Blue and White Hexies Quilt Finish

I finished this fun little quilt just a couple weeks after Christmas.  It was a gift and I couldn't share until it had been gifted. 

The pattern was based off my friend's bathroom floor.  She has a lovely older home with hexie tiles in the downstairs bathroom. 

I've actually had the main part done, with the papers pulled for some time.  Last November I got it basted and started appliqueing down the center.

Quilting didn't happen until January, but I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

 My friend loves it as well!

 Those are 1/2" hexies if you were wondering. 
The quilt measures about  14" x 12"

I used a bright white and thin poly batting for the insides.

The blue butterfly backing fabric came from deep stash. 

As soon as my friend finished ooohing and aaahhing over it, she promptly gave it back and told me to enter it in an upcoming local show, whose theme is blue and white!

Blue & White Quilt for E

 This quilt has a lot of back story, but not a lot of great pictures.  When I sat down to write this post, I realized why I hadn't done it before.  The pictures aren't the best, and of course right now, the quilt is on the bed, and the baby is sleeping.  So this is what you get.

A long time ago, when I was expecting E (baby #1) I knew my grandmother would make a quilt if I wanted.  Well, I knew that E would end up with lots of quilts, so instead, my grandmother crocheted a lovely white afghan for E.  (which I was always terrified to use, it was white!)

 Then last year, I was going through all the quilts and blankets that each kid had and realized that they all had quilts from Grandma, except for E.  Now, grandma makes a quilt for each birth and graduation.  Well, Grandma just turned 98.  I'm not saying she won't be around for E's graduation, but you never know....

Anyway, I decided to ask if she would be willing to make E a quilt, in her favorite color, blue.  She said "of course".

 (clear shot of quilt, blurry kid)
I sent along some blues, and she added some from her and my aunt's stash, and a lovely twin size quilt was created.

We were out to visit in August to celebrate Grandma's birthday, so E was able to receive the quilt in person.  Such a special day.

 And a shot of the two Wilhelminas, just 97 years apart!

Blue And White HST Quilt Finish

How about a quilt finish today?

 As I was getting ready to write this post, I realized I never named this quilt.  Oh, well.  It is given, and off to it's new home in North Dakota.  The happy couple is definitely going to need quilts there!

 Lets call the finished quilt 'queen size'.  I never did get it measured after trimming, quilting, binding and washing.  I do know that I had to go buy a King Size batt, because my first queen size was not quite long enough.  The top with the borders was 92 x 111.  This is a picture of it draped on my queen size bed, while I was debating about adding more quilting.

 I did.  Wavy lines along the seam lines, and straight lines in between.

 I quilted it to emphasize the diamond layout of the triangles.  The color of the back fabric isn't quite true, the name is 'denim', and it really is a darker blue.  The light coming through the quilt, really lightened it up in these pictures.

 A closer view of the quilting.  The blues on the front are a whole variety of blues that I either picked up at the LQS in fat quarters, or ordered in bundles from Keepsake Quilting.  I could probably make two more of these with all my blues....

The back is from Connecting Threads, one of the sale fabrics.  It has a small print to it, they almost look like little puzzle pieces.  Kind of looks like an old fashioned calico, now that I'm looking at these pictures.  But it worked pretty well for the back.

For once I didn't go overboard with the quilting.  Tried to keep it simple and soft.  I did learn that you can't eyeball long straight lines!  I tried to in the border.  I spent 1.5 hours picking out the quilting.  Lesson learned.

Anyway, much love to the happy couple.  I am now on the search for a new violin teacher.  Uggh.

WIP Wednesday 9.12.12 A Time Line

Many people ask me how long it takes to make a quilt.  Those of you who make quilts know there is no good answer to this.  I have prepared a little timeline today of my current Work In Progress to try to explain why there is no good answer.

 August 19, 2:37pm.  All the blocks are sewn and squared up to 5.5"

 September 3, 6:54pm.  The blocks are laid out approximately how they will be sewn together.

September 9, top is completed, borders are sewn on (sorry, no pic here)

 September 10, 9:34 pm.  Backing is taped down.  Step one of basting. (I love our new space!)

 9:41 pm.  The batting is laid out and smooth.  Ready for top.

 9:48 pm.  Top is down and smoothed out.  Ready to begin pin basting.

 11:11 pm.  Top is pin basted.  Going to bed now.

 September 11, 11:42 am.  Backing and batting are trimmed away.

 1:21 pm.  Thread decisions are made.  Still unsure of quilting plan, though.  Best decide soon!

In between all those days and times, life happens.  Children to care for, dinners to cook, laundry to do, errands to run, yard work to take care of, etc.

 8:43 am.  Started the quilting last night.

Blue and White Half Square Triangles

 266 squares trimmed and ready to go.

Both E and I found some beauty in the scraps.