Scrappy charity quilts and free-motion fun

There’s something satisfying about turning a pile of leftover fabrics into something cozy and full of heart. Easy patchwork, fun sewing, and a bit of therapy at the sewing machine—it doesn’t get much better than that. 

Kitty quilt with improv patchwork and free-motion quilting.

I brought two “kitty quilt” [charity quilt] tops to my Intro to Free-motion Quilting workshop at the Folk School earlier this month. I used them to demonstrate basting and the Kwik Klip tool. 

Demonstrating basting with the Kwik Klip tool on a charity quilt.

Students also got a chuckle over the “franken-batting” I made by zig-zagging leftover batting scraps together.

Pieced batting using up batting scraps: “Franken-batting.”

Using up scraps, the patchwork for these quilt tops (as well as the batting) is simple and improvisational. These tops are the perfect canvases for some easygoing, free-motion quilting. One top was used in class to demonstrate free-motion zig-zags. 

Two completed charity quilts for the Cat Clinic.

The quilts are finished with scrappy bindings that are attached with a machine zigzag and a variegated thread. 

Scrappy bindings applied all by machine.

Bonus: the flannel trimmings from the quilt backings were pieced together for the back of a future kitty quilt! Hooray for more scrappy improvisational patchwork!

Making do: fabric trimmings were used to piece another quilt back for a future quilt.

In addition to quilting the kitty quilts, I also pieced a cuddle quilt top for my guild’s charity. 

Charity quilt top ready for basting and quilting.

Scrap quilting is always a joyful process for me. It’s a great reminder that even small, forgotten pieces can come together to make something beautiful and meaningful.

Can you envision a scrap-buster quilt in your future? I hope so.

Free-motion quilting with marking? Follow the patchwork!

Sometimes—maybe more often than not—it’s a quandary choosing a quilting pattern for a quilt top. An all-over pattern with curves, loops, or circles? A combo design of swirls and feathers or double-circles? What to do? 

With this scrappy wreath block quilt top, I decided to “follow the patchwork.”

How to quilt this top? Follow the patchwork!

Free-motion quilting without marking the quilt top

I admit it. I am a “lazy quilter.” If I don’t have to mark a design on a quilt top, I don’t have to 

1. take the time to mark the top, and 
2. I don’t have to remove the marks once I’m finished with the quilting. 

“More free-motion quilting time, less mark time!” is my philosophy for finishing quilts, especially charity quilts.

So, by examining this quilt top, I determined the patchwork was a wonderful candidate for mark-free machine quilting. The wreath blocks were well-defined and the solid setting (no sashing between the blocks) offered an opportunity for a continuous quilting path around the quilt.

Wreath blocks.

A continuous line quilting path: the blocks

For continuous line quilting, first you have to determine a way to quilt each block without tie-offs and having to quilt each block individually. For each wreath, a continuous line of loops could get me around the block. I started in the ditch with the lower part of the loop and continued quilting loops clock-wise (or counter-clockwise) around the block until meeting back at the starting point (see black line below).

The loop pattern (black line) around the wreath and the spiral pattern (green line)
in the center of the block.

Once the stitching line met back at the beginning of the pattern, I stitched in the ditch to travel to the center of the block—the hole of the wreath (see green line above). A spiral of straight lines (rather than circular) started at the perimeter and then spiraled inward to the center. Another stitch-in-the-ditch allowed for a path out of the center and on to the next block.

A continuous line quilting path across the quilt top

Then you have to figure out a way to get from one block to the next to make your way around the quilt.  Working from the middle of the quilt outward, I dropped the needle at the block in the second row in the center column (see black line below). At the bottom of that column, I took a turn and quilted the blocks on the one side of the quilt. Once at the top, I took another turn, quilted across the top and then quilted the remaining side.

Mapping a continuous line quilting path.

Any unquilted intersections (where the corners of four blocks met) were quilted with another pass (green lines above).

Back side of the quilt showing the quilting.

Quilting the borders

The borders were quilted with a continuous zigzag pattern. At the corners, a loop (similar to the loops in the wreath blocks) allowed for the change in direction (quilting path) to the next side. It was another continuous line of free-motion quilting around the perimeter of the quilt.

