Quilts for Boston – JMQG First Two Sew-Ins

Aren’t Quilters the Best?

So many of the members of our guild contributed to making blocks for the Quilts for Boston request made by our sister guild, Boston Modern Quilt Guild last April after the horrific bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Here are the twelve blocks we sent up north.    They were already selected for inclusion in quilts when I attended a sew-in in Acton, Massachusetts on June 12th.  I did bring back roughly 80 blocks to make four quilt tops back in Jacksonville.   At our June guild meeting we looked at the blocks and talked about using sashing to create more negative space, thereby giving us the ability to make more than four quilt tops.

Here’s the quilt top I started, when I returned from Boston.  It was all done until I decided to pull out one block to add the yellow embroidered block.   Sometimes the designing process just never ends!

Here’s a close-up of the machine embroidered block…

Still need to cut those jump stitches!

At our first Sew-In at the Viking Sewing Gallery at the Town Center on June 20th, Robin selected twelve “star themed” blocks to sash in Kona gray.   Here, we have the dynamic duo of Robin and Michelle sewing and pressing.   What a great team they make.

At our Saturday, June 22nd, Sew-In at Country Crossroads Quilt Shop in Orange Park, I was thrilled to have our wonderful hostess Lynn available plus  Lora, Candi and our new member Lynn Stevens.

Here Lora is setting up our design wall.

It’s amazing how well cotton sticks to flannel without having to use a thousand pins.

Decisions, decisions

Here we are sorting through the blocks to find just the right ones for that specific design we each had in our own mind.

Lora and Candi quickly decided to minimize the number of blocks they would use and to create their quilt tops with lots of negative space.

Here is Lora’s initial design, which has as her inspiration a quilt she saw at QuiltCon.   Her plan is to use Kona white minimal sashing and Kona grays in the background to create a framed shading for the blocks.

I cannot wait to see what she finally comes up with.    I’m hearing there may be some foundation paper piecing included.

Here is Candi using a low volume geometric fabric donated by Andover Fabrics to create borders for her selected blocks.

Candi reports her quilt top is complete and she is ready for sandwiching and machine quilting at this coming Saturday’s sew-in.

Lynn decided to create a design using white sashing on two sides of the blocks and then offset the columns for her quilt top.   Here she is showing us her finalized design.

This one will be stunning when complete.

To date, we have five gorgeous comfort quilts in varying stages of completion.

So, are you inspired yet?

Well, then join us at one or both of our next two Quilts for Boston Sew-Ins:

• Thursday, June 27^th – 6-8:30 pm @ the Viking Gallery at the Town Center
• Saturday, June 29^nd – 10:30 am -1:30 pm @ Country Crossroads

We still have plenty of blocks to choose from.   Can you hear them calling out to you?  “Please pick me….I want to be in a quilt. too.”

Hope to see you there.

Yvonne