Patchwork Scrappy Quilt

This is the longest running quilt project of mine to date. I cut out hundreds of 2 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inch squares, ironed them and kept them in a Ziplock gallon bag and started sewing the squares together in long chains of 34 squares. I sewed these by hand while waiting for doctor's appointments, watching TV or on long car rides. Soon I had 34 rows of strips 34 squares long. I ironed those and then began connecting the strips. By hand. In waiting rooms, while traveling, whenever the urge struck. 

Then came the actual quilting. The backing is a mish mash of huge leftover pieces of fabric I have acquired over the years.

 I chose the most obvious way to quilt it and that was along each row and column. Just like a grid, which you can see from the photo above. I felt like that took me the longest to do. After five years I finally was able to complete this quilt. I made a ton of different labels several years ago using quotes from Jimmy Buffet songs, fairy tales and Twilight (no judging!). These were printed on fabric and then I add the date, if it was machine or hand pieced and if it was machine or hand sewn. Sometimes I flip flop on how I make a quilt. And of course no "art" is complete without a signature. 

It will live on the back of our couch for chilly air conditioned mornings and snuggly evenings. It will attend our beach outtings and provide a barrier from the sand. It will travel on long trips to cover the girls in the backseat while they sleep the miles away. Hopefully it will absorb much love and many fond memories.