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Friday, January 16, 2015

The 11 Year Quilt

I don't make functional quilts anymore.  I made a few functional quilts before I realized I could make artwork using fabric (and some of those quilting techniques).

Before Christmas, my friend mentioned that she was planning to make bed quilts for her sons.  It got me thinking that I had started a quilt for Anna when she was probably around 6 or 7 years old.  I had followed a pattern and had all the blocks made.  What had stopped me from actually finishing it was the border.  In the pattern, the border was made up of triangles on their side with appliqué flowers in between.

Since my daughter is graduating from high school this year, I thought maybe I should dig out those blocks and finally finish them into a useful quilt.  I had made her a baby quilt and a Pokemon wall quilt for her, but none she could actually use to keep warm.  The few bed quilts I had made were given to other family members. I do not even have one for my own bed.

I dug out the squares which were made from flannel.  I had kept the extra fabric with the squares so I could finish the border.  I decided to go with a simple border instead of the what the pattern showed. Since I had started the quilt when Anna was very young, the pattern is of doll-like figures. Also, when I had made the blocks, I changed the colors of the pattern so that the "dolls" had different skin tones instead of just black.

The pattern is not very appropriate for a college-bound student, but she doesn't have to take it to college.  And I know she would have much preferred a Dr. Who quilt.  But it was time to finish this one. My husband and Anna were away visiting colleges just before Christmas and this gave me the time to work on it without having to keep putting it away.

Here are the blocks and border up on the wall before I sewed them together.


And here is Anna wrapped up in it.


Another project completed and out of the closet.  However, I had made a lot of blocks and I did not use them all in this one.  There are enough to make another lap-size or smaller quilt.  They are back in the closet.

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