The Mega Quilt

I call it the mega quilt, but really it is such a beautiful vintage style double irish chain two color quilt! More than a year ago, a friend (April) of Mandie (DD2) asked Mandie if she would make a quilt for her (April). Mandie said “sure and I’m sure mom will quilt it for you”! I couldn’t refuse for our sweet April, but I was surprised when I discovered that the quilt was to be more of a bedspread for a king size bed! Approximate dimensions - 134 inches square! Hence the mega quilt!! But I was committed to the task! Mandie pieced the top and then delivered it and the backing fabric to me earlier this year. I was working on the boy quilts and had planned to tackle it soon after finishing them. But what a daunting task! Quilt the large masterpiece on my DSM! How was I to handle all that bulk!! And with my shoulder discomfort!! 

So I pondered on the matter for several weeks as I rehabbed/rested my shoulder. Then I had an ah ha moment! Quilt it in parts!! Sort of quilt as you go,  but how to make it not look like that!! Pondered some more. I studied the layout and determined that by quilting wreaths in the white squares and cross hatching the white patches, I could make it work. I disassembled the top into 3 sections of two rows and one section of 3 rows. I basted the first two rows with one width of backing fabric and a similar width of batting. The quilting from each section only had to match at the crosshatching on the white patch blocks. As I completed a section I would add the next similar to the first and quilt that section all the time keeping the bulk of the quilt on my left which kept a smaller amount of batted quilt going through the harp. (I FMQ on my DSM like I sew any other fabric).

Not the best photos, as it has been cloudy and rainy here for over a week,  but I did manage a drier afternoon, and I got a couple shots before I packaged it up shipping.

Isn’t this backing fabric just beautiful!! 💗💗💗

Hope this finds each of you filled with gratitude and joy!

Blessings and hugs!