![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEUR3idjxlzCAi5aBgmu8rBB-hpKDgvXPls6aDwEL2Xa5mAUBugdjFEG5h2-PcQl1psNQ4FE3t3kSHDCoV9p9LVn3UXBo28ZNkEEfHgf7bpWY3UJz7kP2LSIvTLOIKa_Z18OHRDtRvwLx/s1600/CQ_blackeyedsusans.jpg) |
Finished cuddle quilt 34" x 58"
and strip pieced top (left). |
You've heard the phrase, "It takes a village." I remind myself of this when I struggle to carve out time to contribute to my quilt guild's Cuddle Quilt community service project. I realize this project is a group effort, but I want to do my part, too.
Due to a deadline-driven committee meeting for the quilt
exhibit at the Tennessee Aquarium for Chattanooga QuiltWeek, my friend, Vista, and I were regrettably unable to arrive in time to participate in our guild's annual Cuddle Quilt (CQ) workshop. This workshop is held one Saturday a year for guild members to get together and crank out charity quilts. It's a relaxing, social and productive day and we make phenomenal headway toward our cuddle quilt goal.
Vista and I arrived at the workshop just in time to help pack up the supplies and clean up the kitchen. However, I was able to pick up a stack of precut pieces that our workshop coordinator had prepared (thank you, Sherry!). So, with an impending guild meeting tomorrow evening, I felt the momentum and inspiration from my local guild community to put pedal to the metal and whip up a quilt top and finish quilting an in-progress lap quilt.
This little strippy quilt top was made last year. It has accompanied me to several Free-motion quilting demonstrations, so it has a variety of stitch patterns on it.
Loop-d-loops...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYg1tHuLKRHd2kz29TaK8yZCEaCLKdLZeZOUQSWMgIa-M8HMuRAUOqQ9MJjl3MCUmnOWXx13QfG41GMmPYcDEBRbm7Qfutgwf2qxXh1qKYZRtkFBFTvyE8O-KP3M6ub9iBOGs4SRqWbcO/s1600/loops.jpg) |
Free-motion quilting: loops. |
swirls and bubbles...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XDOppJXacQhDRkgmVjXYfeNATPND6IEWVxLHvPelaSds9mRKb0rDoDHMLIgYi5hJICNBthRlKN96y2OayibHKmC2RLtcws0Dw3C2R9k8P62aX-REeMfcaw-DAbQZof0TCG0xm5fHz_3Q/s1600/bubbles.jpg) |
Free-motion quilting: swirls and bubbles. |
feather and paisley shapes...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjqTpxBmc2cA3jbPH_hMxEzVPon-76a6XtqAsZuVVcbRdvqhX5kwxYoA-bslfsIZuf5oYv_TBkl3VkqDRoVe30eN2oIKeN9ORJ9RkTI-YKuAErEH3RT51FNcpOIK6mRSHHH0EQnCiZE1E/s1600/feather_paisley.jpg) |
Free-motion quilting: paisley. |
ribbon candy...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_GeuNYocoERg7UrDSUeG49bdgKIzfxRT8oANpW8skEqXkjwTmPCLDnQYIGk3kXJ2eU-nSqphGOoAHz1gJ8ETD-QzpOaspi7izBmhsS7l6tpivVGKyBvupSL0Gx7IcXyhMkJl2cCw2u91/s1600/ribbon.jpg) |
Free-motion quilting: ribbon candy. |
… and spirals.
Along with practicing free-motion quilting designs, charity quilts are also great palettes to experiment with thread/fabric color schemes. Here is a turquoise 50 wt. cotton thread on a tomato red border. Zingy… wouldn't you say?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgGpc3hkHyNd5dYZkFu-L2rZn-AbxbLBFO8iJ5GY1UW0PWlyKCGIChaeO1HFrNHeenqEHkIvvLtQxwNjQtb43fW4CqKm6KBYZIJxE1ckx4Z_jSzTYjSDBmq79d2SoF8Uimyx3BbBa1ByZ/s1600/swirls.jpg) |
Free-motion quilting with a contrasting thread color. |
The binding was attached by machine.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCXEgq_N4ADaDFMInOAZ7l95TqznePgd_bX98oBSkIxJzvh4mlU1P0Z2ehEE85P5HJYKmsML6cZWwL34yZe_u4vDLuSslLUUa3MCVQwCRSVkbg1ZNwIJr5iyal1g1wNCSXKqQRywoQXJO/s1600/CQstrips.jpg) |
Strip quilt 34" x 58" |
With all the exhibit quilts, competition quilts and class samples lately, it was a welcome change to do some free-motion quilting... just for the pure enjoyment of it! I'll turn in my strippy cuddle quilt at tomorrow's guild meeting.