Wednesday, May 24, 2017

182 Day Solstice Challenge Quilt is Finished!

I'm finished!! I finished the 182 Day Solstice Challenge quilt on Saturday, May 20! This challenge started December 21, 2016 and goes through June 2017. I assume it goes through the 21st since that is summer solstice. Pat Sloan is releasing a block a week for a total of 25 blocks.

Before I started this project, I had decided that this would be a charity quilt. She needed to be 60" by 80" and I wanted to make something different than I normally, something bright, cheery and modern. (Sounds like the quilts I normally make are dull, dreary and old fashioned!)

About the time block 5 was released, I had decided I wasn't really interested in making this quilt but I kept accumulating the patterns. Every month I would power sew the patterns collected the prior month or two. If I didn't like a block I didn't make it but I added a block that wasn't one of Solstice blocks. And yes, I did make duplicates of several of the blocks. 


This is my quilt flimsy and she is very different than the type of quilt I normally make. The top measures 60" by 84" and will be donated to the MCC Comforter Bash held in October. Yeah, I don't have to quilt her! I feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment that I persevered through and finished this quilt top. 
Which block was my favorite? This one.
Why you ask? Because it did NOT have a single HST in it.
Which block was not one of Pat's blocks? This red and yellow Carpenter's Wheel from Quilter's Cache. She measured 24" square and replaced 4 of the 12" blocks. My son thought she didn't really blend with the rest of the blocks. Too bad, I put her in anyway.

Please don't think I'm criticizing or bashing Pat Sloan, it's not her fault I don't like the quilt. I might as well accept the fact that I personally don't like quilts that have all the blocks set next to each other. They're just too busy for me. And yes, the obvious choice would have been to put sashing between the blocks to break them up but sometimes you just have to say done is better than perfect

Also, I set the blocks my own way. If I would have made all the blocks and set them Pat's way, the quilt would have looked very different indeed and have been larger.

So what am I going to work on now? Nearly Insane of course.

Linking to - Quilter's MondayFiber Tuesday, Sew Some LoveSew, Stitch, Snap SHOW, Sew Fresh QuiltsMy Quilt Infatuation, Finished Or Not Friday, TGIFCrazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Show Off Saturday, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

19 comments:

Wendy Caton Reed said...

That is my kind of quilt! Scrappy and beautiful!

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Well, Gretchen, I have to hand it to you, I would have stopped before I began on this quilt! those I love your Carpenter's wheel!!!! You get the award of the year for Perseverance. Nothing against Pat, but this one is well beyond scrappy! My eyes are all over the place! But great that it is going to charity - someone will love this puppy!

LethargicLass said...

I'm impressed that you stuck with it!

Kat said...

Great quilt top and good for you for getting it done! Thanks for linking up!

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

A great scrappy colouful quilt! I did have a little giggle when I read about your favourite block! Thanks for linking up to 'sew stitch snap SHARE'

Gretchen Weaver said...

I did not need any more blocks from an unfinished project laying around here! It feels so good to have it finished and ready to leave.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you. My fabrics didn't work like I thought they would. It was nice to work with 12" finished blocks instead of tiny ones for a change.

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Gretchen,
I love your outlook and attitude. There isn't a quilting police that I'm aware of - I wish I would have continued on the Solstice challenge. Early on there were a couple blocks that I didn't care for - why didn't I just skip them?!!! Oh well. Not meant to be. I love your quilt! ~smile~
Roseanne

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you Roseanne. Quilting is supposed to be fun, I finished the quilt because I didn't want the blocks laying around. I doubt Pat Sloan is going to be upset with me and I have a charity quilt to donate.

Jo said...

I do like all your blocks and your quilt. I do agree that the carpenters wheel colours aren't a real match but it is a quilt. It is what it is... I am still doing these blocks. I have been at a standstill since starting full time work after 25 years. It has knocked me about. I havent been working on my nearly insane for a couple of years and have moved on to Dear Jane....

Slice of Pi said...

I love how you powered through and made the quilt work for you! Thanks for linking up to TGIFF!

MissPat said...

I've been doing the,Solstice challenge, but I've changed up some of the blocks (applique is not my thing) and down-sized that giantblock, but I didn't want a quilt as big as Pat's design. I'm two blocks behind, but plan to catch up this week.

Gretchen Weaver said...

That's great you are making the quilt your own way. We don't all have to like the same thing. I'm normally a hand appliquer but I did the applique for this quilt by machine.

Kate said...

Not all projects resonate for me either. It happens. I agree done is better than perfect and it's going to a good cause, so all the work you put into it pays off.

Chantal said...

That's an excellent reason for preferring a block to others. And they look good too. I think the Carpenter's Wheels is welcome to join the other blocks, especially with your favorite block sporting the same (or very similar) red. Congratulations on this finish! ;^)

Gretchen Weaver said...

Actually that is the very same red fabric in both blocks. I made the Carpenter's Wheel block before most of the Solstice blocks were made. I probably wouldn't have made it later, Solstice was full of HST's!

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thanks, I'm glad to know I'm not the only person who thinks like this.

Marianne said...

I love this quilt! And I think all the blocks go together quite well! I love scrappy.

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

I love your scrappy quilt! It is wonderful that you are donating it -such a great cause. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!