This flimsy was finished Sept 30, 2013.  I was in need of some sample quilts for a demo I was doing for our guild’s quilt show and so I decided now was the time to quilt this.

I quilted this one with the Circle Lord Swirls design as I think it makes one of the most durable quilts.  The stitching lines are close enough together to provide dense enough quilting to make the quilt durable for multiple washes without such dense quilting as to make it stiff like a board.

Because the blocks were pieced on a muslin foundation, the blocks are heavy.  I know a lot of quilters will leave out the batting on a quilt like this because of the weight.  However, I like the cuddle factor that a batting adds to a quilt.  I used Hobbs Thermore batting in this quilt which was perfect.  Because the batting is 100% polyester and it is super thin, it added minimal extra weight to the quilt.  I found Thermore to be easy to quilt – very unlike some other 100% polyester battings.  I found a short video on YouTube that describes Thermore:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAAw4DJ-W3o

A while ago I told my kids to let me know what quilt tops they liked and would eventually like to have as finished quilts.  This was a top that my son picked out so I have named it, Matt’s Strings.  One day when I have finished using it as a demo quilt, I will gift it to him as he put his name on it.  🙂

This quilt finishes at 54.5″ x 63.5″.

Our guild has issued a UFO challenge to our members – the Finish-It-Up Challenge! – 1st Quarter 2017 that ran from February 1 to April 30, 2017.  That challenge was so successful that our guild is running a second challenge – the Finish-it-Up Challenge – 2nd Quarter 2017 that will run from June 1 to August 31, 2017.  Again the rules are simple; you MUST post photos on the Facebook page dedicated to this challenge of your quilty works-in-progress by the end of May and they must be completed by the end of August to be eligible for the participation draw.  I just made it under the wire for posting my quilty works-in-progress or UFO’s.

Last quarter I listed 13 projects – a Baker’s Dozen – and that number seemed to work well for me so here I go again with the same number of projects.  I found listing my UFO’s and publicly declaring what they were in this forum held me accountable to get a lot finished last quarter so here I go again, hoping for the same success as in the first quarter.  (Sadly, we could play this UFO game for many more quarters and I believe I would be able to keep listing new UFO’s that had not been listed in prior challenges.  *sigh*

1 – Rock Island Campfire

1. Rock Island Campfire – blocks need to be sashed; then flimsy can be quilted and bound.
   

   2 – Good Vibrations

2. Good Vibrations – flimsy was finished March 21, 2016 – needs to be quilted and bound – Although I have a long arm, I am considering quilting this one on my DSM because I would like to follow the diagonal lines created by the piecing.
   

   3 – H is for Hanson

3. H is for Hanson – this quilt pattern was called, “Hi”.  However, I have renamed this one, “H” is for Hanson. – Needs a border, then flimsy can be quilted and bound.  This was made from a kit purchased in Bend, Oregon on our bus trip to Sisters in 2014.  I wasn’t impressed with the pattern that came in the kit, but the kit was marked down incredibly and fabric in the kit was yardage not pieces so I could adapt the fabric to a pattern of my choice.  It looks like Joey (the cat) decided to photo bomb!
   

   4 – The Simple Life

4. The Simple Life – This one has been partially quilted by DSM for years.  I sure hope I still have the green thread I started the quilting with.  It looks like I had the strips for the binding already cut and they were with the quilt – that is a rarity!  The pattern was a free pattern given away by The Thread Bear in Ladner during a Quilt Shop Hop in 2002.
   

   5 – Log Cabin

5. Log Cabin – This one was inspired by Gwen Marston.  One of the quilts that Gwen showed us at her workshop in March 2017 in La Conner, Washington was a log cabin quilt she made from the tossed scraps she salvaged from one of her Beaver Island retreats.  I came home from that workshop and pulled out my solid bits and made my own version of Gwen’s log cabin quilt.  This one needs a border, quilting and binding.  Gwen said it is possible to continue making log cabin quilts for the rest of your quilting career and never run out of ideas – indeed!
   

