and I just love it on my kitchen table.  I found a red plaid homespun in my scrap pile that was big enough for the backing and binding and I did the quilting myself.  Just an all over stippling pattern.  It makes me smile every time I sit down to eat (well, maybe the food is making me smile - who knows).

 

This larger quilt below (51" x 72") is made using the same fat quarters.  This came first (about two years ago), before the table topper.  The pattern is called "4-Patch Gone Wild" and is a pattern from Speckled Hen Quilts, a shop just south of here in Wilsonville.  It was quilted by Quiltmasters using the pattern "Spilt Paint" which echos the fabric used on the back.  Guess I should have folded over a corner so you could see.  Maybe next time.

 

This quilt doesn't really have a home in my house.  I have hung it over my stair railing but I think it might go to someone as a wedding gift.  I have promised a quilt to a few special young friends.  They know who they are. 

In fact, I've thought it might be fun (fun for me, at least) to have a give-away at the end of the year for my readers.  So, what would you think if I offered to enter your name every time you make a comments on my blog?  One comment per blog post and I have to be able to tell who you are.   I'll think about it some more and let you know.

*What is a Fat Quarter?  Just in case you are not familiar with quilting jargon, I thought I would explain the term "fat quarter".  It is a specialty cut of fabric that measures approximately 18" x 22".  A regular quarter yard cut of fabric would be 9" x the width of the fabric (usually about 44 ").   It's a long and skinny piece.  To get a fat quarter, you cut a half yard of fabric (18" x 44") and then cut it down the middle.  A half yard cut will yield two fat quarters.  You end up with the same amount of fabric,  just in a different shape that is better suited for some projects.