2023 Capital Quilters Guild Quilt Show

 

About 2 years ago I began stitching tiny 2-1/2 inch blocks for a quilt called the Circa 1880 Nine Patch.  I knew it would be a long process to make a queen size quilt out of 2-1/2 inch blocks and I needed 716 of them!  I starched the fabrics I chose before cutting into it to help stabilize the 1 inch wide strips the blocks were made of.  Finished, the blocks measure 2 inches.

I've entered the finished quilt into 2 judged shows and it has won 4 ribbons, the last one being awarded last night.  The Capital Quilters Guild Show gave me a ribbon for Viewers Choice!  The quilt was chosen out of a possible 130 quilts.

Award-winning quilt!

 I entered a quilt in the Raleigh, North Carolina quilt show held by Capital Quilters Guild. It was held on Friday, and I was pleased to see a special ribbon on the quilt when I visited the quilt show. The ribbon was an award of merit for outstanding achievement in quiltmaking. It was given by the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges. This quilt took well over 100 hours to make over 14 months. It has 7934 pieces and 716 two-inch blocks. 

2 of my customers are so sweet!  They sent a photo of themselves in front of the quilt.  

Award winning quilt

 I am excited to share my Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt which won a 1st Place Blue Ribbon in a quilt show given by the Hearts & Hands Quilt Guild in Sanford, NC.  

The quilt was made using a pattern by Pam Buda, which I enlarged to make a queen size quilt.  It has 716 blocks and 7,934 pieces in it.  I started it in January 2020, finished the top in 2021 and longarmed it in August 2021.

A useful tool

 

Today I'd like to share a tip that has helped me plan out what I want to stitch on a quilt when it's ruler work or freehand.  I bought a piece of plexiglass from the hardware store and had my husband cut it to the size I wanted.  I put black electricians tape around the edge so I could see it easily.  When I want to test out a design idea I use this!  I don't remember when I learned this tip, but it's not original to me.  

Today I'm working on my Circa 1880 nine patch quilt and I'm trying out a border design that uses a curve ruler that I turn different directions.

After deciding on the design above, I marked my quilt border with the curves and I'm satisfied with the design!

I plan on entering my quilt in a quilt show in October so I need to get busy!

Circa 1880 nine-patch quilt

 I'm thrilled to say I've finished my quilt top!  This was a wonderful journey that I started in January 2020 along with many other quilters who were making the same quilt.  It's made with reproduction fabrics which I loved using. It has 7,934 pieces and 716 two-inch blocks.
 There is a facebook group of quilters who share tips and even swap blocks with each other. Now that the top is done I need to find time to longarm it!

I've already chosen my next quilt and have started the Warmth of Our Stars quilt today!  

This will be a good size, 88" x 88".

Bonnie Sullivan's flannel collection called Woolies Flannel Desert Sunset is great for this pattern.  The pattern calls for a jelly roll and yardage for the background and border.  I think it will be a great quilt to give my 20 yr old son.

Great day to be quilting!

 Back to longarming! I have a Quilt of Valor on today. On the wall behind the frame you see my current quilt top in progress. It's the Circa 1880 quilt I've been working on since last January.

Circa 1880 quilt progress

 I've been filling my time by piecing while I wait for my new longarm machine to be delivered.  It comes this Monday!  I've been working on the Circa 1880 quilt and here are some fussy cut blocks I made during the last 2 days.  I'll place these randomly as I sew the rows together.  I have a total of 600 blocks finished, I need 700 to make a queen size quilt.  Each block measures 2-1/2" and when sewn will be 2" blocks.

Here's a photo of what the finished quilt will look like!  2 friends of mine have finished their quilt!  This is a photo of Pam Buda's quilt, the author of the Circa 1880 quilt pattern.

Going into withdrawal

 

My longarm isn't working and rather than put money in to fixing it I decided to get a new longarm.  I bought a King Quilter II Elite made by Handi Quilter.  The day after I paid for it they told me it would be backordered until sometime in November.  So I'm out of work for a few weeks.  I'm going into withdrawal!  The good news is I've been able to spend time piecing quilt tops, something I haven't had time to do in a few months.

I'm working on my Circa 1880 quilt.  This is a quilt with 2-1/2" blocks when sewn are 2".  It a beautiful quilt made with reproduction fabrics.  2 friends of mine from online groups finished their quilts and had them appraised.  One appraised for $5,700 and the other one was $7,000.  Both quilts had custom longarm designs and that's what I plan on doing to my quilt when I get it finished.  

I started the quilt in January.  The pattern designer said if you work an hour a day, 5 days a week, the quilt will be done in a year.  I'm making a queen size, which will need over 700 blocks and I have 375 finished now!

In Circa 1880 mode today

I just counted the number of different fabrics I have to complete this quilt and it numbers 128. I think that's plenty to make it scrappy! I am interested in seeing how others organize their pieces as they work. I purchased a 3 tier shelf to keep next to me as I sew and it works pretty well. I have my 1" and 1-1/2" strips at hand.





Starching 128 different fabrics was a task made easier with a foldable drying rack.  I have about 95 done, and have 30+ left to go.







Update:  Saturday, Jan. 18   Here are a few of the 2-1/2" blocks, which will finish at 2" when done.  I'm making a queen size quilt which means I'll need more than 700.

These are my first blocks

I'm on my way!  The Circa 1880 quilt blocks measure 2" finished.  It certainly is a challenge getting the piecing exact.  I'm hoping to find a few people to exchange blocks with to make the quilt look more scrappy!  I've decided to make my quilt larger, a queen size, so there will be over 700 blocks in my quilt when it's finished.

Circa 1880 quilt

It's the start of a new year and I wanted a project to give me a challenge.  I found the Circa 1880 quilt and decided this was it!  I'm starting it a year after it was introduced on Pam Buda's website but it's such a great quilt I just had to start it.  Here's the picture ...

You have to open the picture to see the blocks, they are 2" finished!
Over 500 blocks make up the quilt!
Pam recommends spending an hour a day and doing it that way the quilt is finished within a year.



I'm using liquid starch on my fabrics because they will be cut into 1" and 1-1/2" strips to make the blocks.   I've never used liquid starch before.
This is my first batch of fabrics.  I used Retayne on the reds and blues before starching and I'm glad I did.  I put one red in I thought was sure not to bleed and... !

If you are doing the Circa 1880 quilt please leave me a message?  Pam's suggestion of swapping blocks with another quilter helps make the quilt look scrappy and I'd love to swap blocks with you.