Band Box and Sampler Quilts

In January, with Christmas gifts and bazaar crafting done with, I was ready to begin something new.  About 3 years ago several ladies in my quilt group decided to each make a sampler quilt.  I really liked the pattern and saved it, but it was bad timing for me.  I was just about due with Morgan.  The pattern took so many different fabrics that I was overwhelmed.  I didn't have a "stash" of fabric to choose from and it seemed nearly impossible to try to go and buy that many different fabrics.  Then about a year ago my friend sold me a set of fabric.  I bought it just because I liked it, but after I got home I realized that it could be the "beginnings" of my sampler quilt.  I was able to look through my fabric and find almost everything to go with it.  I just had to buy a few small pieces to get some more reds and greens to go with it.

Also, as soon as I saw the pattern, I had one person in mind for it . . . my dear sister-in-law, Anne.  Last year when I was showing the pattern to a friend, she told me she didn't like the chicken in it and that I should do a teacup and saucer.  Anne may like chickens, but I for sure knew she liked teacups, and I didn't really like the chicken anyway, so I decided to go with the teacup.  The only sad thing in the process was that after I had all my fabric, one of those Facebook getting to know you things was going around and I found out Anne's favorite color was blue . . . which I was using precious little of!!

I've never done a quilt with so many different kinds of blocks, but it was really fun.  When I only had the applique and "picture" blocks left, a friend asked me what my plan was . . . was I hoping to do a block a month or??  Haha . . . I had the top finished a week later:)  I was having too much fun to stop!!

Tops get done and tend to sit for a bit for various reasons.  I didn't have the fabric for backing for this one.  I was so excited to find the fabric I found.  I wanted to use flannel because it's more cozy, but printed flannels are more difficult to come by.  Then I went to the fabric store and the fabric I chose was just about the only printed flannel (in the quilting section) there.  It had all of the colors I wanted in it!!  I was hoping not to have to choose a solid, because I didn't know what I would choose.

When I made the label, I wrote "April, 2014" on it, so I had a deadline for it to get done!!

When it came time to do the actual quilting, I was kinda scared.  I laid it on my bed and would keep coming to look at it, wondering what I should do!  I've never quilted anything like this and I usually just do an all over quilt design, but this was calling for something different.  I'm happy with how it turned out.  The whole quilt was just a new experience for me!!

 Some closer up pictures.

And I just remembered when I was looking at this picture . . . in the block on the bottom center left, the two green fabrics are from your Mom, Anne:)  I used them throughout the quilt.

The back of the quilt.

All folded up and ready to send off.

When I was almost finished with this quilt top, we had our annual Stitch & Chatter Quilt Retreat.  When looking for fabric to buy for the "Band Box" quilt we were doing, I was looking for a "layer cake" (10" squares) to buy.  I wasn't really finding anything I wanted, but knew I could make a quilt for Bronwyn (even though it wasn't at the top of my list of quilts to make), so I bought fabric hoping she would like it.  I figured I'd just feel her out and if she seemed to like it, it would be for her.  Of course, she loved it.

For this quilt, we could make all of the blocks the same or a combination of small rectangles and squares.  We could also set them straight across in a line, or "on point", which I chose to do.  Another option was to cut the blocks "wonky", which I chose not to do.  All in all, we had lots of different choices on it.  Marcella taught it to us, and she did a great job and had lots of pretty examples.

I also put "April, 2014" on Bronwyn's quilt, so it was finished in a timely manner:)  Actually, I don't like unfinished projects sitting around anyway.  I was very pleased to find the flannel backing I got for her.  Our local quilt shop has a big variety of flannel, so I went there to look for some when I couldn't find anything at a large fabric store.  I was sooo happy to find the print I did . . . although it's not from the same line of fabric as the quilt top, it's made by the same designer and had the same colors in it.

A close up.

The backing.

The happy recipient:)