Last year, I finished the 52nd quilt the first week of November. I was worried I wouldn't make it this year! But here it is, the last quilt of 2013, "Swirling Stars."
I had to climb the ladder at Ruth's Stitchery to take a photo of the finished quilt. I forgot to take a photo before I delivered the quilt to the shop, and Anne hung it on the wall before I got back to the shop!
Right below this quilt are all the patterns for Jelly Roll Party for the rest of the year. I'm so pleased that Cathy has them all in stock so you can look at the patterns and start cutting strips for Jelly Roll Party all year!
Here's a closer view so you can see the great colors in this fabric collection. I don't know who will get this quilt, but remember, Mama says "someone will think that's the most beautiful quilt they've ever seen!." And that's who will receive this quilt!
The pattern is from Eleanor Burns, "Swirling Stars." It comes with its own little acrylic template, and can be made with strips, fat quarters or yardage.
The fabric is Moda's "Vin du Jour" jelly roll. OK, two of them. See, it's like this: While the pattern is perfect for 2 1/2" strips, there are no specific directions for using precut strips. I merrily matched up light and dark strips,and cross-cut the entire strip. Then I sewed my little pinwheels and trimmed them using the template included with the pattern.
Then I realized each block needed a background rectangle to match the "light" in the pinwheel rectangles. Ruth's had most, but not all, of the "light" fabrics. Rather than re-make the blocks for which I couldn't get matching fabric, I just bought a second jelly roll. This quilt is worth it, don't you think? And I have enough strips to make another quilt. I saw a clever way to enlarge a jelly roll race quilt by alternating print strips with solids somewhere this week. I wish I had "pinned" it, so I could give credit where credit is due. Anyway, I have several half-yard cuts of the light fabrics from the Vin du Jour collection, so I can use them in place of solids.
Big achievement of the day: Step 3 of Bonnie Hunter's "Celtic Solstice" is finished! Third week into the mystery, and I am still caught up! Woot woot!
(The sun was starting to go behind the mountain when I took this photo.)
Linking up to:
TGIFF at Quilt Matters.
And
Can I get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
And
Amanda Jean's Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.
Plans are underway for the 2014 UFO Challenge. Have you started collecting and numbering your UFOs?
From the desk of your
Some people amaze me! 52 in quilts in a year. That's more than I've started...because I don't finish many...in all the years I've been working at this hobby, and for me, it IS a hobby. Your Step 3s are already done? Were you up at 4:00 in the morning, lol? I'm still at joining the chevron halves together on Step 2, but I did copy Step 3 to my computer and print out the instructions :) What will you be working on next, and since you're caught up, or will you rest?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I'm green with envy that you completed your goal. Beautiful finish!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deborah! I've sworn off test-sewing and sample quilts for next year so I can make more "just because I like it" quilts!
DeleteHi Marti, congratulations on meeting your goal. That is awesome!! My record for one year is 14 quilts. I was in my 20's in the 80's and I used to watch Eleanor on public television and tape every show (VCR) while my babies napped. So much of what I know about quilting, I learned from watching her. Back then, she used fluffy batting and tied every quilt with embroidery floss, so that is what I did too. She is an amazing lady with an amazing life story...and I am still in awe of her to this day. xx debbie
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing! I have trouble finishing one quilt a year! I am working on clue 3also. I still have 50 chevrons to make. I will catch up this week
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lynne. As I'm always telling people, my boys are grown and gone, my DH travels (a lot) and I only eat Lean Cuisine. So I have lots of time to sew!
DeleteI knew you'd make it - weeks to spare!...well a couple anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe Celtic Solstice is looking great already.
I have quite a pile of quilts to do for 2014 - already confessed about tehm non my blog, so now I'm accountable.
Wow, Marti! 52 quilts! I'm impressed. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteWell done on reaching your goal. I wonder if the quilt you mean is this one by my friend, which you can see here theviewfrombagend dot blogspot dot co dot uk/2013/10/random?
ReplyDeleteThat is lovely. I have an EPP pattern very similar. I had forgotten, so I'm glad you showed your quilt.
ReplyDeleteAlso I love the warm oranges in the second quilt. As I sit here, in front of my wood burning stove and the rain lashing the windows, I am thinking, tropical beaches!
Congratulations on number 52, Marti. And it's a stunner too! :o)
ReplyDeleteLove your 'swirling stars' quilt. Like your color choices. Congrats...52 quilts... very impressive.
ReplyDeleteThis deserves a huge CONGRATULATIONS!!! This last quilt is just beautiful. Way to go girlfriend.
ReplyDeleteOh, Marti! Congratulations! I have to say when I saw your goal last year of making 52 quilts in a year, I was sceptical. Then you did it. And now you've done it again! Fantastic! Woo hoo!
ReplyDeleteYeah and congratulations to you! 52 quilts in a year is awesome. I've had some banner years, but don't think I ever got to your very impressive number. Keep it going Marti... Now take a break for the last couple of weeks this year. Sandi
ReplyDelete