I Spy Quilt Parade

I found some beaut quilts over at Sew in Peace.  Sandra ran an I Spy swap, and then posted a parade of quilts made from the swapped squares.  These two caught my eye.

The swapped squares were 5 inches.  This quilter wanted a larger square, so added plain sashing

which made the square larger and emphasised the colour.  Quite clever! 

The more I look at this one the better I like it.  The sash colour helps to define the rainbow stripes,

but because it's only on two sides the charm square isn't boxed in.

Instead of sashing the I Spy blocks with plain sashing, here the plain and prints are reversed.  It's effective, isn't it.  There are plenty more quilts on parade in the blog, lots of new ideas to try.

Free Motion Fun

I decided it was time to have a proper go at free motion quilting.  At Christmas I organised a present of quilting designs, gloves and a teflon slider to go on the machine bed.  I chose everything from Leah Day's Day Style Designs website.  You are probably familiar with Leah's blog  The Free Motion Quilting Project.  I really enjoy her posts and she is very generous with her helpful information and patterns.

This is the top I chose to practice on.  It's not too big, and it divides easily into four sections

 so I could try some different quilting patterns.  The squares are the I Spy #18 pack at Two Bits Patches.

First of all I stippled with easy curving 'U' shapes.  I worked from the centre to each side and back again, leaving four quarters to fill in with different patterns.

The first quarter got a squiggly line across the middle, then echo quilting each side.

Next was a squiggly shape followed by echo quilting.

Then, a paisley pivoting design.  This was the best ever, I had so much fun doing it.

Finally, an edge to edge bubble wand.  Hmmm, needs some more practice.



Here's the final result.  It does look like a practice piece rather than a finished work.  I had been avoiding free motion quilting because everyone said it was so difficult to do.  But I was pleasantly surprised with the result and I wished there was more space to fill. 

 The back of the quilt is a panel that I scored somewhere.

So, how do you quilt your I Spy quilts?  Do you use free motion quilting?  Will I be brave enough to try it out on a special quilt for a granddaughter?  (Yes, I was!)

Don't forget the blog give away for free I Spy charms.  You have until the 20th May to add your comment to the blog.

Another Over and Under ... Wait, there's More!

Sandy's done it again.  Not one, but two finished I Spy quilts for lucky great-nephews.  Check them both out on her blog here.  One has blue sashing and the other quilt has green; the two different colours create two quite different looking quilts. There's lots of close-up photos too. I love them!

Let's Play I Spy

This new quilt is on show at Riel's blog The Q and the U.  For someone who's only been quilting for two years her quilts are very impressive.  The I Spy charms are 4 inch squares and sashing is 2.5 inches. The sashing in this top is quite clever.  Why?  You'll have to visit Riel's blog here to find out!

I Spy Halloween Over and Under

This magical quilt is Sandy's work; her blog is Sew...This is My Blog.  The quilt here is all Halloween fabrics and the pattern is called Over and Under.  The prints are 4.5 x 6.5 inches and the 1.5 inch black sashing makes 6.5 inch blocks.  It's another very simple pattern that creates a good looking quilt.

Two Blues and Borders

This is another quilt from 2009.  The pattern is a bit of an optical illusion.  The blocks look slighty staggered but are quite square - well, as square as my occasionally slapdash piecing allows.  I thought the pattern would work well with my I Spy scraps. I used two blues as you can see and with some quick strip piecing and lots of prints I put this top together. Everything was from the stash, so it's a free quilt.


 I put three borders on the finished top. I did the sides first - dark blue, random novelty prints, then another dark blue. When the sides were finished I did the same borders on each end. It's the first time I've sewn borders properly - you know, measure across the centre of the quilt, average the results, blah, blah, blah. I usually attach a border and cut off the excess. I did it properly because I was added three borders. 

Now when I do borders I spread the top out on the lounge room floor.  Instead of measuring the centre and then measuring the fabric for the border I just lay the border fabric across the middle of the quilt and cut it to match.  Much faster!

I Spy in the Pinks

I made this I Spy quilt, In the Pinks, early in 2009.  It's a really easy pattern. I used 24 6.5 inch I Spy prints for the centre of the blocks. The border for each block is 2.5 inch strips, 8 fat quarters are enough to do all the blocks.
I don't measure and cut the sashing pieces. I strip piece the blocks and sashings. I take a 2.5 inch strip and put one square on top, right sides together (of course) and sew.  When I get to the end of the first block I chose another block, place it behind the first block leaving a little gap and keep sewing.  If the strips are cut from fat quarters then 3 squares are sewn on each strip.
When I've filled up the first strip I chose another colour and sew squares onto it in the same way.  Take all the sewn units to the ironing board, press towards the sashing, then use ruler and rotaty cutter to divide the blocks.  Do the same thing with the opposite side of the I Spy square.
When you add the sides to the block you will only get two blocks attached to each strip.  When all the blocks are sashed you will have quite a few leftovers.  Don't put them away just yet!  Cut all the remaining strips into 2.5 inch squares and store them in a container labeled '2.5 inch squares'.  Then when you chose to make a scrap quilt you already have a box of useful squares.

I often quilt with diagonal lines, it's easier to ease the 'crossings' on the bias than on the straight.