This photo and the last one were taken with a flash. The middle photo was without a flash on a day with sun. (Yes! We really had a sunny day in Ohio this week!)
I can't decide which colors are more accurate but I think the first and last photos are closer to the true colors in the quilt except the outer border is a very dark blue, not black. Sunlight does something strange to colors even though this was not taken in direct sunlight.
I'm happy to have these blocks together and have a finished top.
This is 5 blocks by 6 blocks so it's a little squatty, but I doubled the size of the original blocks in the pattern, The Blue and the Gray, by Connie Tesene and Mary Etherington. These blocks are 9" square and 4½" square. I usually like longer quilts but I think this will be fine for a nap or the top of a bed. As it is now it measures 72" x 85½". It'll be smaller after quilting and a wash and dry.
I still need to round the corners, something I'll do just before I layer it. Now, if only I had a piece or several of good fabric for the backing. I truly don't have enough pieces of blue or grey (or blue and grey) fabrics to put a back together! It's one more top that will have to wait a while, unless I order fabric online.
I really like the idea of pieced cornerstone blocks. It's something I haven't done before and I think it adds a lot to a simple quilt pattern like this 9-patch.
I'm linking this to:
> One Monthly Goal March Finish Link-Up at Elm Street Quilts
> Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
> Beauties Pageant at From Bolt to Beauty
> Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More
> Off the Wall Friday at Nina Marie Sayre's blog
Thank you for hosting, ladies.
I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy!
--Nancy.
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I like this top, a lot. Those random blocks with the lighter brighter blue add a nice punch. Are you considering a comfy flannel for the back? We often use our less than queen size quilts on the bed, seems there's always one person who needs the extra warmth.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Pat. To begin with there was only one lighter block, which I was going to remove. Instead, I unstitched it and used a slightly darker off-white/tan fabric with the original blue then added another semi-light block, or maybe two. I think there are three in varying degrees of lightness. Wendy of The Constant Quilter encouraged me to leave the lightest one in because it was common in quilts made in the mid/late-1800s.
DeleteI hadn't considered what backing fabric to use, except I know I don't have enough of any one fabric and maybe not enough of several fabrics. I always hesitate to use flannel because I never know if it will get bally. I'll probably end up piecing the back and I have a 3X men's navy flannel shirt that I've taken apart that I could use. It seems to attract threads and lint so I hesitate with that, too. Do you have experience with flannel on the back of quilts? Have you had any problem with balling? Do they hold up well?
very nice...simple patterns but luscious fabrics and colors...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Grace. It was a great pattern to reproduce and fun to choose fabrics. I wish I'd had more C.W. era-style fabrics but even without it'll be a good quilt.
DeleteWhat a lovely finish on this quilt--I love that pattern--you did a super job on it!! The backs of my quilts are always Christmas themed...that seems to work for me...like blue and silver? for this one..Just a thought...
ReplyDelete~ ~ ~ ~ waving from afar Julierose ;)))
Thank you, Julierose. I don't believe I've ever made a Christmas quilt but while lying in bed last night thinking about possibilities for backing for this quilt it occurred to me that maybe I would have enough fabric if I made 5 stripes across the back, and I was thinking of dark blues and greys. So I guess we're thinking along similar lines.
DeleteYour Blue and Gray quilt looks fabulous! I wish now that I would have made mine big enough for a bed, although it does look nice thrown over the back of our love seat--the dog loves it--lol!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen. I like this large quilt but there's something about the smaller size that makes them so charming. And it's wonderful that your dog has a comfortable place to rest!
DeleteWhat a great quilt!! It sorta remind me of civil war era quilts... I don't know why - but that;s what popped into my head. I really really like this one!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alycia. It probably reminds you of a Civil War era quilt because I think that's what the pattern makers intended. Good eye on your part!
DeleteI am happy to see this quilt come together. It has always been one that draws me in. The fact that you enlarged the blocks means you now have a quilt that can actually keep a body warm--which is a concept I am starting to embrace a bit more. :)
ReplyDeleteNice job, Nancy!
Thank you, Janet. I'm pleased to finally have it sewn together. I've loved the pattern since I first saw it. I do like to make quilts large enough to keep a body warm but I admire the small ones that you make!
