Quilting Friends

 Created for Project Quilting 14.4 - A Novel Project.

For my inspiration book, I chose The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken. My friend, Mary Lou, gifted this book to me for Christmas, 2002. It is a wonderful children’s story with amazing illustrations. I chose to make a friendship star quilt since one is shown on the page where the quiltmaker throws the quilt out the window to keep it from the king. And it also honors the many wonderful memories of the hours I have enjoyed quilting with my friend, Mary Lou.

As a side note about my week. Pip (my third granddaughter, age 11) had a big basketball tournament this weekend. I finished the binding on this quilt this morning while travelling to watch her play and took this picture in the parking lot between games. So, instead of my usual wood floor, this one has the blacktop parking lot in the background. I am so blessed to have 6 amazing grandchildren in my life. Every one of them is a special gift.

Created by Diane Lapacek near Poynette, WI
14" x 27"

Disappearing Fight

Created for Project Quilting 14.3 – 54-40 or Fight.

I started by drafting an 18" 54-40 or fight block. I wanted to strip piece the components of the block and felt this size was big enough to accommodate that. I put together one block with thoughts of possibly 3 to make a table runner.

The completed block didn't excite me. 54-40 or fight is a really cool block that can be used in amazing designs by alternating it another block. No time or place for that here. So I decided to layer my one block and quilt it and call it a day. Before I had a backing picked out my husband, Frank, came in and I quit for the day.

As I was waking up the next morning I had a thought of cutting up the block and putting it back together. This sounded more like how I might approach a challenge.

                            

Since my block was based on 3 and 6 inch units, I decided to cut it into 4 1/2" squares. so I started at one edge and cut. When I got to the center, I was 1/4" short of the seam, so I cut the seam out and continued across, then rotated 90 degrees and cut again.

I rearranged the piecees until I found something I like ad sewed them back together. This method reminds me of the disappearing nine patch technique, so I named it Disappearing Fight. It seems appropriate since the matter the block name refers to was solved without a fight.

Created by Diane Lapacek near Poynette, WI

16" x 16"