Sunday, January 4, 2015

First finish of the New Year!

On New Year's day I started my first ever I Spy quilt, I modified a free pattern called Stitches in Bloom from Hoffman Fabrics but found at Bear Creek Quilting.  After looking through all the fabrics I had available, I decided on some sizes of blocks to cut, 6x6, 6x8, 6x10 and 4.5x4.5. It was such fun seeing all the different items and arranging them.
Wow but it was so colorful I decided I needed to tone it down with the royal blue and gray, much better. My blue sashings are cut 1.25" wide, I did have to fill in with a larger size on some of the rows to make them all come out the same size. The gray is cut 2" between the blocks and then the long strips are cut 1.25".  I was flying by the seat of my pants with this one making it up as I went, so in the end it was too close to being square and I don't care for square quilts unless they are to be on the wall. So I added 3.5" blue top and bottom borders. I have enough blue to bind it.  I don't remember the exact measurements but around 59x 65 I think. It's all folded up and I am too lazy to go measure!
I finished the neutral strings flimsy on New Year's Eve day-so a last finish for 2014.  The inspiration for this quilt came from Quilting is more fun than housework.  I didn't realize it was Cynthia's quilt when I saw it on Pintrest. I was just over to her blog looking through her gallery, so I had to come back here and edit to give her credit!!  Thanks Cynthia!
 Now I am trying to figure out some projects I want to take on quilt retreat coming up in a few weeks. So many I could do but which do I really want to take. 

You will have to check out the Linky parties on the left side bar this week for some quilty goodness!
I am linking with Oh Scrap, Free Motion by the River and Let's Bee Social.

18 comments:

  1. Love your eye spy quilt and the blue and gray do help pull it all together. Your neutral strings flimsy is wonderful. So very pretty. I love it. Great job. Wonderful to start the New Year off with two wonderful quilts.

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  2. Great I spy quilt but that string quilt makes me swoon! Thanks for sharing on Oh Scrap!

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  3. Your I-Spi is darling, and the blue and gray work really well with all those prints.

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  4. they both turned out great, are you going to do some sort of applique on the string one? I could see something BIG and easy on it, either a silhouette of a branch or big flowers

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  5. Oh I have some QALs too on my blog

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  6. These are two amazing and completely different quilts. I love how bright and cheery the I Spy is, and the strings quilt is so elegant.

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  7. I LOVE your Neutral strings quilt, and that's quite something for me to say, since I always maintain that "I don't do scrappy".

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  8. Your "I Spy" quilt is the nicest one I have seen. I love the blue and gray in with the various sized blocks. Wonderful! And your strings quilt is gorgeous! So much depth in those blocks. Congrats on your finish!!

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  9. Your I Spy quilt looks very interesting and I'm sure lots of kids would love it! Your string quilt top is beautiful!

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  10. Your I Spy quilt is looking great, and you already know how I feel about the string quilt...still drooling from the last time I saw it!!!!! Your work is so great to see, I always leave your blog feeling inspired!

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  11. The I-Spy quilt came out awesome!!! I've got one in my "to-do" list, but haven't settled on a pattern yet. Thanks for the inspiration! What a great start to 2015!

    ~ Jess ~
    Everything Is Coming Up Rosie

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  12. That I spy quilt is really cool! And I love your neutral strings too! Look at you go! great work!

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  13. Love both of these quilts! I've got an eye spy and a strings quilt in progress as well. I wish I had seen your eye spy before I started mine... Oh well.

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  14. Your i spy quilt will be very nice. not too busy. I made one a few years back and figured by the time I'd purchased all those fabrics I'd spent at least double what a big quilt usually costs! You can make more!! The blue sashing brings it together nicely.

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  15. Love them both, the neutral stings is my favorite. The extra edging to break up the patters is so perfect!

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  16. I really like your neutral strings. I'm planning to make a log cabin in a similar palette. :)

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  17. Love the colors on the string quilt. I have a stack of neutrals and I am just waiting for some sort of inspiration to decide what to make with them. I love that pallette. Also have been collecting novelty prints for a someday I-Spy quilt. Maybe if I am ever blessed with grandkids!

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  18. Ooooo! A quilting retreat? Sounds like a fun way to start the new year! Hope you have a wonderful time!

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