   6 – Double Slice Layer Cake

6. Double Slice Layer Cake – Needs to be quilted and bound.  My DIL’s first quilt was made from this pattern which uses just one layer cake.  I loved her quilt so much I wanted to make my own version.  This one has been a flimsy since September 2016.
   

   7 – O Christmas Tree

7. O Christmas Tree – This one is left over from the first quarter challenge.  This one still needs to have the buttons sew on.  How long does it take to sew buttons onto something anyway?  In my case, years.  J
   

   8 – Redwork Hearts

8. Redwork Hearts – This has been finished to the flimsy stage since April 2010.  It is about time it was quilted!  The blocks were made from free redwork patterns put up on the internet by Alex Anderson.  The setting design is by my very good friend, LJ in AL.
   

   9 – Honu

9. Honu – Hawksbill Honu Sashiko – I was inspired to try Sashiko after Val Wojutla attended my traditional guild in April 2013 and presented a trunk show of her work.  This one was finished to the flimsy stage in September 2015.  I just love the Kaffe print that I found for the border.
   

   10 – Circle Log Cabin

10. Circle Log Cabin – This was one of the ideas I was tossing around when trying to come up with my challenge piece for the 2016 Creative Stitches show.  These four blocks are the perfect size for a pillow.
    

    11 – Canada Day (Bridge Creek Blossoms)

11. Canada Day – Named for the Canadian flag in the bouquet on the border.  I need to have at least one of my queen / king sized quilt tops in each UFO challenge so that I remain motivated to get the tops on the shelf quilted.  * sigh* This flimsy has been stuck at this stage since 2011 – Needs to be quilted and bound.
    

    12 – Check Plus

12. Check Plus – Left from the first quarter challenge.  This one still needs to be quilted and bound.  I think I just ran out of time during the first quarter challenge.  My daughter has claimed this one so I best get busy!  J
    

    13 – Baby Bunny

13. Bunny Baby Quilt – This has been a finished flimsy for so many years.  It is baby size and needs to be finished so that it can be gifted to one of the many expectant mothers that seem to be popping up in my life lately.  This quilt top was an experiment in machine appliqué.  I will have to do some digging to find the pattern to finish the documentation on this one.  Note to self—be sure to write down the details of the quilts that I start so that documentation at the end of the quilting process is made a little easier.  J

I have three tote boxes of finished quilt tops sitting on the shelf waiting to be quilted.  I decided to take an inventory of exactly what is there.  Once I have a photo of the top and measurements, I can go through my stash to identify backings and move these tops to the finished quilt stage.

BOX #1

SCRAP CHAOS – 58 1/2 inches square

1.  SCRAP CHAOS – This one will not likely end up as a quilt top.  I will likely loose it in the pieced back of a scrap quilt.  If I were to make this one again, I would disregard Gayleen’s directions relating to the random placement of squares and be more deliberate in placing values.  I much preferred the quilt tops where quilters controlled placement of colour and value.  Started January 17, 2015 and finished to the flimsy stage on February 21, 2015.

STRINGS ON MUSLIN – 54.5 in x 63.5 in

2.  STRINGS ON MUSLIN – These string blocks were pieced on a base of muslin.  The additional layer of muslin makes this top heavier than most and will require a very lightweight batting or no batting at all.  Finished to the flimsy stage on September 30, 2013.

CACTI BQ – 57.5 in x 77.5 in

3.  CACTI BQ – This quilt was finished to the flimsy stage on July 4, 2011.  The backing has already been purchased and is sitting on the shelf – “Desert View” by Michael Miller.

Backing for Cacti BQ – “Desert View” by Michael Miller

WHICH CAME FIRST…THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG – 49 inches square

4.  WHICH CAME FIRST…THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?  This one was finished to the flimsy stage on May 12, 2008.  I have sufficient chicken fabrics in my stash to piece a suitable backing for this one.

