Sweet Dreams - Choosing Batting

     There is time spent on choosing a pattern for a quilt, planning it, selecting the fabric and color scheme etc., but I fail to count the time spent in the middle of the night worrying about a quilt plan.
     The middle of the night wake up call happened several times with this quilt.  The quilt could only have Minky (Cuddle) backing because my DIL LOVES it!  I have 2 problems with Minky on a full sized quilt.  One- it is heavy when moving the quilt around to quilt it. Two - it does not shrink but the quilt batting and top do shrink.  I have seen quilts where the MInky doesn't lay smooth after the quilt was washed.  So in the past to avoid that I have put a muslim backing on a quilt, quilted it, did a fast self binding, washed the quilt then added the Minky with just a few lines going across to hold it in place, then adding another binding.  To quilt, then add Minky, almost doubles that work.
     I have also wanted to avoid intensely quilting the Minky because the point is its softness.  I talked with a long arm quilter who said she quilts quilts all the time with Minky and it does not affect its cuddliness.   Hummm, new thought.
     
     On one of my middle of the night wake up and think about the quilt times, I suddenly had an epiphany - use polyester batting!  The batting always shrinks more than the top giving the quilt the crinkly look.  But if I use polyester batting, it will not shrink just as the Minky does not shrink! 
     Problem solved - I think!

Sweet Dreams - Planned Scrappy

     Scrappy - easy isn't it?  Not if you have planned scrappy, at least not for me.  Lissa Alexander has only 2 colors in her pattern, so she is able to make it faster because she can make a larger 15 inch block.  Easy peasy.  The other patterns I looked at were total scrappy, and relatively easy once you realize it is only 2 different blocks put together - a churn dash and 54 or fight.  BUT I wanted the 4 pointed "stars" to really stand out, emphasizing the circular look.  Therefore, they were each to be the same color family.  This means that I could make the churn dash blocks using the same color family but not the 54 or fight block.  They would each need to be laid out with each church dash and the  4 sides selected. 

       Do the pictures help it make more sense?  It was laid out one row at a time.  You can see the churn dash blocks, but I had to plan the colors carefully.  But aren't the colors lovely, cheerful and happy?  I love them!
    

     It took 3 days of crawling around on the floor, but in the end, I was very happy with how it turned out.
     Now to borders.  Very much I wanted the 4 point "stars" to be the focus and not be cut up.  So a white border was added to give the eye a place to stop.

     Now, to add another border or not?  The quilt is plenty big - maybe bigger than I intended.  After checking images of modern quilts and seeing they do not usually have borders, I am going with the more modern look of no border.  But I will have a binding in a torquoise color.
     NOW the terrible part!  HOW TO QUILT THIS BABY!

Good Quilt Husband

     I have always called my husband a "good quilt husband".  He will crawl around on the floor to help me spray baste a quilt sandwich together.  He will walk through the quilt fabric store with me and give me his opinion.  He never complains about my spending money on quilting supplies.  Will carry my machine and supplies to the car when I go to a quilt class or QOV sew day.  I will call him to come look at what I have laid out and ask his opinion.  I always preempt it by saying, "I want your opinion, but I might or might not use it."  And he takes that well.  There have been times when he has absolutely changed what I was going to do for the better.  He even saved me from a huge design mistake on the bear quilt!  He instinctively knew my proportions were off.  His suggestions totally made it!
     When I planned a quilt for my daughter in law's birthday, I figured I would have 3 or 4 weeks to get it done.  BUT then my best friend from Illinois decided our annual girls' trip to Arizona should happen in January rather than February after the DIL birthday.  That threw a wrench into my quilting plans.  So the past 8 days have seen me put 59 hours into this quilt.
     While working on it, my husband has not complained about leftovers, he has been gracious to go to the grocery store and pick up emergency supplies (like half and half for MY coffee), quietly left his laundry hamper in the way so I would see he needs clean clothes.  AND I noticed the kitchen would have a little fairy that would clean it up.
     He no longer deserves the title of "Good Quilt Husband", but the title of "Great Quilt Husband."

Sweet Dreams - Half Square Triangles

 

     There are so many ways to make half square triangles.  
There is the "magic 8" to make 8 at a time; 
stitching the outside edges of a square, cutting an x to make 4 at a time;
making 2 at a time from 2 squares laid together;
and my favorite way, with strips.  Sew 2 strips together with a 1/4 inch on both sides, then cut with Quilt in a Day triangle square up ruler placed on the SEAM line, not the edge.  Then NO SQUARING up is necessary!  Woo hoo!

     Since I was using 10" square, the strip method was not going to work for me.  I would have to make them 2 at a time in order to utilize my fabric in the most efficient way.  Ugh!  Such a time consuming method when you have 148 to make!

     I cut 4 inch squares - why would directions for a 3.5 inch block (3 inch finished) say to cut 3 and 7/8 inch squares?  Really?  I prefer to cut slightly larger  (only 1/8 of an inch) and have room for mistakes that can be trimmed out.  Using Fons and Porters's 1/4 ruler, I drew a line on either side with a Frixion gel pen.  Then placed white and print squares together, sewed down each line and cut apart.

