New Jersey gifted

Barbara Brackman's Grandmother's Choice quilt in honor of the women's right to vote was a very fun block of the week quilt-a-long.   I used the Moda Vintage Modern line and made my blocks in reds and aquas and grays.

The quilting itself (done by Cathy Kirk) was done in a modified baptist fan - adding an additional vintage modern twist.

I've blogged about my quilt finish before - and was thrilled to see my quilt posted on Barbara Brackman's blog as one of the finished tops.

The quilt was dedicated to my two grandmothers and I made my label with Spoonflower to record their names and year they were born.   I also made this quilt in honor of my two girls - the oldest of which turns 18 in two months and is excited by the opportunity to vote.

My mom found this quilt under her Christmas tree this year.   I've 6 sisters so as the mom of 7 girls, I couldn't think of a better home for New Jersey.

And just because I wanted to identify each of the blocks - here they all are with the block number in parenthesis:

Top Row (red):

• Contrary Husband (33)
• Amethyst (2)
• Nonsense (38)
• Memory Wreath (20)

2nd row:

.

• An Arc: Bending Towards Justice (49)
• Grandmother’s Choice (1)
• Aunt Mary’s Choice (45)
• Old Maid’s Ramble (19)
• Barrister’s Block (46)

3rd row:

• Endless Steps (39)
• Little Red Schoolhouse (11)
• Cheyenne - Wyoming (18)
• Seven pointed star for Australia (29)

4th row:

• Mother’s Delight (17)
• Cats & Mice (42)
• Mr Roosevelt’s Necktie (32)
• Brick Pavement (9)
• Star of Hope (44)

5th row:

• Granny’s Choice (35)
• Union Square (3)
• Aunt Eliza’s Star (6)
• Gentleman’s Fancy (43)

6th row:

• Grandmother’s Dream (27)
• Girl’s Joy (23)
• Ladies Wreath (26)
• Alice’s Flag (7)
• Capital T (16)

7th row:

• Centennial New Zealand’s Victory (15)
• Bride’s Knot (14)
• Jack’s Delight (22)
• New Jersey (5)

8th row

• Contrary Wife (41)
• Everybody’s Favorite: Universal Suffrage (13)
• Nameless Star (37)
• Ocean’s Wave (28)
• Art Square (40)

9th row

• Broad Arrow (30)
• Tinted Chains (31)
• New York (10)
• A Carrie Nation Quilt (25)

And on the back:

• Parasols and PR (21)
• True Blue (24)
• Coffee Cup - not in my job description (34)

Grandmother’s Choice (1)

Happy Stitching!

New Jersey all quilted!

My Votes for Women  block of the week quilt returned from the spa and looks fantastic!  I choose a modern baptist fan pattern which compliments the mix of the traditional quilt block patterns and the modern fabric and colors.

The quilt along was called Grandmother's choice so I am making this quilt in honor of both of my grandma's - Mum and Nana.  Nana was born in 1899 and Mum in 1915.  As adults, they lived a few blocks from each other in New Jersey.  As a result, I am calling my quilt New Jersey.

I decided to go 'borderless' and the finish size is roughly 85 inches square.  I had a heck of a time piecing this backing but no one needs to know that but me.

Cathy Kirk did the FMQing and I always have her square the quilt and serge the edges.  It makes appying the binding so much easier to do.  I will likely use the same gray as the backing fabric although I am really liking the way it looks right now with the white edge.

This could be one of my all time favorite quilts.

Thank you Barbara Brackman for the block of the week and all the history on the fight for the right to vote.

Happy Stitching!

The back of the quilt

My absolute least favorite part of quilting is the backing fabric.

Everyone has opinions.  Some people piece their backings from whatever they have in their stash and enjoy the random look.

I like the backing fabric to coordinate well with the fabric in the front of the quilt.

I don't buy the backing fabric until I am done with the quilt.  This means sometimes the print you want can be hard to find so you have to hunt a bit.   I also don't want to pay full price which complicates the hunt a bit more.

For my New Jersey quilt, I had used these pretty prints from Bonnie and Camille Vintage Modern.

