Been there before and feel for you:-( You are right, this would be a perfect thing to get back into the quilting mode. No stress about seams, straight lines, and it will be something different to think about.

They do have some kind of oil in them. You can use them to clean your hot iron of sticky mess. It works real well and you will see the oil residue on the material you use to wipe your iron.

I love your blocks!! I make these kind of blocks, also, but have never used a foundation. The blocks hold together just fine while waiting for the next piece. Sometimes I will trim and press the seams right away and other times I will just finger press them.

I like to make a dozen, or so, at a time. That way I can chain stitch them and not have to stop after each seam. Then I cut the individual blocks apart, press and pin the next piece on each piece. I put them in a pile and then they are ready for the next time I want to sew them.

I love making these they are totally stress free and a surprise when you get finished.

Yes, I put batting in the sashing. I generally refer to this as SEMI QAYG, because with the batting as a foundation, it is already firmly attached to the top. The back needs only minimal quilting.

I make at least 3 at a time to ease chain piecing.

I first, I made blocks that just kept getting bigger. they end up looking clunky and being unmanageable. I cut my foundations to a convenient size, make the blocks whenever I feel like it and keep a 'file' of them. When I have enough, I put together a quilt. Actually, I make them both 10.5" and 11.5". The larger ones are for HSTs with a solid fabric on the other half.

I had a bunch of scraps of cotton batting, so I used those for foundation first. Now I am using old sheets. I used up mine then picked up some at a thrift store. (and washed them with bleach to be on the safe side). Small holes don't even matter. The sheets are easier to handle but dont have the body of the batting version.

I use "old" pieces of fabric for the foundation...the kind that is too thin or too ugly or too whimpy or too faded,( you know...those you "hate to toss in the trash, but not good enough to use for anything" kinds of fabric). The only thing I notice is that it makes a heavier quilt because of that 'extra' layer of cloth in there.

:lol: LOVE IT

My grandpa recntly passed away, and I wanted to make a quilt out of his old shirts. But all his shirts are plaid, and a normal pattern with 10 different forms of plaid was just too mind boggling.Then I came across these. Loved the idea, but my OCD was just too overpowering, and I ended up so stressed over not getting mine square. So I decided to start playing with them. Just making whatever came to my mind. Just pulling little peices of patterns that I love. This is what I came up with. The seams are so crooked, the colors so contrasting, and I'm still stressed (dang OCD, and my need for perfect lines!) but I'm trying to let it go. It's like therapy, making something tangible from memories. Now, if I could really just convince myself to stop fretting over all the kooky seams and uneven blocks!

Good for you!

that is really nice..... I have a friend who lost his dad a few months ago and I am planning on doing this for him, with his dad's shirts..and I was wondering what kind of a pattern would work, so thanks for sharing yours.