http://bearcreekquilter.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-cupboard-is-overflowing.html

You can check them out at the link above.

Since I was stepping outside the box on this block a day nine patch.  I thought I would go all out and use a vintage bed sheet from that belonged to my Grandmother.  As a longarm quilter by trade I usually don’t recommend sheets, but since this quilt was made with feedsack reproduction fabric I thought I would be in keeping with the era.  That led to the type of quilting I did.  Many quilts from that era were quilted with a simple cross hatching.  Now I have had a longarm machine since 2001 and have done wavy freehand cross hatching, but never the true ruler type straight cross hatching.  It wasn’t because I was afraid to do it, or thought I couldn’t do it, it was because I knew it would be a ton of work and didn’t have a customer willing to pay top dollar for it.  Well I thought instead of just meandering this I would do the cross hatching, figuring how long could it take anyway??????

Well I stitched

and I stitched

And I stitched. Oh yea, this is where I realized that the Twins baseball team were in extra innings, so I turned the radio on to listen while I quilted.

and I stitched.  Long past the end of a disappointing 15th inning and a few hours into a new found oldies station, 3am I decided to go to bed.  8am the phone rings and wakes me up.  I head back to the quilt, stitch and stitch some more. Finally around 3 in the afternoon, hunched over and achy I was finished.  After a large glass of water and shower and 2 ibuprofen I was ready for the 4th of July picnic and fireworks.  With a good night sleep to follow!!!!!!!!

Sunday morning while DS#2 finished his community service work.

I managed to piece and put the binding on the front of the quilt. 

Now, I can cross one of the flimsy’s off my list and add it to a completed list.  I probably will go out of my comfort zone again in 2 out of the 3 steps I took.  I will piece another top and not add borders.  I will use another vintage sheet for backing.  I WILL NOT cross hatch an entire quilt again, unless I get a computerized machine that can do it for me.

Once the binding is done and the quilt is washed and dried I will post more pics of the quilt.  All in all I will call this block a day challenge a complete success!  Thanks Amanda for being such a great inspiration!

Today I have a flimsy, a not-so-flimsy and a give away.

Today’s flimsy comes from a pattern that I published several years ago.  I designed a quilt based on a block from a book I have that is from the 1930’s.  the quilt was to be made in RW&B and raffled of by the Durand Fire Department.  While shopping, with one finished block in hand, for additional fabric another customer asked me what pattern I was using as she wanted to buy it.  She gave me her name and address and told me when I published it she would buy one. Well, I did publish it and she bought one.  I still have several of that patterns here.  So since I found 3 with the top this morning they are up for grabs.  Just post a comment today and tomorrow morning when I post the flimsy for the day I will draw the winners. 

The Stars to the Rescue name came about because of the stars on the quilt and the proceeds going to help purchase the new rescue truck.   The original quilt was won by a dear friend and fellow longarmer Deb.   So I needed one as I was promoting my pattern.  I managed to finish a couple of quilts in other colorways, thus the not-so-flimsy.

Flimsy

This not-so-flimsy was a shop sample that I made for Eagle Creek Quilt Shop in Shakopee MN.  They made it into a kit and sold several.  I like how it kept the red and blue patriotic feel with adding some green from the Christmas line that , most of the fabric came from.  Most of the fabrics are from Moda.  I will admit when I was given the plaid for the border I hated it.  Now each year when I take this out in December I love the plaid even more.

While the pictures I have shown are both the scrappy version.  I have made the quilt using all of the same fabrics in each color position.  It makes for a more uniform looking quilt.  I have a wall hanging size one that is made that way hanging in my studio and get great comments from customers on it.   

I hope you are enjoying this weeks blogs on my flimsy’s.  Happy Quilting everyone!