The quilt is mainly the red and aqua with the gray as an occasional accent.  I found none of these prints in the volume I needed for the backing with a price I liked.  However, I did find another pretty gray print from the same designer so I purchased it.  At less than $6 a yard, I was happy with the price.

I had a couple of blocks leftover to make the back more interesting  including this one which I made a bit too large.  

I plugged my quilt dimensions into my iPhone app.  In order to accommodate the 4 extra inches my LAQ would need, I had to order enough to piece together 3 strips of fabric.

This is the first time I should have broken out a piece of paper and a calculator.  Based on the quilt dimensions, I barely needed that third strip of fabric really about 10 inches worth.      I had a couple of leftover blocks.and I could have creatively assembled them down the middle.  But I was in a hurry so I ordered lots of fabric.  

The second time I should have really thought this through was when the lovely fabric arrived and I thought about assembling things together.  I barely measured and just did things the brute force way.    Not thinking about how little I really needed from that third piece, I started to assemble.

The mistakes I made from there are too depressing to write down.  Kind of like a snowball rolling down a hill.  I cut fabric I shouldn't have cut.  Ended up piecing fabric where I didn't need to.

It's done.  And when quilted, I'm the only one who will know how much easier it could have gone and better it could have looked.  (You won't tell anyone will you?)

I've also got all these odd shaped bits of fabric leftover.  I will put it to good use - it is a very pretty gray. And I will use it as the binding.  But, I could have - should have - really planned this out ahead of time.

Sigh.

No better photos of my backing until after it is quilted.

Fingers crossed for the LAQ magic.  I drop the quilt off tomorrow.

Happy Stitching!

New Jersey off to the SPA

I've been motivated all year to declare goals each month as part of the Another Lovely Year of Finishes   Finishing my quilt top flimsy from Votes for Women  block of the week was my goal for September!

I decided to go 'borderless' and the finish size is roughly 85 inches square.  I am very happy with the red and aqua mix of this quilt.

I used 40 of the 49 blocks from  the Votes for Women  block of the week.  The quilt along was called Grandmother's choice so I am making this quilt in honor of both of my grandma's - Mum and Nana.  Nana was born in 1899 and Mum in 1915.  As adults, they lived a few blocks from each other in New Jersey.  

I've these blocks left over which I will use on the back - perhaps as a label?

My quilt has an appointment at the quilt spa.   Can't wait to show it off when it is all quilted.


Happy Stitching!

New Jersey is assembled!

I made my final block in the Votes for Women  block of the week - this is block 49 called An Arc: Bending towards Justice.

I then completed a major portion of the assembly of my quilt top!

I used 40 of the 49 blocks.  They were all set on point.  I am going to add a border but I am still deciding what might work.

  

It is roughly the size of the top of a queen sized mattress.  I was too lazy to get a better measurement.

I did a mini photo shoot with my 'new' treadle.  Been doing some research on the machine.  I am reasonably confident it is a National Vibrating Shuttle Top Tension machine from the late 1800's or early 1900's.  I've been collecting all my research information here.

This final assembly went together faster than I expected.  I love when that happens!


Happy Stitching!

New Jersey - my AYOLF September goal

Happy Labor Day to all in the US!  Although summer doesn't officially end for a few weeks, this 3 day weekend is certainly a strong sign that the days will be growing shorter and the pool closing.

I've been motivated all year to declare goals each month as part of the Another Lovely Year of Finishes   Finishing my quilt top flimsy from Votes for Women  block of the week is my goal for September!

Here is my planned layout.  Once assembled I will decide on outer borders.

What I have left to do?

1. Make the last block!   I am using 40 of the 49 and have discarded a few because I am not happy with the quality.  I didn't make any of the applique ones.
2. Set 3 blocks on point
3. Cut a few more of the side triangles.
4. Assemble, assemble, assemble.
5. Decide on final size and what to add for a border.  Right now I am thinking about a inner 2" border (or slightly smaller) and then an outer border of white.

Assembling this quilt has been a lot of fun.  I've enjoyed the history that was revealed each week.

Given that this was called Grandmother's choice, I am making this quilt in honor of both of my grandma's - Mum and Nana.  Nana was born in 1899 and Mum in 1915.  As adults, they lived a few blocks from each other in New Jersey.  

