Insanity Quilt

 I have been working obsessively for the last few weeks on an Insanity Quilt.  I discovered this quilt while surfing the internet for EPP quilts, and was instantly enamored with the quilt.  I was some what intimidated by the quilt being made up of 10,530 half inch hexies, but I do love to EPP hexagons and I have done 1/2" - so I thought "Why Not?".   Here is a picture of Rhonda Pearce's (the designer) quilt that I pulled off the internet.  Hopefully no one is going to come after me for breaking copyright laws.

The pattern for this quilt was published in the Australian Patchwork magazine, but I am not sure what issue.  I did order a pattern from the Post Office Patchwork shop in Australia.

My first step was to start printing and cutting out 1/2" hexagon templates.  I drew them in Illustrator and printed out 69 on a cardstock paper.  [69 because I also have a 1" test block on the page].  I printed out 20 pages and my dear husband cut out 10 pages worth and I did the other 10 pages.  That gives me 1,380 templates and since the pattern calls for 600 I think I have enough.

After that I purchased some fabric for the two inner borders.  The rest of the fabric is coming from my stash.  I am using white on white or off white fabrics for the white background hexagons - need 5,389.

I cut out a bunch and thought I was set - but when I counted them, I had just cut out 1,350 - 1 5/8" squares to make the hexies.  Oh my gosh - I guess they will get me started, but guess I have a lot more to cut out.  I also cut out some border squares and to date I have enough print fabric to make around 100 of the diamonds.  I have started covering Hexies and assembling the corner of the quilt.

I designed a progress chart in EXCEL to track my progress.  I know it will take me several years to complete this quilt and wanted to track how long it was taking me.  Here is a pic of my progress chart and summary

One last picture.  I made a chart for my fabric choices.  I picked 80 different fabrics from 10 color hues of fabrics.  I cut 2 diamonds and one flower from each fabric which will give me 160 diamonds and 80 flowers.  That should be enough for me to ensure random color in my quilt.  I still have brown, green, pink and grey to cut - but I am getting there.  

My friends always tease me about my organization when I start a quilt, but it works for me.   My sewing needs are all in a special travel case and I have the hexies, fabrics cut outs and threads so that it is a grab and go whenever I want to work on the quilt.

Woohoo....the journey begins!

Bloom and Sew Top Completed!

 This will be a short progress update.  First I will report on APIP#2 the Bloom and Sew project - the top  is completed.  I do plan to hand quilt it but that will have to wait until my Meryton Songbird quilt comes out of the hoop.

APIP#1 - Meryton; Hand quilting continues.  I now only have 3 more of the large border blocks to complete....these will be done hopefully by my next report.  This week (7/07 - 7/13) I quilted 17 hours, for a total (5/23 - 7/13) 145 hours.   I'm getting real excited to see this quilt completed.   But then I have to get the label done:)

The only other project I worked on this week was APIP#17 - Insanity.  I spent a few days cutting more white on white hexies, and some of the hexies for the Diamonds and flowers and the random print hexies.  Its amazing how many of these little squares of fabric I will need.  Today I completed three more diamonds and have started putting Diagonal Row #2 together.  Maybe by next week I will have that row completed and added to the top.

I saw on someone's facebook page a method for tracking progress on the quilt and I will share that next week.  It took me most of today to develop the plan for tracking my progress.

Meryton, Bloom and Sew, Insanity

 Ahhhh, the Sunday after July 4th - all is quiet in the house and I even got a nap in.  July 4 is a wonderful holiday and I am so grateful to be an American living in this great country.  I enjoy celebrating the holiday with family and friends, but must admit, takes me Saturday and today to recoup and rest up after the holiday.  Progress has been made this week on at least three of my APIP projects:

APIP#1; Meryton - The hand quilting continues and I managed to get 19 hours and 21 minutes quilting this past week.  My total for the period 5/23 - 7/06/25 is now 129 hours.  I am working on the outside border of 16 rather large blocks - have completed 10 and 6 to go.

APIP#2; Bloom and Sew - This has been a great week for the Bloom and Sew quilt. I completed sewing all the blocks together, designed a border and got that sewn onto the top.  Now I am appliqueing hexies onto the border to match those used in the quilt.

APIP#17; Insanity Quilt - Fred and I managed to cut out 1,380 1/2" hexies.  He enjoys helping me cut out the paper pieces and I certainly enjoy letting him help.  I can usually use each hexie between 8 and 10 times, so I am thinking this 1,380 hexies will be enough to complete the 10,350 pieces needed to complete the quilt. 

Today I completed Diagonal Row 1 of the quilt top center and have it up on my design wall.  It looks so lonely up there, but I will be adding a little to it each week, I hope.  I do punch holes in my paper pieces to make it easier to remove the papers.  All of the hexies that are on the outside edge of this block still have the papers in them.  I remove the paper only after something is sewn to each side of the hexie.  That is why you see the little grey like dots on the white hexies.  