Quilting pattern at the coreners.

Taller zigzags stretched into the unquilted spaces when needed.

Varying the height of the zigzags around the border.

So, with four quilting passes—three in the center plus the border quilting—this scrappy wreath quilt top is quilted—with no marking needed. The free-motion quilting took 45 minutes!

Quilting view from the back.

Trimmed quilt.

The binding is prepared and will be attached by machine.

Binding for the wreath block quilt.

Take a little time to examine the patchwork and layout of your next quilt top. With a little analysis, a map for the quilting path(s), you can free-motion quilt without marking the quilt top. Just follow the patchwork!

Gettin’ into the FMQ groove at the cuddle quilt workshop

I had a fun afternoon visiting with the Choo Choo Quilters at their Cuddle Quilt workshop this weekend! With three finished cuddle quilts to turn in, I popped in at the workshop and got four new quilt tops spray basted.

Three cuddle quilts finished.

Quilting designs: finished cuddle quilts

One of the finished quilts was made with this peacock panel. The free-motion quilting pattern was feather variations, with a thread change for the border.

Feathers quilted on the peacock panel quilt.

The second quilt had flowers and loops quilted into it. This design quilts up fast. 

Flower quilting design.

And the third was quilted with swirls and circles.

Swirls and circles quilting on this mix of batiks and cotton prints.

I try to keep the width of cuddle quilts to less than about 42” wide so the backing fits on a standard 44/45” fabric width. The finished sizes of the three cuddle quilts that were turned in:

• (left): 29.5” x 35.5”,
• peacocks (center): 41.5” x 46” 
• tiny florals (right): 34.5” x 36.5”.

The cuddle quilts for the guild’s community service project.

Quilting the new quilt tops

At the workshop, I reconnected with guild members I hadn’t seen in a while and I met some of the new members. It was a lovely visit! The weather was cooperative for outside spray basting and the four tops I brought got basted.

Four spray basted quilt sandwiches.

I was so inspired from the workshop, I sat down at the sewing machine and quilted two of the basted tops immediately.

Two cuddle quilts quilted in an afternoon.

A swirls and feathers quilting motif for this one.

Swirls and feathers. FMQ: 45 minutes.

Double circles for this one.

Double circles. FMQ: 1 hour.

After dinner, the third one—with several small floral prints—was quilted with flower motifs.

Small floral prints mixed with stripes and blenders.

Flower motifs quilted on the quilt. FMQ: 30 minutes.

The last cuddle quilt top is from the Make Do wreath blocks that I pieced back in December. I haven’t decided on a quilting motif yet… and all-over pattern? or msybe something that follows the patchwork?

Wreath block quilt top.

I’ve got bindings picked out for these quilts. And from the leftover backing fabrics, I cut several binding strips to add to my binding inventory.

Binding strips from backing fabric after trimming to size.

Second Make Nine 2025 finish: Stress-free kitty quilts

Sixteen kitty quilts.
A Make Nine 2025 finish.

Yep, big pile of kitty quilts. 16 of them!

I’ve been working on these little quilts since December of last year—a time when I can purge outdated fabric headers and organize the scrap piles. 

Working in batches—either sorting scraps and orphan blocks, sewing patchwork units, assembling quilt tops, sandwiching and basting, free-motion quilting, and finally binding by machine—I tackle a few quilts (maybe 2 - 3) at a time. Once all the batches were completed, the final count was 16.

I’m counting this as my second Make Nine finish for 2025, in response to the “Simple and Stress-free” prompt.

Stress-free quilt making

Making charity quilts—especially kitty quilts—is a therapeutic sewing endeavor for me. It’s definitely simple and stress-free. I can play in the scraps, experiment with patterns and colors, enjoy improv patchwork, and practice free-motion quilting without the pressure of a deadline or needing to have a “perfect” outcome. It’s making quilts just for the fun of it!

Scrappy kitty quilts for local animal clinics. Make Nine 2025 finish.

Kitty quilts.

Several of the quilts incorporated orphan blocks and leftover units from other projects. 

Improv patchwork with scraps (left) and orphan blocks (right).

Each one finishes at approximately 25” x 27,” which fits the size of the cubbies at the clinic.

