A Quilt for Ana becomes Ana's Memory Quilt - Pieced 08/08/2017. Quilted 10/12/2017. Bound 10/18/2017.

Milestones

Planned

Pieced

Quilted

Bound

​​Where We Started

Dec 07, 2016: I purchased the Moda Latitude jelly roll fabric as part of the Christmas Stocking event at Ye Olde Forest Quilt shop. No specific plans at present but I really like the heart.
Jun 07: When I delivered Ted's quilt, he decided he would like to have a quilt made for Ana, his girlfriend. Among the many choices I have on hand, Ted selected "I Love Music" like this original quilt.
Jun 25: I got an email from Ana. We talked. Not her preference. 
Jun 26: We talked again. Ana really likes the heart as shown here. Ana wants the heart centered in a small cuddle quilt. That will be easy. The hard part will be following directions for a layer cake (10" precut squares) but using a jelly roll (2.5" strips). I've done some renditions but the dimensions are off until I can do the math. The heart will be batiks & the rest of the quilt will be flannels. Decided Warm & White batting is the best choice. Ginger Heart is Ana's choice for a quilting pattern.
​Jun 28: Ana ordered her flannel fabric.
Jun 30: The flannel fabric is here.

​Plan ​Change to Memory Quilt

Jun 29: Ana has changed her plan from a heart quilt to the same heart in the middle of a memory quilt. She wants t-shirt aspect kept secret from Ted for now. We are using the same flannels bought for the first design. Together we worked out the sashing & borders. I borrowed Joan's sashing design from the quilt she made for Margaret.
Jun 30: The more Ana & I talk & work together, the better this gets. I am hoping Ana will be very much a participant in piecing her quilt & she seems very interested. From ANA "LOVE IT!!!" (pictures) & "I got my blue ridge parkway shirt so that's one down." BTW: The shirts will be places she & Ted have visited together. Researched fusible interfacing also called stabilizer--the stuff that turns t-shirts into something substantial enough to quilt them. Turns out Ana changed jobs & is not available at all. Hmmm.

The Heart

The Shirts

The Sashing

Quilting​

Binding

The rest of the progress notes

Jul 01: I decided on Pellon® SF101 Shape-Flex® because is is 100% cotton & highly recommended by several experienced memory quilt piecers. Ordered from Joann's on sale at rate of $0.09/in.
Jul 02: Made a few sample heart blocks to determine their size when cut from 2.5" strips. Blocks are 2.75” (finished size 2.25”). The heart is 8 blocks across & 7 down. The finished heart will be 18 x 15.75 (W x L).
Jul 09: Started working on the heart. Got triangles cut out & trying to arrange them. Having to use my Fire HD tablet to see what goes where.
Jul 10: All the pieces are in place. The blocks for the lower 3 rows are done. I won't connect the blocks until I know what size the t-shirts are.
​Jul 12: All the blocks are done. This is as far as I can go until we decide on the t-shirts. Ana has 6 of 12 so far.
Aug 05: Ana let me know she has all her t-shirts now. Also gave me a layout for her shirts.
Aug 06: Drew the layout & posted it above & even got it right.
Aug 07: Got word that Ana may not have a chance to come here at all to help plan shirt & heart sizes. I am on my own for better or worse--not at all what I signed up for or wanted.
Sep 06: Picked up the last of the shirts that have been in Marty's (our courier from Nissan in Boone) truck all this time. Included is a couple of layouts & other instructions. All blocks are to be the same size even if I have to crop a design. Didn't have to.
Sep 18: Time to get familiar with the shirts & decals. Widest decal is 13". Tallest is 11.5. Ana wants the quilt wider than it is tall.
Sep 23: The blocks need to be cut 14" x 12" to allow for seams. Finished blocks will be 13.5 x 11.5. Finished quilt will be approximately 69" x 61". Started cutting the shirts. I have separated the shirt backs from the fronts tossing the sleeves.
Sep 24: Fusing shirts & interfacing. One done, all cut out ready to fuse. It heart is now in perspective in the EQ7 rendition above.
Sep 25: All shirts are now fused. Ready to cut them down to 14 x 12. T-shirt blocks are done.
Sep 26: Back to the heart ... rows are together ... working on joining them. All rows are now joined except the top row. I want to piece the gray dots but I also want it to look like a continuous matching grey background. Tricky but I think I can do it ... tomorrow.
Sep 27: Well, probably can't do it but trying. The heart is done...just needs background around it. Added side borders to shirt blocks.
Sep 28: Finished shirt block borders. Cut the sashing and previewed the quilt. This is so time consuming. I am taking a break for a few days.
Oct 04: Finished the heart block.
Oct 05: Top & bottom rows are together, side blocks are together. One more day, maybe two to finish the quilt top.
Oct 06:  Ready to add blue border to the heart block. Next add sides to heart block thus the center section will be in one piece. Add the top & bottom rows.to the center section making 1 total piece. Add a grey border and then a blue border to complete the quilt top. Piece the backing.
Oct 07: Got the grey border on.
Oct 08: Attaching the final blue border. At last, the quilt top is finished.
​Oct 09: The backing and the binding are ready. Loading.
Oct 11: Loaded ready to quilt. Quilting.
​Oct 12: Quilted. Binding is attached. Only hand work left.
Oct 16: Started the hand work & got half way.
Oct 17: Learned last night that Ana has shared her secret with Ted over the weekend  so I have taken the time to revise this post to include all the previously hidden information. Everything is now public & here.
Oct 18: Binding is finished & thus the quilt is finished. Delivered it to Ted to give Ana.