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.

Elephant Walk

When I ordered off for fleece and flannel, a piece of elephant print velour was the best bargain I found. It was the only print of its kind and the only juvenile print that I bought.

I cut off a piece to use for backing for a future quilt and cut the rest into squares to alternate with other touch blocks. This quilt is backed with khaki colored flannel.

 

Shallow pocket for exploration.

Prairie Points in blue are among my favorite

trims. They can be explored from the open 

side and have no raw edges.

 

A good view of the little elephants and my 

applique elephant with ribbon ear.

 

Not a real pocket, just a corner to explore.

 

Ribbon loops 

 

A real pocket on yellow fleece.

 

 Another look at the elephant.

 

The darker red square is fine-wale corduroy.

Kind of a Cowboy

It seems as if a story should accompany Touch Quilts. If nothing else, something to spark a little conversation from visitors.

 

This block is an applique cut from a fabric with western designs. The lightest and darkest parts of the lasso are couched yarns. The little square at upper right has some waste threads underneath to give it a raised effect.  

 

Cowboy boot has some texture added underneath

and some couched thread.  

 

Rooster from a tea towel.

He has trapunto effect with poly fiber and stitching.

 Red fleece, faux leopard, and a square 

of blue silk, all for tactile effects.

 

A denim pocket. I try to add a pocket or two

to every quilt.

 

Here's the sun. Yellow ribbon loops. 

Random stitching in the 'sky.'

 

Blue silk channel quiltedd at top.

A cotton piece with a stitched down crochet

piece for texture.

At bottom, upholstery material.

 

 

The upholstery material is lined with blue striped

cotton. It forms an open 'muff' with fleece

on the bottom for a place to put cold hands.

 

A final crazy quilt square with some of the

fabrics in the quilt including red fleece.

My first effort, this quilt is large squares of whatever was at hand, like the never-used tea towel. I did buy the red fleece, a Santa hat that came with faux leopard trim. I'm still thinking how to use the leopard pompom from the hat in another quilt along with the rest of the fur.