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Sunday, October 8, 2017

Nearly Insane Center Completed!!

You need to use your imagination with this post. You need to imagine fireworks cascading up into the sky behind the words. You need to imagine the music of Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture. Can you hear the celebration with the cannons and church bells ringing?

 That is how I feel right now. I've completed the center of the Nearly Insane quilt! Can you feel my joy?

 The last 4 blocks to be pieced are in the lower right corner.
This is my favorite block, why? Because it was the last one to be pieced.

 I wish now I had put the light blue print in the corners, but hey, it's finished and changes are not happening. I can easily live with it this way.
Here are the other blocks.

 This one was easy, only 9 pieces. I think this was the least amount of pieces in a block in the whole quilt.
Sometimes the blocks don't turn out quite like I envision and this is one of them.
Lots of small strips in this one.
The whole right corner.
And of course, the entire quilt!

 I pieced the first block of this quilt back in January 11, 2016 when I pieced block 1. In that post I said I wanted to piece the blocks in 18 months, it took 21 months. Also my friends who were also going to piece Nearly Insane along with me never got started on their Insanity journey.

 There are 98 six inch finished blocks in this quilt including the side triangles.

 What is the next step in my Insane journey? I need to decide which blue fabric I'm going to use in the zigzag border. I need to get the million pieces prepped to take along to the Jane Stickle retreat in November. Maybe it isn't a million pieces but it looks like a lot.

 Linking to - Oh Scrap!, Show & Tell Monday With Bambi, Em's Scrapbag, Love Laugh Quilt, BOM's Away, Quilter's Monday, Fiber Tuesday, Esther's Wednesday WOW!, Let's Bee Social, Sew,Stitch,Snap,Share, My Quilt Infatuation, 
Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished Or Not Friday, TGIFF!, Finish It Up Friday, Show Off Saturday
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34 comments:

  1. Julie in GAOctober 8, 2017 at 8:48 PM

    Congratulations! Your Nearly Insane blocks look fabulous, and I adore your colors!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gretchen WeaverOctober 10, 2017 at 1:04 PM

      These are all blues I had on hand, no one line of fabric in this quilt. What can I say, I love blues.

      Delete
  2. Quilting BabciaOctober 8, 2017 at 10:02 PM

    Your wonderful color sense is what makes this insane journey worthwhile. What a fabulous top!

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    Replies
    1. Gretchen WeaverOctober 10, 2017 at 1:04 PM

      My color sense is good with blue, not so much some other colors. Thank you.

      Delete
  3. Chris October 8, 2017 at 10:06 PM

    Well you certainly know how to stick to a project to the end. It looks amazing.

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    Replies
    1. Gretchen WeaverOctober 13, 2017 at 4:21 AM

      This project still isn't ended, the zig zag border is ahead.

      Delete
  4. JoOctober 9, 2017 at 4:04 AM

    OMG wow fantastic effort. Your quilt looks amazingly beautiful

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  5. Chookyblue......October 9, 2017 at 7:06 AM

    there is a lot of work in this quilt........you have done so well...........love the blues....

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  6. Pamela ArbourOctober 9, 2017 at 7:43 AM

    It is gorgeous!

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  7. Karen - Quilts...etc.October 9, 2017 at 8:31 AM

    congratulations and on to the border you go!

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  8. Lynne StuckeOctober 9, 2017 at 10:15 AM

    Yes! I can hear the cannons firing and see the fireworks exploding!!!!! Congratulations! To say it is beautiful just might be the understatement of the year. Can't wait to see the next step in this journey.

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  9. BillieBee (billiemick)October 9, 2017 at 10:41 AM

    Outstanding!!

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  10. Susan StantonOctober 9, 2017 at 1:03 PM

    Very, very nice! Looks amazing. Thanks for sharing this wonderful journey. Can't wait to see it completed.

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  11. chrisknitsOctober 9, 2017 at 5:11 PM

    Truly stunning!!

