Scrappy picnic quilt

Yesterday I finished this perfectly imperfect scrappy picnic quilt and it is just as I like it!!

The story about this quilt starts in 2014 when I started making 1½" strips from older fabrics and then I used them to make 16 patches.  I did a blog post November 7, 2014 of how I made them using the tutorial from red pepper quilts.  The blog post is here  

I did not have a plan for them I was just going to keep making them and maybe make another postage stamp quilt.
In March 2015 I researched mile a minute blocks and started making some of them.  I called them made up blocks!

May 24, 2015 on IG I posted about a Weekend Challenge by studiojujuquilts to do something with fabric scraps.   THAT is when I decided to combine my 16 patches and madeup blocks into a quilt!!
I started making 8½" blocks from my 4½" blocks.  Ar the time I was calling it a scrap quilt.  The photo is above.

After I got all the blocks sewn together I started calling it a picnic quilt and I did a blog post on June 24, 2015.  The blog post has a photo tute about my made up blocks, the backs of the 16 patch blocks to show how I presssed them, and a photo of the finished top ready to be quilted.  That blog post is here

I used this quilt to practice FMQ.  First I did the #4 stitch along each of the block seams all over and then and I used all different FMQ designs.  In May this year Vicky of Vicky's Crafts & Quilting posted about a FMQ pattern squiggles and wiggles.  I had to try it and it was fun!!  I took a close up of that pattern I stitched in May.

 Here are more photos I took yesterday after I finished the quilt.

The last photo shows where I stitched picnic quilt and my name.  The last two photos also show the hand quilting, which I did around all of the outside and scattered in places.  I used this as a project to work on when I met with my Tuesday quilting group.  I made a scrappy binding using some of the same fabrics I had in the quilt. 
As I was doing research for this blog post from my photos, blog posts, IG and my daily log of creative projects, I was surprised how long ago this was started.  It was soooo fun to go back and review all of this for this blog post.  😍

I am linking to finish it up Friday and Linky Tuesday.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

friendship bag finished

 Here is my cute little friendship bag....made it with no handles...
The tutorial is at psiquilt....very easy to make.
I think everyone should make at least one of these!

 Here is a photo after I quilted it and before cutting off the batting...
I quilted loops and heart leaves.....my favorites when I haven't done FMQ for awhile!

 In between other projects I am sewing up these little 16 patches....

I am using 1½" strips cut about 5" and sew 4 together....
then cross cut into 1½" strips....
then I sew them into 16 patches.
I got the idea for this method from red pepper quilts postage stamp tutorial.

Now I have some other tote bags I have started and I need to finish them.
Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Linking to crazy mom quilts