My First Quilt-Sized Quilt

After a few months of smaller projects, I was ready to try a "real" quilt...and by that, I mean a quilt-sized quilt! 

I found what I thought would be a great pattern in the Sept/Oct 2014 issue of Quilty magazine, called Jelly Roll Redux. It uses 2 1/2" strips and some additional contrast yardage to make the top. Fair warning, it takes more strips than one jelly roll has...that caught me by surprise! I used an assortment of black and white print strips.

It was such a fun quilt to make - well within my novice capabilities! I changed the pattern up a teeny bit by adding a contrast 2 1/2" square in between each of my strips, I love the pop of color!

I finished the top before Christmas 2014, and gave it to my daughter...she was so excited! 

I managed to finish it up in January (with much encouragement/badgering from my daughter!) I used the walking foot on my regular machine to quilt it, once on each side of the vertical seams, then in the contrast panel I quilted strait horizontal lines...well, mostly strait!

The back is a luscious spa minkee in my daughter's favorite hot pink - so, so soft! I don't remember how large it ended up...large enough to cover a twin bed though! 

It was a tremendously fun quilt to make, and I love how it turned out! 

Each of my projects has taught me something new about quilting...I love that about making! For this quilt, I learned to measure my intended backing fabric...lol...I ended up trimming about a foot off the side and bottom of the quilt top after I had made it, because the backing was smaller than I thought it would be, and I had purchased the minkee years prior, so was unable to get more. Now I know! I do intend to make a coordinating pillow sham out of the pieces though!

Happy Crafting!

Meredith