You might remember that sometime in the last month or so that I wrote a blog post asking if any of you had ever made every quilt in a quilt book. The idea has stuck with me and that’s exactly what I’m going to attempt. I’m even giving myself a goal….that means I am serious. If you missed that post it’s here.
Here’s my plan. I am taking Bonnie Hunter’s String Fling book and am making EVERY quilt in the book. Here’s where I was at the last tally.
There are 13 quilts in the book.
I have 8 completely finished.
I have the 2 Zuckerwatte quilts done now
I have Pineapple Crazy pretty far along.
I have three not started.
That has since changed. The two Zuckerwatte quilts are almost finished….and the other three formerly not started quilts have some progress….not a lot but some. Today I’m going to tell you a little bit about my experience with the quilt Daylilies from the book. The quilt has had me a little intimidated….correction. A lot intimidated.
I decided one block…if I hate it, I can have a pass on this quilt.
I like quilting for ease. I don’t pick quilts with in-set seams. I don’t pick quilts with applique. I decided that I would make one block. If I hated it, I wouldn’t make it but I had to give one block a fair try….here’s what happened.
I cut out one block and sewed it when Connie, Jody and Kelli came for a quilting day. I figured I might need a little moral support…It turns out I didn’t have a problem sewing the inset seams at all…BUT I did have another problem that I overcame.  I was using batiks so it’s harder to orient the blocks the right way as with batiks there is no right or wrong side. I had to rip once but got the pieces turned the right way. Then I ended up with a different problem.
There is an incorrect measurement listed in the directions. The corner block with the flowers needs to be cut at 2 1/2″ not the 2″ I tried and tried but there is no way the 2″ piece works in the corner of the flower block. You might want to make that correction in your book.
Once I got that figured out I was in business and working on the block making the other matching flower blocks needed to make the large flower block. I felt really comfortable with the inset seams and was not longer worried about that part of the block at all. I set that all aside happy that I might be about to tackle this quilt.
Next up on a day in the future I planned to tackle the applique. That day came the next day during nap time. I had dug around, sure that I had some applique bars that would help me make the stems. I had bought them YEARS ago and didn’t remember using them.
I figured out that I wanted the strips to be 3/8″ wide. That left me cutting bias strips 1 1/4″ wide.
I put the rod in and manipulated the fabric so the seam was in the back.
I pressed and then pulled the rod out and pressed again.
Now it was time to figure out how to place the applique pieces on the fabric. I ironed my fabric on the diagonal. That left me with a guide of where to place the main stem.
I ended up making a dot 5 1/2″ up from the bottom corner. That left me with a place to start the curved stem at.
Then I checked…I and measured 2 1/4″ down from the upper corner. This is necessary so that I can have the stem in the right place when it meets up the the flower part of the block.
In the end I pinned the pieces in place like this.
From there I made a master block so that if in case I want to make this whole quilt of these blocks, I’ll have a guide.
The next day over nap time…I stitched it all in place. Then that night, I got brave and sewed it all together!! Here’s how my block looks.
The process of making this block wasn’t too bad. I did it and it didn’t kill me! I still have to add the leaves but that’s doable. I think I am going to go for it and tackle this quilt. I can work on the applique during nap time if I want. As you can see I’m going to do it in batiks…can you believe I’ve already got a project box started for it.
I’m not rushing through this one but hope to get some prep work done so that I can stitch them in the evenings once Hubby’s done with harvest and we watch television a few evenings if I decide not to do it during nap time. So with that, it looks like I started another project!!
I love your block, of course purple makes anything lovely. Good choices for your fabric. Happy stitching!
Jo, This quilt is going to be absolutely beautiful! Love the first block.
Love your block! The batiks look fantastic! Wondering if the mistake you found has been documented. Frustrating to work on a quilt only to have a problem with the pattern. I will have to try to remember to always make a test block before cutting out the whole quilt.
Jo you are getting your moneys worth from that one book! I quit buying books because I rarely make more than two quilts from a book, the most has been three! The block is really pretty!
Gorgeous! I adore your green batik! I love handwork in the evenings.
The colors of your block are so rich, beautiful! I really love your block as is, without the leaves. But, of course, that is your choice to add them. Can’t wait to see your quilt with the lovely batiks. Thanks for letting us know the correction.
It’s beautiful. So glad you are going to make it with the colorful batik fabrics.
WOW! Looks really good!
It’s really pretty…..love the colors…
Love this quilt. Love the fabric and colors. Happy stitching
Gorgeous!
I have never tackled so much applique in one quilt and I really like your pressing sticks for making the stems, clever. Your block is marvelous and I look forward to seeing more of them get put together. Thank you for letting us know about the correction, I will mark my book.
It was those bias stems that scared me off. I tried a couple of years back and just couldn’t make them happen… future plans involve rick rack.
As was already commented, purple always makes a beautiful quilt and batiks will make it even more so. I just checked Bonnie’s Errata page and did not see this correction under “String Fling” but will try to remember if I ever make this quilt. It could be that a later printing of the book has already had the correction made.
Thank you for the lovely “candy” you have provided us!
I am so impressed ——-every quilt. I am doing the talkin turkey and am on the flying geese part. I have used a LOT of my red scraps so know is you have made all the quilts in the book you are really scrap bustin your stash. Bonnie is coming to KC and I am hoping I can get into her workshop so have a deadline to finish this. I also want to do Jamestown Landing some day.
Stopped by to check out your bise bars post
I forgot —– went to my book and was going to change the 2″ to 21/2 but it must have been corrected in mine. I could not find where it called for 2″ corner triangle. Do you tone down her quilt pattern or are they as noise in person as some of them look in the book?
Its me again your block is beautiful love the deep purple batik . Do you have pics of the other quilts posted somewhere?
me again after asking about pictures went back and hit button for previous post and found them . Beautiful now it makes me want to make all the quilts in the book and you do use a lot of scrap stash on her string quilts.
Janice
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