50th Birthday Present - Finished 03/05/2013

On the way... CG was looking for someone to piece this for her. I agreed to do it IF she planned which squares went where & marked them. Planned she did!

---

Feb 05: CG sent me her layout photo.
Feb 09: Fabric arrived. I literally have my work cut out for me on this one. Started piecing column 1 (blocks 1-8). Only able to do blocks 1 & 7. I sewed the squares in block 2 but had to take it all out. This one and the other blocks in column 1 had knit fabrics which must be stabilized.. I went ahead and removed all the blue painters tape which caused unavoidable and significant unraveling. When I have used such tape to mark blocks, I use only a small square and never put it on the edge but in the middle of the fabric. Sorry CG. I did not know so could not warn you. It never occurred to me that you would use it to tape the blocks together. So one hour of work got me ready to iron the rows in 2 of 8 blocks. Going to do that now and then complete those blocks after ordering some fusible interfacing to stabilize the knits.
  I pushed myself to stack the squares in column 2 (blocks 9-17) for piecing. Three of these blocks had squares that needed stabilizing. I remembered I had a small amount of what I need that Joan sent me. Yes! So I pushed myself to stabilize and re-squared a whole bunch of squares. All 8 blocks in this row are ready to sew. 4+ hours already devoted to this project & still only have 2 blocks of 56 done. Yikes!
Feb 10: Have the rows together for the 8 blocks in Col 2. Also had enough fusible to do one more block in Col 1. Before completing the blocks, I am going back to removing blue tape ever so carefully on several more columns. Laura Mourning shared a technique this evening that should help tremendously since I have to use fusible interfacing any way. Talk about "just in time." The blue tape is now all gone, I have touched every square of fabric & feeling organized. I will piece the few blocks I have already started in the traditional way and then wait for the fusible to get here probably on Tuesday.
Feb 11: Thanks to a photo from Laura and online research, CG was able to get the fusible interfacing we need at her local Joann's.
Feb 12: Finished blocks in column 2 plus 1 more in column 1 making 11 total. That's it until the fusible comes in by this time next week.
Feb 14: Fusible interfacing is here via PARCEL POST in 2 days from NH. Wow!
Feb 18: It's back to work as I start cutting the fusible in 13" squares. All blocks for 2 columns are done. I prefer to join blocks in a row first and then connect the rows but I can go ahead and pair up and sew the first two blocks in each row. I am ready to see fewer pieces to this project.
Feb 19: With Laura's advice, I am on my way to connecting all the squares left into one great big patch. I will then sew long seams & be done much quicker with much greater accuracy. Row 1 is connected. Columns have been reorganized into rows of five.
Feb 20: Columns 3-7 of Rows 1-4 are connected. Columns 3-7 of Rows 5-8 to go.
Feb 21: Did Row 5 before my quests came.
Feb 22: Row 6. Only 2 to go...tomorrow.
Feb 23: Up early for me & hard at work. I am determined to get everything ironed down this morning. DONE! Rows are ironed & started seaming them. Need input from CG on how to position her label. That is now settled.
Feb 24: Will be seaming the rest of the row and then will cut them open and press flat. The column seams will be done the same way. I have one tricky piece to work in that is equivalent to 4 horizontal blocks & then need to add columns 1 & 2 that I did separately. Whew! That's a lot. HA! Didn't do anything. Took the day off since it was so beautiful outside.
Feb 25: Another day lost to necessary chores & life in general. Don't worry--we still have plenty of time.
Feb 26: The power was off awhile due the ice cover outside. Row seams are done. Now I need to cut them open and then press them open. I opened enough to stitch the first 4 vertical seams so I could insert a special piece. I've been doing that in my sleep for a week so I am glad it is done. I find cutting the seams and ironing them flat is not as bad as I feared. 
Feb 27: The horizontal seams are cut open. Next I iron them flat. Done. Next I press the vertical seams. Done. Next I sew the long vertical seams. Done. This is taking hours and hours. It's 9:30 PM & I have been at it all day. Enough.
Feb 28: Next I cut open the vertical seams. Done. Next I press the vertical seams open. Done. I turn the top over and press all the seams. Done. Next I piece together the sections of columns 1 & 2 I did back on the 10th. Done. Last step is to merge these first two columns with the large section. Done. Oh, and fuse the card on the quilt top. Done. And thus the quilt top is finished. Backing is loaded. Tomorrow is quilting day.
Mar 01: Finished loading and basting. Quilting.
Mar 02: Finished the last hour or so of quilting. Prepared & attached the binding. Only the hand work remains.
Mar 03-05: Hand binding. Finished 2 PM 2/5/13.