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  12. Chopin - A Passionate QuilterOctober 10, 2017 at 8:28 AM

    What a masterpiece Gretchen! Absolutely beautiful!!! I love Tchaikovsky's War of 1812 Overture. You deserve the award for starting a project and finishing it and this one was a very difficult project. Such dedication. Now my favorite song sometimes when a project goes bad is my Uncle Frederic's Funeral March and the RSC project I just finished was close to getting that one played, but I persevered and finished it yesterday! Nothing like your finished quilts this year, but then my year is just starting - LOL. You are a wonderful inspiration to me these past 5 months with the hand issues! Thx

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    Replies
    1. Gretchen WeaverOctober 10, 2017 at 1:03 PM

      Thank you for the kind comments. Hopefully you are on the mend now and will soon be sewing up a storm! Just remember to keep up with the hand exercises!

      Delete
  13. Susan October 10, 2017 at 10:30 PM

    Congratulations! Many start, few finish! That looks beautiful in yellows and blues. Very nicely done! I could easily imagine the music, played by Boston Pops on James River on Independence Day! But, small thing - it's the 1812 overture. =) It's one of my favorite pieces of all time, and I especially like it played by Boston Pops, though I haven't such a fine ear that I will turn down any other symphony playing it, either!

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  14. Home Sewn By UsOctober 11, 2017 at 9:52 AM

    Hi Gretchen,
    WOW! What a fabulous accomplishment. Don't you feel great?!! You should - this is just beautiful. I do see/hear the fireworks, and they are lasting so long! The colors are just great, and I love how there are pops of the dark, medium and light blue with the yellow - it is totally balanced. Really, really nice job - I love it. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  15. EllenOctober 11, 2017 at 10:45 AM

    Fantastic!!

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  16. Lorna McMahonOctober 12, 2017 at 9:21 AM

    Your description of the fireworks and music lived up to the finale! What a gorgeous quilt top center. So worth all those months of piecing and piecing. Such a beauty!

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  17. gayleOctober 12, 2017 at 9:56 AM

    Wow! Fireworks are definitely called for!

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  18. em's scrapbagOctober 12, 2017 at 2:52 PM

    What an amazing quilt! Good job!

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  19. JulieOctober 12, 2017 at 5:51 PM

    Wow, this is just amazing, I would never have the patience to complete it. Big congratulations to you. Thanks for linking to Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE

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  20. KarenOctober 12, 2017 at 7:13 PM

    Quite an accomplishment on those Nearly Insane blocks. I am right along with your friends.....bought the book but never did anything towards making the blocks. I think I gave the book away.

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  21. Jennidee MillsOctober 13, 2017 at 6:12 AM

    hurray, I hear the music and see the fireworks....my goodness what a quilt! I came your way from Whoop Whoop

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  22. Miss AlissaOctober 13, 2017 at 11:10 PM

    What a fabulous quilt and accomplishment! I totally hear the music and see the fireworks!!

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  23. JennyOctober 14, 2017 at 2:49 AM

    You are NOT insane - just a crazy quilt lady! Many congratulations for not only starting this quilt, but seeing it through with all the blocks. Hope the many pieces in the itty bitty border don't push you over the edge!

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  24. scraphappyOctober 14, 2017 at 8:37 AM

    Wow, wow, wow! So impressive! The border will be easy after all those tiny pieces in the blocks.

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  25. Karen @runsewfunOctober 14, 2017 at 9:15 AM

    So much detail in every one of these blocks! WOW!!! Absolutely stunning!

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  26. Quilter KathyOctober 14, 2017 at 11:10 AM

    It's fabulous! What a great quilt! So many seams... I wonder if it's heavy because of all the fabric and thread?

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  27. Gosia @ Quilts My WayOctober 15, 2017 at 7:11 PM

    Congratulations !!! Fabulous work !!!

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  28. LynetteOctober 30, 2017 at 10:43 AM

    oh, WOW!!!!! WHoop! Whoop! Whoop! This is so pretty in your colorway, and that border (while finicky) is going to be a snap to put together after all these insane blocks. Congratulations!! Having pieced a Dear Jane quilt that took me 24 months, I Completely GET IT. :D Super thrilled for you.

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  29. Angie in SoCalNovember 11, 2017 at 11:26 PM

    I am just blown away by your feat! I have the book and studied it hard for months before I decided that I was not taking the journey, but would blow up some of them to make 30" or 32" quilts from one block.

    Love your version - what a tour de force. My hats off to you, Gretchen.

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  30. dqNovember 30, 2017 at 8:01 AM

    Oh wow! Nearly insand is comparable to Dear Jane in the amount of work it takes to complete. It is lovely in blues and yellows. Congratulations on a great finish!

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