crafterhours

sleeping babes. crafting moms.

I Spy: A Completed Quilt

By 31 Comments

Not just any completed quilt. My very first. And an I Spy Swap one. At several points during the process, I decided it would be my only quilt. Ever. But now that I’m done and I’ve rested a bit, I’m can’t stop thinking about it. So that could mean there will be more. Eventually.

I learned quite a bit. Like, my general let’s-just-go-for-it-and-see-what-happens approach yields some surprises along the way. I tried to follow one binding tutorial in particular, and realized pretty quickly that what I was expecting was not what was happening, but fortunately, I liked how it came out.  And while I’ve done a lot of piecing and decorative stitching, I’d never used a walking foot before. Clickety clackety and fun and not nearly as scary and difficult as I imagined.

I’ve had a few moments of beating my chest triumphantly like Tarzan looking at the finished product. My kids just want to climb all over it, and now that it’s done and photographed, that’s a-ok. I figure it needs food and beverage stains on it in order to have an authentic feel, no?

In starting this one, I knew my kids would like the I Spy game. K already does, for sure. M will get there eventually. Because the 180 novelty prints I wanted to use were soooo chaotic, I decided to do some arranging by color, and then add sashes that accented the color spectrum. Then framed it up with another print, a wide white border and a bright binding. Even the description is chaotic.

The backing is a solid white from a sheet and when the half drop pattern on the front was quilted diagonally, the back looked all zig zaggy. I can’t say I really thought that out in advance, but I was pretty excited when I first turned it over and saw what was happening.  Don’t tell anyone I didn’t do that entirely on purpose, mmmkay?
The best part, of course, is this. I’m totally glad it’s done in time for chubby baby thigh photos. Pay no attention to the sweet potato leftovers she’s carrying around on her shirt.
And chubby baby finger dimples.
Okay, yes, I love it. But…. I’m dying to get back to the quick and easy crafterhours stuff. And…. uh… maybe I should finish the quilt I started before this one that’s feeling neglected. I hear that’s normal in quilter world. It just feels wrong.

Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    I must get the courage up to do a quilt. I just love this one…I love how you went for the crazy, lots of patterns/fabrics idea and then organised them by colour :)

    Reply

  2. Stacey says

    I loooooove it! How bright and cheerful and utterly, distracting for temper tantruming babies and toddlers. I especially love the binding fabric. Who’s it by?
    I think once you finish that first quilt it becomes addicting. That is if you can find the time.

    Reply

  6. Laura says

    Love this :) I made one for my son for Christmas this past year and now I’m addicted to quilting all of a sudden. I know what you mean about thinking “never again” and then just being so proud of the dang thing that you make another one anyways ;)

    Reply

  7. Care says

    GORGEOUS!!! I am so impressed!

    I hope you’ll be making more quilts; it would be a shame not to! You’ve absolutely got an eye for color and design that should be showcased in more beautiful quilt creations!

    (I’m linking to your finished quilt today!)

    Reply

  11. Karen says

    I am speechless. I truly love your quilt. I kind of does remind me of those “I Spy” books. Thumbs up for you. I am in the process of putting to together one myself with fat quarters! Obviously an adventure in the making.

    Reply

  13. Susan says

    I love how it turned out! You have a great eye for color! You are going to be hooked on quilting for sure. Just keep it small and get fabrics you love, love, love! Thanks for doing the swap with us!

    Reply

  16. crafterhours says

    All of the squares came from the swap! Such an amazing variety. You know, I put them in order, sewed them together and quilted them, and I’m still noticing things I hadn’t noticed before. Yay, swap! Yay, Care!

    Reply

  17. Carrie says

    I love this quilt. I have swap squares piled around my craft room without a clue how I want my quilt to look. But now I know. I want mine to look like yours with the rows of different colors! I love it!

    Reply

  19. Miss Muffin says

    Congratulations!!!! What a cool quilt! I did not even sort mine yet. :-( And I see you also have a baby (very cute pictures!). How do you get so much stuff done?!
    I even found some of “my” fabric squares in your pictures. Totally funny seeing them on another blog. :-)
    Hope my quilt – will also be the first one ever – will also turn out as great as yours. Even if it will take MUCH longer! :-)

    Reply

  23. Care says

    Ahhhh….

    I am staring again. Now that I have 2,717 I-Spy squares, it’s probably time to start sewing more of them together……..

    I am SO going to attempt one like yours!!!!

    Reply

  30. Aine says

    This is lovely! Can you please share the block dimensions? It looks like there are just squares and the long rectangle bands between the bands of colored squares??

    Reply

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