Tokyo Subway Map

Sometimes I make a quilt top with no idea how to quilt it, or what I'm going to do with the quilt.  Sometimes I just make the quilt top because I want to.  

I completed this top a few years ago, couldn't decide how to quilt it, or what to do about borders, so I  put it away.  Here is the post when I actually finished the top. I think there are 1600 2" squares in this top, it's a beautiful colorful pattern.

I came across the top about a month ago in my search for a Kona bundle (that I know I own, and still can't find) and knew immediately some matchstick quilting would be just the thing, and borders schmorders, who needs borders. But first I needed a back and maybe a huge label.

And some help with the basting (teach them young)

So here we are all nice and crinkly from washing, with a huge label so everyone knows her name. 

I quilted with 4 different Aurifil colors in a crosshatch pattern, not really a pattern though, I just quilted as I felt an area needed more.  Actually it's hard to stop matchsticking once you start, I want to do the whole thing, I made myself leave open spaces for this quilt, but I also tried to have every square touched with quilting. 

The Tokyo Subway Map pattern is available in Oh, Fransson (Elizabeth Hartman) website.  

I am pleased that I waited to quilt this until I had the perfect idea for quilting.  I know some people don't like to have incomplete projects, but I have to have the right feelings about a quilt to work on it.  Whether it's piecing or quilting, my interest needs to be piqued.  And now I have a beautiful finished quilt!

FAL - Third Quarter 2012

First of all, can I just hyperventilate for a moment - We are in the the third quarter of 2012!!!!!  Where has the year gone?  I have to get motivated to finish a few projects, and here is my motivation, I'm linking up with Rhonda's Finish Along 2012 for the third quarter, because there are prizes!  

My List of UFO's that I want off my shelf in the next three months:

1.  Tokyo Subway Map:  This top I finally completed here, in March.  I have pieces for the back cut, but not together yet.

This one is just for fun, I have no one in mind to give this too, I just love the colors and the patterns.  

2.  Sunflowers:  This one has been up on my wall for way too long - I would like this top together and quilted.  Really, someone paid me for this one and it has been months.  Luckily, they are patient or afraid me - one or the other.

3.  Wedding Quilt:  For my son and his bride who were married in May - a signature quilt, everyone at the reception signed one of these squares.  

4.  Aqua and Orange Bee Blocks:  I want to get this one finished mostly because I have fabrics set aside for the blocks that I would like to drop back into my fabric pool.  I'm still playing with the configuration of the blocks, this is a photo of one way the blocks could go.  This Bee has been over for a few months now, and I think I have had my blocks for not quite a year, I think I should get them together before I hit that year mark.

5.  Aqua and Red from NuBees:  Now this one, I am getting this together!!!  I came across this photo looking up UFO's and I have totally altogether forgotten these blocks existed.  I got them all after several months in NuBees Flickr Group last year.  I love this monthly group, because you can hop in and out as your schedule requires.  Honestly, I don't even know where these blocks are, and it looks from the photo as if they are ready to go, I can sew a few seams, and done.  I'm hunting these up today!

That's five, which is slightly ambitious on top of other things for the quarter.  I need to get sewing.  Like, right now.  It's 110 degrees here today anyway, and I'm planning on not setting foot outside.  

Keep Calm and Sew On!

Hopping the Subway

FOREVER ago, last year this time, I was in a swap to make Tokyo Subway Map Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh, Fransson!

The Flickr group was ingenious!  There were 25 of us in the group and we each made 25 of one block.  Then we sent them to one person who sent us back one of each block to complete the quilt!  Mine was Block 3.  These were my 25 of Block 3, and I posted about them waaayyy back in May 2011.  It's a really long post, so you don't need to read it all, just go look at the pretty photos.  

As things happen in groups, we were left with 3 blocks to complete ourselves to make up the whole quilt top.  I finally made my last 3 this past week. I did have to re-work one block from the exchange, but I took it apart and when I re-sewed, it fit the rest perfectly.  Getting 25 blocks not from the same machine or quilter, is going to leave you with some ill fitting seams.  But, I have to say I was very happy that these blocks for the most part were very spot on.   

In a not to often glimmer of forethought, I had left all the numbered tags on each block, otherwise I'm not sure they would have went together, in any sort of cohesive order.  The map would have been going all over the place,  Line A would have taken you to Las Vegas and then hop on Line B which would take you to Pittsburgh.  Neither of which are in Tokyo, so there you go.  

And now, this baby is all together and ready for a back.  I'm not adding a border, I think it is gorgeous the way it is.  Thank you swap group ladies, I couldn't have put all those 2" squares together without you.