Improv patchwork.

Some of the quilts have flannel on the fronts and/or the backs to make them snuggly and extra soft.

Scrappy kitty quilts.

I love that they are so colorful!

Quilt fronts and backs.

Various flannels for the quilt backs.

Flannel backs.

Free-motion quilting and binding

It takes me approximately 40 - 45 minutes to free-motion quilt each one. This is probably the quickest part of the entire process for me. Sometimes the fabrics or the patchwork inspire a FMQ quilting motif, or I try out variations or combinations from my FMQ repertoire. It keeps me in practice. 

Scrappy bindings.

The bindings are scrappy as well. I attach them to the back, bring them around to the front, and stitch down by machine—frequently with a zigzag stitch.

Scrappy bindings.

For these quilts, a 40 wt. 100% cotton variegated thread for the zigzag stitching shows up well for the bindings. The color changes blend and accent the fabrics of the top.

Not quite enough! A small piece was inserted to complete this binding.

For these quilts, I went through 9 bobbins of 50 wt or 60 wt thread; matching the thread color with the color of the backing fabric.

Front and back of quilts.

Make Nine 2025 finish—16 kitty quilts and counting

This is my second Make Nine finish for 2025. I’m sure I’ll make more kitty quilts throughout the year and will add the documentation on my tracker. I love making these quilts and the animal clinics appreciate them, too.

Make Nine 2025 tracker. February 2025.

Sixteen and counting for 2025.

Sixteen finished kitty quilts for the animals.

Orphan blocks, spare parts, make scrappy charity quilts fast and easy

One of my favorite types of quiltmaking project is finding a use for leftover and orphan quilt blocks. Early this year, I decided to take several lonesome quilt blocks and spare patchwork units and make them into charity quilts for the kitties and doggies at our two local animal clinics.

Orphan blocks

The orphan blocks included: 1) test blocks using a hexagon ruler; 2) three kaleidoscope stack-and-whack blocks;

Hexagon orphan blocks.

3) a friend’s discarded class project from a foundation paper piecing class, and half-square triangles from discontinued fabric samples;

A paper pieced medallion and half square triangles.

and 4) two demo tic-tac-toe blocks illustrating a slice-and-insert patchwork technique.

Slice and insert blocks from a demonstration.

Quilt top assembly

To accompany the orphan blocks, I pulled several coordinating fabrics. Here is an example of a fabric pull for the slice and insert blocks.

Coordinating fabrics for orphan quilt blocks.

I decided to cut the blocks into pieces in order to spread the floral print across the quilt top. Then I began to lay out the top for piecing.

Laying out the quilt top.

Working with spare parts—especially the hexagon-shaped blocks—is like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. The first step for the hexagon blocks was to add corner pieces and turn them into rectangle units.

Adding triangle pieces to the corners of the hexagon blocks.

This made them easier to incorporate them with other fabric pieces and sew the patchwork together.

Trimmed blocks ready for the quilt top.

Here are the two quilt tops using the hexagon blocks. They are a mix of cotton prints and batik fabrics. Whether a printed cotton or a batik… if the color and value are right, I will use it.

Quilt top made with stack-and-whack orphan blocks.

Quilt block using orphan hexagon blocks.

The square medallion unit made a good center for a large star block. It was paired with the half square triangle units.

Quilt top made with a class practice block and HST units.

Finished quilts

The puzzle pieces have been put together. The tops were pin basted and free-motion quilted.

Finished quilt with hexagon blocks.

I have a stash of scrappy bindings that I make and with leftover 2.5” strips and trimmings. The bindings for my charity quilts are attached all by machine.

Finished quilt using hexagon blocks.

The orphans class project served as the center of the star quilt.

I had some ombre fabrics that made interesting bindings. The bindings seem to glow.

Orphan quilt blocks cut and then reassembled into a quilt.

The “glowing” binding can be more easily seen from the back.

View from the back: free-motion quilting and binding.

I’m happy that these orphan blocks have found a purpose and are no longer languishing in a box! The patchwork and quilt top assembly was quick and easy because of the finished blocks. These quilts will go to two local animal clinics. The clinic staff—and of course the animals—are always happy to have new quilts to snuggle.