50 states quilted for a new friend

I got a call awhile back asking if I could put a top together and quilt it for a couple in the next town over.

Of course I told him I don't quilt for the public.

I ask the man where he 'got' my name and he said from a friend of mine at a blood drive 4 years eariler.
He had kept my number 'just in case'.

His wife had been embroidering her 50 state blocks for almost 40 years.  She had just finished and really wanted to see them in a quilt that she could pass on to her daughter.

How could I not at least meet them and 'see' what she had in mind.  I took my 50 state top to show a possible setting.  She loved mine and wanted hers exactly like it, only in solid blue, like the sky.

I hoped to get it done and back to them by Thanksgiving.  Well to make a short story long, yesterday at 2.30 in the afternoon I got to deliver the future keepsake.  I also got the nicest hug and thanks.

She is so excited that she told me this quilt is going on their bed!  Her daughter is just going to have to wait her turn to get it.  I have to say that made me smile!

Never give up on your goals.  One stitch at a time will get the job done.

50 state flowers- Do I Want or Need Borders?

With out Borders this top is 80 x 92 (ish)

The setting strips are a white background with purple flowers and green leaves.

The setting sqs are a green Tone on Tone leaves and match the green in the strips.

The butterflies are raw-edge applique and still need their antennas added. The large wing is a darker purple print and the smaller wing is a light purple Tone on Tone

Question is: If I choose to do a border, what would look good?

I don't want to go to fancy b/c this is a pretty simple setting.

Normally I would do a small inner border, then another small and then a bit larger (if using 3 fabrics) What colors? What order? What sizes? I also have plenty of the light material used for setting strips. Materials available: Dark Purple print, Lt. Purple, Green, Light setting strips

Hard to believe this top started out looking so different! Here's the before photo- cw

50 state flowers WIP (I don't do UFO's)

Jill had asked the question:

What are the main reason(s) you put PIGS and UFOs to the side.

I interpreted it to be:
Why do you have UFO's?

Not that I would admit to having any but if I did it would be b/c I think faster then I sew.

Case in point- I pulled 11 projects to work on in 2011. All are in some stage of progress.

I can pick them up and put them down at any time. (I really don't have a problem, it's the other sewers that have UFO's)

I have never been bothered by an Unfinished project. In fact I love them. I love to take blocks from others and re-create them into something that says :'Cheryl has been here'.

I love taking pieces I have worked on and re-evaluate them at later dates to upgrade to what ever I am interested in that moment.

In my mind I really don't have UFO's b/c I can start back on anything that interests me any time I want too.

I never put a date on a TO DO item. I don't sew for profit so I am not constrained by time.

I do journal (through my blog) my progress or at least my thought process. On individual quilts I have been known to print out the 'story' behind the piece when it is gifted to the recipient.

Some quilts take years to get to their final destination, it doesn't make them UFO's, they are just Late Bloomers!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

In reality I have as many UFO's as the next gal, I am just in denial and it is fun to annoy Jill b/c I know she has WAY more then me (I don't care what her number is, it is more then mine- if I had one)

50 state flowers is not sewing its self together but I am making progress. My distraction is I want to start playing with border ideas.

Probably another reason, things get piled up is I get too many ideas and have to wait till the brain settles on one to move forward with.

Now it is your turn, if you have UFO's- Why and..... When are you sending them to me?

50 States quilt- UFO- work in progress!

I decided to work on one of my 11 in 2011.

A flip of the coin pulled up the 50 flowers quilt. This was an auction purchase.

I did a bit of work with the seam ripper and promptly lost interest.

Think it had something to do with ironing 50 blocks!

My firsts thoughts were to iron, re-size and re-set.

After spending the time to take this apart, I had a close up and personal experience. My revelation is: I just don't like this blue fabric.

In fact if anyone wants it I will send it to you.

Because the original person used a lot of purples in the embroidery work, I wanted to find similar fabrics to work into the setting strips and borders.

I was not a fan of the On Point Setting.

I counted twice and all 50 state blocks are here! I don't know of any straight set for 50. I either needed to set 7 x 7 and use one as a label on the back. Or go with a 7 x 8 setting and add six blocks.

I was able to find enough of a couple of fabrics to do setting strips and sqs. I should get a few borders out of it too.

Question was, What do I do with the additional 6 blocks?

I am not in the mood to embroidery.

Answer is as usual- Raw Edge Applique some Butterflies. They seem to be my GO-TO block of choice.

The Win-Win is the butterflies can be made from the fabrics I am using for sashings.

Blocks are laid out in ABC order. All need re-sized. The Butterflies look a little dark, but I think will blend in after the sashings are on.

Here are the first 4 blocks I worked on. The rest will have to wait till later.

Every thing is cut and ready to go. About time for me to loose interest again- NOT!

So what are you doing on your snow day?- cw