Finally ready to make quilts!
 

We decided that I-Spy quilts would make perfect baby gifts, so we have been collecting I-Spy fabrics for what seems like an eternity. Every time we found something we would buy a half yard and stash it away. This spring we decided what size quilts we would like to make and counted our collection. We needed 130 5" squares, and found we were only short by a few fabrics. We rounded out our collection and started cutting. I finished cutting over the weekend and just got all the squares sorted into kits. We can now make 24 quilts! And we need to make six shortly!

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Wow!! You are really ambitious. Looks like fun, but a lot of work - 24 quilts. I am impressed. Have lots of fun.

That's quite a process you've got going. I'll bet they go together fast the way you have everything organized.

You have done a lot of work! But it looks like it was a labor of love. Please post a picture or two of the quilts when they are done. Wish I could help - I love making I Spy quilts.

Looks like you are all organized for some great assembly-line piecing! Can't wait to see the results!

how cool is that! can't wait to see your quilts

WOW, that the way to be organized. Good Luck with getting them all done.

.... Are you planning to market these or are they going to be family/friends gifts? I notice the fabric is cut into squares, is that the finished cut or are you going to "hex" them and companion them with equalateral triangles in construction? Just curious.....

Wow, great job! Having those stacks of charm squares all sitting there ready to go for a quick baby quilt is a great idea! Now I'm trying to figure out the how you will lay them out. Must be 10X13 to come up with 130.

way to go... have fun

wow what a neat idea be sure to show the finished quilts!!!

Your organization is wonderful.... I can see lots of us QB quilters following your style. I love I-spy quilts as well but haven't done any lately. I think you might have inspired me to start collecting again. I'll have to see what I have already.

And, don't forget to show us your finished product..... can hardly wait.

I love to look at the Ispy quilts and can't wait to see all the fabrics you collected.

a lot of work for sure. show us when they are done.

Oh, wow, good luck with your project.

Great project!
I'm putting together an I-Spy Bowtie--lots of fun. :)

What a ton of work but they sure look great all stacked up on the table.:thumbup:

WOW, you've got an assembly line going!!!!

Great job! I don't know if I'd be that patient.

Thanks for all the encouragement everyone! I would like to start on one of the quilts this weekend, but found out today that my plans may have changed - I'll know tomorrow whether I have to make a road trip this weekend. As soon as I get one done I will post for sure though.

To answer some questions:

We will be using the squares as is - no hexes, although that might be fun for the next set.

The layout is indeed 10 by 13 blocks. That will give us a top that is 45 by 58.5. It's a good size to go up through school age. We may put borders on them also, but won't know until we see what a top looks like put together.

We don't plan on selling any. We need five or six quilts (I've lost count) in the next three months or so. Those will be the first, and we will keep the kits in reserve for the next several baby quilts we need.

I am happy with how the kits are organized now, but I have learned a couple of things. If I do this again, I will make it even easier on myself. This time we collected the fabrics, then started cutting when we had enough. I would cut a half yard into three 5" strips (plus a 2.5" strip if I could get it). Then I would stack those 5" strips and cut them into squares, and put those 24 squares into groups of ten fabrics. Then I had to "shuffle" all those stacks into kits. Next time I will cut the fabrics in groups of three as soon as I bring them home, stacking a 5" strip of each fabric together and cutting that group into squares, and assemble the 24 kits as I cut. The cutting and kit assembly was murder on my back because I did it all at once. I have a new respect for the people who organize swaps!

Some of the fabrics we bought ended up having a pattern that was too big to be cut into a 5" square. We thought we were being careful when we bought, but I still had to reject about 6 or 7 fabrics because they wouldn't make good 5" squares. Next time we will be even more careful about pattern size. I may even cut myself a 4.5" frame to take shopping with us.

I think we have been collecting the fabrics for 3 or 4 years. It would be quite expensive to try to purchase all of this at once ($650 if the fabric averaged $10 per yard). If I could buy fat quarters I would do that, but some places don't sell them, which is why we started on half yards.

After talking about them so much now I think I will go out and start laying out a quilt. Wish me luck!

Looking forward to seeing the finished product❗️

Great job of organizing your fabrics. Please post pictures of your quilts! I would love to see the collection of fabrics you have found for your I-Spy quilts. Will you use the same pattern for all of them?

Can't wait to see this finished. Love the push pin fabric!!

What fun you're having! Enjoy the process! Looks like you have a lot of nifty fabrics to use!

What a great idea. Super organized, so should be fun and go together quickly. Please do show us your finished products.

Whew!!! that was a lot of cutting! Have fun!

Looks like you are ready to get going. Good Job.

If you plan on doing this assembly line cutting/piecing frequently, I suggest you look into purchasing a die cutter and the die design(s) you need. Makes the cutting process go smoothly......and precisely.....JMHO. I don't "assembly line" but I sure love my die cutters!

Looks like you are so organized! It will be going so fast once the squares are already cut. Good Luck and I am sure it will go fast.

Let the fun begin!!!!

Good luck. That is a lot of quilts.

I'm so envious! Trying to get 2 made for oldest g-boys, who share a room, for Christmas. I figured I needed 160 fabrics--and so far only have 92! haven't dug through my Christmas fabrics yet so that will help, but I'm always looking for additional ones. I lucked out with a bag of juvenile prints at a garage sale--of course I had to pull out all the pink "girly" ones as knew the boys would moan about those!

Wow......there will be some happy children out there who will love these quilts! Can't wait to see one finished.

I love your fabrics!

Who is "we"? You said several times "we bought fabric", etc. Are you working with a group, your sister, your husband, your kids?

I agree with the others--will enjoy seeing your finished tops! I've been working on some kids' stuff as well lately.


I wish you a wonderful sewing time, but not necessarily "luck"--I am not really familiar with that concept when it comes to sewing.

Now that's thinking outside the box. After reading your post, I think I will follow your lead and cut my I-spy stash into squares. Sure would save a lot of time when I needed to make a quilt.

Wow...You are ready to take on a lot of work...Good luck...

Justflyingin, my wife and I are a team.

We have a top finished and on the frame. I hope to get it quilted tomorrow night.