5.. complete quilt as you go Westalee quilt

I have finished the sampler quilt using the Westalee rulers.  With some trial and error (taking careful notes and making samples), I seem to have identified the right settings for free motion on my Pfaff, and these work on the Westalee foot and rulers as well.  (I still need lots of practice).

I finished the last block, just filling it up with linked circles. Then I did the quilt as you go sashing, which was surprisingly time consuming.

I originally made 14" blocks, but only used 12" interior block space for the quilting.  That left an inch seam allowance all around.  I used 2.5 " sashing, so the 1 inch of seam allowance filled up those 2 inches.  On the outer sashings, I sewed an extra 1.25 " strip of batting to the seam allowance so the outer borders would be full.   the mistake I kept making was forgetting to sew the sashing on both sides at the same time.  The nice thing is the quilt is totally reversible.  it's about 45 x 45.

Gingham sunflower

I just finished hand quilting and binding this quilt.  It has an interesting story.

In 1985 we went to a family reunion for my husband's family. We had been married 3 years and our daughter was about 10 months.  We stayed in the old officers' quarters in Ft. Robinson State Park, which were 3-story duplexes build in the late 1900s.  One evening we had dinner in a local restaurant that had art and quilts for sale on its walls.  I had always loved quilts but didn't own one,  I splurged and bought the quilt. ("Quilt One").    It was the pattern shown above.  I fell in love with it because of the blue and yellow, which is one of my favorite color combinations.   I was not yet a quilter and really knew nothing about how quilts were made.

For years we used the quilt on our bed, and our children played on it and took naps on it. 

In 2001 we moved to a bigger house just a few blocks away, and somehow Quilt One never showed up when we unpacked.  I kept thinking that it was in a box that we hadn't opened, or in a box we had put in storage. Our lives were busy with 2 law careers, kids in high school and college, elderly parents, etc.

I finally starting quilting myself around 2007, and I have made many quilts.  In 2017 I finished my Grandmother's Flower Garden, which I hand quilted.  I also finished cross-stitching a stamped pillow case.  So my mind went back to missing Quilt One.  I did more searching in storage boxes, but to no avail.  So then I thought maybe I could find the pattern and recreate Quilt One.

I started searching on the internet and found images of the quilt and learned it was a Bucilla embroidery kit.  I then searched on eBay.  I didn't find a kit, but I did find a completed top for sale.  ("Quilt 2"). The maker of the embroidery had passed away, and her daughter had posted the completed top for sale.  I was so excited and bought it on the spot. 

I had my long armer, Maria Hall, create the quilt sandwich and backing and baste it together for me.  So I started the hand quilting in the fall of  2017, and I just finished the quilting two weeks ago, added the binding, and washed the final product.  It really turned out beautifully.  I am so grateful to the quilt artist in Missouri who created the top.  (I have misplaced her name but have sent a letter to the daughter who sold the top, so I will update with her name when I get it. ) 

Somehow I didn't have this project on my 2020 goals! 

I 

update on quilt goals

I've completed the first four goals.
1. Complete baby quilt for Elin
2. Complete quilting on Halloween wall quilt
3. complete sleeves and labels for 2 quilts for March quilt show
4. Dr. Who mini quilt to donate to Dallas Quilt Show auction

I call this Dr. Who visits Big Tex.

This is the Halloween quilt, which I called Witchy Maze.  The quilting isn't hat visible in this photo, but it is a spider web that starts in the center and works out.

Below is the back of the Dr. Who Quilt. 

revised priorities

I'm going to be away from home for a month so I'm revising my priorities.  I finished the basic cutting on the Bonnie Hunter Frolic, so will be ready to start sewing on that.  I'm going to defer the Westalee blocks, and the block contest goals until March.  Will work on the mini quilts, and making a baptismal gown for Elin.

Rant:
 The "mystery" concept of Bonnie Hunter is not one I like.  I fine with a mystery that spreads clues or directions out over a period of time and doesn't reveal the finished quilt until the end.  But Ms. Hunter drafts clues that seem to me to be purposely opaque in withholding information.  This particular quilt requires that certain pieces of the block be all the same fabric, so a totally scrappy look would not work.  So there have to be 4 hsts and 4 quarter triangles of the same fabric, and similar requirements on other elements.  It would have been easy for her to say, use 2 strips of 2 1/2 inch fabric that are at least x inches long and place them right sides together.  I learned from experience by starting with a strip that was too short.  It was just a waste of fabric, and very annoying.
And the second and third clues were for elements that won't be used until assembling the final quilt! (Why not start with the elements that go into the basic blocks?)  I personally think this is poor writing, and confuses and frustrates a beginner quilter.  How many of us have started one of her mysteries and just given up in frustration?
Rant over.

update on quilting goals

I've made progress on my 2020 quilting goals:

1. Complete baby quilt for Elin - done except label
2. Complete quilting on Halloween wall quilt - done
3. complete sleeves and labels for 2 quilts for March quilt show -done

next step is to make the mini quilt for the charity auction at the show.  I have to dig out my Texas wildflower fabric to get started on it tomorrow.

Elin's quilt complete except for label

I completed the binding on the quilt and the last step is to add a label with Elin's name on it. Unfortunately, my embroidery machine is in South Bend so the label will have to wait until we are there later this month.  My plan is to copy one of the balloons on the back and blow it up to make a pattern for a large balloon that can hold her name.  Then add a long string trailing down to the parade border.
Here are the photos:

quilting done on Elin's quilt

I finished the quilting on Elin's quilt, which went pretty fast, because it was all straight lines.  (about 3-4 hours).  then I set about removing the blue marks from the marking pen.  The instructions were to use cold water, apply no heat, and do this before any washing with any detergent or other agent.
It actually worked, the blue ink disappeared, and didn't flow through to the totally white back.  
I let it dry overnight, and then checked it again.  there were about six spots that didn't come out, so I applied the cold water again, and that seemed to work very well.
I've made the binding, so that is the next step.