864 Pieces

Our newest project quilting challenge was a pixelation-type piece.

Here is this years.

Too big to get it all on the thumbnail for our submission

I'm kind of familiar with the process of making these types of quilts.

I made this one last year:

Zebra completed in 2018

This was a full-sized quilt and I remember just how long it took me to complete it. My girlfriend, Kathy, made a tiger that is astonishing! If you're ever in the Charlotte, Michigan area, look for her truck. She had it duplicated and skinned it over her Avalanche.

Moving along...

...I have a newly spayed puppy. I knew she'd require a lot of attention this week so I didn't want to commit to anything huge since time was a huge consideration for this challenge.

I sketched this out with the help of my Alphabet Letter book.

Sorry for the sideways pic

The way Kathy and I completed our two quilts were using the same method one would use to make a Mondo Bag. I started gridding out my fusible on Sunday night so Jim could keep an eye on Hazel.

Monday morning I started to work the letters. Hazel was still pretty sleepy and lethargic from her surgery, so I made hay while the sun shone into the studio windows.

Starting to get everything together

I pondered filling in those bigger spaces with larger cuts of squares, but didn't feel like that would have:
a) Achieved the correct look I was going for, and
b) Didn't feel like that was true pixelation.

In the afternoon, the puppy started regaining her senses and started testing her boundaries. I had to put the brakes on major construction for the afternoon, but did sneak in a few cuts/blocks when I could. When Jim got home I was able to finish placing the cut pieces and quickly sew the columns together.

An accordion

Tuesday brought a more adventuresome dog and even less time to work. But between taking her out to potty, and dealing with her clinginess, I would sneak in sew time to get the rows of the together.  The evening provided me the ability to get the piece at least loaded onto the long arm.

Finally on the long arm

Today didn't start out well. The pup had started to scratch and lick her incision and she has figured out how to get the cone of shame off in about 3-5 seconds when she's out of her crate. Constant supervision was required this morning. 

And then this afternoon, she crashed and decided to take a long, long nap! Let's go!!!!

Here's the finished piece! 864 pieces. I reworked the original design because as I've said before, the last thing I need around here is another stinking wall hanging. This will be displayed in the corner of my studio, just above the east and south windows, right over the pressing table.

12 1/2" by 72". 864 1" finished squares.