Christmas wishes a double sided all flannel quilt
I love this quilt! So glad it is mine and I am keeping it, well it is a birthday present for my DH. This quilt is all flannel. Because I back a lot of quilts with flannel and made an all flannel quilt for my brother, I had a lot of flannel scraps and some were small and many were long strips from cutting off all the flannel backs. After I finished my brother's quilt (pictured here: https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictures-f5/woo-hoo-i-won-2nd-place-peoples-choice-bennington-quiltfest-t200665.html) I started piecing blocks with no rhyme or reason out of the scraps. It got drug out and put away a lot over the years.
My intention was to make an all flannel scrap quilt. Then I stumbled upon this free pattern by Lynette Anderson designs called Christmas Wishes (link below) and decided to make it all in flannel. All the applique is turned edge, a true challenge working with the extra bulk of flannel. I had to order in a few more lights, reds and greens in flannel to have a nice assortment but the rest is all from stash. I enjoyed every minute of making this quilt.
Once the top was done I decided to back it with my UFO scrappy flannel. So I started piecing flannel blocks like crazy. Many were experiment blocks to try out a block, new technique or ruler. I even took a stab at Tartan's Dresden Dahlia which she posted a tutorial how to do it here. https://www.quiltingboard.com/tutorials-f10/dresden-dahlia-t280852.html and filled in with bits and pieces, sashing some blocks to get them up to size or setting them on point and inserting a scrap bit where needed. The back took longer than the front to make but so worth it to me (and it was fun too). There was some serious bulk where there were many seam allowances on the back that lined up with layers of applique on the top but my Innova powered through it all with no issues. The only problem I had was the dormer window in the house. There was so much bulk (over 8 layers of flannel in that spot!) that my hopping foot wouldn't get over it so I just ditched the window and didn't ditch the window sashing. I love both sides equally well so I have dubbed the quilt "Which Way is Up?" The binding was cut bias so I would get the diamond design from the plaid type print and it is also flannel. Reminds me of argyle socks. I can attest to it's warm soft coziness which I enjoyed immensely while hand sewing the binding to the back.
Techy details
Pattern: Front is Christmas Wishes by Lynette Anderson : https://lynetteandersondesigns.typepad.com/lynette_anderson_designs/free-patterns.html
Back, no pattern. The scrappy stars I followed Edita Sitar's instructions from her Scrappy Fireworks book using 1.5" strip sets to make the star point diamonds. There are 3 different sizes.
Batting: Wool
Thread Isacord in a cream color
Rulers used in the border: Quilted Pineapple 15" arc in the border and a straight edge. The rest of the quilting was all freehand with a funky fun feather used in the background that switched directions often. It is loosly based on Bethanne Nemish's "Nemishing" technique but I didn't fill in with pebbles. Combining technique and inspiration from Sue Heinz of Kismet Quilting and Bethanne Nemish of White Arbor quilts, I came up with a holly berry spray to put in the 9P blocks and a swirl motif in the red inner border.
The top, although it will only be displayed up during the holidays. My Maine Coon Yoshi photo bombed it.
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Some detail shots of the quilting
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The continuous holly spray
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The outer border
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