grammypatty7

I agree with MNquilter on doing samplers. I've been quilting for the majority of 46 years and heavily for 35 years plus and my favorite honestly are samplers.

The first was completed in 2009. It's a simple block of the month my chapter did and each square represents a month in the year. Each of us of course had fun and did our own thing. This is a large throw and will eventually go to whichever of my grandchildren bonds with it when they visit us. Their name will go on the back and one day it will be theirs. You do the same basic pattern each month but dress each square up so you can try different things and learn while doing. I refer to it as learning as I tried a lot of new techniques on it.

The 2nd sampler is about 25 years old now and made using scraps of fabric I used to make clothing for my daughter during the two years she was teaching at the Hindman Settlement School in Hindman KY. I just picked out blocks that represented her and her life so each block has special meaning to her and it is her favorite quilt. I think this was my 2nd queen sized quilt. It is machine pieced, hand quilted and done as a quilt as you go because that's the only way I can manage quilting since I can't use a hoop or a frame.

The links you shared with us will make lovely quilts but I know I personally couldn't work with those patterns as I guess I have a short attention span and need to have variety. I'm also a scrap quilter which means I can buy border fabrics plus some extra's but use up my scraps in my quilts.

Whatever you do, the key is to enjoy the process and what you are doing. If you can't do the quilting yourself, see if you can find someone who will machine quilt them for you but you really do need to get some of your projects quilted. UFO's don't benefit anyone and so much love goes into quilts that it's a shame for that love to be stored away. I'm trying to learn how to machine quilt but so far, it's not my thing but I am improving. I've decided recently to speed things up a bit and ease things a bit by:
1. machine piece
2. quilt as you in panels: quilt a panel, add a panel, quilt it and I use the Marti Mitchell technique found at www.nancysnotions.com - search for Marti Mitchell - Machine quilting in sections book and it works well for both hand and machine quilters.
3. I do a queen quilt top in 2 or 3 panels (3 or 4 blocks across and 2 or 3 rows down depending on need.
4. border out as another panel.
5. Machine sew what I can on each panel but I will still do the detailed hand quilting as my passion is hand quilting plus so far free motion hasn't happened but then I've not worked at it. I need things to take with me and do in the evening in front of TV so I can spend time with hubby so hand quilting is my thing for now.

Enjoy your quilting!
Hugs
Patty