Trip to Ireland

On a trip to the Bramble Patch I bought a book "Trip to Ireland" by Elizabeth Hamby Carlson. This is very much the sort of book that appeals to me. She has combined 2 blocks - "Trip around the World" - and "Irish Chain" to produce "Trip to Ireland". I didn't follow a pattern exactly - I chose one called "Irish Trip" and amended it by making it the chains wider . I worked out how many blocks I wanted on the Quilt to give visual impact , then I calculated how big a finished square should be. I had to work out my own cutting instructions. The idea of this quilt was to utilise fabrics I already had so I had to calculate carefully! I used several Red and Burgundy prints to give texture and spread them around - this meant that I had to be careful when sewing up my strip sets so that I didn't place a fabric in the same place in each block. I wanted it to look rich and textured, not planned. I also used a yellow and an Ochre to add texture.

Elizabeth tells you how to make a mock up card showing the 2 blocks so you can see the pattern and help you with your fabric placement. Then you use it to see what strip sets to make.

There were, as usual, a few problems along the way. The tiny snippet of fabric I stuck on the card in one column looks like a different print - consequently I stitched the wrong print into one of the sets. I didn't notice until it was pieced. I had to unpick lots of blocks.

For some strange reason the Trip blocks went together OK but the Chain blocks all had a bulge in the middle. I had to unpick those and correct them too! I have since bought a quarter inch foot.

At this point I joined all the blocks to make a pieced top.

This sat in my cupboard for a while.

After I made Mum a quilt I asked my sister if she wanted this one. So I put the borders on it and quilted it. I made a plastic template so I could draw Baptist Fan on it which I machine stitched in a variegated thread.