2011 MAQ guild BOM

This is the April blocks for the Maquoketa guild BOM. The one on the left is for my quilt, the one on the right will be given to the guild.

Baby Boy Fifield

Baby Boy Fifield arrived yesterday at 5:06 AM (California time). He weighted in at 8 lbs. 5 ozs. Mom and Dad are doing fine, still a little tired from pulling an "all nighter". He is named

 Luke Joseph.

Since he now has a name, I can show the quilt. No, it really isn't that pink. I am not a photographer and really don't want to be and it shows, badly. Please take the time to notice how well the stripes are aligned both up and down.

The quilting was Big Stitched in blue for hearts to represent kisses from Grandma. And green for the X's to represent the hugs.

It was sent a little over a week and a half ago and both his sisters tried it out to make sure it would work. I got the word from Mom that they both approved.

Proud Papa Paul and Baby Luke

Box Number 3

Finally, my Box Number 3 quilt is all pieced.  Also, I have the backing made and the binding strips cut. All three are now residing on a hanger in the closet. When will it get quilted? No clue, but it's ready for basting whenever. Did I make any mistakes when sewing the blocks together, of course, The blocks in the thrid row got confused and I did not discover it until after the center was all pieced. No, I did not unsew and make it right, that would have been too much work. The finished size is 63" x 88". Not bad for starting out with (24) 6" squares.

The little blue strip along the side edges is a 1/4" flippy I used in place of a 2nd side border. I didnlt want it any wider, just longer. Below is the doll quilt I made out of the leftovers. It is a 22" square.

Doll Quilts

Can you believe this doll quilt took me approx 7 hours to make? And I didn't even make the blocks, they were given too me. The quilt is approx 24" square. The blocks were 6" and not all the exactly the same size. I decided it would be easiest to frame each block then square them up to 8".

I machine quilted and machine bound but it still took me, what I would consider, a long time. Yes, I do sew slow but ........

I guess that's why I like making big quilts that you know will take forever. I always think you can make something little in an hour or two and I never can, it always takes a day.

Need Help



Will it work?

The story regarding this block is the fact that I am trying to do two things in the same quilt. 1). I am using my 6" squares from the 2010 Maquoketa guild exchange, by cutting them into 2.5" squares. Then I am using them as my leaders and enders as I sew whatever else. 2). The first of the year, all guild members were told to take home a book from the library and make something out of it. The something is due at the July meeting.

The book I took home was Create a Quilt by Joyce Mori. I looked and looked through the book but could not find anything. Then I decided, since I am 72 years old, I would look on page 72 and see what was there. Well, nothing took my fancy on that page but on the opposite page was a quilt named Puzzle Pieces. It inspired me.

When the blocks are put together there will be black units like the lavender one. I think what is wrong with the block is that the lavendar does not show up enough. I think I should have used a solid color rather than a tone-on-tone. Each block will have a different color in the center.

My question is this: If I quilt the lavender in black thread at 1/4 " and cross hatch the scrap squares, will the design show up enough? Remember, this is not a "show" quilt. Just a fun quilt. But I can take the time to unsew and put in a solid if the quilt demands it. Let me know what you think!

2011 MAQ guild BOM

The next meeting of the Maquoketa Town & Country Quilters is Monday night. Do I have my Block-of-the-Month blocks done? Yes! I actually got them done earlier in the week.

I am pretty much following the fabric colors in the magazine (see block on left), but when I was making the block for the guild I just happened to have four 4.5" squares of blue cut and laying there so I decided to use them. Now I like their block better than mine!