Stars on Ice: Vintage Reimagined

/ quiltinggail

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March’s Island Batik Challenge

I love working with Tri-Rec rulers.  I know they were not around when my Grandma did a lot of quilting, but I do know that she used cereal boxes and the like to make templates for her quilts.  I have no idea if she ever made the block that I used in this month’s challenge.

I found a block … Screen Shot 2019-02-11 at 2.20.24 PM 54-40 or fight in EQ 7.   The history of this block was from the 1800’s when the British and the Americans were deciding on the border between the USA and what is now known British Columbia. Many people wanted the 54th longitude and the 40th parallel.  They finally settled on the 49th parallel as the dividing line for between the USA and Canada.  As I child growing up in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, I was aware that Victoria was below the 49th parallel.  Also,  as we rode the ferry to Vancouver, we always travelled through US waters.  How much different would my life have been if the border had been 54 -40?  You can read more about the history HERE.   img_2943

Also, for this challenge, I wanted to use this wonderful fabric stack and the coordinating yardage.   I just LOVE each fabric in this collection: “Icicle.”  Isn’t it pretty?

I spent a lot of time with EQ, downloading the fabric images, and designing the quilt.  On point? Straight? Sashing? No sashing?  I think I ended up with about 40 versions and finially settled on one by process of elimination.

Then I started the quilt.

First, I took 8 dark 10″ squares and 8 light 10″ squares.  I cut them into 4 ½” strips and then used my Tri-rec rulers.  I’m thinking that when I purchase more dies for my Accuquilt, the Tri-rec die will be my first purchase.  Accuquilt calls these “Triangle in a Square” and they come in 3 sizes: 2″, 3″ and 4″.   Whoohoo!

These 40 blocks were then sewn together.

The 4 patches were next.  I used the Accuquilt for these.  Talk about speedy … very speedy.

I cut 2 ½” strips of the dark blue and the light.  I also took (1) 10″ lighter blue square and sewed them lengthwise.  Pressing to the dark side.

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This was the super fast part!  I took the strips and laid them on the accuquilt,  starting with the bottom strip: Right side up with  light up, dark down … and the strip that was laid on top right side down with dark up, light down, matching the seams.  I fed this through the Accuquilt cutter and I had all my pairs together – ready to sew into 4 patches.  All accurate, perfectly sub-cut 2 ½”.   I have NEVER had such perfect units before!!!

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The units to the right were made for the half blocks on the sides and end of the quilt.  Paired with the Triangle in a Square / Tri-rec blocks, 4 patches and the blocks came together nicely!

The blocks are set on point, with light sashing and dark blue cornerstones.

At this point, I was in love with this quilt!!!

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Then borders needed to be added.

However, deciding how to quilt it took awhile.  It had to sit and perculate for a long time. In the end, the 4 patches have orange peels, the tri-rec blocks have straight lines on the blue and curls on the the white triangles.   The corners also have curls, as does the border.

Hobbs 80/20 was used and the quilt was quilted with a light grey Aurifil Italian thread, 50 wt., #2600.  It was the PERFECT thread for the job!

Here is the finished quilt:

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I know that I’m biased … but I LOVE it!!!  The finished size is 45″x 63″.

Here are some “staged” photos: I know there’s a bit of boasting, but the hyacinths are blooming and they smell so pretty!!!

And a close-up, with the flange binding!

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Disclaimer: The products featured in this Blog post were given to me by Island Batik, and their co-sponsers Aurifil, Hobbs Batting & AccuQuilt!

I was Featured!

IMG_3162 This POST with the table runner was featured on not 1, but 2 blogs!!!   1.  the QuiltFabrication blog and 2. Lizzie Lenard Vintage Sewing: Free Motion Mavericks

It’s worth your time to go to these blogs and check out, not only their blogs, but the wonderful eye candy that is in their linky parties!!!

Happy Quilting! 
Gail

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41 thoughts on “Stars on Ice: Vintage Reimagined”

  1. Pingback: AccuQuilt Baby Quilt Challenge and TGIFF! | Quilting Gail

  2. Hello Gail,

    What a lovely quilt! Reading that you grew up on Vancouver Island, I can see how the colours reflect the landscape – sea, hills snow… Those fabrics must have been such fun to work with, beautiful shades, and I would love to come across that acorns and pine cones batik!

    Thank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks!

    Love, Muv

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Muv,
      When I first read your comment, I thought, “snow in Victoria?” But, yes, it does snow occasionally, but on a clear day, you can look across to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State and see the snow covered mountains.

      The fabrics were fantastic to work with! I’m LOVING Island Batik fabrics!

      Thank you for hosting Free Motion Mavericks!

      Happy Quilting! 🙂

      Like

  4. Pingback: Beginning of April! | Quilting Gail

    • Hi Jennifer,
      Thank you! I’m enjoying the Accuquilt more and more!
      I’ll be sharing more about it when I post about my April IB challenge!
      Thank you for hosting Wednesday Wait Loss!
      Happy Quilting! 🙂

      Like

  7. Pingback: A first quilt! | Quilting Gail

    • Hi Kate,
      I was able to download the fabrics into EQ and then it was tons of fun to play and design! So, prior to actually cutting into the fabric, I had a good idea of what it would look like!
      Happy Quilting! 🙂

      Like

  9. This is beautiful, Gail!!!! First of all, you started with such lovely fabrics! I really love the blocks and layout you chose. Such a pretty quilt! This is one that gets more interesting the more you look at it.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Hi Gail! LOVE, love, l.o.v.e. it. Wowee! Those fabrics are just beauuuuutiful. And I love how you quilted, especially those curls. Woohoo – another great finish. I’m leaning toward using your pattern, Ivan’s Diamonds, for my charity quilt. I want to make it more geared for a man, and these great batiks just might be the ticket as well. Thanks for the inspiration. Enjoy your weekend! ~smile~ Roseanne

    Liked by 1 person

  16. I love this fabric collection, too. It made a very pretty quilt using the 54-40 or Fight block. Love your finish, Gail! Thanks for the history tie-in, too. I love that kind of thing, and interestingly, I’m in the middle of an old Newbery book I acquired for my collection that is a historical fiction novel set in the Oregon/Columbia region during the decade before this border dispute. I’m wondering now if it’ll extend into that issue, since U.S. families are starting to arrive in the area.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Kathleen!
      Blue is my favourite, too!
      I did many layouts with different sized sashing … from 1/4″ to 2.5″ … and decided on this one.
      I’m loving Island Batiks!!! (Or have you heard me say that before?) But I do LOVE them! The colours! the ease of piecing! No fraying! So beautiful!
      Happy Quilting! 🙂

      Like

    • Thanks, Terry! Yes, I do know you – one at a time … I can only hope for that to happen in my future. Do you have the tri-recs rulers? Have you used them? If not, I’ll show you how when you visit … it makes making the blocks SEW easy!
      Happy Quilting! 🙂

      Like

  20. I’m sitting here, looking at your gorgeous quilt, and thinking maybe I should play with my tri recs rulers today. I don’t have anything else I need to do, right?!? What a great quilt, Gail! You have good reason to love it!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Wendy!
      Thank you for the complement!
      Oh yes … do play with your rulers! they make such a nice block! And, how in the world do you have a day with nothing else to do? I can’t imagine it! 🙂
      Happy Quilting & Playing! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  21. I love your quilt! I have seen similar blocks, but because yours are on point the difference is tremendous.
    Such beautiful fabrics as well…

    Liked by 1 person

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