I Spy Quints (not a typo!) and counting...
 

In my intro to the board, I explained how I had taken quite a long break from quilting, but found myself getting back into it when I was living in lockdown due to the global pandemic. I was, at first, very limited in terms of what I had to hand, and so that dictated my first quilting endeavours. One of the first things I made was an I Spy quilt for a friend/colleague's child - I had quite a collection of novelty prints (mostly FQs or less) left over from the 90s, and so I started. As I laid out the quilt, I learned that a LQS had set up online ordering with curbside pickup, and so I filled out my stash a bit. I spent a couple of weeks planning and cutting and putting it all together, and using this process to maintain some sanity. Fast forward a few weeks and I was finally able to deliver a quilt to my friend's daughter (socially-distanced, of course). My mother really liked what I had done and asked if I would be willing to make one for her friend who was expecting a grandchild. I had the fabric and the time, so I said I would. In the meantime, pictures of these quilts got circulated among my mother's friends and I started getting requests to make more quilts. No... not really more quilts. More of _these_ quilts. So they multiplied (as did my collection of novelty prints). I'm at the binding stage of I Spy Quilts # 4 and #5. I have one more "order" to fulfill, and I intend to take a long break after #6. I'm pretty done with novelty prints for now. Don't get me wrong - I have enjoyed this. They are quite fun to make and I enjoy the fussy cutting, but I've also been really glad for a few other projects that have allowed me to believe that I'm not "just" an I Spy quiltmaker! I'd be curious to know if others have had this same sort of experience - being "known" for a certain type or style of quilt and having trouble breaking out of that cycle.

What fun quilts! Kudos on such a undertaking, I am sure they will be treasured, sew much fun!

Well first of all let me say how much I love your quilts. My husband and I both like scrappy. Maybe it brings us back to our childhood when you used fabric you had on hand from recycle or feed sack, etc. I have never thought to put so many different blocks and that in itself helps the scrappiness. I see different size just squares, 4 patches, D9P blocks, love this. Was this an idea you conceived or a pattern you saw?
I made an I Spy Maze once because I sew for charity a lot. I want to make one like yours now.
Speaking of being know for a certain style of quilt, in my sewing group I guess I am known to like to work with panels and I can do so much more. I don’t like to make the same pattern twice.
Keep up the great work. Sewing and quilting has saved a lot of our sanity during these times.-Toogie

Love that your I-Spy’s have different size squares and rectangles. That really gives them a design edge!

These are great quilts! I love them. I love doing I spy quilts.

you asked if anyone has gotten caught up with requests. Mine haven’t been for quilts per se but for memory bears and pillows. I have made some memory / tshirt quilts but it’s the bears and pillows that bring in some of the requests.

thanks for sharing.

All the quilts are very pretty and colorful. The kids will love them.

Thanks everyone for the encouraging comments. I've so appreciated everything I've learned already here and it's because of this being such a great community. :-)

Toogie - back in the 90s when I started playing with novelty fabrics but didn't really have a plan, I started cutting the motifs in standard sizes that would play well with each other, and that's how the blocks got built. The smallest patches are 2-1/2", and I just play around with different combinations to finish up with a 12-1/2" block. I actually have a queen sized I Spy top using these blocks from back in the day... life's path may have got a bit twisted along the way, but I'm just not ready to get rid of it. I've thought about cannibalizing it for these requested quilts, but I remember how happy I was when I was making it and so it's staying in my UFO pile for now. :-)

=35pxactually have a queen sized I Spy top using these blocks from back in the day

i would love to see it! I’m like you, there are some for one reason of another I can’t let go of, especially right away.

Fatsewcat - I hadn't heard of memory bears before; what a lovely idea! Something like that would be such a cherished thing. <3

Toogie - I'll work on it. I don't think I can get it on the clothesline without dragging it in the garden, but I'll give it a go when I dig it out of its hidey-hole!