Ultimate I Spy: It's Cool to be Square blog hop

When Carol from Just Let Me Quilt put out the call for her It's Cool to Be Square blog hop, I had a couple possible projects in mind.  What I really wanted to use was a quilt that's been a UFO for at least 3 years and it seemed unlikely that I could finish it in time, but I always had it in mind as my goal, my stretch, to finish it.  After all, it has 306 squares--that must qualify, right?!

So what is this monstrosity that you are looking at?  I'm calling it the Ultimate I Spy Quilt.  See, I've had a thing for I Spy quilts for many years now, since before my son was born.  I've made many, including a twin size each for my son (predates blog), my niece, and my mom. 

Our bed was the only bed in the house that didn't have a quilt I made on it.  Part of that is I hate making large quilts, but more of it was that I never knew exactly what I wanted to make.  When I was working on my niece's I Spy (back in 2016!) I realized that I love I Spy quilts so much, that was what I really wanted.  I asked Husband and he agreed.

I've done many I Spy swaps over the years and almost all of them swapped 5" squares, so that's what I have the most of.  I did the math and I would need 306 squares for my queen-sized I Spy adventure.  I kept track of objects in a spreadsheet to avoid duplicates as much as possible. Many have personal significance: there are at least two fabrics I bought in Alaska on our honeymoon, there are some in-jokes and favorite things and fabrics that represent people in our lives, including a firetruck for the Fire Monkey, of course!

Because it's so large (99" x 95") it was difficult to get a good picture.  But doesn't it look great on the bed!  I just love looking at it!!

The sashing is Kona Steel. I bought it when I first started working on this and when I got to the end, I didn't have enough for the binding. I'm trying not to buy fabric and I was worried about dye lot variation, so I knew I'd need something else for the biding.  I really liked the dark blue cross-hatch wide back fabric I bought for the back, and when I laid it out I had enough to bind from the backing fabric.  I had never done that before.  I found this tutorial helpful. I didn't love the technique and wouldn't do it again on a quilt this large, though maybe on a smaller quilt I would have an easier time making it look neat.

I found Waldo!

This was on my list for earning my PhD (Projects Half Done) with Gail of Quilting Gail. I will also link up with Tish of Tish's Adventures in Wonderland for her next UFO Busting linkup.  In my quest to finish 52 projects this   year, this is finish #16.

Be sure to check out all the It's Cool to be Square projects this week!  And if you're like me, you're singing the hit by Huey Lewis & The News as you hop: It's Hip to Be Square!

May 18

Creatin' in the Sticks

Life in the Scrapatch

Day Brook Designs

Songbird Designs

The Darling Dogwood

Kathleen McMusing

Quilting Gail

May 19

MooseStashQuilting

Beaquilter

Quilt In A Not-Shell

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Seams To Be Sew

Daughters of Dorinda

Kathy's Kwilts and More

May 20

Ms P Designs USA

Selina Quilts

Karen's Korner

Just Because Quilts

Becky’s Adventures in Quilting and Travel

Sew Many Yarns

May 21

Scrapdash

Websterquilt

Quilt Schmilt

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

May 22

Just Let Me Quilt

Vroomans Quilts

Patchouli Moon Studio

Den syende himmel

Quilt Fabrication

Samelia's Mum