BUCKET LIST QUILT #5 COMING ALONG

 This has been a productive week. I am coming along nicely with MY NEXT LIFETIME QUILT, aka Old Italian Blocks. It's been less than a year since I started this so that is good progress. The 3"blocks were made as Leader/Enders, using reproduction fabrics from my deep stash.

There is a very organized color plan although it may be hard to see here. First, I sorted all the blocks into basic color groups: dark blue, light blue, dark green, light green, black/brown, yellow/rust/orange, red/pink, purple, gray, lights. I was striving for NO repeats, but, alas, there may be a couple.

Once I cleared the design wall and placed all 289 blocks exactly where I wanted them, I knew I had to sew the complete top as quickly as possible to use the design wall again. Here is the layout:

The top row isn't quite right because I can't quite reach the top of the wall on my stepstool. Falling off is a possibility so I have to be very careful or get a bigger ladder.

Once I sewed several rows the wall looks odd and it's hard to be sure I have the blocks in the correct place. I have to get back on the stepstool to move them all down into position:

After  a lot more sewing it was time to really move everything down into position so I can reach all of them with the stepstool AND be sure all are in the right spot:

I have been asked to explain how I keep the rows organized as they come off the design wall and go to the sewing machine. It is a bit of a challenge but not really hard.

Here is the most recent row I added. Using the first photograph, the "official layout", I carefully check that each block is in the right place while still on the wall.

I carefully take each block off the wall and lay it on one of my large design boards, being sure to keep them in the proper order. The perimeter triangles are placed on the board to help me keep track of which side is left, which right:

Paying attention, I add a solid square to the right side of each block, then join them in pairs, then fours, etc. I have found it helpful to take a picture of the  board before starting to sew--it is EASY to get one or two of the blocks turned around, so out of order. 

After careful pressing, the sewn row goes back on the design wall and I make the next row. After making 4 rows, I join them in pairs, then into fours, then they go back on the wall. Once I get the first half done, I will switch to the other side to complete the other half. That way, the entire quilt is only under the needle for the final seam joining the two halves.

This is a replica of an antique top I bought in 2014--read about it  HERE--same link as above.

A yellow border wasn't my cup of tea. After getting started on this, I searched my closet and found the perfect border and binding fabric. This dark red, printed on the diagonal, will be just fine:

I am eager to get this top complete. At this point I expect there is a solid week of piecing to get it done. Then I can move on to other things and the design wall will be usable again.

For those interested, my DESIGN WALL is two sheets of 4' x 8' foam board, covered in Warm and White cotton batt, mounted to the wall. Blocks stick to the batting easily without pins. Only long rows once joined into larger sections need a few pins due to their weight. I've had this wall for 25 years. It is covered with strings--they are hard to remove because my husband used a squirt bottle of Elmer's White School Glue to adhere the batting. In hindsight, mixing a thinner solution of that glue/water might have allowed it to be painted on, keeping the batting more firmly in place. I still love my wall and use it every day.

If you want more information on how to make these fun blocks, in 3 different sizes, see my SUMMER SEW ALONG 2025

Let's quilt.

Barbara

ARE YOU BUSY?

 

Such a silly question, isn't everyone busy this time of year?

For Christmas I still have a few more gifts to figure out and buy. More cookies to bake. The usual things in the days before Christmas. 

In my Quilt Life, I am having SO MUCH FUN making two versions of Game On!--the 2026 BOM for The Quilt Show designed by Becky Goldsmith exclusively for THE QUILT SHOW. The patterns are FREE for Star Members, only $49 for a year membership gives you so much bang for your buck. 

My PRINTS VERSION, and I am making my borders on this one symmetrical, this has me through month 7:

My SOLIDS VERSION, I created a different left border--for Month 4: 

Both of them on the design wall. The SOLIDS version has the border for Month 5 made and waiting to be added:

The great thing about this design is how easy it is to make it your own. Not crazy about one particular border? Change it--I will show you how. Want to play with colors--so easy, I'll help you.

Becky's show premiers Sunday December 28, 2025, it's FREE FOR ALL to see.  Watch Becky show you how she will walk you through the year. And today you can see an interview with Becky and Alex Anderson in which Becky explains how she was inspired to create this design after seeing a museum exhibit of antique game boards--watch now: BECKY AND ALEX She discusses the exhibit starting at about 10 minutes in. 

I will be LIVE Monday December 29, 2025, noon Central time, to help get you started, with tips and tricks, and "what could possibly go wrong?" suggestions. I hope you'll join thousands of us as we get our "Game On!". 

Since I am home until mid-March 2026 I decided to take two online classes in January to improve my ruler work longarm quilting skills. 99 Strip+ Strip Designs by Natalia Bonner is a FREE class. My project is a Quilt of Valor I am making specifically for someone and the strips are just the right size to learn those designs:

Angela Walters has a new class coming in January: FREE MOTION CHALLENGE QUILT ALONG, featuring Arcs, Curves and Points with Rulers. I ordered both the large and small printed top, making it easy to be ready for the first class mid-January--I am doing the SMALL version:

42" x 56"--I just need to put it together with batting and a back

I will also have a little time to teach TWO LOCAL CLASSES: 

THE VILLAGE, January 23, 2026:

and CHARMING SAMPLER, March 5, 2026:

"Kaffe Charming"

Reproduction fabrics

Each teaches a lot and if you are local and ever want to take a class with me, now is your chance. Register online at SOUTHERN CHARM QUILTING

I do plan to submit proposals to teach at International Quilt Festival in Houston November 10-14, 2026. They will decide which classes of mine, if any, they want to offer. Let me know if there is one you really want to take so I can propose it. ALL my WORKSHOPS/CLASSES are listed in the tab above: WORKSHOPS. 

It is a good idea to offer at least one handwork class. I have a new one in mind--/big Hexagons for English Paper Piecing, 3 hours, with a Kit that includes everything except your fabric. This sample is still a "work in progress"--just enough to teach the basics. What is started in class can become a larger quilt or a single placemat. Sometimes that is big enough to teach you all you want to know about a technique. 

I always have a hand piecing project available and EPP is good for this purpose. The papers are still in this, I am not finished yet. I will finish off the edges the easy way--by appliqueing the piece to a background--no fussy edge treatment necessary:

I won't know until late February or so if I will be teaching there but I will let you know as soon as I get the word.

The other long-term project I am working on is my SECOND LIFETIME QUILT--the Old Italian Block, 3" size, that has been my "Leader/Ender" project this year. I provided lots of information on this as my SUMMER SEW A LONG 2025. 

I have 270 of the 289 blocks needed done so I am starting to think about layout and design. I'm not sure I want to do such careful color placement but it might be more fun than strictly random. Time will tell:

Well, I better get back to that Christmas shopping and baking. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa or simply peace and happiness now and in the future.

Let's quilt.

Barbara