Quilt stats
Name: I Really Love 4" Squares
Design: 224-4" squares with 4" border
Size: 56" by 63"
Fabric: I Spy Scraps and stash fabrics, binding is Timeless Treasures Clown Strip in black
Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in lt gray, #2600
Backing: OOP Ikea sheeting
I find I Spy quilts are great donation quilts for organizations that are looking for raffle prizes. I have made quite a few of these, let me tell you! I whipped one up over the Christmas holidays to keep in stock for the next raffle prize emergency. I always stick to the same plan and I have made quite a few of these that I have not even blogged about. Shocker! I have a container of pre-cut 4" I Spy squares. I mean, if you are going to cut one square, why not cut a bunch at the same time? This way, I can quickly throw up the needed number of squares on the design wall. Cut a few more if I need variety and then sew them altogether. It just works. When I am dealing with scraps, I tend to cut 4" squares of anything I spy suitable and throw them in the container at the same time. I have a stock pile of the yellow dots for the border and always seem to use the same Clown stripe binding. This time, I used an out of print Ikea sheeting for the backing. I bought metres of it before it was no longer available. It makes a great backing for this type of quilt.
The quilting is simple, straight lines on one side of the blocks with a little bit extra around the border. I used Aurifil light gray, 50 wt. The gray blends really well with all the action in the I Spy squares.
I do this with baby quilts too. 4" squares are my go to, quick and easy baby quilt. I have pre-cut 4" squares ready to go for those purposes as well. This makes me feel very organized and virtuous. Just saying. These baby quilts were done with the 4" square method.
Here and
here.
And you can see we still have snow! Brrr! And this is my first finish for the year! Woo hoo!
and I tucked the quilt up so you can see the back. Happy New Year!
Great idea! I think I will follow your lead, I need to make a quilts for my niece and nephews, before they are too old to appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteI like your I Spy quilt and love your description of how easy it is to put together! I would like to try this myself and wonder if you could clarify something for me. My math shows 14 blocks across + the equivalent of 2 more in borders. If the blocks finish at 4", the quilt would measure @ 64". If the blocks actually start at 4" wide, they should finish @ 3.5" and the quilt would measure @ 56" wide. What is the cut, unsewn block size that you use? Thank you for sharing your method and congratulations on the first finish of the New Year!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I thought I Spy quilts tended to be 1" squares.
ReplyDeleteSo having collected fabrics to make my grandson one, whose now 7 - Ive stalled for 7 years lol
4" makes it likely I will get one made for my 2 year old granddaughter instead now!!
Sometimes I can be so dim!
Yours look smashing!
I love it! I like the idea of having a container of squares ready to go. I might use that idea!
ReplyDeleteI love making I spy quilts, I am a sucker for novelty fabrics
ReplyDelete