The outer border of this quilt is made up of random hexies so I have been accumulating small scraps from other projects and cutting them into 1 5/8" squares. Its gonna take a whole bunch to get this done, but it is also a great way to use up small pieces of fabric in my stash.

June goes by so fast......

 Whew this month seems to be zooming by so fast I can't catch my breath. This weekend has been so crazy with 5 grandkids spending the weekend at my house and then out of town company showing up today.  But its been a enjoyable time with Taralyn, Toby, Tori and Titus and their big sister Tess who lives here anyway.  I am so blessed to have wonderful grandkids!

APIP#1 Meryton - Hand Quilting continues.Week 5 (06-23 thru 06-29) was 21 hours, 54 minuets for total time 5/23 thru 6/29 of 109 hours and 33 minutes

APIP#2 - Bloom and Sew - Finished up the block #6 for June and that is the last block. Now just to get all the blocks sewn to each other and add a border.  This BOM has gone by quickly:

Block 6 - May-June

All the blocks on the design wall - not yet sewn to each other yet

APIP #14 - Bright Hopes Crochet Lap Quilt - only worked on this one morning at the SewEndipitous Hand Sewing day - just got a block 1/2 crochet  - but hey, that is still progress

APIP #16 - Rotary Cutter Pouch for Goody bags - Darlene and I met and got all the bags, but one, completed with the exception of sewing on some buttons.  The "but one" is one I discovered I had sewn the pockets in upside down.  Hmmmmm wonder if that was because my good friend was here with me and we were laughing and chatting while sewing.  Anyway - gotta make that one over.

APIP#17 - another new project - Insanity Quilt.  Oh my goodness, this has over 10,300 1/2" hexies.  I think this one may be on the list for quite awhile.  Going to try to complete APIP#1 and #2 before getting too engrossed in making this one.  My husband and I have started cutting out the paper pieces for EPP and I have also started cutting out 1 5/8" squares of white on white fabric.  I am determined not  to buy any fabric for this quilt - just use what I have on hand.  That, in and of itself, is a challenge.

Picture off the internet.  There is one more outer border made up of lots and lots of random hexies.

Meryton and Bloom & Sew

 I had some exciting news this week.  I had entered two of my quilts in the Splash of Color Quilt Show sponsored by the Cabarras Quilt Guild in NC.  Both of my entries received ribbons:

Delaford - Design by Katrina Hadjimichael.  I took second place in my category.  First place was taken by my dear friend Martee who also got Best of Show.

Granny's Flower Garden - This one took first place in its category.  I designed the borders around the quilt and did not have a pattern for the piecing of the center top, but basically a traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.

APIP Report: Active Projects in Progress - I only worked on two of my projects this week:

APIP#1 - Meryton; Hand quilting is progressing.  This week I quilted for 27 hours and 39 minutes.  Total time since I started May 25, is 87 hours, 39 minutes.   I am now working on the outer border.

APIP#2 - Bloom and Sew;  I completed 4 of the 6 stitcheries for Block 6.  

Progress continues

 Good Monday morning.  I meant to write this yesterday for my Sunday post but we had a family gathering for Father's Day and I was so tired I fell asleep before doing my post.  So here goes - one day late.

APIP#1 - Meryton;  I have now named this quilt Meryton Songbirds.  My main fabric is called Songbird Serenade and I have birds all over my quilt in the fabrics.  I do love the music of the birds in my yard.

I have been quilting steadily and keeping tally of the time I hand quilt.  So many people always ask how long it took me, and this is the second quilt I have kept this record.

    Week 1  - 22 hours 26 minutes

    Week 2 - 19 hours 15 minutes

    Week 3 - 18 hours 19 minutes

For a total to date of 60 hours.  I try to do at least 2 hours every morning and then sometimes a little more in the evening.  This gives my hand a little break

APIP#2 - Bloom and Sew;   I started working on Block 6 by prepping all 6 stitcheries and beginning to stitch on one of them.

APIP#14 - Bright Hopes Crochet Quilt; Work continues a little each week.  I have the second row blocks completed and have started working on row 3 blocks.  I would like to get the 2nd row attached and maybe next week I will have something to show.

APIP#15; Hues Clues Challenge block - I have completed this one and turned it into SewEndipitious quilt shop.  I went with the Native American theme and look forward to using this has home decor during the Fall Season.

APIP#16 -  Rotary Cutter Pouch - NEW Project;  So of course, I finish a project and another gets added.   I am making these pouches with my good friend Darlene, for out goody bag treats in the 2026 retreat.  We all make or buy a little treat that goes into the goody bag and have so much fun opening all the little gifts  (Now Mary, if you are reading this, keep it a secret please).

