The final quilts from that huge bag.

As you are reading this, I am probably making my way to sunny California.  I plan to spend the week with my sister Danie from Alaska, doing some genealogy research on my paternal line... and just have a great time visiting with my sisters in California. Watch out Kellie, Kim and Pam you are about to be invaded.  I do plan to hit several quilt shops in my travels.... good thing when I packed I left room for goodies to come home with me!

I wanted to let you know that I received the nicest response back from Dottie's family about the previous two posts.  I am going to share them with you, I have only altered names to allow for their security (something law enforcement told me I really needed to do)

This was the first response:

Al and I are both so emotionally charged over the love these pieces have gotten (and will give)!. He is forwarding to his Mom...as she tells me she has lots more! She will be SO pleased to know about this. Wish sometime you could see the 60+ quilts she has in a closet at their house..all finished with hand quilting and waiting for a home!

And the second email:

Just was thinking - you should share with this lady that altho, Dottie was ill ....and although she can't quilt..she just turned 90 in September (as well as her husband) and they celebrated their 70th anniversary in January.....she still makes pies...with homemade pie crusts....rolled out just like the old fashion way!

(Second email was edited to help keep from giving to much information about Dottie's medical condition.)

No doubt about it Dottie is a special lady, thank you once again for sharing your talents with Iowa Comfort!  

Lets back to the last of the donated quilts from Dottie.

Here is the first one I want to show you.

 I will be so glad when it gets warmer outside so I can take the quilts out on the deck and get really good pictures.  I just don't have large enough space in my house to lay these larger quilts out and have them lay flat.  Needless to say this quilt top is large and scrappy!  The first time I looked at it I saw 9 patches...

And I thought.... I have seen that block before.  But then I noticed that maybe it wasn't actually a nine patch.  Maybe just maybe they really are four patches.

Each nine patch has two identical fabric choices, and then the others are not identical.  Looking at the back of the quilt, I do believe that it was actually four patches that were set to give the illusion of a 9 patch.  

I love trying to figure out the quilt construction!

Here is the next quilt:

I have no doubt that this quilt was meant to go to someone special.  It isn't a scrappy quilt, and the fabric choices I am guessing where picked for specific reasons.  Perhaps the color combo was someones favorite combination.  Or perhaps the color combo was based on the focus fabric.

The focus fabric has a menorah, star of David and dreidel etched in a gold tone on the blue background.  I hope that this quilt when finished will find its way to someone that will truly appreciate what the quilt maker was creating.

The last quilt is going to test my longarm abilities. 

Opps forgot to turn it before I entered it.  We are back to 9 patches again. Obviously a favorite of the quilt maker.  She also made quilts with the fabric that she had.  This quilt is made from a knit/ polyester blend fabric.  Lots of stretch to it, which could make it a challenge to quilt..... but I am up for the challenge. 

It is a lap size quilt, which I am grateful for...less quilt to manage while I am learning new skills. 

I think this quilt might go to a senior housing facility, perhaps to someone who doesn't get many visitors.  The fabric in it will make it so easy to care for and it is just the right size for a lap quilt.

Did you notice that each row of nine patches had alternating fabric placement? One row has the focus fabric  in the corners, the next row has the background fabric in the corners.

Well that is all of the quilt tops from that huge donation bag.  The bottom of the bags does have sheets for the backings for each of the quilts.  I have never used a sheet before as backing material, so I will be learning another skill soon.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  I know I will in sunny California (I know I just jinxed myself and it will rain my whole trip)!

Tuesdays post is about the community sew day.  Come back and check out all of the fun.