I found a gorgeous batik circle skirt in a thrift shop and snapped it up even though I had no immediate plans for it.  A few days later, the kids at church needed something to for an auction so I turned it into this scarf.



It didn't go for much, but a good friend of mine bought it.

This is a parking garage next to the historic Sears building in the Crosstown neighborhood of Memphis, TN.  It's very heavy and clunky and doesn't match the more elegant art deco Sears structure at all.  But it has its own possibilities, don't you think?



It really just screams to be made into a quilt.  So I did.

To avoid the trauma of quilting a large piece on a home machine, I used a quilt as you go method and it worked out wonderfully.  I made the blocks, stitched them into nine larger blocks and then quilted the larger blocks to a square of batting.



I sewed the larger blocks together to complete the top and added a vintage sheet for the back.  I did some vertical and horizontal stitching in the ditch, leaving a large grid pattern on the back.  This time I was quilting the whole huge thing, but only with a few straight lines.  A scrappy binding made from leftover fabric finished it off.



The prints are all leftovers from this stack of thrifted clothes I had cut up and sent out for a block swap.  The white is RJR Handspray purchased at my LQS.



And here it is is- The Crosstown Quilt.



I will be giving this as a birthday gift tomorrow to an unsuspecting recipient who likes orange. 

(For more details and hints on the quilt-as-you-go method, clink the link to my blog as the bottom of the post)

This little quilt was for a swap.  I used the Geese in the Forest pattern from Twiddletales, but reduced the block size from 6" to 4" finished.  This was my first time to paper piece.  There were plenty of dumb mistakes made along the way, but the result was pretty good.



It looks a little wonky hanging on the bush, but this pic best shows the colors.  I used batiks because I love them so!

I rarely make multiples of anything but I can't stop knitting this scarf pattern.  I made a pink one for my sister for Christmas and promptly ordered yarn for three more.



Next I did one in cream.  It will be auctioned at an opera benefit.  As soon as it was blocked I cast on in cream again because I want one for myself!  Later this year I'll to it again as a gift for a family member.



The pattern is free on Ravery and you can get it here.  I used Fiddlesticks Lace Sensations yarn as called for in the pattern. 

Whew!  Seven bags in two weeks for my daughter's wonderful teachers and therapists.  Made from thrifted clothes with a little yardage from the stash thrown in when needed.  I used my own pattern.  Total usage:  2 pairs of pants, 3 skirts, 2 dresses and a pair of shorts.  Blogged at http://gwenshouse.wordpress.com/2009/05/21/what-i-did-for-the-past-two-weeks.

My love affair with batiks continues!  This is the mini quilt I sent for Doll Quilt Swap 6.  It's about 20 x 20 give or take a quarter inch.

Finished quilt:



This initial layout gives the best representation of the actual colors:





Detail of quilting:



Back:



Blogged at http://gwenshouse.wordpress.com/2009/05/09/dsq6-the-quilt-i-sent.

*sob*  I made this quilt for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap 5 and I don't want to send it!  



I have never tried anything that required so much precision, but somehow it worked out.  The requirements for this quilt were that it be monochromatic.  I could only use shades on one color plus some black and white.  It wasn't really hard and now I want to do one in every color!

Blogged at http://gwenshouse.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/cant-let-go.  
Inspiration here: http://greetingarts.typepad.com/greetingarts/2007/05/scrappy_cartwhe.html.

My friend Christiana raises money for our local opera company.  I made this for her to put in tonight's fancy dinner and auction.





Details at http://gwenshouse.wordpress.com/2009/02/07/opera-quilt

***ETA*** The quilt sold for $110 at the auction!

The Four Seasons Quilt Swap has been such fun!  I have done all four seasons and this is the last with a summer theme.  It is on it's way around the world to an Aussie quilter who made a winter quilt for me and enclosed a book of beautiful aboriginal applique patterns.  The dolphin is from the book and the batiks are from a jelly roll I found on sale at Hancock's.



It's winter where she is so maybe this quilt will warm things up a little .

My daughters teacher is retiring this year.  She is a crafty person so making a gift rather than buying it was in order.

I used some preppy fabrics from my stash of thrifted clothing.  The pants were Lilly Pulitzer and were $1.98.





I hope she likes it!