It is Completed and what a Challenge...

Especially when it turns out looking like this!.   If you have been following my blog while I was working on this quilt, you know that I ran up against a few little obstacles...sewed a block upside down...sewed a block together in the wrong direction,,,didn't make enough blocks of one group, stuff like that.  But the top is completed and it will be soon on its way to be quilted.  Would I make this quilt again...probably, I think.  It really is not that hard to put together except that there is a lot of pre-cutting and sewing and re-sewing. And you really, REALLY have to be organized and have your blocks sorted as outlined in the pattern.    I used 2.5 inch strips (mostly bali pops) and everything came from my stash.   The second time around, I would use smaller strips, maybe 2 inch so that it would not turn out so big,  and maybe I would not make it so scrappy.  Just 3 or 4 solid colors or prints that read as solid.  Anyway, it was a blast.  I look forward to seeing everyone's quilt who participated in the group soon!

Almost Done...

Well I have 2 more rows to add on and the top is complete! Unfortunately my design wall is not big enough to accommodate the size of this quilt so I had to get a little creative in order to take a halfway decent photo.  It is draped over the sofa.  I don't know how I am going to take a picture when I add the last 2 rows.  I don't have that much wall or floor space.  The blocks for the last 2 rows are up on the design wall and will get attached before the weekend is done.  I am going to put 2 borders on it instead of 3.  I purchased 3 yards of 108" backing because I just didn't want to piece the back.  The top is going to finish at about 96".  I think that is a record for me.  So this is the last photo before the big finish.

progress, slow and steady.

just a little update.....i got the baby quilt quilted with a simple panto and i really like how it turned out.  it is called blossom by willow leaf studios.  the reason i chose it is because it looks sorta like a 3 leaf clover (tying in the trinity) but it is soft and curving so it softens up the hard lines of the design of the quilt.  it is an open pattern, not too dense, not too open...sorta like goldilocks--fits the quilt pattern just perfectly.  i have the binding to finish up by hand still.  gonna work on that this evening (if you can call 9:11 p.m. evening!) some and then hope to finish it and do pictures tomorrow.....and, i want to get the borders onto the large one and get it loaded on the machine too.....watching 2 two yr olds, 2 four yr olds, a 5 and 6, 8, 10 and 11, and 12 yr old tomorrow, so will see how much actually gets done.  i am heavily counting on my 15, 16, and 18 yr old daughters to help watch the kids so i can quilt....

i am curious how all the rest are doing?

Can you see it?

I was doing so well...trying to keep all of the 9-patch blocks organized and labeled.  My 3 year old grand daughter came to visit and one of us tossed the box that I stored the blocks in while playing around and I had to reorganize the entire thing.  It took a while but I got it done.  So I started on making the chunks again.  Thought I had the top half of the quilt done.  I put the top right hand side up on the design wall.  I was really proud of myself and was looking at it in awe when I spotted it.  I stitched one of the blocks up side down...  Block B5... row one...first block.  At first I thought it was an optical illusion, so I kept looking  from afar and then I got up close and yep...My right side told me to leave it...no one would notice.  My left side (totally anal side) said are you kidding?  Take it down and fix it! What can I say...I am kinda anal that way and it is a gift.  So I fixed it.  The difference is noticeable ... to me it is.  Can you tell the difference?

 The Mistake

The Fix

Now I See Progress...

What a difference 2 completed blocks can make...I can see it coming together slowly.  I am going to take a pic of each block, because I can see myself sewing a block together backwards or upside down.  So please bare with me as I go through this challenge.  I am not going to bore you with a picture of every single block, but will wait until I do a few more chunks.  I was worried about the flow of the purples and greens and the dark purple-blues, but there seems to be enough definition going on.  And it is definitely scrappy.  I think if I decide to make this again, I will stick to just 3 or 4 fabrics.  So here is A-2 and B-2 together on the design wall.

My First Big Block

I made a commitment to stay in today and work on completing the S blocks.  I have been dragging my feet a little, but now I see light at the end of the tunnel.  I am still constructing P blocks but I had enough to put the first block for me together - B2.  Having this up on the design wall will give me incentive to get busy...I am off to complete more blocks.

border decisions.....hhhhmmmmm.....

i have been BUSY!!!  it is finally warm and not windy enough to blow me away anymore!  yeah!!!  that means it is time to sit outside on the porch and enjoy spring.  it also means yard work, and getting things ready for planting.  i won't plant until the first of may because even still we can get snow and have a freeze.  strange to think of weather like that in the mojave desert huh?  i sure don't understand why the weeds never freeze and die though.   so, been busy with the hula hoe and rake and planning what is gonna go where in the new garden i am preparing.  i have fibromyalgia and feel like my limbs are going to fall off.  quilting has taken a bit of a backseat.

i did manage to get the large quilt and the baby one done to deciding on borders in time for the wedding and reception for my daughter last saturday.  of course i had already bought the fabrics that i thought would look magnificent.  i even went as far as to CUT the strips that i would need for BOTH quilts because they looked so beautiful in my minds eye. so, i excitedly laid it all out and i really don't think it was what that quilt was asking for at all!  gee whiz!!  was that ever a huge mistake and waste of beautiful fabric.   i found a piece of fabric that may work to help resolve it all, or i may just forego borders....i had to let the frustration dissipate so that i can look at it again with fresh eyes.  i think i just might be ready for doing that tomorrow....coz i know i am still not ready today......however, finding that new piece of fabric has soothed my frustration and has gotten my curiosity peaked.....yeah!!!  i love the quilting process!!!!