A Christmas Gift Quilt Finish! {Sisters Are a Plus}

I made a quilt this year for my Sister-in-love for Christmas.  It was so much fun to dream up and make since she mostly likes what I like.  And can you believe that I put this together from cutting to binding in just under one and a half weeks?  Insane.  I know.  And now you know why I was quiet on the blogging front during that time.

I can't promise that I will be putting any quilts together that fast anytime soon.  In fact, I also have to admit that I haven't touched my sewing machine since Christmas.  I know... nearly four whole days... how am I surviving?

With that, here is the making of the quilt I am calling "Sisters Are A Plus" from beginning to end.  I don't seem to have a picture of the stack of fabric I started with, but here are the rows in progress.

It's made mostly from a fat quarter stack of Lizzy House's Outfoxed fabrics.  They are so bright and colorful and covered in the cutest foxes, hedgehogs, and bunnies!  I also added in some Alexander Henry pieces and others that I had been saving for something special.

The quilt was well tested along the way by the best Quality Inspector in training.  Every time I'd have the quilt on the floor for one reason or another Sammy would dashed onto it like lightening and make herself comfortable.

Don't worry, Katie was not to be left out.  After all she is the one training little Sammy in the ways of quilty Quality Assurance. 

I did something different with the binding than I normally do.  This time around I tried out making a continuous bias binding.  And really like the whole process.  I followed the instructions I found here and here.

I found this method quicker than strip piecing and really enjoyed only having to iron one long strip of binding in half at the end.  This orange binding is so pretty... I just wanted to pet it!

And here she is.  Sisters Are A Plus!!  I used a modified version of the the Plus quilt pattern from In Color Order.  My changes added a few rows and columns to make the quilt bigger and square; finishing at about 75 x 75 inches.

And yes, if you noticed this isn't my normal grassy photo spot.  Because of the quickness of this quilt's making... it was in the washer/dryer late on Christmas eve and I found myself taking pictures of it (in a panic) Christmas morning before my Sis showed up.

All that aside.  Isn't she beautiful?  I nearly pulled the "puppy ate your quilt card" and kept this one for myself.

A closer look at the pluses and quilting.  I did the quilting in a bright orange thread and outlined each of the pieced lines 1/4 from the edge.  It's a lot of lines, but the straight quilting went quick.

You can see the result of the quilting a bit better on the back where all the resulting squares give this quilt a ton of texture!! 

I made the back from 1 yard each of five different solids which more or less coordinate with the fabrics on the front.  I put them in rainbow order... and in hindsight I might have mixed them up instead.

All in all this comes ridiculously close to my favorite quilt made of all time.

But, I am also so happy that this quilt will be adored in it's new home as much as it would have been with me.  And hey.. I can always go over for a dinner party and wisk it home with me, right? 

Ha, not happening.  You'd understand if you knew my Sister in love.



My quilt using advice to my Sis was:

• use the quilt often -- snuggling with a quilt can be like the biggest longest hug ever
• don't be nervous washing the quilt -- and hey, dirty happens
• over time, your quilt will only get softer! 

Her answer to me?  She said... yes, I know.. you make your quilts to be used. 

I have trained her well!!  Such a happy moment as another quilt leaves the nest!

I only hope that you had as much fun and success making and giving homemade gifts this year! 

It's an amazing feeling isn't it?  To give someone you adore something that you created from nothing but a stack of fabric and string.  A wonderful feeling!

Updated to mention I will be sharing this Fabric Tuesday over at Quilt Story!