Quilts Many years ago (at least 25) I made a pieced quilt all by hand.  The pattern is called Grandmother's Flower Garden.  Some quilts made with this pattern have each flower outlined in white but I chose not to do that.  All of the material in this quilt is recycled from shirts, blouses, curtains, skirts and other items made with cotton.  I did put a white border (using hexagon shapes) all around the quilt to square it off.  Some of the edge flowers are just part of a whole flower.    This quilt uses the hexagon pattern.  At the side you can see the templates I used.  The larger hexagon is the size the cotton material is cut.   The smaller hexagon is the size the material is when it is finished.  Cut the material out using the larger template.  Put the smaller template in the center of the material and fold the edges over and hand stitch with a large running stitch.  Don't knot the thread as when the pieces are put together the stitches will be pulled out and the inside template will come out. This is a close up of one of the flowers.  When piecing it together you start with the center hexagon, and using a whip stitch add one hexagon to each side.   Then the sides of those have to be joined together and another row of hexagons is added around the outside.   If you wanted each flower to be edged in white then another row of just white hexagons would be added.  When the flower is formed you can take out the tacking stitches and the paper templetes.  Leave the outer row of templates in place till you join them all together. Crazy Quilt Another quilt made from all recycled material is the crazy quilt.  The material for this quilt came from skirts, pants etc. that were made in heavier weight material.  It was randomly cut (probably bigger than the original crazy quitls) and then stitched together using the fancy stitches on my sewing machine.   Original crazy quilts have lots of hand stitching on them, but as this was going to be a quilt for playing on the floor or for spreading out in the garden, I didn't do all those fancy stitches.  These crazy quilts can be made to any size you want. Quilting Thoughts: Old quilters never die, they just go batts. Old Crafter's never die, they just get more bazaar!  Old quilters never die, they just go to pieces. Quilt 'til you wilt! Quilts are like friends - a great source of comfort. Quilters don't do buttons Quilters never cut corners. Quilting forever...housework whenever! When life gives you scraps - make a quilt. Quilting is my passion (chocolate comes in a close second) Quilting with a friend will keep you in stitches. Our lives are like quilts - bits and pieces, joy and sorrow, stitched with love. Blessed are the children of the piecemakers . . . for they shall inherit the quilts ! I am a quilter and my house is in pieces Those who sleep under a quilt, sleep under a blanket of love. May your sorrows be patched and your joys quilted. In the crazy quilt of life, I'm glad you're in my block of friends Home Please sign or view the guestbook.