Interlocking Seasons Quilt

Dear Hubby tried taking several different pictures--inside mostly, but  they just didn't turn out.  He wanted to hang it from monster paper clip things off of nails mounted on deck rail--NO!!!  Finally, he tried out over the railing and bench--think it turned out really nice and love how the rose bush was so accommodating to coordinate!!

Just love this quilt and excited to share it at Blogger's Quilt Festival!  When first seeing the Interlocking Seasons block tutorial on The Parfait Cafe  (http://theparfaitcafe.com/?p=228), I just knew it was something worth trying out.  Was needing a nice block for my nephew and his sweet wife--John and Nikki wedding quilt.  I made up a sample in reds/golds/black and it was complicated at first, but so stunning. Here's the post where I tell about making the blocks and how I lined things up: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7854712989797547840#editor/target=post;postID=7142662119301878825  After the first few, I figured out to do it assembly line style--and it really helps to re-read the instructions several times with complicated blocks.  She had some very good hints that would have saved me a lot of un-sewing!

A finished block with black triangles.  Someone commented they                                                                                            wished there were pictures of one of them, so here it is!!

A finished inner block--at one point thought about just using these and not adding the black triangles, but really love it en point!  

 Nikki sent me a sample of her red--sure glad she did as it was more on the marroon scale.  It was so sad that I HAD to buy more fabric...HAHAHA!   Pattern uses 1.25 strips and makes up into 12.5 inch square.  I wanted a large block, so doubled it and used 2 inch strips (to double something, deduct 1/2 inch for seam allowances (.75), multiply by two (1.5), then add back in the seam allowances.  Did the same thing for all lengths and just plugged those into the chart.  My squares ended up being about 23 1/2 inches.  The inner square is beautiful alone and have lots of extras since at first I thought about making it without the black triangles putting it en point.  I'll be making runners and whatever with all the extras.  It's always fun for me to find I'm in love with new combos of colors I never thought I'd care for before!  

Showing back with funky red pieces (didn't want to buy more black and what I had wasn't big enough so added red strips from fabrics in the front)--this was quilted in four large squares made up of four blocks each.  I sewed two of the large squares together on the front by machine, then handstitched the back seam to make two long sections.  Then sewed those sections together and again stitched that long seam.  Because of shoulder problems, I can't handle a huge piece like this to machine quilt it and the quilt as you go (qayg) worked ok.

Showing whole back with the random red strips--specifically did not want it to be matchy matchy so other than making sure they would line up, I didn't care where they were as sandwiched each piece (actually as DH sandwiched and pinned each piece--he's definitely a keeper) 

It's fantastic that Amy is willing to host the quilt festival each year.  It's always full of amazing inspiration and so many opportunities to learn something new while "meeting" oodles of talented   quilters out there! Thanks so much, Amy!!! Go to her site from October 26 to November 9.  You will be amazed by the hundreds of participants there.  http://amyscreativeside.com/bloggers-quilt-festival/  For some reason, I have never figured out how to add those buttons you click on--need my daughter to fix it for me!!


It's about 94 inches square.  Decided not to add borders and very happy with that.  

Blogger's Quilt Festival--BoylyGirlieCircly Quilt

Original Layout

This quilt, named the BoylyGirlyCircly Quilt is the result of three generations of my family.  My beautiful, talented, smart, almost perfect   grandchildren are my boyly boys and girlie girls.  Six of them are my daughter's children and they helped design and stitch.  I've been wanting to make a circle quilt for over a year.  I'd expected to make a regular sized quilt, but this seemed like the only thing I could reasonably get done in time for the festival--and I love it.  It's about 2 feet by 18 inches.  Thanks to Amy at: http://amyscreativeside.com/ for sponsoring.  Her site is full of wonderfulness--tutorials, great things she's working on and challenges.  Well worth visiting.

Final Layout

Gridded print of layout

Spencer, Sabrina, Trey, Sydney arranging circles

Ironed fold lines on background enabled copying design

Circles sewn and starched around templates

Trimming circles

My grandchildren were given various sized cardstock circle templates to trace around, then color in red, blue, yellow, green, purple, or orange.  They cut them out and then took turns putting them down without touching each other on back of a comforter.  Then they took turns tossing their circles just onto the floor...only thing they could do was to turn them over so colors showed.  Chose that design!  There were some slight changes as I sewed pieces on, but it's pretty close and kiddos lit up when they saw the finished top prior to quilting!

Circly with some stitching done

Adam, Trey, Sabrina, DL stitching

Beautiful Sydney under quilt frame

Trey & Sabrina under, Sage, Sydney, Spencer (with momma's help) stitching

Some circles being sewn down on background

Close up of children's stitches

Sabrina concentrating on her stitching--she's legally blind and light-sensitive so wears dark glasses all the time.  My intrepid little girlie girl

Sabrina and Trey stitching

Sydney watching Adam and Trey stitch

Trey and Sabrina pulling thread through to back, Sage, Sydney, DL stitching (Spencer's trying to help underneath!)

Trey, Sagie, Sydney, DL,Spencer , Sabrina 

Wow--am I totally amazed or what?  I was able to capture the button for this wonderfully fun and fantastic quilt festival!