Squirrel Whales and Frogs

 
The new carpet has been installed! I'm such a happy camper. This isn't the best picture...it is soft and cushy. I want to spend the whole day barefoot. It is the last big project for the new house. Now I have no excuses not to unpack fabric, set up the quilt frame and hang pictures.

Lincoln's Sampler has binding, and been washed. The binding is a very dark brown with gold flecks that match the back. Love it. This picture really doesn't do the colors justice.

Friday southern Oregon began Phase 1 of reopening. On Friday morning I was checking to see if there was going to be a guild meeting today, Monday. I noticed there was a Project Linus meeting scheduled Friday afternoon - the group has less than 25 people. No guild meeting - too many people.  I've been thinking about looking into Project Linus and decided to attend the meeting Friday afternoon. We did practice social distancing. Those ladies were busy in quarantine. One had 17 tied quilts and another had over 35 crochet edge polar fleece blankets.

Turns out the group is no longer Project Linus. It is now sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club so it is going by the name of Quilts for Kidz. The coordinator had three tables full of stuff, all donated. One had fabric / yarn that anyone could take, as long as it was brought back in quilt/blanket form. The second had larger pieces of fabric that could be used for backs, as long as it was brought back in quilt form. The third was non-cotton fabric and other things that couldn't be used for quilts or were more craft type things. The coordinator wanted all of that stuff gone and she didn't want it back, she didn't even want to have to pack it up and take it home again. Anything left over was going to another donation center. Of course the third table called my name.

Two of the items on the table were these hand appliqued whale blocks. Based on the fabric it looks like they might have been made in the 1980's or 90's. The whales need eyes.

Where does the squirrel come in? I Googled whale quilts late Friday night hoping I could find the original pattern and layout. Nope. But I found a quilt top I liked that had whale fabric in it.  I liked the simple 4 block layout.

My squirrel moment? I finished this about 11:30 p.m. Saturday (the whales still need eyes). It should not have take long. For such an incredibly simple quilt I kept screwing it up. It only has 26 seams, yet I managed to have to frog (ribbit (rip-it)) 9 of them...some of them twice. I'll get it quilted this week - and add eyes. It is about 42 inches square.

There were a few other items on the table that I took. Including this finished quilt. Another quilt that only it's maker could truly love.

This twin sized quilt with an attached dust ruffle is hand pieced and hand quilted. It is also made of two double knit fabrics. I'm guessing it was probably made in the 1970s. I think the ruffle is percale, probably an old sheet. I don't know why but I had to bring it home. There were also the beginnings of two pillow shams in the bag with the quilt.

I don't think it had ever been used. I've already washed the quilt and cut off the ruffle. I plan to "bind" it using the ruffle fabric then donate it back. When I talked to the group coordinator she mentioned that if she received a quilt that she thought was not appropriate for a kid, she would donate the quilt to a local dialysis or oncology center. Someone put a lot of work into the quilt, hopefully it will find a good home.

I have more treasures that I brought home. I'll show them off as I get quilts made from them.