My Plush Phase for backing flimsies continues with my two latest finishes; Baby Bullseye (left), a fairly new project, and Yellow Rose Double Nine Patch, a UFO of at least ten years. Of course, they both have stories or explanations.
I didn’t expect my Baby Bullseye project which I started last November to be finished way so soon but I was motivated by my other two Peeps, who joined me in making another Bullseye Quilt, almost twenty-four years later (You can read about our first Bullseye Quilt here), who were finishing their Flimsies sooner than me. I was thinking that I was going to be the last one to finish her Flimsie but it turns out I was second, just like the first time and it was Linda and not Mary who finished first. Did you notice my use of a modern word Flimsie—twenty-four years earlier, I called it a Top. It’s also a good thing that I now have modern technology in the form of a Blog Post, iPhone pics and numerous Texts to refer to as I recap how the second QAL went, definitely something I could have used before.
After the pattern was purchased from Mary Etherington/Country Threads, and just like the first time, the guidelines planned which were the backgrounds were to be grays and low volume whites, no tans or beiges, modern prints and blenders and definitely no calicos since the Baby Bullseye was going to be modern and the size and number of patches to be exchanged before we met for a morning of merriments which always include good food and conversation. We each exchanged 30 squares of backgrounds and prints in two sizes and most notably there were no duplicates. One Peep did have not much of a modern stash but did provide the blenders which were definitely needed for a bit of calm in the blocks. We were a little bit more looser with the pattern, after all we are older, a littler more ornery with more quilting experience by changing the size of the blocks and one peep exchanging pre-cut circles and quarter circle templates to cut the circles from the folded squares which made the Baby Bullseye blocks less wonky. I will admit that I made a mistake with the Baby Bullseye pattern by not realizing that the backgrounds on Mary Etherington’s Baby Bullseye Quilt was not neutral but were different color prints which I love and wished I did. But in my defense, I did write if I ever were to make another Bullseye quilt I would use grays and low volume prints so my mind was already set. After the exchange was made, we each sewed our own way, texting each other with our progress. I would like to mention that my Baby Bullseye is almost true to the pattern unlike the Peeps. I think they were a little bit more ornier than me.
Baby Bullseye was so named because it is a smaller block with only two circles sewn on the background which would have been enough if we used the sizes given for the pattern. But because the sizes was increased for both the background and circles and after playing around with the first four blocks sewn, I thought a third circle could be added, especially after having the left over circles from cutting away the backs of the first circle after the second circle was sewn which was the perfect size for the third circle. I am going to narc on the Peeps now since they kept their circle blocks intact without quartering them so they made their flimsy with whole circle blocks which is why they were finishing before me. I should narc some more by saying one of the Peeps did not cut away her circles. Although I liked the look of the whole circle blocks and was tempted to do it myself, I’m glad I quartered my blocks although it was a lot more sewing but I do love the scrappiness which is eye candy to me.
I sewed 140 Bullseye block which was way more than needed but then I hadn’t decided on a layout. After deciding to sew them as nine-patch blocks and making twelve of these blocks, a sashing of a gray dot on black was definitely needed. If I could change anything, it would be the cheddar yellow cornerstones since it looks like post-it notes but thankfully with all of the eye candy it’s not too noticeable, right? While I was sewing the flimsy together, I did sing Baby Bullseye to the tune of Baby Sharks doo, doo, doo, doo.
One of the big challenges for me to finally finish my Baby Bullseye was deciding how to machine quilt and if it was going to be a quilt or a throw. Before the blocks were sewn together I played with the idea of making it a rag quilt but decided that there would be too much fraying and decided to make it a patchwork throw. It helped that I purchased yardage of a Smokey Gray Plush Minky Dot last summer and also seemed to be in a Plush Phase right now, especially when you see the next throw. I did pin baste 3” apart since I wanted to avoid any shifting since the flimsy was almost as wide as the Plush and it seems like that took forever but was worth it. Machine quilting with straight lines on the black sashing and cross-hatched wavey lines on the center of each bullseye block was a little challenging especially with the circle seams sometime flipping over and being careful not to sew over it. When I was sewing the circles onto the background, I wasn’t so willy-nilly with the seams like the first Bullseye quilt and tried to sew within a 1/4” seam allowance by remembering the flipping seams. I now know how my long arm machine quilter who did my first Bullseye felt and her frustration and quite possibly her Karma was paying me back.
The Baby Bullseye Patchwork Throw measures 56”x74”and is a perfect lounge size for the couch which is where it will be laying for awhile before deciding if I should wash it. I do like the way it looks right now without the fraying but as Mary Etherington says it’s not a true Bullseye until you wash it. BTW, I never washed the first Bullseye Quilt which is still happily sitting on my quilt rack. To think the Peeps and I did the first Bullseye QAL together twenty-four years ago when we were just mothers of eight school age and young adults and now grandmothers of sixteen grandchildren between us (allow me a little sniffle and a tinge of envy here because I only have the darling granddaughter), I am grateful we still are friends with fabric who still quilt whenever we can. I think our grandchildren take precedent over quilt time now. I did mention in a text to the Peeps that with modern medicine working on longevity that it may be possible to live until we’re 120 years old, we could do another Bulls-eye QAL in twenty-four years and maybe after that. And wouldn’t that be a fun project for the retirement home. I did insert three big laughing emojis.
Before I started working on the Baby Bullseye quilt, I finished the Yellow Roses Double Nine-Patch Patchwork Throw. After the Granddaughter Quilt #1 was finished earlier this month, I was reminded of this flimsie which was made at least ten years ago from a Henry Glass fabric collection called Possibilities and was designed by Nancy Smith and Lynda Milligan which was purchased twenty years ago. I loved this rose print as much as the Sweet Rose print and after sitting in my stash then for ten years I finally made a quick flimsy with big plain and double nine patch blocks measuring 13.5” finish just to alleviate some quilt guilt. Thanks to Eunice, my quilt alter ego who remembers what I should be sewing, I finally finish it by making it a patchwork throw by using a pretty butter yellow Minky Dot Plush I had in my stash which was the perfect shade although it’s hard to tell from the pic. I’m glad this is a finally finish and looking forward to using it as a new travel blanket. With the Three Bear Throws finished in January and these two for February, I have now finished five Patchwork Throws/Baby Boomer Blankies which I’m calling a Royal Plush. BTW, Eunice has now gone from time-out to Jail and won’t be released for awhile since I have some new projects.
Along with a secret project for Demando who is recovering nicely from his recent hip replacement surgery, I have to start working on my project for the Villa Rosa Designs Fast & More Fun Blog Hop. My fabrics has been picked and ready for die-cutting, the pattern reviewed and I am looking forward to working on it because, surprise, it will be for the darling Granddaughter. Maybe that’s how I find time to quilt if I always say it’s for her. Insert Big Wink Emoji.
