Valentine Quilted Table Topper

I got a new kitchen set, which I will share soon. Since then, I've wanted to make a table topper to make it festive. I didn't have time for Christmas, but I found a quick idea for Valentine's Day.

This table topper is easily made by sewing strips together in a long piece, then cutting 60 degree triangles from it and flipping every other one so they form a hexagon. I didn't take pictures of the process. I like how both pink rows matched up with themselves to form rings.

It makes the kitchen look very festive! I was afraid the pink and red would look funny, since those colors aren't in the kitchen, but it looks great!
I didn't have any batting on hand, so I used a piece of white flannel instead and I like it. It has body without being fluffy, which is good if you are going to put dishes on it. I have not done the binding yet, because I only bought a little of each fabric and I don't have enough.

Here's a closer look at the fabrics and my free-motion meander quilting. It is great to practice on a small item like this. I'm not great at it, but I am pleased with the result. I had to use straight pins to baste it and I would just undo a small area, quilt it, then move to another area.

Fidget Quilts are Fun

Someone in my quilt Guild suggested we make "Fidget Quilts" for Alzheimers patients. They are little lap size activity quilts with different activities to "fidget" with. I thought this was a great idea and it was actually quite fun to work on too!
I run the morning programs at our Guild, so I felt I had to bring a sample. Katie offered to make one, too. So off we went to the hardware and dollar stores for some good fidgety gadgets.
The hardware store was a small local one and they were wonderful. They have me a whole bag of keys and a large piece of fiberglass screen for free. I also purchased some doo-dads.

Above is Katie's quilt. She made one for a woman and incorporated a baby sock filled with marbles, a clip bracelet, beads on shoelaces, and a soft doll with a swaddling blanket and a little brush. There is a mirror-like piece of silver sequin fabric. Oh, yes, also some rattly measuring spoons! Hers is on flannel with a fleece backing.

I made mine geared towards a man. It has the front of kids jeans with buttons, zipper, and pockets. There is a cottony mop head, a plumbing pipe that can be screwed together, keys on a string, a dog collar buckle, and marbles sealed in screen.

Inside the jeans is a soft monkey and a brush to comb his fur. I used a remnant of auto canvas and it is backed with flannel.
We had a lot of fun making these and I hope they will help someone pass some time.

Vintage Embroideries for a Project

I am getting ready for a special project later this week, so I had to stitch 5 of my vintage embroideries today. I used DMC cotton 50 wt thread because these will be part of a quilt and I didn't want to use rayon or poly thread.

Baby Bear has a navy blue spoon because I didn't have gray. I only have about 15 colors in the cotton thread.

This doggy is always a favorite! The only good "animal" color I had was the brown, so I had to get creative...

Blue lambs are a thing, right?

I know baby ducks are yellow! I just love this one. It always makes me smile.

My first time doing my "bead doll" in pastels. I like it! This one is not a big seller, but I don't know why because to me it is very "mid century" and cute!
Tomorrow I have to work on the project with these because I need it for Friday, so back soon...