Not your Granny Bee

Another UFO bites the dust! I have got these blocks out a few times in the last few years thanks to the APQ UFO challenge,  but I never got very far with them....

This pile of granny square blocks came from a number of bees I was participating to in 2013 and 2014. I even wrote a tutorial for the block at some point!.... I know, this is a long time ago... but  better late than never, right?

Now as with all swaps/bees, it is hard to get great consistency and while squaring the blocks, I realised that they would not all end up the exact same size if I was to keep all the points... so the solution I found for it was to sash the blocks. So I raided my stash for a solid fabric that would work with all the blocks. 

I picked the lilac that I had recently bought for the Harry Potter quilt along as I had stashed meters of it and it was somehow a more neutral colour for the blocks. I like how it worked with my blocks. I cut lengths of sashing and added the strips to the blocks (which seemed to take for ever).... before squaring them up - again!

Next step was to arrange all the blocks into a quilt top. I had 60 blocks altogether so I decided on a 8 x 7 setting with 4 leftovers for a pieced back.

And finally, with a quilt top in my hands, it was time to get the frame out for the quilting!

I kept a simple meander design, in the interest of time...

but as with most of my quilts, I inserted a little message for the recipients. Since this was to be a wedding gift, you might be able to make out that I added the famous.... Love, Love, Love

All you need is Love

And soon it was time to square it up and add the binding! Again, in the interest of time, I sew the binding completely on my machine.

I attached it to the back first and then folded it over to the front and secured it by machine. Not my preferred method and slightly less neat but it had the massive interest to ensure that my quilt was finished in time to be gifted ON THE WEDDING DAY! How impressive, right?

I used the backing fabric for the binding as well as I thought it fitted / blended well with the quilt

And something I don't do often, I inserted some blocks in the back too, the last 4 blocks were added there

With the sashing and the number of blocks, the quilt ended rather big! And I am pleased to report that the Happy Couple loved my present!

Quilt stats:
Quilts blocks from bees made in 2013/2014 (60 blocks) finishing at 10 3/4' after sashing
Quilt 72 x 82'
Freemotion quilting with King Tut Superior Thread
Backing fabric ordered for the quilt.

One OPAM for June and also my One monthly goal for June. This was also on my Q2 FAL list

Linking to Monday Making, Monday Design Wall, Wednesday Wait Loss, Midweek Makers, Let's Bee Social, Needle and Thread Thursday, Whoop Whoop Friday

Celine