Postage Stamp challenge quilt

The Hearts and Hands quilt guild that I belong to makes comfort quilts for the chemo unit at our local hospital.  Someone donated a quilt to the cause which had 2332 little 1" finished squares in it.  On a whim, our chair challenged our members to make a quilt with at least that number of 1" squares in it and the challenge was due in January of 2020.  An amazing number of members jumped in and got busy ☺.  I decided to use Bonnie Hunter's trip around the world pattern and used 1 1/2" strips that I have been collecting for a long time.  It was a lot of fun making units that made up 1/4 of a block.  I added sashings and used more 1" blocks to make 4 patch corner blocks, since I didn't have quite enough.  After I had the top finished, there was one 1/4 block that really was too light so I made one more and replaced it.  I used the light block to make the label on the back which totaled 2440 squares. 

Since this quilt is going in the stack of lap quilts for my grand kids to choose from for their grade 12 graduation, I used a Science print for the backing.  And, I used my Westalee circle rulers to quilt circles in each square.  That worked very nicely.  I found the perfect striped binding fabric in my stash and had just enough to finish it.

(Click on the photo for a larger view.) 

Finished quilt

Circle quilting

Found a striped binding fabric

Science themed backing

label

 

A very old UFO completed

On Sept. 16, 2013, I took a class with the London Friendship Quilter's Guild with Becky Goldsmith.  The class was on her method of applique.  I learned a lot in this class and I finished the applique a few years after the class! I finally came across it last month and decided while I had it in my hands, I'd finish it!  I just did a simple stitch in the ditch and then 1/4" from the edge of the house and tree and also in the borders.  Fortunately I still had some of the exact grey in my stash and I used that for the binding.  I will hang it in my sewing room.