DeleteIt came out great! How quickly it came together in the final stage. You captured the inspiration quilt beautifully. Why rounded corners?
ReplyDeletelizzy
Thank you, Lizzy. Nearly everything about this quilt was quick -- except for my laying the blocks aside to find grey sashing fabric. I think this is a very speedy quilt to make.
DeleteThe original has rounded corners and, for whatever reason, they appeal to me. I probably won't make these quite so rounded as in the original. Here's a link to a photo but remember my quilt is double the size of this one. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F179440366378549745%2F&psig=AOvVaw245dbflVXIqSJujWmOWsx6&ust=1585534267986000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKDLn8nNvugCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAF
Oh, so happy for you that this is done. It must feel good. It turned out so nice. It's a quilt I would be anxious to get finished so I could use it. I probably would wait till it is quilted to round the corners so you'll have the corner to attach to the quilt frame. Does that make sense? How is Ohio doing with the virus? Our numbers are slowly increasing and I heard yesterday that they don't expect the peak here until the end of April. That's a long time to stay inside. I sure hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Robin. I'm pleased to have the blocks all together.
DeleteI was debating when to round the corners. I thought if I rounded them after quilting I would probably end up cutting away some quilting and have loose ends, which wouldn't be good. And then I thought that if I cut it before layering, there would be backing and basting to hold the top in place while quilting. I quilt in a hoop. So now that you've suggested waiting to cut the curves until after quilting I'm wondering if that might be best. Would you mark the curves before quilting and just quilt to the edges of them?
This virus mess! For the past 2 days we've added 300 more people each day who have it (and I don't think there is much testing going on, so who knows how many more people have who don't know it). And each day there are about 5 who die from it. Today, 1406 people have tested positive and 25 have died. I guess they (our state director of health and the governor) think we're staying under the curve but the DOH believes that in coming weeks as many as 10,000/day will be diagnosed with it. I pray that few of them need to go to hospitals! She also doesn't expect there to be a decrease in new cases until the middle of May. It's hard to imagine staying at home until mid-May! Sadly, my husband goes out almost every day, stops at a store or two, goes to the gas station, and/or goes who knows where else. He has a rebel spirit in this situation. I guess it's easy to imagine there's no problem when he can't see the virus and isn't near anyone who has it to see how it affects them.
Awesome scrappy quilt!! No blue or gray, nor a combo of the two for the back? I think you should check your stash of RED! :o))
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joyful! I'm still pondering and trying to imagine the back. If I were to make 5 horizontal stripes I might have enough to alternate blue and grey. Might. But you're right, red would be a wonderful back for this quilt. Sadly, I've depleted most of my larger red pieces. I would have to sew fat quarters together and I know I don't have enough. But now that you've suggested it, I'll be considering it.
DeleteWhat a great quilt this is. It shows how simple blocks can be very effective when laid out with care. Thank you for linking up to the Peacock Party.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Wendy. It was a fast and fun quilt to make. It's the first time I've made a quilt in this way, using a main block and another smaller one for cornerstones. The pattern-makers did a fabulous job, I think.
DeleteI am swooning over your version of this quilt! Nine patches and pieced cornerstone sashing are a lovely combination! I wish you were close enough that I could scoot a bin of fabrics over to you and see if there was anything you fancied for the back although I'm sure you will find the perfect solution.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen. You are so kind! Those two blocks together are a great combination. Having made this quilt makes me more aware of the possibilities of pieced cornerstones. I think they add a lot.
DeleteThanks for thinking of me with your bin of fabrics. I finally figured out a solution, which I'll post about one of these days.
Such simple blocks, but so effective in your colour choices and layout. The cornerstone 9-patches work so well. You should be very pleased with your results.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janice. I do like this quilt quite a lot and am beginning to imagine it in a different color way. Hmmm, maybe. Truly, the idea for the quilt was not my own so I can't take any credit.
DeleteGreat quilt. Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and congrats on your finish.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patty.
DeleteBeautiful quilt, congratulations on your finish!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karrin.
DeleteNice top. Pieced cornerstones are a favorite of mine. They add interesting my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jennie. I like the pieced cornerstones, too. I think the pattern for this quilt was the first time I saw them. They do add interest and it's something I'll try again.
Delete