Tactile Items for a Lady's Quilt

This is the first touch quilt I've started that is specifically for a female resident. Most of the time, I try to make them suitable for anybody who needs a little warmth and something to keep hands busy.

 Prairie Points were already my fav before I found Nancy Sieman's blog and the directions for what she calls Column Quilts. This is just a section of a column. I will sew wide rectangles to each side to enclose the fidget items: a double triangle pocket at the bottom and folded squares and rectangles forming more touch items.

A better view of how the pieces can be fondled.

 This satin butterfly is still in progress. Machine embroidery lines are stitched from the wrong side with variegated Knit-Cro-Sheen wound on the bobbin.

 High heeled pumps can be left plain or decorated. I think plain will work here. These are craft felt appliqued on lime fleece; they have texture!

 This is one of a number of vintage Carolina Lily quilt blocks that I am using in touch quilts. They are hand stitched so for these quilts I am stitching in the ditch with decorative machine stitches once the backing is on.

 I thought this might be a terrific idea before I made the drawstring purse. It is poplin with a silk lining. Paracord is the drawstring. It's a stiff affair. Suzanne thinks it might work for some of the residents and suggested we try it out despite my misgivings.

Drawstring purse when the drawstrings are fully opened. It's on a flimsy piece so I am going to quilt the square onto another square of fabric before sewing the block to its companions.

This quilt was laid out before I stopped making plain 36" lap quilts with square blocks. This one is
nine 12" blocks. I have two more 'Ladies' in progress with more and smaller blocks.

Note: I 'm sure you noticed the wrinkles. I haven't a display board for my work. Each quilt in progress is laid out on a folded bed sheet. When I finish for the moment, I roll the sheet and store them. Blocks do get wrinkled after the initial sew and press. I press again when I'm ready to sew the quilt together.

It Is a Carolina Lily

Correction: The Purple Bear Claw touch quilt actually has Carolina Lily blocks.


Vintage quilt blocks in the Lily pattern form the bottom corners. These quilts have no pattern and are one of a kind because of the nature of the fabrics and trims used.

A nine-patch, loosely interpreted as it has a series of patches of varying sizes across the top, sashed with a length of crocus color broadcloth which was also used to square up the Lily blocks, this quilt just grew.

 The blocks on each side of the center row have inset pockets of lightweight yellow fabric. Purple tulips and a wide blue satin ribbon trim the inside edges past the pockets.

 Vintage quilt blocks that otherwise would never be used and eventually be discarded when there's no one left with sentiment toward the maker.

 The stylized Tiger Swallowtail is made of yellow linen. The satin rectangle eluded making square corners until reverse applique opened a hole for him in the yellow square. Lightly stuffed, it makes a very tactile toy. Faux fur below it offers a different texture and Prairie Points along the edge are more items to explore, their folds making tiny triangular pockets for a busy finger to seek out.

 Trapunto roses offer a 3-D effect. The rose blocks are separated by a wide strip of satin ribbon and a satin ribbon loop.

 The blue dotted strips are flat. The soft striped grey strips form shallow pockets.

 A crochet medallion from among years of collected treasures.

Felt tulips with ribbon stems, lightly padding for texture makes them more touchable. Green satin ribbon taggies are vague reminders of bulb foliage or grass.

Hatch Plaid fleece in blue, lime, purple and white is the backing. The bear claw quilt blocks are heavily quilted because of their age and hand piecing. The rest of the quilt is stitched together at intervals in no particular pattern. There is no batting which keeps the quilt as light in weight as possible.

New Dog Metamorphosis

One thing that makes my quilts evolve so slowly is the process of auditioning and matching/contrasting fabrics and colors.

This dog started out as a caterpillar from the dollar store, with a gaudy body in neon colors and green felt antennae.

Deconstructed, his head got new faux fur ears and a strip of felt to stabilize his neck so there was something to sew to the background. He's stuffed with knobby poly-fil that gives a great squeezable quality.

The quilt where he's going has waited for weeks for him to appear. Art Touch quilts have no pattern nor instructions beyond the basics of sturdy and safe.

It is a thrill to open up a rolled-up quilt in progress and find forgotten details which now can evolve into something more exciting.