     

      After sewing them all together and cutting apart, I used the Quilt in a Day Triangle Square Up ruler to trim BEFORE opening the blocks without having to flip and trim each one twice.  

     

Since I wanted a 3.5 inch HST, the 3.5 line goes on
the stitch line, not the edge.  It comes out perfect!

     Once again the heavily starched fabric was easy to finger press saving time at the ironing board and my blocks did not stretch out of shape while being manipulated.

    The blocks end up with "ears" on each side which you just trim off.

     Then time for the 4 patch blocks - 160 of those!  This is the first time I have made a quilt that will have some pieces that are only 1.5 inches square!

Stitched and ready to open up.

160 4 patch blocks ready to go.

  

     

Sweet Dreams - V Blocks

     

     With 148 V blocks to make, I needed to be able to pick up my pace.  I only got 40 made on the first day.  The pattern has templates to use to make the blocks.  Most patterns do.  That spells wonky disaster in my book.  I was grateful that in the last quilting class I took, we were provided with our fee Deb Tucker's V Block ruler.   I cannot imagine making 148 blocks without it!

     The directions are simple.  The ruler provides lines to cut the middle triangle and the sides.  For a 3.5 inch block (3 inch) finished, you cut a strip 4" wide.  That gives plenty of room for trimming up without wasting fabric.  And it makes a PERFECT block.

     Since I had starched the fabric with straight starch, it was easy to finger press after the first side was stitched without having to go to the ironing board. Then I added the second side, finger pressed and ended with a touch up from the iron.

     After stitching the sides, the lines on the ruler are easy to see.  First cut comes from this side.

Flip the block over and easy to use lines are on the other side.


Result - perfect block.
Perfectly squared.
Perfect 1/4 seam at the top.

Aren't these luscious looking?  Stacked in groups of 4.

Sweet Dreams, End of Day One

     This quilt needs 60 degree blocks, half square triangle blocks, 3.5 inch squares and 4 patch.  Since each block will be 3 inches finished, I need 3.5 inch blocks.  
     So from the 10 inch squares, I cut 2 - 4 inch strips and 1 - 2 inch strip.  I get bored easily, so decided to make 3 kinds of blocks from each layer cake.

     By the end of the day, this is all I have.  I think I will have to change my strategy tomorrow.  I will need 148 half square triangles, 148 60 degree blocks, and even more 4 patches. 

Sweet Dreams

     "No one has ever made a quilt for me."   We were discussing a quilt I had made for my son in law when my daughter in law said that.  My daughter in law is dear to me.  I have made a quilt for my son ( a Quilt of Valor as he is a combat infantry marine veteran) and my grandbaby (her daughter) and even my daughter in law's mother (a What Cancer Cannot Do panel quilt during her radiation treatments).  I was a little surprised since she is a quilter herself.  I have learned from experience, you don't make Italian food for real Italians.  So I was not sure a quilter would want a quilt made by someone else.  But I was glad to know it.  Of course, it is time for me to make one for her.  With her birthday coming up in February, this is the perfect time.
     Since my daughter in law is a quilter, I knew her quilt had to be extra special.  I have been doing a lot of applique lately.  But for my DIL, I decided on a challenging and complicated pieced project.  First step, always  make a pinterest board - in this case, private of course, so she would have no hints that a quilt was coming.  I have loved Shakespeare in the Park for a long time.  It is on my bucket list.  I also love Storm at Sea.  I remembered some other patterns that look like curved piecing, but it is actually an optical illusion - looked curved (which I am scared of) but is not.  I looked at patterns called Calypso, kaleidoscope and others.  I found 3 patterns that are very similar I was drawn to for this project - one called Emily's wedding quilt,  another called  Aunt Gracie's Garden Quilt, and finally Missouri Star Quilt Company has a tutorial on it.  It is actually 2 blocks put together that look totally different when placed together.  I did not like the edges having incomplete blocks, so I found a pattern just like I wanted called Sweet Dreams in a book of red and white quilt patterns by Martingale Press.  Sweet Dreams, perfect name for my daughter in law's new quilt!

     Emily's Wedding Quilt
     Aunt Gracie's Garden Quilt
     Missouri Star Quilt Company Version
     Sweet Dreams by Lissa Alexander  

     So pattern decided upon!  Then on to fabric choice.
    Several weeks ago, knowing it could come in handy in the future, I had sent a link to Shannon Brinkley's color style quiz to my daughter and DIL.  I wanted to see what color schemes they are most drawn to.  How helpful is that to know!   You can take the quiz here:    Shannon Brinkley's Color Style Quiz
     Both girls came up as "spring" while I fell evenly between spring and winter which are basically the same, just winter is more intense.  White, not cream.  Clear colors, not muted.     Then I saw that Missouri Star Quilt Company's Daily Deal was a layer cake (10 inch squares) that were spring colors and perfect for DIL's quilt!   It was from Riley Blake Designs, called Hand Picked by Tammie Green.  Two layer cakes would be needed for this project.

     I spent the weekend starching and ironing fabric.  Intricate piecing is always easier to manage and more precise with highly starched fabrics.  I use straight liquid starch, not to be confused with spray starch.  I do pour it into a bottle and spray it on.  When dry, the fabric  becomes stiff like card stock.  
     Ready to begin!