Here’s another UFO I got out recently. This is a very old project. I’m not sure exactly when I started collecting fabrics, but it was at least as early as 2002. At some point I decided I would collect a quarter yard of patriotic fabric from every state I’ve visited over the years. I was lucky to grow up in a family that took cross country trips and my husband and I had also done several long road trips, so I’d been to a lot of states before I ever started this. However, in the early 2000s I had been a quilter for 10 years and decided it was time to make such a quilt. I didn’t have any plan of what to actually do with the fabric I got, but I ended up with quite a stack. I think I have 36 states represented, although curiously, some states I’ve been to since then are not represented. I guess I’ll have to make up for that when this pandemic is finally behind us.
I took out the stack I had saved and did some thinking on this. I finally decided to do a hand appliqued star on each 9 inch quilt block. I made up a template and transferred it to plastic so it won’t degrade over the years. I cut out each star and pin basted to the background fabrics. I’ve been slowly thread basting them for a few weeks and will then have a nice stack of blocks to applique when I have the time. Getting this project decided has been very motivating even though I don’t have all the fabrics I need.
Each fabric has a notation with the state on it so I don’t forget. I’m still trying to decide how i want to notate that in the final quilt. Probably embroidery, but I’m not sure how or where I’ll do that. I do have a quilt plan though. I made a note in my quilt journal so I hopefully don’t forget in case this project is again shelved for several years.
The center rectangle will be a larger applique block, probably with words although I haven’t settled on anything yet.
It’s been quite a “trip” to revisit these fabrics which bring up memories of the places I went to get them. Sadly, I do not a have journal of each location. I really wish I had that though. I remember some instances like the fact that in Idaho we couldn’t find a quilt shop anywhere in the area we were in so I finally went to a Ben Franklin store to get something. I also remember the shop in Rhode Island which was called Knit One Quilt Too which was my first blog name way back in 2007 so I knew I had to go there. I also remember that there were shops that had a really paltry selection of patriotic fabrics and so sometimes it was a stretch to find something I liked.
I am also happy that I had plenty of leftovers so I now have a stack of face mask pieces ready to go and some smaller leftovers which would be fun for log cabin blocks. The adventure continues!
