Stars and Stripes Quilt

"Ohhhh....say can you see....."

 In unison ".....by the dawn's early light..."

Yes. No need to ask.  I love this quilt!

  I bought the Hexa go-go book last year and I cannot express my love enough for this book and quilt. It turned out to be better than I imagined!

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I started prepping my hexies at the end of December and had them all finished by the end of January.

The next months consisted of laying out

and hand piecing the blue section and rows together. 

I decided to cut out all fifty stars and raw applique them. I had attempted a few hand embroidered stars but didn't like the direction they were going. 

It was at this point when I appliqued the hexie rows on the backgrounds, that my plans for a Fourth of July throw changed a significant direction.  What I imagined to be a large throw became more.

 It was then, that my darling husband suggested that I hang it in the newly painted/rearranged game room. The boys have sports pennants, posters, and paraphernalia galore in the room.
 Doesn't a flag seem fitting? The one thing ALL the sports have in common?

When I had the "throw" mindset, I was going to skip the pieced borders.

I am SO glad I didn't. 

Love all my neutral "black and white" bits!  Memoirs fabric scraps?  Can I have more please?

I love this bit with the word ducklings, because I have always called my boys ducklings when we go out en mass to the store or zoo.  "Make way for ducklings!" 

The tiny blue paisley border?  A nod to our new home, Texas.


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The quilting. 


I originally thought I would quilt like the book. However, when I loaded it on my machine?
 It begged me to get a little daring. 

A wonky pattern back and forth frames the pebbled and curved frames for the wonky "bow tie" blocks.

A looped-y-loop pattern along the rows.

With reversed curves on the hexies themselves.

A reverse curved pattern around the stars.

Which resembles flowers on the back.

Meandering in blue variegated.   And yes.  That white in the middle does look a little "yellow".
 I ran out of Kona White scraps and popped a few Kona Snow hexies about!  I really like it!

The backing seems to have a way to enhance and hide the quilting on the back.
It's a cool French script by Tim Holtz.

It evokes thoughts of my favorite mini series, John Adams. He wrote his lovely Abigail frequently from Paris. Maybe in French?  If not, they were allies right?

And the binding.  I have had this red ticking in my stash and had just enough for this quilt.
 I liked that it was soft and didn't detract from the quilt itself.

I know I'm no Betsy Ross, but I am so happy to be able to have this hanging in my home, as soon as I get the sleeves in the next few days. I need hubby's help to hang it this weekend. It is QUITE heavy!

Oh, and other than the backing?
ALL SCRAPS and STASH I ALREADY HAD!!!!!!

"....and the la-a-nd of the free........"

God bless America!

(Had to share the blowing in the wind shot. I can't help myself!!)

Linking up to Bloggers Quilt Festival
(Category Wall Hanging) Entry #73
Voting begins today!

Quilt Stats:
Measures 102" x 70"
Pattern: Stars and Stripes from Hexa go-go book
Fabrics:  Scraps, Kona White, Kona Snow, Kona Red
Pieced by:  Heidi Grohs @ Buttons and Butterflies
Quilted by: Heidi Grohs on Avante HQ 18" Longarm Machine

Thanks for stopping by, stick around. I have more quilts to come.
 Christmas is arriving and my WIP list is quite long!

****EDITED TO ADD:  

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT'S FINAL SPOT IN OUR HOUSE, YOU CAN SEE IT ON THIS POST.****

Home Stretch {WIP Wednesday}

I am getting pretty pumped!

I am three quarters of the way done binding my Stars and Stripes Quilt!

I loaded it last week on ole Betsy.  I had planned on following the example from the Hexagogo book. 

But I was carried away and it took much longer than I had anticipated.

Especially since hubby was gone all last week!

I am extremely happy with the dense quilting since it is going to be a wall hanging. And after blinding it with it on my lap the past few days? I don't think anyone will want to curl up under it. It is heavy and huge!

After binding, I have to make hanging sleeves.

My goal is a complete finish by end of business day on Thursday!

Which Way is UP? {WIP Wednesday}

I honestly have no idea which direction I am coming or going this week!   At this point?  I'd just like someone to say, "Hey....the sun is up THERE!". 

When I hear moms complain that school couldn't come soon enough for them? I just can't even imagine.  School is only a week into the new year.  Homework and school sports are already in full force.  I want summer back!!!!!

Things are hit and miss with time now, so I have been taking advantage of naps and the wee hours between sending the older boys to school and little man rising. It isn't a lot, but it seems to be just enough for me!

Finishes:

Monday, I was commenting.... whining that I had seven quilt tops waiting to get on my machine.  I am happy to say that that number is now five!!!

I get to bind, bind, bind next.  My absolute favorite part!  Can't wait to share the final quilts!

In Progress:

Ironic that two of my projects this week are from the HexaGoGo book?  Nope. I just love these projects!

Stars and Stripes

I finally sat down with my scrap stash this weekend and managed to get the pieces for the border cut and the blocks pieced.

  Now to just finish piecing the blocks together!

Argyle Quilt

I was moving quickly last weekend, but have slowed a bit the past few days. 

That's okay though, I am a lot further than I ever imagined I would be!

At this point I have one more commissioned memory quilt and four family quilts that I was hoping to have done by Christmas.   But I never specified that it had to be THIS Christmas, did I?

We shall see!