REDWORK HEARTS – 57 inches square

5. REDWORK HEARTS – This was finished to the flimsy stage on April 25, 2010.

BRYCE – 60 in x 72 in

6.  BRYCE – This was finished to the flimsy stage on March 11, 2012.  The backing has already been purchased and is sitting on the shelf – “Rising Sun” by Sara Khammash for Moda.

Backing for Bryce – “Rising Sun”

2011 SISTERS OUTDOOR QUILT SHOW FABRIC – CHALLENGE FROM CHER – 46.5 in x 55 in

7.  2011 SISTERS OUTDOOR QUILT SHOW FABRIC – CHALLENGE FROM CHER – This was finished to the flimsy stage on April 28, 2012.

BLACK STACK’N WHACK HEXAGON II

8.  BLACK STACK’N WHACK HEXAGON II – This was finished to the flimsy stage on August 20, 2013.

COLOUR CATCHER STRINGS II – 52 in x 64 in

9.  COLOUR CATCHER STRINGS II – This was finished to the flimsy stage on September 3, 2007.

PIECEMAKERS ROUND ROBIN CHALLENGE – 39 inches square

10.  PIECEMAKERS ROUND ROBIN CHALLENGE – This was finished to the flimsy stage on June 16, 2005.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY – 39 inches square

11.  ST. PATRICK’S DAY – This was finished to the flimsy stage on January 26, 2006.

CANDY COATED – 63 in x 75 in

12.  CANDY COATED – This was finished to the flimsy stage on October 12, 2015.

STRINGS AND COBBLESTONES – 57 in x 73 in

13.  STRINGS AND COBBLESTONES – This was finished to the flimsy stage on October 12, 2015.

BOX #2

POPSICLE STICKS – February 11, 2012

1.  POPSICLE STICKS – This was finished to the flimsy stage on February 11, 2012.

HAWAIIAN SLIDE SHOW – 90″ x 101″ – May 12, 2013

2.  HAWAIIAN SLIDE SHOW – This one was finished to a flimsy on May 12, 2013.

SOUTHWEST STRIP STACKS – 91 in x 97 in      April 19, 2015

3.  SOUTHWEST STRIP STACKS – This one was finished to a flimsy on April 19, 2015.

DAISY CHAIN – 84 in x 106 in          July 25, 2010

4.  DAISY CHAIN – This one was finished to the flimsy stage on July 25, 2010.

WONKY PINWHEEL – 51.5 ” x 68.5 ” November 21, 2015

5.  WONKY PINWHEEL – LAP SIZE – this one was finished to the flimsy stage on November 21, 2015.

BOX #3

BRIDGE CREEK BLOSSOMS – 98″ x 112″ – March 13, 2011

1.  BRIDGE CREEK BLOSSOMS – finished to the flimsy stage on March 13, 2011.

CRUMBS III – 81″ x 67″ – December 31, 2016

2.  CRUMBS III – finished to the flimsy stage on December 31, 2016.  I have some red tulips on a black background yardage to use as backing for this one.

Backing for Crumbs III

DOUBLE SLICE LAYER CAKE – 52″ x 60″ – September 29, 2016

3.  DOUBLE SLICE LAYER CAKE – this one was finished to a flimsy on September 29, 2016.  I have some retro looking floral fabric to use as a backing for this one.

Backing for Double Slice Layer Cake

WINTER BIRDS – 55″ x 70″ – December 4, 2010

4.  WINTER BIRDS – finished to a flimsy on December 4, 2010.

CANADA DAY II- 48.5 inches square – July 2, 2007

5.  CANADA DAY II – finished to a flimsy on July 2, 2007.

Last summer, some of us were throwing around ideas for our next guild challenge over breakfast one morning at the Pacific Northwest MQG Meet Up in Portland.  We were talking about the books that we bought because we were inspired by the quilts inside of them and how these books sit on the shelves of our sewing rooms and we never get around to making the quilts.  The idea for our 2017 Creative Stitches Show Challenge was born:  “The book that you bought that you haven’t made the quilt from yet Challenge”. The idea of the challenge is that all participants take the opportunity to make the quilt from a book that prompted them to buy the book.

