Sam's "I Spy" Quilt

 My 3 year old grandson, Sam, recently moved from the crib to a "big boy bed" and he is so proud! His mother asked me if I was going to make him a quilt like I did his big sister, Stella. Well, YES, I am. So I knew I better get started.

Presenting the finished quilt to Sam--Spiderman is his current favorite block:

I wanted it to be an "I Spy" quilt--one with lots of figures he could search for. But I only needed a 3.5" square of each of those fabrics and didn't have more than a few that would work. So I searched Etsy for I Spy Charm packs and found several offerings. Most had 5"squares and that's fine. I ordered two packs, they were exactly the same, so I had 80 squares to choose from.

Log Cabin blocks were perfect since I could put the 3.5" square in the center and cut 2" strips for the light and dark logs. The strip fabrics I bought for Sam's quilt two years ago!

Sam came to visit while I was working on it and he loved it! He kept asking "BB, is this for ME?!" Yes, Sam, it is. He woke up from a nap to find the top all done:

The quilting was fun and easy to do, loop-de-loops on the log cabins, ruler work and free-motion wishbones on the border. And I quilted a large heart on each of the 3" center squares to secure them:

The border: 

Here it is all washed, dried and snuggly:

Sam picked the back fabric--cats--and I just had to enlarge it to fit: 

Every quilt needs a label:

Stella's quilt was much larger. I wrote about it Here  And her label:

I love making quilts for my grands. Wonder what I'll do next? 

Let's quilt.

Barbara

My Journey--QUILT #3

 Another quilt from the Special Exhibit, My Joyful Journey, part of the Virtual Quilt Festival, December 3-5, 2020.

QUILT #3 Waste Not, Want Not, 66" x 86", machine pieced,  hand quilted:

The Story: My first Log Cabin quilt, made as a teaching sample from all my scraps, 1993. I found someone to hand quilt for me so I could put my time into piecing tops ad teaching quilting classes. 

I think every quilter should make at least one Log Cabin quilt. Seeing this always makes me want to make another. Such a great way to remember favorite fabrics:

Let's quilt. 

Barbara

Log Cabin Quilts

Like many quilters, there are certain blocks that just speak to me. Some are "bucket list" quilts that are on the list. Some are just "wouldn't it be nice to make one of these someday" dreamer quilts.

Today let's look at Log Cabin Quilts--here are a few of my favorites.

1. Barb Vedder's Big Pineapple  Ever since I saw Barb working on this on Instagram, I have wanted to make one. This link shows how she spray basted it for machine quilting--I'll be eager to see it finished:

2. Antique from Julie Silber. This is a great log cabin Julie said was 1930's. The colors are so bright and pretty and cut small enough, can be made from today's contemporary fabrics for this look:

3. Antique on Display at the European Patchwork Quilt Meeting, Show Photos from Teri and Kara. There are a lot of beautiful quilts in this blog post. Notice how different this one feels from #2--very dark vs. very light:

4. One I have made before and would like to make again, in a bed size this time:

It is based on this old crib quilt I learned about at Appraisal classes in Paducah, 2008:

5. One Giant Log Cabin Block   Anita Grossman Soloman  Antique quilt circa 1880. Featured in the book Rotary Cutting Revolution.   Ever since I saw this quilt, I've wanted to make one like it: 

  I have made a few log cabin quilts over the years:

My first, 1989, made for and sold to Christmas Year 'Round magazine:

The basic Log Cabin, titled "Waste Not, Want Not" 1993:

Half Log Cabin, 1995, begun in a class with Sharyn Craig:

Batik-y Log Cabin, 1997:

A one-block Log Cabin, 2014. Pattern from the book Utility Quilts by Carolyn Forester, given to a friend. Hand quilted with "big stitch":

Creative Log Cabin, 2017, made as a class sample then used as a gift for a man I wanted to give a quilt to:

This year my Patriotic Pineapple is a "must finish" but some of these are still calling my name.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Upcoming Classes

It is almost September when class schedules at local quilt shops ramp back up. I have several new classes and several "back by popular demand" classes to offer this Fall locally.

At Patches & Stitches in addition to two sessions of my long-running Quiltmaking 101 5 week Beginners class, I am teaching:

Super Southern Star:  my "go-to" gift quilt because I can make the top in a weekend. In this all-day class students finish about a third of the top and know how to complete it. Many love it and make more than one. From Calico Carriage Quilt Designs:

About 76" square

Little Handful of Scraps: a variation of a quilt from Edyta Sitar's book. Emphasis on careful piecing and design work will be the focus:

About 12" x 14" 

Creative Log Cabin: who doesn't love a Log Cabin quilt? I've made several with different techniques and rulers. At Quilt Market this Spring I saw a demo on the Creative Grids 8" Trim Tool for Log Cabin blocks and wanted to try it. It worked well, everyone will get perfect blocks:

About 58" square

Another local store I will be teaching at is Huntsville Sew and Vac.

Long Time Gone: a very popular Jen Kingwell pattern. This six month class will meet for 3 hours once a month. No sewing machines are needed in class. Students will bring their book and fabrics and cutting tools. I will demo the steps for the various blocks we'll be making that month and they can get help with fabric selection and cut their blocks out in class, sewing at home. At the last class we will audition various sashing fabrics to select the best.

Spellbound: a pattern from Calico Carriage Quilt Designs, this quilt uses your choice of two Jelly Rolls, both the same, one background and one fat quarter for the center. A great quilt to practice free motion quilting on when it's done:

Flip N Sew Throw: such an easy quilt that makes a fast gift. Start with a back fabric, add a cotton batt, cut a bunch of strips or use a Jelly roll and piece and quilt at the same time, through all layers, 3 hour class:

37" x 41", using a crib size batt

Mug Rugs: another 3 hour class for making fast quilted gifts. Enlarge the batt and back to make placemats:

If you are local, I hope you find something of interest. Sign up soon, spots fill quickly and we want to have all the supplies you will need on hand when class begins.

If you are not local, I have added my Teaching Calendar to the top bar so you can see where I will be. I would love to see you in class.

Let's Quilt! 

Barbara