You may have noticed, if you follow me on Instagram, that there has been a rather special birthday round here recently. My gran turned 90 on Tuesday, and so to celebrate I made her a quilt for her to actually use. This will distinguish it from the first quilt I gave her (my first ever one 3 years ago), because that one sits on top of the spare room bed. Waiting for best. Or something.
I had a fat 1/8th bundle of Sweetwater’s Reunion that I’d bought around the time I started quilting and which I was keeping for no good reason, but seemed like the perfect option for this quilt. I paired it up with some Klona navy and got cutting so that I had 480 squares. half of which were destined to become HSTs.
The idea behind the pattern was to have interlocking stars, and I’m sure I saw something along the same lines somewhere, but alas can’t remember where or when (I searched through all my Pins to no avail!) Anyway, I worked out how many squares of the 2 sizes I needed I could get out of the fat 1/8ths and went from there, then I scoured the interwebs to find a few fat quarters to make it up to the size I wanted.
I started by laying out the squares:
Running out of design wall length in the process:
Then it was on to the HSTs:
And filling in the blanks on the wall, before stacking and stacking and stacking, then sewing and sewing and sewing:
There’s 30 blocks in total, 5 in each of 6 strips, and here’s the first half of the top completed (I spaced on taking a photo of the finished top)
Then it was on to the quilting, which I did in diagonal lines, which I totally eyeballed, thanks to Sue’s suggestion, which saved my knees and sanity from trying to mark them out!
Until finally I had a finished quilt. Here’s a photo of it in my gran’s garden – sorry the right hand side is a bit rumpled up, my mum was standing on a stool and she still wasn’t quite tall enough!
And here’s the label I did for the back:
Thankfully she loved it, although it’s still hanging over her (unused) zimmer frame in the living room. The jury is out on whether it will actually be used, or just shown off in its folded up state to the neighbours and multitude of other visitors ;o)
This is a brilliant present! I made a quilt for my mum and thankfully she uses it on the day but is afraid to wash it. I am sure it will be in good use this winter 🙂
It's such a beautiful quilt. Love that navy you used, such a perfect compliment to all those pretty prints. I had to laugh when you talked about the quilt actually getting used, it seems I have the same problem with my parents and them stashing away all the stuff I make for them so it does not get messy 🙂
Cool pattern. My first quilt I gave away to FIL and I'm glad it gets plenty of use. I hope yours will too 🙂
It is lovely. Aren't grans just the best? Juliex
LOVE this quilt…it totally rocks. I do hope your Gran uses it.
Happy Birthday to your Gran too. 90 is pretty special!
Such a beautiful quilt for your Gran! I really love the navy background – it is perfect for the Sweetwater fabrics.
Such a lovely bday present. Happy 90th to your Gran!
Aw….tell her she needs to snuggle under it while watching her fav tellly shows!:) Great job kiddo!
Hi Gran, Happy 90th Birthday. Katy, she is lucky to have such a beautiful Grandaughter that would make her a quilt. The Navy is wonderful, it certainly makes it pop.
Hugs Kay
Lovely quilt. But I'm curious – what's a zimmer frame?
I hope Gramma gets to enjoy it for many years ; )
What a beautiful quilt! Gramma is one lucky lady!!
Happy 90th Birthday Gramma!!
Oh Katy!! Such a lovely quilt! I bet Gran can't get enough of gazing upon it and showing it off to her multitudinous visitors! I love the incredible shrinking Mom, too 😉 XX!
well done, great to have been of help.
Wonderful quilt Katy, I bet your gran is thrilled to bits with it.
Either way, whether she uses it or just brags about it, it's a sign she loves it. And you! Great quilt!!!
It's totally gorgeous! Love all that navy! Jxo
Love the notion that this quilt has progressed to "hung neatly on a zimmer frame in the living room" from laid out on the spare bed for best… Love granny. Need to make her another quilt and see if it gets to progress to the sofa! x
I love how Grans save things "for best" … I bet she treasures it 🙂
It's a very cool quilt. Get you with all the hst's too!
Gorgeous quilt, I really love the navy!
Don't you love how grandparents save everything for best!!
I bet she's delighted! It's like an optical illusion – I find s star then lose it again! Fab fabric choices!
the quilt in the spare bedroom for "best" and the quilt in the zimmer frame made me laugh. Reminded me of our much missed nana, loved everything I made her, showed it off to every home help, minister or visitor who crossed the door step, but doubt that they were ever used!! Beautiful quilt Katy.
That's beautiful! Happy birthday to your gran! 🙂
Your gran is a lucky lady and so are you to have her in your life.
What a fabulous quilt!