Bohemian Churn Dash :: At Long Last!

Let's just say this quilt has been moved from here to there on numerous occasions the past 15 months!  Once the blocks were finished, the top pieced, the back pieced ... I was over it!!  

First I'll give you a little back story about this quilt.  I first made this quilt for myself way back in 2010.  It saw the pattern in an issue of American Patchwork and Quilting 2/2008 and knew I had to make it.  These days I don't make many patterns from magazines or designers, back then it never occurred to me that I could design my own.  This design is one that I've always wanted to make again.  

When I was planning on what projects to take to our Guild Retreat in February 2018, I decided it was time to give the pattern another go!  The plan was to use Anna Maria Horner prints from my stash and solids for the background.  Which I did. 

BOHEMIAN CHURN DASH II
76" X 93"

One of the main reasons I put of finishing this quilt was the size!  It's large twin.  There is a reason why I love making lap quilts...a lap quilt this isn't!  I do not enjoy quilting big quilts regardless of how simple the quilting design is.  It just isn't fun!

That being said, it's finished!  It's quite the scrappy specimen and my itch to remake it has thoroughly been scratched forever!



The Anna Marie Horner prints are mostly older prints that I have been hoarding for a very long time.  The days of holding on to what I considered 'sacred' fabric was over!  If you think about it, what's the point of having it if you don't use it?!  Preaching to the choir!



The pattern uses four sizes of the Churn Dash block: 16", 10", 6" and 4", and it all magically fits together within the quilt.  It's a puzzle!  With each print I made one of the four sizes of blocks, but used a different color for the background.  Why make it too easy right?!  My goal was to use a different color for each block as to not have any repeats, but there might be a couple duplicates.



Like I said, I did not want to quilt this!  With no alternative in sight, no quilting fairy popping in to surprise me over night with a beautifully finished quilt, I had to suck it up and get to it.  

Since it was literally all on my back (or shoulders!), I didn't try to do anything fancy.  Horizontal and vertical lines were my best friend!  I used my 6" x 24" ruler and marked on each side, from the left line I marked in 3", from the 3" line I marked in 2" which then left me with a 1" line.  I'm here to confuse you...you know that!  Doing that method vertically and horizontally I ended up with a grid of sorts, like a lovely plaid!

With this finish I have my first Christmas gift of the year checked off!  Come on guys...December will be here before you know it!  I am not an early shopper or maker when it comes to Christmas, so you still have time!
  

  

I am relieved to have this quilt finished!  My next 'anything larger than a bread box' quilt is certainly going to be sent to a professional!  I haven't got the desire or muscles these days!

LINKING:

OH SCRAP! ● MAIN CRUSH MONDAY ●  MONDAY MAKING ●  LINKY TUESDAY 
LETS BEE SOCIAL ● MIDWEEK MAKERS ● NEEDLE & THREAD 

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF 

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

Churn Dash :: Bohemian Revisited

This quilt was one of my very first 'real' quilts I ever made.  By real I mean, one that was preplanned, one that turned out beautiful, one that really pushed my newly discovered quilting passion.  It's a quilt that to this day lives on my bed and is one I am still proud of.  

CIRCA 2010
78" x 96"  

I made this quilt back in 2010 with my daughter.  Britt was by my side to guide and encourage me, and was actually my 'sou chef' who cut (prepped) all the fabric and held my hand throughout the process.

 

   

















I have always wanted to make this quilt again but never quite got to there.  That was until I was struggling with projects for our guild retreat.  I thought it was good time to give it another go.  At first I was going to reduce the size and make more of a lap quilt, but figured I may as well go for it.  This time around I would use solids instead of tone on tone for the background.

 

The more solids the better and it was the perfect project for my beloved Anna Marie Horner fabric stash.  I spent so much time piecing the blocks at the retreat that I was sure I would never get them done.  I had to finish up a good portion when I got home.  

Cutting 1/8" and 5/8" really is not my favorite thing to do and this pattern was full of them!  I'm just glad I decided to cut everything before I left!



There were four sizes of blocks for this quilt: 16", 10", 6" and 4".  When I decided to make this quilt again, I was so tempted to cut the corner squares larger, sew the diagonal lines and then trim to the correct size.  That's normally what I do with my HST's.  However, I decided to trust that I could do this without having to trim.  I'm so glad I did!  



I had to trust myself!  I won't say that every one was perfect, and I won't say that this quit will be perfect.  Points will be compromised!

It took a while to layout the blocks in just the right places.  I used my side by side design walls and it still wasn't enough room for the length of this quilt!  I found some amazing color combinations of prints and solids!  Out of all the blocks, there is only one block that I wish I had replaced.  Can you guess which one it is?  Look to the left...bottom...purple...brown.  

For now it will hang on my design wall.  It's big!  Like so big that I don't have the desire to quilt it big!  I know why I got my first version long arm quilted!  The more years that go by in my quilting life, the more and more I really don't like to quilt the tops!  Smaller one, sure.  Large ones, not so much!  I'll get it done one of these days!

LINKING:

Oh Scrap

Main Crush Monday

Let's Bee Social
Mid Week Makers

Needle & Thread

TGIFF

Finished or Not Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts