Once upon a quilt..

Back in October of 2011, I began a spontaneous DIY project. I started making a quilt.

Hundreds of squares, and yards of thread later, I am 3 rows away from having the face of the quilt finished.

It's about the size of a double bed, and has absolutely no pattern other than the alternating colours. The fabrics have all come from my mother's basement. Many of the fabrics have childhood significance: old drapes, barbie clothes, or leftover scraps from mom's quilting days. It's been really cool to see them all come together into this. 

I plan on putting a thick cotton-fleece backing on the entire quilt, preferably a vanilla white with stripes on it, but I can't be picky since I really can't afford to get something super exciting. I do like the vintage look of the fabrics together, and once I figure out how I want to do the actual quilting part. I am considering stitching it diagonally. I also don't intend on putting any badding in between the layers of fabric. I am pretty sure that a cotton-fleece backing will be warm enough. 

After this one is finished, I plan on starting an Irish-Chain patchwork quilt. And after that one is finished...

Source: project-nerd.com via Brittany on Pinterest

The 'never-winning' tetris quilt - which I think is about the coolest quilt I have ever seen. Perhaps it is about time I invest in a sewing machine.

That Patchwork Quilt

I wish I had discovered earlier in my life that I enjoy sewing.

The quilt is coming along, though it doesn't often feel like I've even cracked the surface of that pile of squares... I spent a good chunk of last night putting more rows on the face.

Those pictures are basically the extent of what I did with the rest of my day. The fun part is going to come later when I actually need to do the quilting part of the quilt... since that will all be done by hand too.

I wish I had discovered earlier in life that I enjoyed sewing. I have already started looking at patterns for the next quilt I want to make. I think it is going to be an Irish Chain quilt. Specifically, I like the look of this patchwork Irish Chain quilt.

From: Crazycreekquilts.com

I think I will, however attempt this with bigger squares (I may have learned my lesson), and I'm sure my Mom will make sure I buy my own rotary cutter and rulers so that she doesn't have to spend afternoons cutting fabric again (not that it wasn't one of the most enjoyable days of my Christmas break). The trick is going to be amending a pattern for the Irish Chain that I'm happy with. Investing in graph paper might be a good idea. I'm also, very probably, going to need to buy more pins. 

It's silly, but I maintain that after 4 years of university, Redeemer finally domesticated me. I'm sure its proud. 

Word of the Day: linearity

Quote of the Day: "Love and truth, that's the vital connection, love and truth." Julian Barnes, The History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters

726 "Squares"

Well, this afternoon Mom helped me cut the rectangles for my quilt. By help, I mean to say that she cut every single one of them with her rotary cutter.

Mom cut a lot of fabric today. But thankfully, that's the end of it to finish the face of the quilt. 

While I'm grateful that she cut all of the fabric, the edges are now even, instead of, well, cut by scissors like I had done previously. So now, one part of the quilt will clearly be entirely hand-done, and the other will have edges that are a little cleaner. I'll just put my stuff in the middle and everything else around it, so it doesn't look entirely ridiculous.

Before we began this crazy endeavour, we had to find the rotary cutter. Mom was looking all through her fabric bins and an old dresser in the basement (where she came across cross-stitch patterns she had apparently gotten rid of years ago). The rotary cutter was in her blue sewing basket. Now, if we return to the above photos, I would like to direct your attention to the YELLOW sewing basket in the second picture. That yellow sewing basket was the blue sewing basket we were looking for. Typical.

Cutting the fabric took about 6 hours, because we had to stop for dinner, and to say goodbye to Kristen, who was heading back to school. Then we had to open some windows ('cause apparently it was a beautiful day outside...so beautiful, in fact, that my beloved snow melted away), and then find more blue fabric. Eventually we got it all cut - and by we, I mean Mom, since she did all the hard work and I only counted...poorly. 

726 squares. Un-freakin'-believable.

Word of the Day: Fabric

Quote of the Day: "The basic American tourist has the IQ of a newt." Glenn Close, on Jay Leno