By our November quilt guild meeting, we had to commit to what our quilt was going to be. Our guild has a Facebook page and some of our members are already well into making their challenge quilts.  I usually agonize what I will make for any challenge and change my mind several times.  This challenge was no different.  I had several ideas and finally by the deadline, I had narrowed my choice down to one idea.

I thought I should pick a quilt pattern that not only inspired me but took me out of my comfort zone; after all this was a challenge.  I remember seeing a quilt at Show and Tell at a guild meeting one night that was so inspiring to me.  I ordered the book and curved piecing ruler so that I could make the quilt.  I believe that was back in 2014.  I never made the quilt because of the fear of making the curved blocks.  The quilt is in the book, Contemporary Curved Quilts – Curved Piecing using the Quick Curve Ruler by Jenny Pedigo and Helen Robinson for Sew Kind of Wonderful.

 The quilt in the book is called Modern Millie.  I have read the pattern over many times.  It isn’t a long pattern–only 3 pages of instructions.

Modern Millie Quilt from the book: Contemporary Curved Quilts

I wanted to make the quilt just like the picture in the book and I wanted to use a Kona solid for my background so I placed my order on line for 5 meters of Kona Cobblestone.

I picked a bright yellow for the center of the flowers–Kona Sunny.

My fabric order arrived in the mail.  I have pre-washed the 5 m of Cobblestone.  Now I am looking at the picture and thinking that the colour I picked may not be quite right for the background.

This morning, when I was reading blogs over coffee, I read a post by Debbie at A Quilter’s Table.   Debbie posted a picture of her latest quilt, Archipelago, which has a gorgeous turquoise blue background.  Debbie said that the use of Bahama, one of the Free Spirit Designer Essentials, as her background was an intentional use of a colour outside of her norm.  She went on to say that it was an enjoyable diversion.  This caused me to think that perhaps I have been approaching my challenge quilt all wrong.  Maybe I too should pick a background colour that I would never think to use.  After all, I am planning to use black and white fabrics like the quilt in the book, but who says I have to stick with the taupe background that the designer picked?  I have some Kona Turquoise in my studio that looks great next to the Kona Sunny.  

I have watched the videos of Jenny demonstrating the ruler over and over.  I think I need to audition background fabric choices against my black and white fabrics, pick a background fabric, quit stalling, and jump in and make one of those blocks!  

If the quilt doesn’t turn out, I can rename my challenge, “I was inspired by the quilt, I bought the book, ruler, and required fabric, and made the quilt; but in the end it looked better in the picture!

Today was a rainy day–the kind made for quilting.  I spent time this morning surfing the Internet looking for quilt inspiration.  I knew I didn’t want to make a huge project and I knew that I wanted to work with solids.  I came across a video from Missouri Star Quilt Co. showing how to make a quilt called, Floating Squares.  I didn’t have a charm pack of solid squares, but I did come across a nice stack of 6 solids all in the same location in the cupboard.  I am sure they were purchased all at the same time to go with some other print fabrics, but the print fabrics seem to have made their way to some other area of the studio.  They looked great together so a 5″ strip of each solid was donated to the cause for today.

In this photo, it looks like one of the fabrics is black but it is really navy blue.  The lighting on a rainy cloudy day isn’t the best.

By supper time, the blocks were finished and up on the design wall.  Truth be told, there is more cutting than sewing in this project which makes for a quick and easy project–perfect for today.

Jenny Doan of Missouri Star says that this quilt should finish about 47″ x 56″.

Now on to sewing the blocks together.