2011: Finish #8 & #9

Funky #1 (54' x 54')

These quilts came about because one night  in June or July after going to the gym my friend and gym buddy Caitlin (after seeing photos of some of my finished quilts )asked if I would make one for her.

I said that I would be glad to but it would be a scrappy quilt using fabrics from my stash , it would also probably only end up around 54′ square and I couldn’t say when it would be done as I don’t like to work to timelines.

She said that it would be fine and she would be happy to get it whenever I could have it done for her.

I knew what pattern I was going to do for Caitlin after seeing Freckled Whimsy’s QuiltALong last year and falling in love with this design and putting it on my must make at some point list.  Well, some time was now and I finally had a reason for making it!

I already had quite a few four patches already sewn up from when I last made a Mary scrap quilt.  Although, I can’t remember which one it was but it was probably the Double 4 Patch.

I worked on this quilt at night for about 2 weeks before I had a thought.  Caitlin is an identical twin (and they live together).  Now what kind of mean person would I be if I made one a quilt without the other?  Not me, that’s for sure!

Funky #2 (54' x 54')

I then remembered that I had made Red Rover awhile back (15/2/09) and had then not worked out what to do with it so it just went into the pile of quilt tops finished to flimsy stage and forgotten about until I bought my bargain chest of drawers earlier in the year.

So I went rummaging in my chest of drawers and found it.  Only trouble was was that it was 20 rows by 20 rows and it only needed to be 15 square to match the other one.

It was no worries though, cause I had my trusty unpicker!

I unpicked the rows and columns I didn’t need but then I found that it was too hard to unpick the last row and column so I decided to leave it at 16 square and then I would just add a row and a column to the QuiltALong Quilt aka Funky #1.

I then left the rows on Grandma’s chair with a very nice note asking her if she could pretty please unpick them all into units.  She kindly did this for me the next day whilst I was at work.

This then meant that finishing Funky #1 was much quicker as I didn’t need to make the individual blocks, I just needed to join them all together.

The inner pattern was all sewed up by 8/7/11 and I then took both quilts to Tricia’s to find border fabric for them.  I was thinking a plain blue for Funky #1 and a purple for Funky #2.  Tricia decided that that was too boring and talked me into the stripes which worked out perfectly.  I would have never have thought to use them!

I finished putting the borders on over the weekend and sorted out the backing as well.

They both then came with me to quilt class on 14/7/11 to baste and quilt.  I basted Funky #1 whilst I was there and started quilting it as well.  I also meant to baste Funky #2 but I couldn’t be bothered (something that I would later regret!).

I then caught up with Caitlin the next night for coffee and banana cake and she mentioned that she had told her twin that I was making her a quilt and her twin (Jordan/Jordie) had said “That is so awesome!  Do you think that she will make me one too?” and Caitlin said that she had said that she didn’t think so as I was very busy.

I swear, I nearly bit my tongue off not telling her that I would make one for her as well and it was nearly done as I wanted it to be a surprise.

I was going to finish them in a leisurely fashion but I also knew that I wanted to show the quilt class girls the finished products before giving them to Caitlin.  That and I didn’t know how much longer I would be able to keep it a secret!

I worked out that I really needed to finish them this weekend for it to remain a surprise and for it to all work out.

So, Friday night I sat my little butt down in front of the sewing machine and squiggled and squaggled like mad.  I then finished the quilting and binding on Saturday afternoon for Funky #1.

Then, I turned my attention to Funky #2 and this is where I started kicking myself.  I hadn’t basted it on Thursday night like I wanted to which meant that I would now need to do it at home but it wouldn’t be as easy or as quick as if I had of done it at quilt class.

Oh well, it was too late now and I couldn’t turn back time so I cleared off the sewing table and got to work basting it.  That was then done by the time I went to bed on Saturday.

Sunday from 12noon with a half hour lunch/dinner break to 10.30pm was spent quilting and binding Funky #2.  I was exhausted and just wanted to leave it but I knew that if I didn’t finish it before my new week started I probably wouldn’t get the chance to finish it before quilt class on Thursday.

Finally, it was done and I was soooo impressed with them.  I love them both the bits and I knew that they were going to go to a good home.

Funky #1 & #2

They had their turn in front of the camera, both individually and together and then I had to wait until Thursday to show them to the quilt class girls and hope in the meantime that I didn’t spill the beans to Caitlin before Friday which is when I had decided to give them to her.

Quilt class girls absolutely loved them and couldn’t believe that I had finished them so fast (neither could I actually!).

Then, it was Friday.  Caitlin was too busy to go the gym but was still happy to meet me for coffee after I had been.

So, I dragged the quilts to the gym in sparkly gift bags and then after I had finished there I met Caitlin at the coffee shop below.

When I came in she noticed the bags and asked if I had gone shopping and I said “Yeah, something like that!”.

We then ordered and I couldn’t wait any longer, I had to give them to her.

I gave her hers first and she couldn’t believe it.  She was soooo amazed.

Then, she noticed that I had another bag and asked about it.  I said that I didn’t feel like I could give her a quilt and not Jordie one (being twins and all) so this one is for Jordie.  She freaked out about that and couldn’t believe that I had made Jordan one as well 🙂

I was sooo excited that I kept it a secret and kept on saying that as I tend not to be able to keep secrets.  Especially ones like this.

We then had to go and she wanted me to write on the gift tag that was on the gift bag and I had no idea of what to say.  Caitlin was saying “Just write anything”.  So I wrote “Yes Jordie, I will make you one as well!”

She gave it to Jordie when she got home and she loved hers as well.