A post from Kelli–
Mom and I kind of have this ongoing joke that if I don’t like a quilt design, she should make it and then I’ll like it. So far, this has been the case every time! There have been lots that I’ve liked a part of or the color of, and always think, “Oh, that’s nice, but I want to change this part or that part.” But then I get scared because I don’t want to go through all of the work to maybe have it look the way that I have in mind. Usually that’s the way that mom makes it and then I know I’ll love it.
The same thing happened with Garden Party by Bonnie Hunter. This quilt was featured in the May/June 2015 issue of Quiltmaker. We also had a quilt featured in the same magazine, Strawberry Sundae, so when we got the advance copies, Mom and I were both squealing. At the time, I was busy with school and so the magazine got set aside and forgotten about. I always liked it, but thought I maybe wanted to do a different border of some kind and maybe make it a bit bigger.
Fast forward to this year and when mom was on her break from childcare while she was doing radioactive iodine therapy, she got her Garden Party quilted. When I was home, we had a binding party and she got it bound. As normal, I was in love–with larger and no borders! I decided that while I’m on break until June 28th, I’m going to jump right in and make a Garden Party of my own.
I’m planning on making mine a bit bigger, so I did a bit of math and I think that if I make 169 blocks, I should be good. Here are all of my blocks that I have done.
And yesterday, I started working on the nine-patch blocks, so I have them started here. I love strip piecing and so these 9 patches should be a breeze.
This week, I’m working a few overnights so that I can get trained in to work 2nd and 3rd shift at the nursing home, so I’m trying to adjust a bit to that schedule temporarily and sneaking in a little bit of sewing time on the side.
Stay tuned to next week! I’m hoping to have made some major progress on this one!
Kelli, you and your mother have inspired me to pull out that issue of the magazine and start cutting my scraps. I think this is the perfect pattern for my many scraps.
Kelli, sometimes I’m not really happy with a pattern and it’s only ‘almost’ what I want. Seeing it in a new color-way or some other tweak can completely change my mind about it. I think you’re part of a pretty large crowd. Good for you for starting your own Garden…Party.
Kelli, I know what you mean about the strip piecing. I wish more quilting directions had strip piecing shortcuts added. Sometimes when I read the directions about cutting out all those small pieces, it makes me delete it from my wish list, because it looks like it will take too long to make.
Hi Kelli! I remember when she first started working on that. The blocks really started flying. When she finally posted about her finished Garden Party Quilt, I really loved the look she got with more blocks and no border! I can’t wait to see how yours starts coming along.