Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Boston Commons & Bricks

In the past several weeks, I've finished hand quilting Spring Fever. The Pastor's Attic Quilt and Nearly Insane have made it into the flimsy state and the hand quilting on Nearly Insane has started! 

Pastor's Attic and Nearly Insane were on my list of 10 quilts to get into the flimsy state so they've been crossed off the list. Now it's time to start another quilt on my list.

My Pennsylvania grandchildren attend a parochial school which has a fund raising auction in the summer. For several years I've donated a quilt flimsy to the organizers who have volunteers who hand quilt them. This year I'll be donating a Boston Commons flimsy which will be quilted  (not by me) and sold in the 2019 auction.


This is the third Boston Commons quilt I've pieced and I'm using the same pattern that I used for the previous two. This is an old pattern which is dated 1989 Heritage Quilts. 
This quilt is strip pieced. So far I've cut the strips and sewn them into sets. 


The strips are sub-cut and bagged, ready  to take to the Jane Stickle retreat which starts one week from today. I'm going to finish piecing the quilt at the retreat.

Do these fabrics look dated to you? I recently purchased the dark blue and the cream, the other fabrics came from my mother's fabric stash. She loved Hoffman fabrics and that is what these fabrics are. 



Bricks & Stepping Stones is the pattern I'm using to piece a comforter top. 

My DIL is going have the children from school tie the knots. She said an item that the children help make sells especially well at the auction.


The finished blocks measure 6" by 9". The blocks in this top are set 15 across and 11 down. I sewed six rows one day then laid out the last five rows which are now sewn too. The comforter top is pieced and measures 90" by 98".

I had planned to take Bricks & Stepping Stones along to retreat to piece if I had time after I finished Boston Commons but now I'll have to decide what other project to take along. Bricks & Stepping Stones is the 3rd flimsy to be crossed off my list. 

Linking to Let's Bee Social, UFO Challenge, Sew, Stitch, Snap SHOWMy Quilt Infatuation, Finished Or Not Friday, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, TGIFF!, Finish It Up Friday, Show Off Saturday


16 comments:

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I have made a Boston Commons quilt that way too a long time ago! nice they have someone to do the quilting. have fun at the retreat - you go to this one every year don't you. One day would be nice to do that

Gretchen Weaver said...

The Jane Stickle retreat is held twice a year. I've been attending both retreats for at least 10 years. I really enjoy attending. In November we'll be having a special celebration, the retreat will be 20 years old.

viridian said...

Love your bricks and stepping stones quilt top. I have made one too!

chrisknits said...

You are kicking it this year. What a wonderful contribution to the needy causes.

Aunt 'Reen said...

Beautiful fabrics and colors for your Boston Commons quilt.
Wishing you a Happy & Productive time with it on Retreat.
Congratulations on finishing the piece work on your Bricks & Stepping Stones charity quilt, it turned out wonderful.

Pam said...

I love the colors and fabrics you have chosen for you strip quilt. This will be a gorgeous quilt.

Julie said...

Gosh they are certainly big quilts. Well done for knocking some of that flimsy list off. Have a great time at your retreat. Thanks for linking to Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

So pretty! I think the BC will be so pretty - love the colors. Great that you donate your tops for charity! Here it is April and you already have 4 tops completed with one more almost finished! You are on a roll! Beautiful work Gretchen!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

great quilts! and sweet to have the kids involved - makes them proud too!

Julierose said...

I've admired the Boston commons quilts for a long time, but never made one. I do like your colors a lot--very much what I feel a quilt should look like...Your stepping stones is lovely too...hugs, Julierose

Celtic Thistle said...

Smart idea to have the children invovled in the quilting, it will be a popular item I am sure!
Thanks for linking up to TGIFF too

Quilting Nonnie said...

You are in high gear! Hand quilting a quilt and being "almost done" with another amazes me. I love hand quilting, but, really? I've made the Bricks and Stones quilt also, and am doing a couple with an I Spy theme for children. I love that pattern!

Janie said...

You're getting a lot done on your beautiful tops, good for you!
Lots of inspiration here.

Lynette said...

I love this flimsy so much!! It's a very appealling design to star with, and your color mix is absolutely perfect in it.

PaintedThread said...

Love the colors in the first quilt. That Bricks and Stepping Stones is AWESOME!

Christina said...

You are making great progress on finishing projects to the flimsy stages. The stepping stones sounds nice with the ties made by the children, it will make it special to anyone buying it. Congrats on making great progress on your goals!