Laying Out the Blocks

Like tiles to construct
a mosaic, fabric blocks
are set for a quilt

~ carliewired

I'm back at the layout table. It's my first day without the company of Helen. I've thought of her this week as she's left the warmth of Arizona for the chill of winter approaching in Scotland. We will not enjoy her company again. It's lonely without her. Not nearly as much fun to plod along alone without her chipper conversation.

The best part of working on the layout table is I get to work with colours of fabric that I would not normally choose. The fabric we have is donated or bought at bargain prices. Someone cuts it into 8 inch blocks. My job is to take the stacks of coloured blocks and arrange them in 6 columns of 7 blocks. Each column is stacked in order with a pin and a label. The set of 42 blocks are sent on to the sewers who stitch them together. Then the top is passed on to a couple of ladies who stretch it out over a backing and a piece of polyester batting. The three layers are pinned together and passed back to someone at a sewing machine where it is sewn all around the outside edge except for a small gap for turning. Someone else turns it right side out or 'births' it. The corners are poked out and the gap is pinned closed. It goes back to a sewing machine where it is stitched closed. At the next stage, someone cuts some yarn to match and ties the layers together at intervals. A label is attached. Done!

These are the simplest, utilitarian quilts possible but are much appreciated by the recipients. There are no two the same.