WIP Wednesday: My Oldest WIP - The Final Y2K Quilt
This is the beginning of my 4th and final Y2K quilt - my oldest work in progress. I call it a WIP since the charms are already cut but it's just been sitting around for 20 years waiting to be completed. This set of 3-inch charms was swapped in 2001, and I suppose after 20 years, it's about time I get this quilt done!
Since this is my last one, I want to do something more than just sew squares into rows. A couple of designs are stored with the fabric, but I found a few more ideas online, including the quilt pictured below.
I really like this design, so much more interesting than just squares in a row. But I especially like it because the signature square is included in the block.
With my previous Y2K quilts, I received 80 sets of 25 charms plus a signature square; these are called squishies. But this final set is different as I received 25 sets with 80 charms plus the signature square. From each set, I can make 2 blocks but have only one signature square for the center. So I have added my own charms, each one different, for the center of the second block.
So far I have made only four blocks. Each block uses 16 HSTs and 8 squares plus the signature square and measures 13" unfinished.
When making the HSTs, I stitch from corner to corner then stitch again about 1/2" from my first stitched line. This way I end up with 2 HSTs and use the larger HST for my block. I also end up with a pile of 2.5" HSTs that I'm putting aside for now.
Aside from the charm squares, each squishy had a short bio from the sender. I truly enjoy reading each one.
From Gerri K. in Virginia: "...My grandmother was a seamstress and used to make quilts from the scraps she had. My favorite quilt that she made was a Grandmother's Fan made in satins and velvets...I have loved quilts for years...I waited until I was grown and married for 25 years before taking it up...I love material and have quite a stash. I really didn't realize how much I had until I decided that one room was too small for my sewing stuff and started moving it to another room..."
From Laurie S. in Indiana: "I got into quilting about 10 years ago when I ordered Judy Martin's book of quilt blocks from a book club...I plunged in and in spite of points that didn't quite match and seams that weren't quite straight I finished my first two quilts which I gave to my grandmother and my mother...each year I make most if not all of my Christmas gifts...I knew my family was spoiled the year my niece who was about 2-1/2 at the time asked for a "tilk" for Christmas...She showed me a quilt...Since then she's...been the recipient of several quilts."
Gerri and Laurie, you are kindred spirits and I hope you are still happily quilting!
If you'd like to see more quilting goodness and see what others are up to, please visit the following which I'm linking up to:
Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter
Stitch Sew & Show @ Life in the Scrapatch
Until next time ...
Be happy and keep on quilting!
LOL on the "tilk"! I love reading other quilters' beginnings. It's fun that Gerri called her fabric "material" - that is the word I used from my childhood until "fabric" became the word. How neat that you are working on something from 2000. I LOVE your blocks! What a great pattern for scrappy charms.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memory! This will make a special quilt indeed. Thanks for sharing your progress on Wednesday Wait Loss.
ReplyDeleteLooking good! I've been doing that same thing with my larger HST's - stitching the leftovers together. But now I'll have a bunch uncoordinated HST's to deal with!
ReplyDeleteThis should end up a beautiful quilt. Fabric, like fine wine, becomes better with age. (I guess...although I have to say there are a whole lot of older fabrics that I no longer like!) I'm off to cut some more fabric! Happy quilting this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI could have sworn I made a comment on this post, but anyway, these are beautiful and I love reading the notes.
ReplyDelete