2nd Bonnie Hunter quilt top finished!

I finished the 2nd quilt top from the Bonnie Hunter workshops.  Woohoo!  I took this Tulip Fields class on Wed, May 18th.  I did do prep work before the class.  I redrafted the pattern to make the blocks 'supersized'.  Bonnie's blocks finish at 7.5" (4 flower blocks with sashing) while mine finishes at 15".

my redrafted pattern

The Tulip Fields pattern is found in this book.

String Fling by Bonnie Hunter

Bonnie's version has LOTS more tiny blocks

Here is the center of my quilt (no borders yet).

76" square center of quilt

I made 70 string blocks for the border and also, for another project,  The border took 42 string blocks.

70  8.5" string blocks

string border strips, ready to be stitched onto the center of the quilt

Here is my finished Tulip Fields quilt top.

Tulip Fields quilt top

my son holding the Tulip Fields quilt top

I'm going to stitch the extra string blocks together to make a long, narrow quilt, to cover our pillows.  Hubby doesn't like pillow shams, so, this will make the pillow area of our bed look nicer.  I haven't decided if I want to make a few more Tulip blocks or not.  I have enough material.

All the fabric in this quilt, except the rust colored sashing, is from my stash.  It didn't make a dent.  I've used up most of the background fabric, but, I have yards and yards of the red left (and all the other colors, too). 

up close so you can see the background fabric better

 This quilt top was stitched on my purple Featherweight, Betty Sue.

Betty Sue, stitching on borders

It was fun using an electric machine, since I usually use hand cranks.  I gave Betty Sue a good cleaning and oiling before I started stitching the borders on.  This quilt will be for ME!  Other than some small wall quilts, or quilts from block exchanges, I don't have any of my quilts.  I always give my quilts away.  Not this time! 

Both quilt tops, from both Bonnie Hunter classes, finished, in a month!  That may be record breaking for me;)

Here is the other quilt I finished last week.

Happily Scrappily Irish

I have a mammogram in the morning.  I may take the day off from sewing.  I do have some things I need to get ready for the Michigan TOGA (Treadle On Gathering & Academy) June 10th-12th.  If you want to know more about the TOGA, here is a link to last years post.  

Bonnie Hunter, Part 1

Today was the first day of Bonnie Hunter classes with one of my quilt guilds.  This was the Tulip Fields class.  I didn't want to make those tiny, tiny blocks, so I re-drafted mine, and made them MUCH larger.  I showed my 'prep' work for these classes in a previous post here.

I got all of my block parts finished, except the sashing.

64 Tulip Fields blocks

I wasn't sure if I liked the size I picked for the sashing, so, I didn't cut any of that fabric until class today.  I finished one block, and sashed it.

Tulip Fields block with sashing

I didn't want my quilt to be as busy as Bonnie's quilt, so, I made the blocks larger, and made the sashing larger, too.  Now to cut the rest of the sashing, so that I can sew the blocks together.  I also have to square up the rest of the tulip blocks.

I'm using Betty Sue, the purple Featherweight on this quilt. 

Betty Sue next to one block

The block above, with sashing, measures 21" square.  My quilt will finish, with borders, as a queen size quilt.  I still have lots of border string blocks to finish making, too. 

Here are the other ladies in the class, along with Bonnie.  There were 6 Featherweights at this class, including a mother and daughter table, each with their own Featherweight.

Diane sat across from me

Bonnie and some class members

LOTS of strings!

a string of tulip triangles

Bonnie speaks at our guild tomorrow night (Pride of the Prairie Quilt Guild).  I'm taking a 2nd class on Friday.  Bonnie is teaching 3 classes this time. 

Lots of Stitching

Bonnie Hunter is coming to one of my quilt guilds in less than 2 weeks.  I'm taking 2 of the 3 classes. 

The first class, I've had the book for, for a very long time.  I'm using it as my 'Let's Book It' for May at Vrooman's Quilts. 

I've had this book since it came out

Tulip Fields quilt pattern

I've known about this class since last October.  Bonnie is great, but, she loves tiny blocks.  Me, I prefer much larger blocks, so, I re-drafted the block, to make it bigger.

my re-drafted block

finished block, with sashing (re-drafted)

 Bonnie's blocks finish at 3", mine finish at 6".  Fewer blocks, and a larger quilt. 

I started sewing the string blocks for this quilt.  All my string blocks are done, and sub-cut.  Woohoo!  I do have a few strings left, for more string blocks.  I think I 'over cut' a bit ;)

whole 12"x12" box of strings left to be used

So far, I've finished the strings, and also stitched the triangles together for this block. 

what I've stitched so far

The only thing I haven't cut is the fabric for the sashing.

sashing fabric

The sashing fabric is the only fabric in either quilt that didn't come from my stash.  It is a 'rust' color (the picture doesn't show it well).  'Cheddar' was a bit too much for me. 

I'm making this quilt on Betty Sue, my purple Featherweight.

Betty Sue

 Hubby made me something to use with the button controller.  I don't like the button controllers.  I keep 'missing' the button.  This wooden piece works GREAT!  I spray painted it purple, to match the machine.  Now hubby needs to make me another one, to use with my other machines.

button controller with it's new 'foot control'

open foot control

Hubby made indention's where the 4 'feet' are on the controller, so that it doesn't slip.  It works great! (Thanks Sweetie!)

Oh yea, I told you about the great spool pin doily that Gina made for Betty Sue, at the TOGA.  I finally took a picture of it. 

shuttle tatted spool pin doily that Gina made

The second class I'm taking, I didn't find out about till about 2 weeks ago.  I thought I had the book, but, I can't find it, so, I ordered one.  I'm using the same blues and greens in both quilts, with some added for the 2nd quilt.

book for 2nd class

Happily Scrappily Irish

I'm actually making this quilt in the sizes it calls for, but, instead of using all colors, I'm limiting mine to whites and creams for the lights and blues/greens/teals for the dark fabrics.  I pulled out 30+ blues/greens/teals for this quilt, and, at least a dozen different whites and creams. 

This quilt calls for almost 2000 2" squares.  LOTS of cutting.  I have no clue how many 2" squares I've cut out, but, I have almost enough to make 2 quilts, I think.

these are my extra squares

I started out making the connector pieces.  It takes 264 connector pieces for the quilt.

more than 264 connector pieces

Next is making 4 patches.  You need 264 4 patches.  So far, I've only stitched lights and darks together.  I still need to turn them into 4 patches. 

567 2 patch parts, that need to be 264 4 patch units

There are 2 different blocks for this quilt.  I started on the 2nd block, too (the large white areas).  Each one has strips with 2" blocks in the corners. 

some have been stitched (or partly stitched)

many more are still waiting to be stitched

I've spent 3 full days, and this is all the stitching I've gotten done for this quilt.  This won't be a 'quick' quilt to make. 

I'm making this quilt on a hand crank.

1927 Singer 15 hand crank

I really should be in my sewing room, working on these quilts, but, we are finally having a warm, sunny day, and I don't really want to sew, at least till later.  I think I'll go 'mess around' some, instead. 

Hope you all have a great weekend.  We're expecting more rain, tomorrow. 

Happy Mother's Day! to all the mother's out there.