I found this pattern on line and purchased ti Minki Kim.  I have modified her pattern to make it a little bigger and to put a pocket on the outside front and back.  The front pocket is big enough to put a pack of extra blades and the back for a small note pad and pencil.  All will be included in the gift with the exception of the rotary cutter.  I have made on trial case and that is when I decided to make them a little bigger.  We have to make 12 and I have my 6 six cut out and ready to sew together.  Darlene will cut hers out and we will assemble them together.    

Ooops - missed a week

 Its been two weeks since I last posted, so I missed my goal to post every week on Sunday.  What can I say?  No excuse, just forgot.  Well I did just turn 3/4 of a century old, so I guess I can forget things, haha.

Going down my list in APIP order:

APIP #1 - Meryton; I am having fun hand quilting on this quilt.  I chose to not worry so much about filling in backgrounds sand just to echo quilt around applique and use straight lines on borders.  This has freed up my mind from having to come up with patterns and how to mark the quilt. My appliques are so close together that I don't think it necessary to quilt the background behind them, although I would have done so before this quilt.   I have also decided to go ahead and add a final border of the same yellow and dark grey of the two inner borders.  I lucked up and found some more dark grey on the internet and now I have enough to do this, that is will have enough as soon as it gets here.

I am currently quilting the two inner borders and the petal border between them.  I have 8 threads going at all times, three on each yellow border and two on the petal border.  I can usually get one hoop worth quilted each day.

 

APIP #2 - Bloom and Sew; Finished block #5 this morning.  Gail has already sent us block #6, which is the final block and I am anxious to get started on it.  I will save the quilting on that one for September 20 when I am doing a hand quilting demonstration.  This quilt has lots of applique and embroidery and even a little English Paper Piecing - so it will be fun to do the quilting and also talk about the quilt itself. Thank you, Gail Pan, for such a cute design.

APIP #11 - Quilt Maker's Journey Quilt;  This is a joint project I am working on with another quilter, I cut out the pieces, wrote the pattern and she is making the blocks.  Once they are done, I will put the quilt top together and quilt it.  Its fun to work on a project with a friend, but nothing I can do now until I get the 36 blocks she is working on.

APIP #14- Bright Hopes Crochet Lap Quilt;  I completed enough blocks to make one complete row and just had to put that together as I was anxious to see how it would look. instructions. 

Front

Back

  

APIP #15 - Hues Clues; I have pretty much completed this block for the Hues Clues challenge at SewEndipitous Quilt shop in Rock Hill.  Its been fun and a challenge for me to use the colors on my color card, and also to make a Native American theme block that I chose based upon those colors.  I still have some Heishi beads to add that I have ordered.  These are small round beads that were made from shells, bones and stones by Native Americans and then used to make necklaces or to embellish clothing.  I did order some that are made from shells, bones and stones, but they are coming from Japan and will not get here in time for me to put them on my block.  So I ordered some off amazon that are made from natural materials and they should be here on Monday. The ones I found at Hobby Lobby were polymer and didnt want to use those.  Soooooo I will just wait until next week to show a picture of my completed block :)

 

     

Looking at my APIP (Active Projects in Process) I see that I have had 15 projects listed for 2025.  I have completed 10 and have 5 still in process.  I am so glad I started keeping this list and it does give me pleasure to see what I have completed and the steady progress being made on the current active ones.

Its been good and bad this week

Well my 75th birthday was Wednesday and its a blessing I am still doing well.  The day started out bad as our power was off for 5 hours due to trees down from a storm...but good it came on in time for me to get a shower and meet Friends at Ruby Tuesday to celebrate - but bad because while they were all here, my husband fell in the bathroom and we had to call EMT for help to get him up and to the hospital...but good because he did not break any bones and is now just dealing with some soreness.  We were in the ER for 12 hours!  But Thanks be to God, I have been blessed with fairly good health and able to take care of him.

Yesterday was our 51st anniversary and we simply spent a quiet day at home.  He was not up to doing much.

APIP #1: Meryton - Whoopee - I have it in the hoop and did a little quilting on it this morning.  I just love hand quilting, find it so relaxing.  And I needed some relaxation this day.

  

APIP #2 : Bloom and Grow - I did complete all the stitcheries and had hoped to start putting the blocks together - but life happens!

APIP #13: Rose and Tulip Applique (Tote Bag)

This started out as a demo to my Guild and club using Golden Thread as an applique "underlay."  I liked my sample so much, I turned it into a tote bag, with the applique on the front anda Bolar Fusible panel on the back.  I had made the panel in a recent workshop and did not know what I wanted to do with it. So here is the finished project;

APIP #14 - Bright Hopes Crochet lap quilt - I won't attach any pictures as they pretty much look the same, but this week I did finish enough blocks to make one row, and maybe next week I can show you that!

