Wedding Quilt

I love big quilts. I love to see patterns, curl up under one on a cold night, admire them at my friends house and to see them displayed in quilt stores. But I really, REALLY do not liking a big quilts. I make 2 sizes of quilts--baby quilts and big quilts. These big quilts measure no less than 110" long by 90" wide--and that is the smallest of the 'big' quilts I like to make.  Given that, you can image that I don't make very many quilts, and if I do, they are for special people. 

Two of my most favorite people are Nicole and Dee Dee. Nicole got married 2 summers ago and I made her this quilt which was an original pattern made with hand dyed fabric. 

With Ripley

Dee Dee is getting married next week and I am just finishing her quilt. I used a pattern from Urban Country Quilts called Market Fresh--its the one on the cover. I rarely use patterns because there is always something I don't like about the instructions, but I really liked this one. 

Here is my quilt on the design board as I was checking the layout. 

The quilt was too small at 73x92, so I decided to add 2" sashing to each block. This will make it large enough. Then I thought this quilt would be an opportunity to try the "quilt as you go" (QAYG) technique. I love to read The Quilting Edge blog, and this is where I first learned about  QAYG and I have wanted to try it ever since. I  also read about it on another favorite blog, Fibermania, where Melody shows her way of doing QAYG. Great posts, by the way..

Basically the idea is that you piece each block, then add the batting and backing and the you quilt the block. When you finish all of your blocks, you stitch them together with connector strips. I'll add a quick demo tomorrow. 

I am just about done and even though there were several 'operator errors', I will definitely do all of my quilts in a QAYG way if I can. I LOVE this method!!!  :-)