Block 5 was actually called New Jersey.  In 1920, New Jersey was the 29th state to ratify the 19th amendment, the Women's Suffrage movement.  (see Barbara's blog for more information.)

I am thinking of calling this quilt Jersey or New Jersey.  What do you think?

Happy Stitching!

I've got a plan!!!

One block to go and then I'll be ready to assemble my quilt from the Votes for Women  block of the week.  My final layout will use 40 of the total possible 49 blocks.

I needed to actually cut the setting triangles in order to get the layout right.  (The upper left corner still needs those triangles.)

The math:

• 40 blocks in the quilt
• 3 blocks skipped:  Sunbonnet Sue, Applique block and Curve Block
• 2 blocks where the quality is poor 
• 4 blocks for the back, including the quilt label

I choose not to use 3 of the blocks I made.  Although the umbrella is in the top photo (top right), it is just a placeholder.

Happy Stitching!

Smile and Wave

This past Saturday, my girls and I were eating our lunch outside despite the warm temperatures.  We had so much fun watching some young person dancing as the cow out by the street.  At times, she (?) was dancing and at other times she was waving the orange flags to try to encourage people into the restaurant.   We enjoyed the reaction of people driving by.  Almost half of the cars had a least one person wave.  And it wasn't just the kids who were waving - we cheered when a car with just the driver waved.  A few beeped their horn.  

Lunch over, we went the 'long' way home so we too could wave and honk the horn.  It was fun.  (I only embarrassed one of my girls - the other thought it was quite fun!)

On the quilting front, easy piecing with block 46 from the Votes for Women  block of the week.   

I am skipping block 47 which was applique. Block 48 is a full of curves - I think I can deal with this but I am going to wait on block 48 and block 49 until I get more of the quilt assembled. I am doing some blocks in blue and some in red.  Before I commit myself to a color for the last two blocks, I need to work a bit more with the blocks I already have!

Happy Stitching!

VFW - only 4 blocks to go!

Easy piecing with these last two blocks from the Votes for Women  block of the week.  There are 4 blocks to go in the 49 week block of the week.

Here is block 44, Star of Hope (left) and block 45, Aunt Mary's Choice (right).

I am putting these blocks on point so I've been assembling them into blocks of 4 blocks - I did two more of them this week.

I've been playing with layouts on paper.  Each time I put it all over the floor, however, I confuse myself to no end!   Without those 1/2 white triangles along the border, it is easy to get very confused.

Votes for Women - 6 blocks to go!

6 blocks to go in the Votes for Women  block of the week.  

Block 42 is called Cats & Mice

Block 43 is called Gentleman's Fancy

Both went together without the use of a seam ripper - gotta love when that happens!

Nice summer weather here this weekend so I put my time sitting on the back porch to good use.  I started prepping for my summer quilt project.   Broke into a layer cake of Noteworthy and gonna be making a LOT of HST.  Such pretty colors.

Happy Stitching!

Votes for Women - 8 blocks to go!!!

Two blocks this week Votes for Women  block of the week.  

The first is Block 40 called Art Square.

The is block 41 Contrary Wife.

This was the only quilting I got done this weekend!

Happy Stitching!

V4W - A Block Inventory

Easy block this week from the  Votes for Women  block of the week.  This one is called Endless Steps and would be an easy block to assemble in an overall quilt.

Now for the block inventory.   I assembled 20 of the blocks into units of 4.   Here  are the five units: 

I spent time looking at all my blocks and will likely not use these three blocks.  The Umbrella block will become my quilt label.  The other two  - I'm just not happy with the quality of my block.  I could remake but the number of little pieces in that sunflower block scares me.  Maybe I could just redo the center - will play with that a little.

Finally, these six blocks - including this weeks - are in good shape but need some blue blocks before they can be assembled into 4 block units.

Since I skipped Sunbonnet Sue and won't use the 3 above, that puts my possible block count at 45.  Clearly 42 is a good number ( 6 by 7 blocks layout) which means there are 3 blocks out of the upcoming ten that I can skip or I can decide not to use some of these blocks.    Then I've nine blocks finished at something less than 8 1/2 inches so need to frame them to size them up before I put the triangles to get them on point.  While I like the way the tea cup block looks, that is also a candidate for not being included.

Happy Stitching!