Ta Da! Park Bench Quilt Finish

I am letting you know right now that this is a picture laden post!  

But having spent a year piecing the blocks, MANY back-breaking long days standing at my longarm and a few late nights hand sewing the binding so I could write about the finish today, you can bet I am going to share every square inch of this quilt with you!

As soon as I saw Julie's (Jaybird Quilts) Park Bench quilt, it went right onto my Bucket List of quilts.   I love big bold blocks and this is one showy pattern!

By chance, I spied the kit on Craftsy for a really ridiculous price and instantly purchased it.  I think Julie did such a perfect job putting together this quilt, I just couldn't see how I could make it any better so I made it just like hers.

(Unfortunately, the kit is no longer available but Craftsy does have Julie's Gravity quilt kit and the rulers - which are brilliant by the way!)

I spent almost all of 2015 sewing up the hexagon blocks.  My goal was to sew up about two blocks a month.  That would leave me plenty of time tin the year to finish up the pieced background for the quilt top.

I finished up the flimsy around the end of January - right on schedule!

I had been reserving a large chunk of time in my February schedule to squeeze in this quilt between my client quilts.  I wanted to give it the custom quilt job it deserved.

Prior to quilting, I did re-watch Angela Walters Craftsy class Dot to Dot Quilting.  If you want to try some of the quilting seen on my quilt, she does a great job walking you through the process. 

This border was totally inspired by the class.

My goal on the quilting was to quilt each element differently.  I may have repeated designs but made slight changes so I could create a different look.  I also didn't want the quilting to be too dense.  While it is dense in a few areas, overall I wanted a cuddly quilt.

I loaded the quilt sideways on my frame and quilted an entire column of hexagons before moving the quilt.  I did use 5 different colors of thread on this quilt so there were a fair number of thread changes.

This first block in the middle column is one of my favorites.

This orange and blue one makes me smile too.  I started quilting the orange diamonds and decided I didn't like how I quilted the first one so I made a slight change on the rest.  Unlike a client quilt, I don't have to pick out that first diamond.  :)

And here are the last two blocks on the middle column.

If you were ever wondering what the view is like from underneath a longarm here you go.  After a long day of quilting, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get back up off the floor.  

It was a good thing I had my phone!

Starting on the third and final column of blocks.  

I am still meeting my goal of coming up with unique designs.

I like this block too.  Simple designs are sometimes the best!

 Just the final border to go!

And here it is - Fresh off the Frame!

Here is a picture of the back.  I have to admit it looks pretty cool.  Sometimes, I do piece my backing to use up fabrics but for custom quilting, I suggest just a single fabric so you can see the detail.  I used an orange crosshatch fabric for mine.  Enough pattern to hide the areas I back stitched but simple enough to let the quilting shine. 

 I will definitely be snuggling with this one tonight!

 Thanks for reading through to the end!

This finish was one of my first quarter goals for the 2016 Finish A Long.  I still have two more to get through!





 



Linking Up:

My Quilt Infatuation (Needle & Thread)
Free Motion Mavericks (Free Motion Mavericks)

Confessions of a Fabric Addict (Can I get a Whoop! Whoop!)

TGIFF (Thank Goodness it is Friday Finish)

Fabric Frenzy Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts (Finish it up Friday)
A Quilted Passion 
Sew can she
 A Quilter's Table (2016 FAL)

***This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you, I may make a small commission, which I appreciate so much!***

Park Bench Quilt Top Finish

I don't often celebrate the finish of just a quilt top but this one has been in the works for over a year!

When the Park Bench pattern came out, I knew it was going on my quilty bucket list.  I loved everything about the quilt that Julie Herman made for the cover of her pattern and decided I wanted mine exactly like it!  I think it is perfection as is!!   I was lucky enough to pick up the quilt kit at a ridiculous price through Craftsy at the end of 2014.

 I started the quilt in January of 2015.  At the beginning of each month, I would choose my fabrics to make two blocks.  I was in no hurry so I was really able to savor the process.

 Every month I was rewarded with two lovely block!

Soon two blocks became six...

By the Summer, my design wall was filled with these gorgeous blocks.

The blocks did sit for a month or two....

 But I did finally get them all sewn up into this wonderful quilt top!

I hope to start quilting this sometime in February.  First I want to take a refresher on Angela Walters Dot to Dot class out on Craftsy.  I love that I can go back anytime and review a course just before tackling a big custom quilt job like this one is going to be!  Stay Tuned!!

Linking Up:

Confessions of a Fabric Addict (Can I get a Whoop! Whoop!)

TGIFF (Thank Goodness it is Friday Finish)

Fabric Frenzy Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts (Finish it up Friday)
A Quilted Passion 

***This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you, I may make a small commission, which I appreciate so much!***

Quick Half Hexie Baby Quilt (Tutorial)

While doing a bit of cleaning in my sewing room, I came across some 4 1/2" strips of some solids left over from a completed project.  I was just getting ready to dump them in the scrap bin when I remembered a quilt I have been wanting to make again.  I knew the scraps would be the perfect start!

Here is the quilt all finished!  Isn't it cute?  And it goes together very easily.  I thought I would share a quick tutorial if you want to make one yourself.

 First, you want to pick out a focus fabric.  You can use this fabric to pull  the colors of your solids.  I used just under a yard  of this print on my quilt.

Once the solids are picked out, cut a strip 4 1/2" wide.  Because I was using scraps, my strips were all varying lengths.  I used my Hex N More ruler to cut the half hexie shape.  Be sure to notch off the points using the ruler - these will come in very handy on later steps.

I trimmed the pieces I planned for the edge as shown.  Be sure the piece is configured properly so you cut the correct end.  You can also do this step after you have the sewn the row together.

Once you have determined the color arrangement for your strips, you can sew them up.  You can see in the photo above how those notched corner ensure a perfect alignment.

 Perfection!

Next, you just need to cut your print into 5 1/2" strips and sew them between the hexie rows.

You can see that on my quilt, I alternated the direction of the hexie and the color placement on each row.  I had a quilt top in no time at all.

 Here is another photo of the finished quilt.  For the quilting, I just did a simple serpentine stitch.

Using 4 half hexies and two trimmed hexies on each row is the perfect width for keeping your print fabric to just the width of the fabric.  You can also use just one piece (about 1.5 yards) for the backing too.  It is nice to not have to piece the backing!

 

Here is the quilt I made using the same technique in early 2014. It is a bit smaller and more colorful than the one I just completed.  Not sure which one I like best!

Linking Up:

My Quilt Infatuation
Free Motion Mavericks

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

TGIFF

Fabric Frenzy Friday

Richard and Tanya Quilts

Crazy Mom Quilts
Sew can she
A Quilted Passion

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you, I may make a small commission, which I appreciate so much!