APIP#15 - Hues Clues Challenge (New) - I guess I needed something else to do, so I signed up for a block challenge at my LQS SewEndipitous.  Its called Hues Clues and you draw a color card with four colors and have to make a 20" block using those colors.  Its a light, medium and dark of a particular color and one complimentary color.  You do not pick the card you want, you just had to choose it and only found out the colors after you chose.  I am happy with my draw, and decided they looked like earth tones to me and with a complimentary color of Turquoise, reminded me of Native Americans.  So between yesterday and today, I completed  a star block and then one side of a border using Seminole piecing.  I have the one border and another couple borders fabrics to see how they look.  Its a fun project, but has interrupted my progress on other projects as I am so excited to see how it turns out.  I plan to do a little beading in the Turquoise color.  Has to be done by June 21 - Yikes!

So now, I think I am done for the day.....hmmm...maybe go and hand quilt some.   There is always something for me to work on so makes it hard to find time for cooking, laundry, cleaning......

Bright Hopes and Bloom and Sew Quilt Progress

 To day is May 18, and three more days and I will be 3/4 Century old.  So hard to believe.  We celebrated May birthdays in my family yesterday and it was a fun day.  My birthday is the 21st, my Granddaughter Tess's is the 22nd and my Daughter-in-law Holli's is the 24th.  Add to that my 51st wedding anniversary is also on the 24.  

This past week I have worked primarily on my Bright Hopes quilt and the Bloom and Sew Block of the Month by Gail Pan.

APIP #1 - Meryton; this quilt top is now in the hands of my friend Martee who is going to baste it for Hand quilting on her long arm machine.  It is so nice to have her do this as I know it will be basted straight and without wrinkles.  When I thread baste them myself it can take all day to complete the basting on a Queen size quilt, not to mention the back ache that results after that is done.

APIP #2 - Bloom and Sew;  I completed two stitcheries, have two more ready to be blocked and then another in the hoop, almost done.  That leaves one more to get stitched.  Hopefully by the end of next week all stitcheries will be completed.  I would like to have the block completed by the end of the month.

My three blocks in process

Two completed blocks

APIP #13 Bright Hopes Quilts - I have decided to call this quilt the Bright Hopes quilt after the name of the block.  I now have all the blocks made, and have started the blanket stitch around the blocks and then the crochet.  I find I am really enjoying the crochet as I used to crochet a lot.  Since quilting took over my life most of my other hand crafts have gone by the wayside.  Lately I have gotten more interested in doing embroidery and crochet and enjoy incorporating them into my quilts.

 The instructions call for the blocks to be blocked and I ordered this blocking board to accomplish this task.  I have never had one of these before and look forward to blocking all my blocks.

 I have been playing around with how to arrange the blocks.  

This is option one, with the Bright Hope blocks making up the quilt top.

Option 1 - the floral side making up the quilt back.

This is option 2 where I flip every other block over to put the floral in between the Bright Hope blocks.

Guess I will study the pictures a little more before I make up my mind.

Happy Mother's Day

 I hope all you Mom's out there have had a good day.  Mine was very nice, with dinner here at the house, my daughter Jennie brought over some delicious brisket, mac & cheese and roasted potatoes.  I fixed fried okra, cookies and rolls and my daughter in law, Holli, brought a delicious lemon cake and green beans.  It was a very nice family gathering.

APIP #2 - Bloom and Sew:  I received the 5th block instructions from Gail Pan yesterday and got the stitcheries all prepped and ready to embroider.  Started on one this morning.  Nice one to do today, as I am very happy to have had my family here today!

APIP #14 - Bright Hopes Quilt:  I have primarily been working this week on the Bright Hopes quilt, completing all 36 of the Bright Hope blocks and getting the blanket stitch around several of them,  I had to go back and re-read the instructions a couple of time just to figure out how the blocks will go together, and I think I have it straight now.  I am not to the point of putting the blocks together yet, but its nice to at least think I know how to do it.

APIP #1 - Meryton: I had to order the quilt backing and batting and they arrived this week.  Now to get the quilt to the long arm quilter and maybe get it in my hoop and start the hand quilting this week - or maybe next week.

Meryton Quilt Top completed

 I completed the quilt top this morning.  After much debate, I decided not to add a final border primarily as I have not been able to find a border fabric that I think would enhance the quilt.  Katrina's design is so beautiful, I am happy with it just as it is.  I hope to get it long arm basted in a week or so, and then I can start hand quilting :)

APIP # 13 - Bright Hope:  I completed one block just to see how it would look.  Have not had much time to do much else - well I did get all the blocks cut out .