[Gretchen Ann]

In 2013 I participated in a 3" finished block exchange. There were 6 participants, we made 6 sets of 6 different blocks. We exchanged twice during the year for a total of 72 blocks.

I sewed my blocks together last spring and wanted to get her hand quilted this summer but that never happened. I decided I was going to machine quilt her on my sewing machine; took a friends advice and used a decorative stitch. The black thread doesn't show up on the top very well, but it got the job done.

I used beige thread on the back. The black thread does show some, but it doesn't matter to me, IT IS FINISHED! :nanner:

Here are a picture of the whole quilt, then close-ups of the blocks, then of the back.

 

[Kris in MI]

Very nice! I think the black thread shows up fine, not too overpowering, just enough color to define the edges of the blocks.

 

[FarmChix]

Wow, kudos to you ladies who did the blocks. Adorable quilt!

 

[DW]

That is really neat...3" blocks are amazing!

 

[Belfrybat]

Oh, that is absolutely darling. What a lot of work your group went to in order to come up with such intricate blocks. And great job assembling and quilting it!

 

[Maura]

Wow! Are those blocks hand pieced/appliqued?

 

[Gretchen Ann]

There is a variety of blocks; hand embroidery, machine embroidery, hand applique, machine applique, foundation paper pieced, hand pieced and machine pieced.

It is really interesting to just look at them, all so different. We each used whatever technique we wanted to use.

 

[Melissa]

That is amazing!!!

 

[used2bcool13]

Once I saw 3" blocks, I had to look. All I can say is Wow. Is that a herringbone stitch?

 

[Gretchen Ann]

I think herringbone stitch sounds right, it's one of the stitches on my machine. I like it the best.

 

[used2bcool13]

Gretchen did you use a pattern or did you come up with your own? My problem would be keeping that little block square, but I definitely have enough fabric, lol..

I really like that quilt!!

 

[Gretchen Ann]

I came up with the set of the blocks. I used black because I thought black would coordinate with everything and I used yellow as cornerstones because something needed to lighten up all that black.

I like red so I used red for the border.

I would not have made this quilt if I would have had to make the 72 blocks individually. Since I only needed to make 6 sets of 6 blocks twice, it was much more easy. We each made what we enjoyed piecing.

 

[scooter]

It turned out great! I don't have the patience to do 3" blocks, so I appreciate all the work that went into them.

 

[Mrs. Thankful]

This is stunning!

 

[RedDirt Cowgirl]

Technically amazing! So crisp, the stitching is a perfect pick, colors and pattern. It reads like the old hand feather stitching in the squares. Your signature square is really nice too. Outstanding!

Is that a pocket on the back corner?

 

[Gretchen Ann]

In our 2nd exchange, everyone was supposed to make one of their blocks a signature block. It just makes the quilt more special.

The triangle on the back is the label. I sew a piece of double fold fabric on the top of the triangle, press toward the strip, mark light lines on the label and print on the information.

Using a very fine point pen, (I think they're called micron pens?) I wrote the names of all the ladies who participated in the exchange, that I arranged the quilt top and quilted it, my location and the date the project was finished. You need to press the label with a HOT iron to set the ink. I do this several times to make sure it is set. I sew the label onto the back of the quilt before I sew the binding on.

I try to label all my quilts. They won't all survive 100 years, but down the road, the ones that do survive will have the information when people wonder who made it.

It would have been nice if quilters of long ago would have done this. How often do we wonder who made an old quilt? I'm sure they felt this would have been "prideful" and of course that is a sin, but I am "proud" of every project I finish. :bouncy: They not all "WOW" quilts but I still feel an sense of accomplishment.