Let me explain this one.

Someone asked me last September to make them a quilt.

It was the mother of the lady who had been saving second-hand shirts for me for over a year now (the same lady I made the Random Act quilt for and also the gray and blue bargello.)

In a way I felt like I deserved this, though, because the day I was asked for this quilt I had planned on telling the young lady who had saved the shirts for me for a year that I didn’t need anymore. But that day that I went to get the shirts back in September, she wasn’t there - but her mom was.

Her mom came out to the vehicle and handed me the big bag of shirts. As she handed me the bag, she began to tell me about a quilt she needed/wanted for a single bed. It needed to be about 48” and as long as a bed - just to be used as a bed cover - not necessarily to sleep under. She specifically asked for only 120 cm wide (about 48”).

Since they had given me loads and loads of second-hand clothing, I felt kind of obligated to do this one.

I really do not like this sense of obligation and next time I am offered these articles of clothing, I am going to tell them that I don’t need anymore (which is the truth) - and has really nothing to do with being asked to make this quilt - but something I discussed last summer when I was in FL - feeling like I needed to say “no” to more shirts. (But it is really hard to turn down free).

I had felt a bit trapped. I told her that I was pretty sure I could come up with something - (no promises on the time)…as I knew I could. She wasn’t at all demanding - said “Anything would do - maybe I already had something?” I could have told her “no” - I know that. (But I felt like that wouldn’t be fair. I’m a reasonably fast quilter and knew that I could knock out a quick quilt in a few days.)

I also knew virtually everything I had was too big. I don’t tend to make 48”x80” quilts - as they are quite long and skinny - and not necessarily appealing to me. I, however, knew that I couldn’t do it soon, since this was late last September, just as I was getting over my bout with being quite ill.

I knew the next big thing on the agenda was a rendezvous with charity quilts and that they would pretty much take over my time for the next few months. That’s why I made no promises as to time.

Anyway….I had not forgotten…

Just about Christmas time, this lady wrote me via Messenger and if maybe I’d have time to work on “single size quilt for her” after Christmas?

At first I couldn’t remember who was asking for such a thing.

The reason for my quandary - I only knew her as “so and so’s mom”, not by her name.

And I don’t really know this lady well at all. Well, after a few days, while lying in bed one day, I realized who it was that had asked me for a single size quilt.

I decided that it was time to work on it - but I wanted something quick and easy. I have other quilts I want to make and this wasn’t one of those!

BUT…

I already had these pretty little scrappy 9 patch blocks put together - in a pile in my sewing room - and I decided to go ahead and use them to make a quick quilt.

What else? I decided to put a frame around those little 9 patches, add a dark gray shadow, put it on a light gray background, and call it good.

I used 24 of my already made up blocks. I have another 50 or so. I’d like to go ahead and make it up big I think as well. Most of the time I’ve made shadow block quilts with black shadows. With gray, it’s a whole new look - well, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but I like it.

I know. I just made a shadow quilt - the Christmas lap quilt!

Here’s the top.

I hope to get it quilted soon - but seriously - the puzzle is causing me issues.

What I need to do is get a couple of my backings all ready and then clear off the table, (move everything), sandwich a couple more quilts - maybe even 3 - and then put the puzzle stuff back on the table.

In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying piecing. I am working on another unnamed quilt at the moment - another gift quilt which I will show you soon enough.

Then, I’ve been planning others…and will get going on those. Before I can sew, I have to plan. That’s for sure!

I do now have 3 more big bags of shirts to go through and take apart. Maybe I’ll just do those little by little - say 5 a day until I get them done. It’s for sure they aren’t getting done sitting in my kitchen pantry area!

And I will be telling my source of second hand shirts that I absolutely do not need anymore!

They can go to my friend, Ewa - who actually does want them!

In the meantime, this little quilt hopefully will be done reasonably soon!

Have a great day wherever you are reading this! Stay safe!

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!

Here’s one of the beauties we have!