No QuiltE, it won't really, I don't think. :confused: I'm in my cutesy spider phase so they will be big-eyed and fun, mostly.

And yes, you are correct - the surrounding blocks are to be pieced not just blocks of fabric. Otherwise, what fun would that be? Remember that, everyone. It's in the rules. :D

I plan to use my Japanese sampler book for the surrounding blocks so: Franky Goes to Japan. Yes, I generally have my quilts named long before they are finished. Now, if I could only find some time to sew.

Maybe you should add in some of the "ant" fabric from FLand?
They did a good job of it and I've been very tempted .... but ants? ick!

I am planning on using a cross stitch pattern to make a grid like quilt. I wasn't really thinking about putting additional blocks around it or anything... maybe just a border to make it look like it is in a picture frame. I was looking at the Pellon's quilters Grid Fusible to use to make it easier to not put the squares in the wrong order. Has anyone used this before? Can someone tell me how thick this is? Is it considered a lightweight interfacing or more heavy? I am wanting to use this for a throw so I dont want it to make it too stiff. I can order it online, but wanted to try to make sure its not too stiff if I were to use it. I will have to find my picture I have for this and see if I can add it here.

Here is a picture of the character... surely you know who he is lol

I'm still fiddling with it a little. Want to get some shadowing in there so that you can tell the wrinkles in the shirt and the separate shoes.

great idea. I'll have to try that. And thanks for the DH well wishes. He actually came home today so that's good. Even took my doxie Chip to pick "daddy" up. They both enjoyed seeing each other.

brookemarie19 - adorable. He really needs to be surrounded by others. :) If you don't want to do surrounding blocks perhaps you might do some interesting corner squares. Didn't he have a butterfly landing on his hand in one sequence? Pieced butterfly corners. That works for me. :thumbup: I planned for the challenge to encompass the centre as well as surrounding area of the quilt to see how creative people can get with the entire thing. But I don't want to scare you off, just to get those creative juices flowing.:)

I have no experience with the gridded fusible. I just have Franky in many small pieces on my design wall and will probably sew him together line by line. That means no chain piecing but also fewer chances for errors. He'd really be a monster if part of Franky's head was in the background or his suit coat instead.

vickyg626 - so glad to hear hubby is home and there was a happy reunion. My wishes for a continued recovery, and a quick one, at home.

BrookMarie ... Now that's going to be a fun project to do! I know those counted cross stitch patterns are pretty small grids. So get out some graph paper and draw it out on there. Then start looking at HSTs and QSTs in different colours to help you get those folds in his clothes! And use your pencil crayons to help you colour in the different colours. Then start looking for your fabrics. Good idea that W4Me had about the butterflies!! Just start with the centre, and I bet you'll have LOTS more ideas for the rest, as you work on it. Now the question I have ... is there a significance of this wee man to your life, that you've done a cross stitch and now a quilt?

Oh ... forgot ... you asked about the fusible grid ... check it out in your LQS. I haven't worked with it, but I saw some last week. It is very lightweight, not much different than a clothes dryer sheet. The one question I had, was how do you get them all sitting in place so that they don't shift as you iron them? I think I'd want to practice on something smaller to get the idea of how to work with it. That's just me though!

VickyG ... That's good news that you have your DH home again. Much easier on you, than to have to do all the commuting and sitting! Maybe now, as he continues his recovery, you can have a chance to sit and sew a little! Remember, you need some "therapy" and me-time to help you continue to cope. Best wishes for continued improvement for your DH .... and that he is a good patient, and easy on you! :)

VickyG ... That's good news that you have your DH home again. Much easier on you, than to have to do all the commuting and sitting! Maybe now, as he continues his recovery, you can have a chance to sit and sew a little! Remember, you need some "therapy" and me-time to help you continue to cope. Best wishes for continued improvement for your DH .... and that he is a good patient, and easy on you! :)[/QUOTE]

Thanks! Actually, DH wasn't suppose to come home till Friday. My next door neighbor (and quilting buddy) texted me yesterday that she wasn't watching her grandkids and wanted to go to Joann's to get some batting (on sale $7.99 / yard) and do lunch. I told her it sounded fun and that I needed "girl" time. On our way, DH calls and says he's coming home. So I just told him to order lunch and I'll pick him up in 2 hours. It actually worked out great because it took that long to get all the hospital paperwork done.

So, yes, try to steal "me" time whenever I can.

attagirl!!!!
Wasn't that the "best medicine" for you ... to do your mini FART first, and then pick up your DH! And especially when he really wasn't ready til later! No guilt!! :)

Thanks! Actually, DH wasn't suppose to come home till Friday. My next door neighbor (and quilting buddy) texted me yesterday that she wasn't watching her grandkids and wanted to go to Joann's to get some batting (on sale $7.99 / yard) and do lunch. I told her it sounded fun and that I needed "girl" time. On our way, DH calls and says he's coming home. So I just told him to order lunch and I'll pick him up in 2 hours. It actually worked out great because it took that long to get all the hospital paperwork done.

So, yes, try to steal "me" time whenever I can.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I am going to use it on the mario QAL first as that block is much smaller. It will be smaller than the original as well since she is cutting 1.5" squares for hers, but to make it easier I am going to do 1" so that it fits the grid perfectly. I just have to make sure to get enough to do Dopey as well since it is on sale right now. I am thinking about how to frame him with quilt blocks to fit better in this challenge. I think I might do some paper pieced letters to have his name on the quilt and maybe a couple of butterflies as well. Do we have any other suggestions?

I have always loved dopey since I was very young... even have a 3 ft stuffed one that my youngest daughter loves to dance with. I am hoping she will like this blanket, but it will be a throw to watch tv with when its all said and done ;)